action! onlineIn this issue... • MMRP Update • Rail Study Report • Labour Market Survey Report • Innovate incrementally ... and more!

The Voice of Business in Saskatchewan

Get in Touch Tel: 306.352.2671Email: info@saskchamber.com

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April, 2015 edition

SCC Chair Bruce Anderson; Natasha Nystrom(Media Relations Officer, Financial

Consumer Agency of Canada); SCC Director of Government Relations Curtis Hemming; Hon. Don Morgan, Minister of Education, Government of

Saskatchewan; Jane Rooney (Financial Literacy Leader, Financial Consumer Agency of Canada); SCC 2nd Vice-Chair Shawna Nelson; and Jessie Usselman (Community Investment Specialist,

Affinity Credit Union) toured the Provincial Legislature during a recent meeting

Table of Contents

3 CEO’s Message

4 Rail Study Report

6 Update: MMRP

7 Advocacy in Action

8 Issue in Focus: Labour Market Survey Report

18 Notice of AGM

19 Membership Central

20 Members in the News

21 Dates to Remember

22 New Board Members

23 Step by Step - How to innovate incrementally

24 Sask Chamber Conference on Business 2015

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CEO’s MessageRail Service is critical to Saskatchewan’s future success

Much has been said and reported about the rail sector over the past couple of years, from a variety of perspectives; however, the reality is that our rail lines work hard on behalf of their customers and shareholders, and our shippers also work to ensure their products get to markets as efficiently as possible.

There is no mistaking the fact that our province was built by bringing people and products by rail, and our future contains an inherent interdependency on rail.

That synergy should make us all focus on opportunities to make it as fluid and productive a relationship as possible.

When the issues of getting the 2013 crop to market hit the media, and finger pointing began, we knew there was work to be done to clarify the picture.

With the support of several key partners, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce contracted The Conference Board of Canada to undertake a study on the connection between rail and Saskatchewan exports which outlines facts about Saskatchewan products and their volumes current and future.

That report, The Impact of Rail Access on Saskatchewan’s Export Potential also makes concrete suggestions to enhance the province’s

rail-based supply chain, ensuring it is able to allow for continued export growth.

What the report finds is that we do not currently have the capacity to meet the export targets set out in the province’s Plan for Growth.

The Chamber has endorsed the Plan and therefore we want to ensure those goals are met.

Rail has all too often been overlooked and until something bad happens (like farmers being unable to ship their product or a derailment), people forget just how linked our success is to the rail supply chain.

There are nine recommendations in the report (http://bit.ly/Skchamber). We welcome your input, whether on the rail issue or other matters. It’s naive to say “Let’s all just get along,” and imagine that all the various stakeholders and political interests will refocus and things will get better.

The fact remains, however, that rail companies are reliant upon the shippers for their own future prosperity (and vice versa).

That should be reason enough to keep the momentum and positive communications happening.

Our continued economic sustainability is reliant upon us getting our products to market, but we should also remember that rail companies depend on having cargo. That simple fact should be sufficient to keep us all on track.

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Did the Rail Report leave the station without you? On March 30, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce released a valuable report delving into the impact rail transport has on Saskatchewan’s manufacturing and exporting sectors, and providing nine key recommendations.

The report was commissioned by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and completed by The Conference Board of Canada, following challenges in getting the province’s products to market in the 2013-14 year.

Did you miss out on the release? No problem! The Press Release, Executive Summary and Full Report can be found by clicking here.

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Update: The Province’s MMRPBy Libbey Morin, Policy and Research Analyst

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As many of you may know, the Multi-Material Recycling Program (MMRP) is a provincial recycling funding program. It was set to launch in January 2015, but the program was put on hold in late 2014. If and when the MMRP is implemented, businesses and other organizations that supply or distribute waste packaging to Saskatchewan households will share in the cost of recycling these products. In essence, the MMRP is a cost-sharing program between municipal governments and industry. Under the MMRP, municipalities may receive up to 75% of their recycling costs from industry.

Saskatchewan’s Household Packaging and Paper Stewardship Program Regulations requires all businesses that distribute or sell paper and packaging products in the province to participate in the MMRP. The program itself is to be operated by Multi-Material Stewardship Western (MMSW). MMSW was the only organization to submit a program plan to the Ministry of Environment.

By early summer 2014, 314 municipalities had signed contracts – either directly or through regional waste authorities – with MMSW. Industry stewards are also required to register with MMSW. After the small business community expressed great concern over the lack of consultation and communication, the Minister of Environment extended the deadline for industry stewards to register with MMSW indefinitely.

