Month: December 2016

Business attraction and retention focus of pilot project

NEWS RELEASE

Dec. 28, 2016

Call for nominations to participate on business-led board

CLICK HERE to download a board recruitment package

TRURO –  Colchester region municipalities and Millbrook First Nation are uniting with the business community to bring a focused approach to business attraction and retention in this area.

Five key stakeholders – the towns of Truro and Stewiacke, Colchester County, Millbrook First Nation and the Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce supported by the business community  – will provide funding and expertise to support the establishment of a new economic development organization, structured similarly to the provincially organized regional economic networks.

The stakeholders have formed a Liaison and Oversight Committee (LOC) with participation from all five groups as the first step to launching a business development enterprise in the spring of 2017.

“It’s critical to the region’s success that municipal, First Nation and business interests are united and focused on a strategic direction and prepared to partner to ensure that tangible results are achieved in the next three years and beyond,” said Truro Mayor Bill Mills.

The 36-month pilot project will focus on marketing, promotion and communication by establishing a central point of contact to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as sector development, business retention and other supports.

“Getting our councils and our business community all pulling together to build a better local economy is what the Ivany Report called for,” said Colchester Mayor Christine Blair. “And that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

The LOC is currently working to formalize governance, finalize the funding formulas and establish a business-led board that will identify opportunities and provide strategies tailored to this region.

“The business community is proud to be partnering with municipal and First Nation stakeholders at providing a regional focus on economic development,” said Chamber President Andrew Lake. “Populating the board with a diverse and talented group of community and business leaders will support identifying strategies that will grow and prosper the region.”

The group is calling for nominations of candidates to serve on the inaugural board of directors.  Board terms will be one, two and three years. Applicants should be driven by the belief that they can make a difference in the region with their diverse backgrounds and possess knowledge and skills in one or more of the following areas: leadership, business, law and audit, human resources, finance, governance, strategic planning, partnership development, government navigation, communications, economic development, entrepreneurship and relationship networking.

For more information or to obtain a recruitment package and application, contact the Chamber office by calling 902-895-6328, email [email protected] or visit www.trurocolchesterchamber.com.

The deadline for receipt of applications is noon (12 p.m.), Jan. 16, 2017.

CLICK HERE to download a board recruitment package

Time Sensitive Invitation to all Chamber Members

 

The Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce has arranged the opportunity for members of our chamber to participate in a twice-yearly Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey to be conducted by Corporate Research Associates Inc. (CRA) and sponsored by TD Canada Trust. CRA has been conducting a Consumer Confidence Index in the region for the last twenty-five years and felt the time was right to have a business perspective on the economy in Atlantic Canada. CRA will produce a Business Confidence Index for each of the four Atlantic provinces and the region overall for comparison purposes.

There are two direct benefits to our Chamber members. The first is that all those participating in this survey (which will take about 10-12 minutes to complete online) will receive a copy of the results. The second is that, any chamber that has a minimum of 100 of their members or 50% of its membership participate, these chambers will receive their own Business Confidence Index for their members. There is no cost involved either for our chamber or members who participate in the survey. To view the summary report of the inaugural Atlantic Business Confidence Index, click here.

We would encourage all our members to simply clink on the link below and help us build our own Business Confidence Index. Please be assured that all individual company responses will be treated in complete confidence and only aggregated data will be reported. The survey will only be opened until Wednesday, January 11, 2017. Why not take a few moments and complete the survey now. This survey is only open to those in the private sector.

To complete the survey click on the following link: https://surveys.cra.ca/s/112297/?tccc&l=en

Should you have any questions on the survey, or require assistance accessing or completing the survey, please do not hesitate to contact Corporate Research Associates at [email protected].

Thank you for your anticipated support of this important initiative to develop an economic indicator for our chamber membership.

Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition building on momentum; proposing date change

 

Exhibition enthusiasts will be happy to know plans are in motion for the annual Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition with the 2017 Planning Committee having met for the first time last week.  Leading the charge again this year are Amanda Langille and Tanya Colburne of Langille & Colburne – More Than Events, the same event management firm hired to oversee the 2016 event.  ‘’We were incredibly happy with feedback from 2016.  Overall, the response by attendees was very positive, ‘’ said Langille, as she notes the numbers indicate the same, ‘’the event saw an increase of 50% in attendance over the previous year and a 28% increase in the bottom line.’’

Dawn MacKay, a volunteer with the Farm Equipment Museum says the Museum relies on Exhibition traffic to further their awareness.  ‘’2016 was the best Exhibition we’ve had in years’’ said MacKay, sharing that 50% of their visitors last season attended during Exhibition week.

Together with NSPEC Staff and the Exhibition Planning Committee, Langille & Colburne are looking forward to building on the momentum created in 2016 with a proposed date change and a ‘’Nourishing Growth’’ theme that ties together Canada’s 150^th birthday celebration and agriculture.  Tanya Colburne also feels the theme is symbolic of the Exhibition grounds as a whole.  ‘’The large Bible Hill venue is one of the Maritime’s only ‘’camping festival’’ locations, and given its geographic location and its potential as an event venue, it’s important to nourish the growth here in that sense as well.’’

The organizers are also looking at moving the dates of Exhibition to start on Wednesday instead of Monday and end on Sunday instead of Saturday.  ‘’This gives families an extra weekend day to enjoy the Exhibition, and it’s logistically easier for livestock caregivers like 4-H, for example,’’ says Colburne.

Just prior to the first planning committee meeting, the NSPEC had representation at the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions (CAFE) in Fredericton earlier in November. ‘’The NSPEC was happy to have a presence at this important industry conference,’’ says NSPEC General Manager, Joe Nicholson, ‘’it’s reflective of our commitment to continuing to build on the momentum created last year.’’

Part of that is continuing to work with sponsors, business, and volunteers.  Langille notes new  systems are in place and there are lots of opportunities for people to get involved as a volunteer,  ‘’we currently have a call for volunteers in the areas of fine arts & photography, coordinating the Exhibition parade, opening ceremonies and ag-awareness,’’ she says.  Anyone who is wishing to volunteer is encouraged to email [email protected].

The Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition is proposed to run August 23 to 27, 2017.  More details can be found at www.nspe.ca