volume 1 / issue 2 1

Sask. Population Hits Same Level as 2001

Immigration – A Problem Worth Solving

Chamber Members “Make a Connection”

And More

2 action!

action! | volume one | issue two

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

Vision:Saskatchewan Business making Saskatchewan the best place to invest, live and work

Mission:To strengthen Saskatchewan’s business community and competitive enterprise system for an improved quality of life.

action! Magazine, a publication of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. Reproduction of any material contained in action! Is permitted provided credit is given to the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

Opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent those of the Saskatchewan Chamber.

Editor: Kristin McKee

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce 2007-08 Executive Council

President: Dave Dutchak

Immediate Past-President: Ralph Boychuk

1st Vice-President:Dale Lemke

2nd Vice President:Holly Hetherington

Treasurer:Pat Pitka

Directors on Executive CouncilRichard AhenakewCam CooperPat FriesenJohn GottschalkBrad ShamlaColin TaylorColleen VanchaGregory Yuel

Cover Shot:Jan Katerynych, Human Resources Manager for Kramer Ltd. and Brenda Cuthbert, Corporate Director of Human Resources for Siemens Transportation Group discuss international recruitment at Saskatchewan’s Immigration Forum

Welcome New Members ............................................................ 2

A Message From the President .................................................... 3

Chamber Members “Make a Connection” ................................... 4

The Action Saskatchewan Report Card Saskatchewan’s Population Returns to 2001 Level ..................... 5

A New Entrepreneur Series Inside the Start-up ................................................................... 6

Legislative Report ........................................................................ 8

Rants & Resolutions The Property Tax Structure Just Needs to Be Changed .................. 10

Immigration Forum Immigration – A Problem Worth Solving ................................. 11

Contents

Welcome New MembersFor Membership information or to refer your leads please contact: Trevor Doroshenko at 352-2671

Board Dynamics810 – 410 22nd Street EastSaskatoon, SaskatchewanPh: 306-665-2233E-mail: info@boarddynamics.comWebsite: www.boarddynamics.caContact: Irene Seiferling, PrincipalDescription: Provide a range of governance and board of director services that lead to strategic governance

Community of Tomorrow 250 – 10 Research DriveRegina, Saskatchewan Ph: 306-522-6699E-mail: jlee@ctinfo.caWebsite: www.ctinfo.caContact: John Lee, PresidentDescription: Fosters the development and commercialization of new infrastructure solutions for the global marketplace

Dr. Aleksander Vitali1010 Haslam CrescentSaskatoon, SaskatchewanPh: 306-955-2144Contact: Aleksander Vitali, M.D.

Great Canadian Oil Change3115 Quance StreetRegina, SaskatchewanPh: 306-569-6000E-mail: greatc@sasktel.netContact: Mike Wiens, OwnerDescription: A drive-thru oil change facility focused on speed & quality

Massage Therapist Association of Saskatchewan Inc.16 – 1724 Quebec AvenueSaskatoon, SaskatchewanPh: 306-384-7077E-mail: mtas@sasktel.netWebsite: www.saskmassagetherapy.comContact: Lori Green, Executive DirectorDescription: An organization dedicated to the maintenance and improvement of the profession of massage therapy and to the protection of the public

Sky-Tech Equipment10010A Thatcher AvenueP.O. Box 885 North Battleford, SaskatchewanPh: 306-445-5151E-mail: skytechequip@hotmail.comContact: Bill Halewich, PresidentDescription: Aerial work platform services and rentals, forklift and bobcat rentals.

SpringBoard West Innovations106 – 2 Research DriveRegina, SaskatchewanPh: 306-789-0535E-mail: getstarted@springboardwest.ca Website: www.springboardwest.caContact: Susan Gorges, CEODescription: Focused on commercializing Saskatchewan ideas and innovation into market ready products and services

StoneCreek Consulting Inc.2245 Albert StreetRegina, SaskatchewanPh: 306-525-7280E-mail: atoews@stonecreek.bizWebsite: www.stonecreek.bizContact: Abe Toews, PresidentDescription: Specialists in business transition and corporate restructuring

Tourism Saskatchewan1922 Park StreetRegina, SaskatchewanPh: 306-787-5488Website: sasktourism.comContact: Tracy Breher, Director – Industry RelationsDescription: Responsible for developing and promoting tourism in Saskatchewan.

