Last year was a tough and different one, but it seems that things are starting to change and 2021 will bring more light.
The Estevan Chamber of Commerce summed up the results of 2020 and announced some plans for 2021 at their annual general meeting (AGM), joined by about 30 people on March 17.
Incoming president Daniel Betnar opened up the meeting.
"I'd like to say first and foremost to our members, 'Thank you.' 2020 was a strange year, to say the least. Our membership has been great throughout and showed great patience and understanding, as we as a board pivoted and tried to implement the best vision that we could," Betnar said.
He pointed out that while nothing about living through the pandemic has been easy, the chamber's executive director Jackie Wall and office manager Cathy Empey did a lot for the membership.
"A lot of our advocacy this year has been COVID-related. We have been having just about weekly calls with the Saskatchewan chamber executives, bringing our concerns to one another and to the Sask. chamber, and we've been having the Sask. chamber do a lot of lobbying with different organizations in different levels of government,” said Wall.
“We've also been in contact … with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, with a lot of the health care organizations, the hospitality industry, and trying to maintain open businesses within the parameters of what we can do as far as COVID restrictions. We also continued our role with the economic transition committee and also the economic development committee and there's a lot of exciting things happening in those areas."
She also summarized some of the activities and achievements the chamber had despite the pandemic and also shed some light on their 2021 plans.
"We were able to hold a golf event and I could not believe the enthusiasm at that golf event. It was a breath of fresh air. It worked out really well, and that's our plan again for this year is to do a golf event as well.
"Farm family was postponed. We were hoping that we would be able to do it in the fall last year. And of course, that didn't happen as far as an in-person event. So the farm family committee – and I want to recognize Lori Naka as being on that committee – has decided we're doing it virtual this year. Huge support from sponsors, and I really want to say thank you for that.
“The farm family was contacted. They were very excited and pleased with how we decided to roll out recognition of them and you can watch for that on March 30," Wall said.
Chamber will post the ceremony, recognizing the latest Farm Family of the Year, on their social media.
Wall also pointed out that during trying times, when government support programs had to be rolled out in a hurry, chambers were viewed as a good venue for that, and the Estevan chamber was also a part of those programs.
"It was a labour market program focusing on the areas of our labour market that have been most hard hit by COVID. We chose to focus on three segments of the market which was youth, newcomers and gig workers."
The program is wrapping up at the end of March, but the chamber will continue with several initiatives.
Wall also said that they are going to revamp the biennial Estevan Business Excellence Award (EBEX), in which they plan to celebrate the Estevan business.
"There is not going to be the usual nominations and a winner chosen because as far as we're concerned, anyone who is still in business and is still working to maintain and keep their businesses going are winners … It's also in combination with another program that I can't say anything about yet until next month, it's another government program.
“It's going to be very, very valuable. It's going to be very digitally based, very video based and very focused on getting a message out about your business to the larger community. So please watch for those that will go hand in hand and we'll be launching both of those in April."
The chamber also invited members to register for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) virtual luncheon, which will provide an update on the state of oil and gas on April 14.
Board member David Hammermeister of MNP presented the financial statements. The chamber came to the end of the year with some surplus, "but a big chunk of that is … COVID money, related to different federal programs that came out," Hammermeister explained.
The members also wished farewell to retiring board member and past president Cathy Welta.
"It's been about six years that I have had the pleasure of being on the board, starting as a director and then moving through all of the executive roles. When I started with the chamber we were in a boom, which quickly turned into a bust or the second Great Depression, if you ask some of my oilfield friends. But it is through this downturn that I was lucky enough to see Estevan in action," said Welta in her speech.
"The resiliency and adaptability of the board executive director and staff through the downturn and a pandemic has not ceased to amaze me yet. Please believe me when I say to you that this chamber and its memberships are second to none in this province. I've seen in the last couple of years a real shift in our business community. No longer do I hear all of the complaints with no resolution. Now I hear our community coming together to create solutions and I can see the changes.
"I believe fully and wholeheartedly that the chamber has been a driving force in this. I'd like to wish the board, Daniel and Jackie, nothing but the best in the future because I believe the future of Estevan is bright."
Four board nominations were approved and the board now consists of past president Welta, president Betnar, vice president Joe Billesberger, treasurer Linda Mack, and directors at large Twyla Bauman, Cory Casemore, David Hammermeister, Lori Naka, Sheena Onrait, Jeff Pierson and Denise Taylor.
Before the end of March, all members of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce are asked to express their ideas and visions through the online survey posted on the chamber's website. It will help the board with strategic planning for the year.