This past December the Ministry of Environment made a number of announcements regarding the MMRP. First, small businesses, including newspapers, generating a gross revenue of less than $2 million are fully exempt from participating in the MMRP. A two year transition exemption has also been put in place for businesses with an annual revenue between $2 million and $5 million.

During this temporary transition period, these businesses will be required to register with MMSW and pay an annual flat fee of $500. This temporary transitional period will also apply to newspapers

too large to fall within the small business exemption.

The Ministry of Environment also announced the creation of a working group made up of representatives from municipalities, businesses, newspapers, and the waste reduction community. Three chambers of commerce are participating in the working group: the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, the Regina and District Chamber of Commerce, and the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce. They will work alongside the Ministry of E nv i ro n m e n t , N e w s p a p e r s C a n a d a , Retail Council of Canada, C a n a d i a n Federation of I n d e p e n d e n t Business (CFIB), Saskatchewan U r b a n Municipalities A s s o c i a t i o n (SUMA), Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), Association of Regional Waste Management Authorities of Saskatchewan (ARWMAS), and the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council.

The working group met for the first time in early March 2015. The group’s aim is to identify goals, determine how to communicate with small businesses, and ways to bring stewards into compliance. Parallel to the working group, the Ministry of Environment is still trying to fully launch the MMRP with MMSW. The next meeting of the working group will take place in April.

Local chambers have expressed their frustration with the program and the lack of communication around it. At this point, there are far more questions than answers.

ADVOCACY in ACTION

The provincial budget was released on March 18 and overall, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce (SCC) thought the budget was quite responsible, especially given the huge drop in oil prices over past months and the resulting impact on provincial revenues.

First, the Government of Saskatchewan did very well at limiting the growth of government operational spending, which we are very supportive of. The SCC has a policy that calls for the government to restrain operational spending growth to the lower of either the rate of GDP growth or inflation (Consumer Price Index) and the government successfully kept operational spending growth below that level.

Second, there were no new taxes. The Premier and Ministers had been publicly musing about increasing the educational component of property tax, changing revenue sharing for municipalities, and increasing

various other taxes, but they ultimately did not increase taxes. While there are certainly taxes that we would like to see reduced, like property tax, the corporate tax rate (as it was promised a couple budgets ago), and personal income tax rates, it is positive that they were able to create a budget that did not increase taxes on businesses and individuals.

Third, the government is making some pretty significant new investments in infrastructure, particularly transportation-related infrastructure. We have numerous policies that call for greater investments into infrastructure (in northern Saskatchewan, through P3s, and in bridges and roads generally), so having them invest more money into those areas is a good thing. The one drawback on this additional spending is that they are having to borrow $700 million to make those kind of record investments into infrastructure. If you speak to most business owners though, they’ll likely tell you that

By Curtis Hemming, Director of Government Relations

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ADVOCACY in ACTION (cont’d)

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if they are able to borrow money very cheaply to accelerate the growth of their business by making investments into equipment or buildings, then that is generally the most attractive reason for taking on debt. Since the government is using that $700 million in borrowed money to make capital investments like repairing aging infrastructure and investing in new infrastructure, those kinds of prudent investments will likely translate into greater economic growth for Saskatchewan in the future.

As mentioned at the outset, this is a good budget when you consider the revenue challenges the government is facing because of low oil prices. Once oil prices return to higher levels (hopefully soon) The Sask Chamber will resume asking them to fulfill their promise of lowering the corporate tax rate and making additional reductions to property tax and personal income tax rates. Given the situation though, the SCC was fairly pleased with the 2015 provincial budget.

On March 23, SCC staff and Board members met with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Winnipeg to discuss various policy issues that are of importance to many jurisdictions across the country, such as infrastructure investment and skill labour shortages. There were a lot of good conversations on those items, in addition to the ongoing development of a national strategy for Chambers of Commerce to engage in during the upcoming federal election.

All of the meeting attendees also had the opportunity to visit the Canadian Museum for Human Rights which has been open for only the past six months. The building and exhibits are beautiful and Winnipeg should be very proud to have the museum located there.

On March 26 the national Financial Literacy Leader from the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Ms. Jane Rooney, visited Regina and spent the day with the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce doing various activities to raise awareness about the importance of financial literacy.

In the morning, the SCC hosted a roundtable discussion with 20 business people and government officials who have expressed an interest in improving financial literacy within the province. The Regina Chamber of Commerce then hosted a luncheon which featured Ms. Rooney as the keynote speaker. Following that, the SCC and Ms. Rooney met with the Leader-Post’s editorial board to have a discussion on the subject. Finally, SCC staff and Board members took Ms. Rooney to meet with the provincial Minister of Education to discuss what the government, business community, and the Financial Consumer Agency can do to help raise awareness of the importance of youth financial literacy and youth entrepreneurship.