Zapwell Communications Inc.2703 24th AvenueRegina, SaskatchewanPh: 306-751-2657E-mail: andrew@zapwell.comWebsite: www.zapwell.comContact: Andrew Rathwell, PartnerDescription: Strategic communications development and management, advertising consulting and management and facilitation

volume 1 / issue 2 3

A Message From the President

“We are moving in the right direction, we just need to ensure we do not begin to stand still.”

As another Chamber year comes to a close, so does my term as President. Looking over the past year I have

started to realize the magnitude of the changes the Chamber has undergone and I can’t help but feel a surge of excitement when I think of where the organization will be at the end of next year.

After I was elected President my first duty was to help find a new CEO for the Chamber. Although, this process was not as quick as I would have liked, I do believe we hired the best man for the job and with him in place we were able to take the Chamber in a new direction.

Action Saskatchewan, the Chamber’s long-standing public engagement initiative, came to a close at the end of 2005. This coupled with the huge momentum swing our province experienced in 2006, meant that a new plan was needed; one that built on the foundation of Action Saskatchewan but took us further. We decided that good is not good enough for Saskatchewan and we started to develop a plan to make us great.

In 2007 the Provincial Chamber launched its Sustainable Growth Strategy. I am proud to say that with this Growth Strategy we not only thought long-term but also aimed high.

After all it was Saskatchewan’s first Premier Walter Scott that once said “This is a BIG land, for BIG people with BIG ideas”

The Growth Strategy predicts that Saskatchewan is going to move from “growing by default” to “growing by design” through a series of logical and practical decisions. This means that we are going to prepare for a growing population- not just expect things to “go back to normal” after a brief surge. We are going to make sure we have the housing, infrastructure and private sector investment in place to so that by the year 2030 our province has a population of 1.5 million people who experience a quality of life that is second to none.

With this new direction laid out, the Chamber established 20 targets for the year 2030 that would help make this dream a reality. We are moving in the right direction, we just need to ensure we do not begin to stand still. With that in mind, the Chamber started to work on new ways to support and enhance private sector business.

The change in Government has opened a lot of new doors and the “Voice of Business” is being heard louder and clearer then ever before. Advocacy efforts are becoming more focused and as the changes to the Trade Union Act and the rebalancing of the Labour Relations Board’s personnel clearly show, results are coming faster.

Looking outside of our advocacy efforts, the Chamber decided it was time to improve its membership communication channels. We have developed a new business magazine to keep our members up-to-date. We have also renewed our website to make our information more accessible.

When I started my term as President I had five priorities. 1. Effectively launch and implement our Strategic Plan2. Hire a Strong and Dynamic CEO for the SCC3. Review and revamp the Chamber’s Governance Structure4. Create and Launch a Growth Strategy for the Province of Saskatchewan 5. Help create a positive environment and high profile for the Chamber through the election period and moving into the future

I am happy to note that with the help of a very Professional and Positive Team of Board Members and an Excellent Administration Team the majority of these objectives have been completed and the rest are well underway. This year we have created a strong foundation for the Saskatchewan Chamber and I am very proud to have been a part of it!

Dave Dutchak PresidentSaskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.

“Businesses in Saskatchewan are going to need to prepare for a continually growing population. We cannot justexpect things to “go back to normal” after a brief surge.”

4 action!

At the start of April, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce hosted the first annual Deputy Ministers’

and Chiefs of Staff Reception. The event, which was held at the RCMP Heritage Center, was attended by about 90 people- half representing a variety of industries and half representing Government Ministries.

“The Deputy Ministers’ and Chiefs of Staff Reception is something new to the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce,” noted President Dave Dutchak. “Similar events have been well received in other Canadian jurisdictions and after our first run, I am positive it will become one of the Chamber’s premiere events in the future.”

