Chamber E-Newsletters April 2024
The Truro and Colchester Chamber of Commerce publishes weekly E-newsletters for our members
Month of April :
More than 70 Chamber Perks to save you $$$
The Chamber Perks Mobile App is FREE with your company's Chamber of Commerce membership. It is a fast, easy way for you to shop and save money.
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Download details: Chamber Perks Flyer
Join the Chamber in Ireland May 2025
The Truro and Colchester Chamber of Commerce invites you to join them on a trip to the Emerald Isle in May 2025.
ABOUT THIS TRIP
Discover the beauty of the Emerald Isle with this spectacular 10-day tour of Ireland! You will head on a journey you will never forget, filled with rich history and fascinating sites that will leave you in awe. Your journey will begin in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland known for its lively atmosphere, cultural heritage, and friendly locals. From there you will explore the Ring of Kerry, famous for its sandy white beaches, rich species of wildlife, and breathtaking mountains. Visit Killarney, the perfect place for outdoor activities as the region is filled with mountains and lakes, and see the Cliffs of Moher, perhaps the most famous site in Ireland known for its natural beauty, and travel to Limerick, one of the oldest cities in Ireland. Make your way through the narrow streets of Galway, where you will see gorgeous cathedrals and busy pubs before you explore the Connemara Region, a land of lakes, rivers, bogs, and mountains where Gaelic remains the spoken language. Your tour of Ireland will come to an end with a scenic trip back to Dublin and you will head home filled with fascinating memories that will last you a lifetime!
Download details:
Booking link: Experience Ireland with the TCCC | Indus Travels
2024 Gala Award Presentations
Business Person of The Year 2024
Arnold Hagen
Read Citation for Arnold Hagen here
Buiness Excellence Award 2024
Kerr Smart Energy Ltd.
Read Citation For Kerr Smart Energy Here
Lifetime Achievement Award 2024
Sharon Corcoran
Lifetime Achievement Award- citation Corcoran
Chamber to present three outstanding businesses with awards on gala night
Sharon Corcoran to receive Chamber Lifetime Achievement Award
TRURO – Well-known business woman Sharon Corcoran will be recognized next month for her life-long commitment to building community through real estate and volunteerism in the Truro area.
Corcoran, broker and owner of RE/MAX Fairlane Realty, will be presented with the Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Achievement Award on April 4, at the organization’s Annual Dinner Gala and Awards in Truro.
“Sharon has an incomparable zest for life and a love for her community which shines through, not only at her business, but also with the volunteer organizations she supports,” said Sherry Patriquin-Martell, Chamber Executive Director. “She has been an inspiration to many business owners with her willingness to share experiences and knowledge.”
Along with the Lifetime Achievement award, sponsored by Patterson Law, two additional prestigious awards will be presented at the Chamber’s Dinner Gala and Awards. Developer, entrepreneur and community volunteer Arnold Hagen will be honoured with a Business Person of the Year award, sponsored by BDC, for his efforts to revitalize “Uptown Truro” by modernizing the former Truro Mall creating the new Hub Shopping Centre. Kerr Smart Energy has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Business Excellence Award, sponsored by Community Credit Union. Marking 75 years in operation in 2024, the business has evolved with changing consumer demands and recently constructed a new Distribution Center in Truro, doubling its pallet storage capacity.
Leah Nord, Senior Operations Director with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association national branch, will be the guest speaker for the event. The Chamber Social will kick off the evening’s festivities at 6 p.m. at the Best Western Glengarry followed by the gala dinner at 7 p.m. Seats must be reserved in advance by March 26 and cost $75 plus HST for members and $125 plus HST for future members. To book a seat contact the Chamber at 902-893-6328, email [email protected] or reserve online at www.trurocolchesterchamber.com by clicking on the event’s calendar.
The Chamber is a non-profit, membership-based organization representing more than 500 businesses and organizations in the Truro and Colchester region as the recognized voice of business.
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Media contact:
Sherry Patriquin-Martell
Executive Director
Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce
902-895-6328
Petition issued requesting extension of CEBA loans
ADVOCACY ACTION
We are writing today with a call to action regarding Canada Emergency Business Account (“CEBA”) loans. We have been advocating to the federal government to provide a further extension of the repayment and partial loan forgiveness deadline that is looming on 18 January 2024. We were hopeful that Minister Freeland was going to announce such an extension during her fall economic update last month, but that did not happen.
We have also met with local MLAs regarding this issue and were pleased to see a joint letter issued by the Premiers of Canada seeking additional time for businesses to repay the CEBA loan without losing the benefit of a forgivable portion.
With the deadline just over a month away, our Chamber is supporting a petition launched by the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce and MP Jenica Atwin have directed at the Government of Canada to extend the deadline for an additional year.
A recent analysis of over 15,000 Canadian businesses found that inflation, input costs, and interest/debt costs are the three most acute obstacles faced by business (at 56%, 40% and 38%, respectively), and the smaller the firm, the more constrained they are by debt.
Moreover, recent surveys focused on CEBA loan-holder companies reveal that:
- 49% of small businesses are still making below normal revenues;
- 50% of Canadian foodservice operators are currently operating at a loss or breaking even compared to 12% pre-pandemic; and,
- 45% of Canada's tourism businesses are likely or somewhat likely to close within the next three years without government intervention into their mounting debt load.
At the local level, we are hearing from members that this deadline will have a material impact on their business and require further relief. For further background, read this column by the Fredericton Chamber of commerce.
While the CEBA loan repayment may not be an issue for many of you who do not own businesses, but we would ask that you consider signing the petition anyway as a show of support for your community businesses that have been slower to recover from the pandemic.
Click here to sign the petition.
The Province wants input from Nova Scotians on improving the workers’ compensation system and preventing harassment in the workplace
The Province wants input from Nova Scotians on improving the workers’ compensation system and preventing harassment in the workplace.
Nova Scotians can share their input on both the workers’ compensation system and harassment in the workplace at in-person and virtual sessions and through an online survey and written submissions.
In-person sessions take place:
November 28th, 6:45-8 pm Truro NS at the Douglas Street Recreation Center.
Virtual sessions will be held November 17, 20 and 27, as well as December 1, 6 and 8. The surveys will open on November 14.
People can register at the consultation websites:
workers’ compensation engagement: https://novascotia.ca/workers-compensation-engagement/
preventing workplace harassment engagement: https://novascotia.ca/preventing-workplace-harassment.../
“We know there is work to do to improve workers’ compensation. The system needs to be updated with today’s workplaces in mind to be the best it can be for Nova Scotians,” said Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration. “We also want all workers to feel safe at work – not just physically but psychologically, too.”
The Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia provides workplace injury insurance to Nova Scotia employers and employees. The compensation system was last reviewed in 2002, and the Province recognizes that Nova Scotia lags behind other jurisdictions in areas such as workers’ access to coverage, employer assessment rates and benefits.
The Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration is overseeing the review of the system, alongside an eight-member review committee that includes employer and employee representatives. Douglas Reid, chair of the review committee, has significant experience in management, regulatory compliance, financial services and corporate governance, and was a partner with KPMG Canada for nearly 30 years
The Department is also consulting the public on harassment in the workplace. Information gathered will be used to help create rules so employers can prevent harassment and support healthier and safer workplaces.
Nominations now open for Gala Awards!
Nominations are now open for the 2023 Gala awards.
Click Here to submit an application for the Community Credit Union Business Excellence Award
Click Here to submit an application for the BDC Business Person of the Year Award
12 Days of Local Boxes are back!
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A gift box filled with 16+ local products perfect for the holiday season. Perfect as a present for a loved one, for yourself, or as a corporate gift!