Saskatchewan Chamber staff and board members had the opportunity to visit the newly opened Canadian Museum for Human Rights during their recent visit to Winnipeg for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce meetings. Shown L-R: Steve McLellan, SCC CEO; Marion Ghiglione, Past Chair, SCC; Curtis Hemming, Director of Government Relations; Darryl Stann, Sr. VP of Finance, PotashCorp, and Bruce Anderson, SCC Chair

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Issue in Focus: Labour Market Survey Report By Kristin McKee, Director of Policy Development

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Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Page 1 of 9

Issue in Focus

March 2015

Labour Market Survey Report Core Issue: The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce conducted a labour market survey in March 2015 to determine what employers were currently doing to support labour market enhancement and what activities would be of value in the future. Key Findings: 188 businesses people responded to the labour market survey, with about 75% representing private businesses.

Hiring

o The number of respondents with a job remained unfilled due to a shortage of qualified workers was 54%, down just slightly from 55% a year ago.

o Employers are continuing to hire the majority of their employees from the local community.

o New hires from the Aboriginal community remained low; however, almost 57% of respondents indicated they had practices to attract/retain Aboriginal workers.

o Respondents identified specialized/technical skills and a lack of applicants as the top four skills missing from job applicants. Job readiness was ranked first last year but fell into fifth this year.

o Only 22% of survey respondents reported being involved in immigrant recruitment over the past year.

o While awareness is high (over 70%) only 25% of respondents plan to access Canada Job Grant funding

Training o The majority of employers are dedicating financial resources to employee training

with almost 75% investing in the $1-$5,000 range. o Internal training processes were the most frequent form of employee training offered

by employers, and these processes were considered to be the most effective. o The percentage of respondents investing in safety training increased by almost 10%

this year compared to 2014.    o Parallel to last year, survey respondents placed a higher value on the availability of

graduates from technical schools or colleges, when compared to university graduates.

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Issue in Focus (cont’d)

 

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Page 2 of 9

Labour Market Survey 2015 In March 2015, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, with support from other industry associations, surveyed businesses to gain a more in-depth understanding of the magnitude of efforts the business community has undertaken and the range of activities being performed with regard to labour market development. 188 business people responded. The purpose of this survey was to gain a more in-depth understanding of the specifics of the current workforce issues and of the magnitude of effort the business community undertakes to generate solutions. Respondent Profile

Company type: Are you unionized?

How many people did you employ in Saskatchewan in 2014 (including full and part time)? The following percentages of respondents had practices to attract/retain workers from any of the five under-engaged labour pools in Saskatchewan.

39.66%

13.79%

56.90% 60.34%

18.97%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Olderworkers

Homemakers Aboriginals Youth Persons withdisabilities

A private business  An association/non‐profit business  Government entity

Yes   No 

1‐5 6‐10 11‐50 51‐100 101 or more 

Issue in Focus (cont’d)

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Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Page 3 of 9

The following percentages of respondents participated in the workforce development efforts outlined below:

The Current Labour Pool Hiring Similar to the previous findings, respondents indicated that employers are continuing to hire the majority of their employees from the local community. The division of hiring remained almost the same as last year.

Where have your “new hires” come from (over the last two year hiring period):

57.72%

42.50%

77.69%

33.04%

45.30%

54.17%

35.90%

60.34%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Apprenticeship, co‐op placements andother learn‐on‐the‐job programs

Workplace diversity initiatives

Identifying and developing high potentialworkers for leadership roles

Program advisory committees with traininginstitution

Industry and training institutionpartnerships

Employee recruitment from other provinces

Immigration recruitment overseas

The provision of initiatives to measure andimprove productivity

The local community  Other parts of Saskatchewan  Immigrants recruited overseas  The Aboriginal community  Other parts of Canada  Other 

Issue in Focus (cont’d)

 

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Page 4 of 9

Immigration Only 22% of survey respondents reported being involved in immigrant recruitment over the past year. Of those who were involve, the most highly utilized programs and/or processes were (in order of frequency):

1. Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) 2. Temporary Foreign Worker Program 3. Francophone Significant Benefit Program 4. Intra Company Transfers 5. International Experience Canada - Working Holiday

Labour Shortage The number of respondents having a job remaining unfilled due to a shortage of qualified workers was 54% in this survey, just slightly below the 55% reported last year. Did you have a job remaining unfilled in 2014 due to a shortage of qualified workers? Skill Shortages Respondents identified specialized/technical skills and a lack of applicants followed by work ethic and practical experience as the top four skills missing from job applicants. Job readiness was ranked first last year but fell into fifth this year, with specialized skills making the biggest move from fourth to first.