The Reception provided Chamber Board and Committee members with an opportunity to connect with the Deputy Ministers, Chiefs of Staff and Crown Corporation Presidents in an informal setting.

“Saskatchewan has a new government and in a lot of cases there are new people operating in the top levels of government policy development. We want our members to be familiar with these people, so that if issues do arise for them they know who they can talk to, elaborated Dutchak.

“The Deputy Ministers’, Crown Corporation Presidents’ and Chiefs of Staff Reception helped our members and the Chamber as a whole, establish and reaffirm a positive working relationship with the officials who shape government policy. Furthermore, our members also had a chance to connect with one another over shared concerns,” concluded Dutchak. Overall, it was a great event and one the Chamber is looking forward to hosting next year.”

Chamber Members “Make a Connection”

volume 1 / issue 2 5

The most recent Action Saskatchewan Report Card highlighted a trend new to Saskatchewan- A Growing

Population!

In the fourth quarter of 2007, the provincial population experienced a growth rate of 1.7%, a dramatic improvement from the -0.05% experienced at the start of 2006.

The increase is almost exclusively the result of an increase in the number of people moving to Saskatchewan from other provinces. In the calendar year 2007, in migration reached 29,634 and out migration was 19,460 for a net gain of 10,174. This turnaround in interprovincial migration flow was supplemented with an additional 800 international immigrants in 2007 compared with 2006.

However, the positive influx of people, which started in the fourth quarter

of 2006, has still only returned the Province’s population to the level it experienced in 2001. Furthermore, the Province has not stopped the out-migration of its youth (defined as those between the ages of 15 to 29).

In 2007, Saskatchewan lost 9,420 young people through interprovincial out-migration. Fortunately, the Province was able to sharply increase its in-migration number which helped curb the net loss but there were still fewer young people living in Saskatchewan at the end of 2007.

“The Provincial Chamber is obviously pleased with the change in our population trend, but we are well aware that the work is only half done. We need to continue our efforts to make Saskatchewan a more attractive place for young people,” noted Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve McLellan.

On a positive note, the Report Card showed employment increases among youth, people in rural Saskatchewan and Aboriginal people living off-Reserve.

For 2007 the average Aboriginal Employment Rate, among people living off-Reserve, was 66%. Although this employment rate is still significantly below the non-Aboriginal employment rate, it does represent an improvement over the 61% experienced in 2005 and the 64% in 2006.

The employment rate among people 55 or older has also been increasing- however, at a more dramatic rate. There are now about 84,000 people 55 or older

working in Saskatchewan every month. This is 36% of the population in that age group, up from 30% just five years ago. Furthermore, this trend is likely to continue for several years as our population continues to age.

Looking forward the Provincial Chamber is positive about the future. The Report Card estimates that annual private sector investments will increase by almost $2 billion in 2008, a statistic echoing the Chamber’s internal survey which found that 75% of respondents expect investments in their business to increase in 2008.

The complete Action Saskatchewan Report Card can be found at www.saskchamber.com

The Action Saskatchewan Report Card, developed by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and Sask Trends Monitor, provides a report on key indicators that support economic growth. The indicators measure progress on growing the population, developing the underdeveloped labour market and public versus private sector growth.

The Action Saskatchewan Report Card

Saskatchewan’s Population Returns to 2001 Level

2000-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Annual Net Interprovincial Migration

thousands

Private Sector New Capital Investment asa Percentage of Total

199970%

75%

80%

85%

90%

2001 2003 2005 2007 est

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Who Is Anne?Anne Smith is a composite character, representing some demographic trends of Canadian entrepreneurship. Women entrepreneurs have entered the small to medium-sized business market at double the rate of men for over ten years, making a female character realistic and believable. The business idea needed to be viable for Saskatchewan with a focus on current business trends; improved health and convenience are dominant market trends. A food service business was chosen, as women entrepreneurs tend to dominate the service industry. To be a credible entrepreneur, Anne needed substantial industry knowledge and first-hand experience.

All issues of “A New Entrepreneur Series” are available online at www.saskchamber.com

You’re reading the first article in a regular series about starting a business in Saskatchewan. This series is meant to be

informative and interesting…even if you are already in business. In the coming months, we’ll feature an entrepreneur who will go from initial concept to beyond opening day. Including, of course, the bumps that are met along the way! Let’s introduce the entrepreneur and her idea …

A Life-long Dream Starts with an Idea.After devoting ten years to the Calgary restaurant industry, Anne Smith was returning to her home town of Regina to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. A

Inside the Start-upfriend, Paul, was looking for a business partner. Paul had the culinary know-how to create a sensation in the kitchen, but was less confident about starting his own business. Both Anne and Paul were looking to have more freedom, and be their own boss.

Regina had transformed almost overnight into a booming urban centre. Anne and Paul saw an opportunity to be innovative and jump on food industry trends that had not yet been exploited. Using Anne and Paul’s knowledge, experience, and business savvy, they concluded that great-tasting health food was the biggest trend being overlooked by Regina food entrepreneurs.

Inspired by her own hectic lifestyle, Anne saw the need for a food service

A NewEntrepreneurSeries

volume 1 / issue 2 7

Market Research – Quick TipsStarting with an idea…> Be critical in the evaluation of your business idea> Pick an industry that you are passionate about, and that you know> Focus on new business trends; what’s missing in the current market place?> Start researching the industry you want to enter and the potential market demographics

designed specifically for busy urbanites, a service that would provide stress-free healthy food choices, and offer back time to focus on more important aspects of urban lives, such as friends, family, and hobbies. The gourmet health food service would deliver extraordinary bagged lunches and restaurant-quality prepared evening meals to prospective clients, on a daily basis.

Taking the idea of a health-food restaurant one step further, Anne created the “Time Savour Gourmet” meal delivery service.

An Idea Becomesa ProductThe “Time Savour Gourmet” would offer consumers time-saving alternatives to cooking with better quality than fast food, and a menu customized to meet their specific health concerns and preferences. Clients could sign up for the “Time Savour Gourmet” service to receive one or more gourmet lunches and suppers. Lunches would be bagged and delivered to workplaces between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Hot suppers would be delivered to homes between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. Menus could be adapted for specific health concerns such as diabetes, heart health, or allergy related concerns; dietary preferences such as vegetarianism; specific “diet” preferences like low carb or low fat; or even for seasonal or ethnic offerings.

Anne needed to understand her potential market and the product value to her potential clients. Her analysis showed there were really no full-service gourmet restaurants competing directly with her service, as she would be offering more affordable everyday gourmet meal options. Anne also hoped to win over fast food customers with a more

nutritious and delicious meal alternative, but she did not see frequent fast food consumers as her primary target. Anne didn’t see a dominant catering business in the city. She felt her focus on client-customized meal plans would set her apart from the typical catering service.

Anne was thrilled with how the concept was coming together for the “Time Savour Gourmet.” She was confident

that she had formulated a business idea that had distinct competitive advantages; by serving outstanding food in a superior manner to what the competition was currently doing.

Anne was missing the information she needed to determine whether the “Time Savour Gourmet” was a viable business for her in the long run, she needed to create a business plan…

Next Month – Business PlanningWritten by Andrea Mulholland, a fourth-year student at the Paul J. Hill School of Business, University of Regina. Andrea is a student consultant with the Centre for Management Development at the University of Regina. The Centre provides business consulting services, Executive Leadership Development and customized training, and publishes applied research.

8 action!

“Premier Wall reiterated the province’s stand that it will not be a part of TILMA as it is now written.”

“The Province recently announced that additional revenue will be shared with municipal governments”

Municipalities Receive More FundsAfter Saskatchewan’s first land sale of the season took in a record $265-million, about $72-millon more than budgeted for the entire year, Premier Wall announced that additional revenue will be shared with municipal governments. How much will be distributed to municipal governments and on what basis is being worked out. The announcement caught municipal governments by surprise as urban governments were looking at hiking property taxes from about 4% to 10% across the province.