Yes   No 

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Issue in Focus (cont’d)

 

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Page 5 of 9

What skills, if any, do you find missing from job applicants that you want/need for your business? The External Training System Priorities The need to have more technical/college graduates available was the top priority for survey respondents looking to address labour issues. Similar to last year, survey respondents placed a higher value on the availability of graduates from technical schools or colleges when compared to university graduates. While availability was ranked highly, recruitment drives, both nationally and internationally, continued to be seen as a low priority.

Specialized/technical skills  Lack of applicants  Work ethic and/or productivity  Practical experience  Job readiness (workplace behaviours, dependability etc.) Realistic expectation on hours/salaries  Essential skills (literacy, numeracy, etc.)  Customer service  Safety Training  General computer skills  Other

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Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Page 6 of 9

What services or programs do you see in your sector that, if enhanced, could improve the labour pool/ workforce for your company:

2015 Ranking 2014 Ranking 2013 Ranking

1. More technical/college grads available

1. Easier access to skills training 1. More technical or college graduates available

2. Easier access to skills training

2. More technical/college grads available

2. More skilled trades people (journeypersons)

3. More co-op/ on-the-job training programs

3. Stronger essential skills in K-12 education

3. Easier access to skills training

4. Stronger essential skills in K-12 education

4. More co-op/ on-the-job training programs

4. Easier access to labour market information

5. Greater transition to work services for Aboriginal people

5. Greater transition to work services for Aboriginal people

5. More recruitment drives nationally

6. More university grads available

6. Easier access to labour market information

6. Greater transition to work services for Aboriginal people

7. Immigration process simplified and quicker

7. More contracted training services

7. More access to co-op programs

8. Easier access to labour market information

8. More university grads available

8. Immigration process simplified and quicker

9. More recruitment drives nationally

9. Immigration processes simplified and quicker

9. Contracted training services

10. More contracted training services

10. More recruitment drives nationally

10. More university graduates available

11. More recruitment drives internationally

11. More recruitment drives internationally

11. More recruitment drives internationally

Improvements Aligning programs with hiring needs moved from fourth place to first this year while the previously topped ranked suggestion more on-site training/practicums dropped to fifth. A focus on practical knowledge and stronger life skills jumped to second and third place this year, while more training opportunities experienced the largest drop, moving from second to 10th.

Issue in Focus (cont’d)

Rate StabilityWith over 30,000 companies participating, claims are spread over a large pool (1-9 life firms) so you’re guaranteed more stable rates.

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Group Benefits with a Difference. Simple. Stable. Smart.

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Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Page 7 of 9

What could be done to make training in universities and other post-secondary facilities more focused on the skills you need?

Employer Training Information As with previous years, this survey found the majority of employers are dedicating financial resources to employee training with the majority investing somewhere in the range of $1-$5,000. Respondents also indicated that internal training processes were the most frequent form used (about 94% indicated they used some type of in-house training). The percentage of respondents investing in safety training increased by almost 10% this year compared to 2014.

What was your annual training budget per person last year?

2015 Ranking 2014 Ranking 2013 Ranking 1. Align programs with hiring

needs 1. More on-site

training/practicums 1. More on-site

training/practicums 2. Focus on practical

knowledge 2. More training opportunities 2. More training opportunities

3. Stronger focus on dependability, productivity, and life skills

3. Modernize training programs with employer input

3. Align programs with hiring needs

4. Utilize more employer input 4. Align programs with hiring needs

4. Better career counseling

5. More on-site training/practicums

5. Stronger focus on dependability and productivity

5. Tuition/training affordability

6. Strengthen K-12 achievement

6. Better labour market information

6. Strengthen K-12 achievement

7. Better career counseling/ information availability

7. Strengthen K-12 achievement

7. Modernize training programs with employer input

8. Reinforce basic skills 8. Better career counseling 8. Stronger focus on dependability and productivity

9. Accelerate training opportunities

9. More local training 9. More local training

10. More training opportunities 10. Tuition/training affordability

$0 $1‐$1,000 $1,001‐$5,000 $5,001‐$10,000 $10,001‐$20,000 Over $20,000 

Issue in Focus (cont’d)

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Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Page 8 of 9

What types of training do you undertake for your staff?