Legislature’s Extended Hours OverAfter a week operating under extended hours that allowed MLAs to sit from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., Government and Opposition house leaders have agreed to resume a more regular schedule. The Saskatchewan Party government had moved to extended sitting hours in order to ensure there was enough debate time for legislation before this session ends May 15.

As of the middle of April, 38 bills are on the order paper and several big ones have yet to go through their respective

A Guide to Provincial Politics

committee studies. The New Essential Services legislation, the Trade Union Act Amendments, Enterprise Saskatchewan, the Growth and Financial Security Act, Midwifery and even the fixed dates for provincial elections are still being studied and debated in committee.

WCB Posts SurplusThe Workers’ Compensation Board had a record year in 2007, producing a $130-million surplus. This surplus was the result of a lower accident rate, record investment income and higher premium income because of the booming economy. However, despite the lower accident rate, Saskatchewan still has the second highest rate in Canada. So far, there has been no indication whether the Board will lower employer premiums as it did for this year.

Province Still Examining Trade OptionsThe Trade Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between Alberta and British Columbia surfaced again in April. Premier Wall reiterated the province’s stand that it will not be a part of TILMA as it is now written. However, he noted that the government is interested in increasing cooperation among all western provinces. When TILMA first surfaced, Wall then in opposition, chided the Saskatchewan NDP government for not being at the table when it was negotiated. He later changed his mind and opposed Saskatchewan’s signing over concerns that some provisions could have a negative effect on some Saskatchewan tax issues, crown corporations and incentive programs.

STC Ridership Down Perennial money-loser Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) continued its trend in 2007. The Crown-owned bus company reported a loss of about $400,000.00 on revenues of a little more than $16-million. Ridership was up in 2005 and 2006 but fell back 1.5% in 2007. Prior to 2005 ridership had dropped each year for the previous 15 years. There is optimism that the new terminal in downtown Regina will encourage more people to take the bus and improve the company’s bottom line. This year the grant to STC is $5 million, down $1 million from the previous year.

SaskWater Loses MoneySaskWater lost money in 2007. The Crown, which supplies water and waste water services to 53 rural and urban municipalities, 60 rural pipelines and 41 commercial customers, had a net loss of $500,000.00 compared to net income of $400,000.00 the previous year. The loss was attributed to higher repair and maintenance costs.

Changes to the Ministry of Social ServicesChanges and revisions in the Social Services Ministry will not lead to lay-offs, according to Minister Donna

Photo courtesy of Tourism Regina

The Legislative Report

volume 1 / issue 2 9

Harpauer. She took some heat shortly after the budget was tabled when employees in the Ministry were told some would lose their jobs and more would have to move to a centralized call centre in Regina. Although some changes will occur, the centralized call centre will not be happening. Harpauer said she believes it is more important to have social workers be in personal contact with their clients as opposed to dealing with them through a phone call.

Meanwhile the Minister announced that more than $2-million had been added to the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement program to help low income families. The program provides financial assistance to low income families that can range up to $562.50 a month. Almost 80% of the 5,800 eligible families are single parent households.

Enterprise SaskatchewanThe new Enterprise Saskatchewan Board met March 31 for the first time. At the meeting the Board established Committee chairs and worked on developing corporate governance guidelines and communication protocols. Regina businessman Gavin Semple was endorsed as Deputy Chair and Chair of the Governance Committee, Myrna Bentley Chairs the Finance and Audit Committee and Gary Merasty Chairs the Human Resourses Committee. The Board intends to meet monthly for the next several months to finalize its governance system, hire staff and set up sector teams.

Medical Offices Receive UpgradeAll of Saskatchewan’s doctor’s offices will soon have an electronic system of accessing patient records. The arrangement has the government and the Saskatchewan Medical Association

(SMA) each putting up $2-million a year to have electronic medical records (EMR) available to all Saskatchewan medical offices. The SMA office said only about 20% of Saskatchewan medical offices currently have EMR systems. It will work similarly to the system now used by pharmacies. Eventually, the entire system will link up to the Health Information System which, the government says, will provide better care for patients. An example used by the SMA office was if a person who reacts to penicillin is injured in an accident, that fact will be available to whoever treats that individual.