The following list is in order of frequency cited by respondents: In-house and/or on the job training (94% of respondents) Safety training (73% of respondents) Mentoring (71% of respondents) Technical training/ Equipment operating (60% of respondents) Leadership training (56% of respondents) Customer service training (53% of respondents) First aid/CPR (52% of respondents) Personal growth plan and/or career counselling (38% of respondents) Sales training (35% of respondents) Productivity/Lean (25% of respondents) Marketing and/or communications training (25% of respondents)

What is the most productive workforce development service/program or activity you undertake for your employee training? This list is ranked in order of most to least productive.

2015 2014 2013

1. Hands-on/onsite training 1. Hands-on/onsite training 1. Hands-on/onsite training 2. Mentoring and one-on-

one training 2. Mentoring and one-on-

one training 2. Mentoring and one-on-one

training 3. Private, company-

developed training 3. Workshops and

conferences 3. Specific training programs

offered online or out of province

4. Specific training programs through SIAST, private providers or regional colleges

4. Private, company-developed training

4. Specific training programs through SIAST, private providers or regional colleges

5. Personal & organizational goal setting

5. Personal & organizational goal setting

5. Sales training

6. Workshops and conferences

6. Specific training programs through SIAST, private providers or regional colleges

6. Personal and organizational goal setting

7. Specific training programs offered online or out of province

7. Specific training programs offered online or out of province

7. Compensation for personally organized training

8. Compensation for personally organized training

8. Compensation for personally organized training

8. Workshops and conferences

Issue in Focus (cont’d)

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Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Page 9 of 9

In 2014 the Government of Saskatchewan partnered with the Government of Canada to launch the Canada Job Grant. The Canada Job Grant allows employers to access additional training dollars. To access Job Grant funding an employer is required to contribute at least one third of the training costs (up to $5,000) for additional training that leads to a new or better full-time job.

Are you aware that there is Canada Job Grant funding available through the provincial/federal government to assist employers in providing new employee training? Have you accessed, or do you plan to access, any Canada Job Grant funding to build your training capacity?

How do you know that your workforce development efforts are paying off?

(Rate in order of frequency with 1 being highest): 2015 Ranking 2014 Ranking

1. Greater productivity by staff 1. Reduced turnover/ More long-term staff

2. Improved job satisfaction and engagement

2. Greater productivity by staff

3. Improved safety 3. Increased internal promotions 4. Reduced turnover/ More long-term

staff 4. Improved job satisfaction and

engagement 5. Higher customer satisfaction 5. Higher customer satisfaction 6. Easier to recruit new staff 6. Easier to recruit new staff 7. Increased internal promotions 7. Improved safety

Yes  No 

Yes  No  Unsure 

Issue in Focus (cont’d)

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Register Today!

http://tinyurl.com/SCCCnf2015

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Conference on Business 2015

“The Future... in Saskatchewan”

May 5-6, 2015 Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza, Regina

Hotel Block Reservation: $175.00(2 Queen Beds) Reserve by April 13 to guarantee this rate; ask for the Sask Chamber of Commerce Group Block.

Call 306.522.7691

Notice of AGMPlease take note that the Annual General Meeting of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Inc. will be held at the following date and time: Date: Wednesday, May 6 Time: 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Location: Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza, Blue Lounge 2125 Victoria Avenue, Regina, SK

The agenda will include Annual Reports, presentation of Financial Statements, bylaw revisions and reports on the election of Board Directors. All members of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce are welcome to attend the Annual General Meeting, and anyone who wishes to attend the entire Conference on Business can find more information on the agenda and registration by clicking the link below.

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MEMBERSHIP Central

By Elissa LaLiberte, Director of Membership Engagement

Thank you to our members who renewed last month!

Your continued support of the Chamber movement makes it possible for us to achieve on your behalf, and we want you to know we appreciate you as members!

• RDK Transport• Saskatoon Travelodge• Superior Cabinets• Pheonix Group• Dr. Yashin Mahmood• Dr. Ishaan Sundar• Sask Heavy Construction

Association• International Manpower• Sask Assoc of HR Professionals• Northern Resource Trucking• Beyond Wealth Management• Praxis• MLTC Industrial Investments• Crestline Coach• Corix Control Solutions• Fries Tallman Lumber• LB Distillers• Trek 2000 Corporation

• b-creative group• Murray GM• Harvard Western Insurance• EMW Industrial• Cornerstone Credit Union• Delta Regina• Boyd Excavating• Raven Industries Canada• McDougall Gauley• Community Futures

Saskatchewan• Innovation Credit Union• The Wireless Age• Saskatchewan Land Surveyors• Herperger Farms• Success Office Systems• Dr. Mark James• Armada Resources• U of R• Association of Regina REALTORS• Aztec Indistries• Dr. Muriel Kriel• Synergy Credit Union• Jay’s Transportation• Concorde Group• Flaman Group• Thyssen Mining• Ascent Management Group

• Nomad Capital Corp• Crowe MacKay LLP• Diamond North Credit Union• ASL Paving• Square One• SREDA• Canadian Western Bank• Cuelenaere Kendall Katzman &

Richards• PFM Capital• Futurpreneur• CPA Saskatchewan• HTC PureEnergy• Stats Cocktails & Dreams• Iron Mountain• Board Dynamics• CNH Industrial Canada• Group 2 Architecture Interior

Design Inc.• Bayer CropScience• RBC• Jerry Manil Limited• FACT Computers• Saskatoon Blades• Merit Contractors• Ghost Transportation• Capital Automotive Group

Thanks to our returning members!

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Prairie Sky Co-operativeWeyburnwww.prairieskycoop.com

Flatland Vacuum ServicesKronau

Welcome to our new members!Canpulse FoodsKindersleywww.canpulsefoods.com

Intra Grain TechnologiesReginawww.intragrain.com

Neechie GearSaskatoonwww.neechiegear.com

Husky EnergyCalgarywww.huskyenergy.com

Members in The NewsBy Elissa LaLiberte, Director of Membership Engagement

We would like to congratulate several of our very deserving members for making the Canada’s Best Managed Companies roster for 2014. Please join us in applauding the following:

Gold Standard Winners:

Airline Hotels

David Aplin Group

Solvera Solutions

Richardson International Limited

Requalified Winners:

Driving Change Automotive Group Ltd.

FirstOnSite Restoration

Payworks

Simpson Seeds Inc.

South Country Equipment Ltd

Platinum Club Members:

Alliance Energy Ltd.

Associated Engineering

Bayshore HealthCare

Brandt Group of Companies

Concentra Financial

Graham

Great Western Brewing Company

PCL Construction Group of Companies

West Wind Group of Companies

More information about Canada’s Best Managed Companies can be found here: https://www.bestmanagedcompanies.ca/en/Pages/Home.aspx

Athabasca Basin Development was presented with a Connected to the Community Award from the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association on March 17th. The award recognizes Saskatchewan organizations that use wireless technology to improve the lives of Canadians.

Yara Belle Plaine Inc. announced a $160,000 donation to Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Power Engineering Technology program on March 10th. “Yara’s investment in the Power Engineering Technology program is an investment in our future employees and the growth of Saskatchewan,” said Michael Schlaug, president and plant manager, Yara Belle Plaine Inc.

Neechie Gear CEO, Kendal Netmaker was the runner-up for the Youth Business International Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 Award. There were four other finalists from Peru, Russia and Hong Kong. The awards were presented on March 10th in Dubai. Congratulations Kendal! http://www.youthbusiness.org/awards/

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Another deserving Saskatchewan Chamber member, North Prairie Developments was recognized nationally at the CHBA SAM Awards in Halifax. They took home the top prize for “Best Brochure/Kit” for Shangri-La. http://conference.chba.ca/samawards/2014/index.php?subcatID=196

The Saskatchewan Mining Association and Saskatchewan Polytechnic announced the Standardized Contractor Safety Training program on March 16th. The program is being coordinated through Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Centre for Minerals Innovation and its goal is to establish common provincial training standards for all contractors working at SMA member companies.

Mr. Dave Dutchak, president and CEO of MD Ambulance announced that he will retire on June 17th after 36 years with the company. We wish Dave all the best in his future endeavors.

The Canadian Red Cross, SCC member is now promoting the 29th Great Saskatchewan Red Cross Lottery. This lottery is one of the oldest in Saskatchewan and continues to help our most vulnerable. To learn more about the lottery visit www.redcross.ca/sklottery

Members in the News (cont’d)

Mark May 5 and 6 on your calendars, and plan to join us for the Conference On Business in Regina at the Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza. The Conference on Business includes the inauguration of the 2015-16 Chair, the Saskatchewan Chamber AGM, and professional development and networking opportunities.

A block of rooms is available at a reduced cost for conference attendees. The rate is $175.00 (2 Queen Beds). Reserve by April 13 to guarantee this rate; ask for the Sask Chamber of Commerce Group Block.Call 306.522.7691.

DATES to REMEMBER

Procurement Action Plan ReleasedLast month, the provincial government introduced the Procurement Transformative Action Plan to ensure there is an open, fair and transparent bidding environment for Saskatchewan business, and that taxpayers will receive the best value. A backgrounder on the move is provided here.

The Saskatchewan Chamber is pleased with this news, and is now seeking input from its members on how the process will work for members of the business community.

Congratulations and thanks to Lionel Labelle, Sr. VP of Priority Saskatchewan, for his good work on this file.

WELCOME to our new Board Members

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome three new faces, and welcome one familiar face back to its Board of Directors. The new Directors will join the board effective May 5th, when the 2015-16 Chair, Randy Beattie, the Vice-Chair, Shawna Nelson, and Second Vice-Chair, Patricia Warsaba are sworn into office at the Chair’s Dinner Gala.

Michael Cossar will remain on the board. A Chartered accountant by training, Michael has built a career in financial risk management, adding value to some of Canada’s leading companies. He is presently the Director of Finance for the Federated Co-op Limited in Saskatchewan, and previously served as the Vice President & Treasurer for Cameco Corporation. The strengths Michael lends to the Board are in finance, tax, insurance investments and pensions. He has chaired the Finance Committee, sat on the Audit Committee and Governance Committee, and assisted in advancing the Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Program in 17 schools in the province. Michael will serve a three year term on the Board.

New to the Board is Clayton Veresh, a partner at Deloitte LLP in Regina. His experience lends him the ability to contribute insight to the Board with regard to the challenges facing private companies in Saskatchewan. He has previous Board, strategic planning and goal-setting experience which will no doubt be an asset to the Sask Chamber moving forward.

Taking on a two-year interim term is Kendal Netmaker. This young, dynamic Saskatoon entrepreneur has won many prestigious awards for his company, Neechie Gear, which gives back to youth in need. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan, and has been active in mentoring other entrepreneurs in the rpovince for two years now. He also is an avid promoter of sport as a healthy option to create opportunities for youth in the province, and has sat on many sporting group committees.

Peter Clarke, President & CEO of Seed Hawk Inc. brings to the Board experience as a member of corporate Boards of Directors. Always a strong advocate for better representation at provincial levels for corporations, and in particular, manufacturers, Peter believes in building a strong rural base equal to those in urban centers.

Also deserving of thanks are the Board members continuing in their roles: (Current Chair and soon-to-be Past Chair) Bruce Anderson of b-creative in Regina; Greg Hanwell (Beer Bros. Gastropub & Deli, Regina); Monica Kreuger (Global Infobrokers Inc., Craik); Ricardo Silva (QuickThree Solutions Inc., Saskatoon); Trina Warren (MNP, Regina) and Sean Young (Young’s Equipment, Weyburn). We appreciate your hard work and direction in keeping the Chamber moving forward!

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Step by Step - How to innovate incrementally | BDC.ca

Entrepreneurs have to innovate to survive and thrive. However, innovation often doesn’t come easily. Let’s face it. It’s the rare business that strikes it rich with some mind-blowing high-tech invention or cool new wonder-product.

In fact, that’s not the kind of innovation that has the most impact in the small business world, says Michael Selci, Senior Vice President, Finance and Consulting, at the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). Much more important is something called incremental innovation—small, manageable improvements in your business.

They might not be as sexy as a fancy new product that makes a big splash in the news or revolutionizes an industry, but they’re the bread and butter of most highly innovative businesses, Selci says. And given the limited R&D resources at most small companies, incremental innovation probably offers the best payoff for entrepreneurs over the long-term.

“If you don’t innovate, you risk falling behind,” Selci says. “But radical innovation isn’t the answer for most businesses. Small incremental steps are what they need to work on to help their business grow.”

Rob Read of Bison Fire Protection agrees. His company, which supplies fire protection products and services, is growing at an impressive clip, with sales shooting up 20% each year since 2001. Bison has ranked as one of Canada’s top 500 fastest-growing companies two years in a row.

What is Bison’s secret? Constant improvement, Read says. “I think if you’re not innovating, changing or trying things, you’re dying. If you think business is done the same way as 10 or even five years ago, you’re wrong,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be the clouds parting and light beaming down. And we’re talking doable things,little changes on a regular basis.”

Read recently brought in an outside consultant to audit his business processes and look for efficiencies. He had noticed some of his employees were overworked, so he wanted to find ways to make their lives easier. “If you’re running a marathon every day, you’ll lose a lot of your people,” he says. The expert recommended some simple streamlining measures, such as processing paperwork more efficiently and improving scheduling and inventory management. It sounds like simple stuff, but these innovations made a huge difference.

“That marathon turned into a walk in the park. People

are less stressed. We’re getting better production with the same people and lower costs,” Read says. “The staff have repeatedly come to me and said, ‘Thank you.’”

Another recent innovation was to start having weekly meetings to brief sales people and project managers on the status of various jobs. That’s resulted in better productivity and customer service, Read says.

One more innovation: hiring a supervisor for each of Bison’s three divisions. Thanks to these managers, employees are now getting better support and training. Bison has also started investing more in its people by offering weekly staff training sessions.

And Read’s not done. Upcoming plans include a customer survey and another outside audit in a year or two. “As we grow,” he says, “I’m continually looking at ways to innovate.”

3 Tips for Small-Step Innovation

Many entrepreneurs shy away from innovation. “They view it as something complex or revolutionary that only the big guys can take on. Or they’re so busy trying to manage day-to-day operations and customers that they say they don’t have time for it and are fine as is,” BDC’s Michael Selci says.

However, innovation can be tackled in small steps that are easy to manage. Here are some tips:1) Constantly review your processes and products to see what you can improve. Seek advice from an industry expert or an external consultant with expertise in functional areas such as human resources, lean management or information and communication technology. Talk with suppliers and listen to customers to get new ideas. 2) Form partnerships with universities and colleges to cultivate ideas and potential employees.3) Shorten your idea-to-market cycle. Quickly see whether there is market interest in your idea. Test a new product inexpensively by promoting it on eBay or YouTube. Gauge market reaction, and innovate based on the feedback.

Tuesday, May 5

11:00 am Registration 12:00 pm Lunch and Keynote Speaker Ms. Alanna Koch, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Government of Saskatchewan The Future of Agriculture in Saskatchewan – An Insider’s Perspective 1:15 pm – 4:30 pm Chamber of Commerce Executives of Saskatchewan Members’ Meeting 1:15 pm – 4:30 pm Roundtable discussions for Chamber Volunteers 5:30 pm Chair’s Gala Reception 6:30 pm Chair’s Gala Dinner and Keynote speaker from CN Rail The Future of Rail in Saskatchewan – An Insider’s Perspective

Wednesday, May 6

7:45 am Registration 8:00 am Delegate Breakfast 8:45 am WCB Briefing 9:00 am Annual General Meeting 9:30 am Keynote address by Mr. Michael McMullen, Chair of the Board of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Canada Competes 10:00 am Nutrition Break 10:30 am Policy, Advocacy and Project Update by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Policy staff 12:00 pm Lunch and Keynote Speaker Mr. Mark Salkeld, President/CEO, Petroleum Services Association of Canada The Future of the Petroleum Sector in Saskatchewan – An Insider’s Perspective 1:15 pm Closing remarks 1:30 pm Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting

AGENDA

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• $225 Full Conference Package • $75 Chair’s Gala ticket • $50 May 5 Luncheon/Keynote • $50 May 6 Luncheon/Keynote

• Guest Room Rate: $175.00 (2 Queen Beds) Reserve by April 13th to guarantee this rate and ask for the Sask Chamber of Commerce Group Block. Call 306.522.7691

Conference on Business 2015May 5-6, 2015

Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza

Regina, SK

Register: http://tinyurl.com/SCCCnf2015

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action! online is a monthly membership e-publication of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.

CHAMBER STAFF

Steve McLellanCEOsmclellan@saskchamber.com

Marilyn LeierAdministrative Assistantmleier@saskchamber.com

Cindy WrightDirector of Special Eventscwright@saskchamber.com

Kristin McKeeDirector of Policy Developmentkmckee@saskchamber.com

Curtis HemmingDirector of Government Relationschemming@saskchamber.com

Libbey MorinResearch & Policy Analystlmorin@saskchamber.com

Jesse ChattersonDirector of Member Servicesjchatterson@saskchamber.com

Elissa LaLiberteDirector of Membership Engagementelaliberte@saskchamber.com

Dawn M. BarkerDirector of Communicationsdmbarker@saskchamber.com

1630 - 1920 Broad Street • Regina, SK S4P 3V2 • www.saskchamber.com

CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair - Bruce Anderson (b-creative group) 1st Vice-Chair - Randy Beattie (PFM Capital Inc.) 2nd Vice-Chair - Shawna Nelson (Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon) Immediate Past-Chair - Marion Ghiglione (Handy Group of Companies)

Directors - Cam Cooper (Praxis Analytics) Andrew Geary (Deloitte LLP) Trina Warren (MNP LLP) Greg Hanwell (Beer Bros. Gastropub & Deli) Patricia Warsaba (McKercher LLP) Ricardo Silva (Quickthree Solutions) Sean Young (Young’s Equipment) Monica Kreuger (Global Infobrokers Inc.) Michael Cossar (Federated Co-operatives)