Resignation May No Longer Stop InquiriesJustice Minister Don Morgan said the government is still considering legislation that would allow prosecution for professional malfeasance of an individual even after the individual resigns. The Justice Minister raised concerns last year when the resignation of former Judge Terry Bekolay thwarted the Court Judicial Council from conducting

an inquiry into conflict of interest allegations. The issue surfaced again when it became known that confidential investigation documents regarding a 16 year-old fraud case involving the NDP Caucus were leaked from the Regina Police Service. Morgan said the individual the police suspected resigned from the force and is beyond an investigation.

Rent Controls RejectedRent controls are not on the government’s agenda, according to Justice Minister Morgan. He told a Saskatoon meeting of the Saskatchewan Rental Housing Industry Association that the government has no intention to implement rent controls but instead is concentrating on getting more housing constructed. A two person task force consisting of Saskatoon City Councilor and former NDP MLA Bob Pringle and former Saskatchewan Party MLA Ted Merriman was given the mandate to figure out how to create more housing. The Task Force will report its findings by the end of May.

“more than $2-million has been added to the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement program to help low income families.”

10 action!

Interested in writing a Rant contact Kristin McKee at

kmckee@saskchamber.com

The Property Tax Structure Just Needs to Be Changed

&Rants Resolutions

Property taxes are going up again. In Regina, the hike is pegged at 3.9%. In Saskatoon, 8.6%. In Yorkton, 9.8%.

The increases are likely to be trimmed now that the provincial government is injecting more cash. But this is a tax that should be going down, not up. We already pay massively more than anyone else in Canada.

REALTORS® will tell you that people moving here from outside are routinely appalled at the property taxes they have to pay to live in a Saskatchewan home. It’s become a major disincentive to migration.

I have a son in Calgary. My house is now almost on a par with his, in value. But my property taxes aren’t – he pays less than half what I pay.

There are two reasons for the gap. One is the low level of provincial support

for our communities. The other is the inordinate share of school costs paid by property in Saskatchewan.

In the Nineties, the provincial government cut funds for municipalities as part of the effort to master the deficit. Meant to be temporary, the cuts were never restored. In 1990, the province allowed $120 million for municipalities – in 1990 dollars. Sixteen years later, the amount was all of $97 million – in 2006 dollars.

Communities are starving. They subsist on a one-tax diet. And even this meagre inflow has to be shared. Over half of the revenue is taken off for school purposes, and another chunk gets diverted for libraries.

School property taxes are far out of line in Saskatchewan. In Manitoba, the province pays well over 60% of school costs. In Alberta, it’s even more. Here in Saskatchewan, the reverse is true: property owners pay nearly 60% of school costs, the highest in Canada.

Not only is property tax too high, the tax itself is one of the worst ways to raise public revenue. It’s a capital tax. It has no relation to income, behaviour or anything else within the control of the tax payer. We need capital to grow, yet we tax what we already have without mercy, and apparently, without remorse – as other taxes fall, property taxes keep rising.

Happily, this column can be part Rave, as well as a Rant. There are signs of change in the wind. A provincial-municipal revenue sharing program is being talked about in government.

But don’t we already have a program called revenue sharing? We do, but it’s an arbitrary grant given by the province, not a share of revenue anyone can rely on. It rises and falls as the province wishes. Municipalities need steady access to something besides the property tax.

Unfortunately it’s not practical or desirable for a community to do its own local gasoline tax or sales tax. The answer is to set aside a piece of provincially-collected revenue and distribute it to municipalities – much like income taxes are collected federally for the provinces.

These funds would be municipal money, flowing to the local government without provincial strings attached. If the economy is strong and revenue grows, the municipalities would get the benefit. In tougher times, they would share the pain. But they would live in the same world as the province as a whole, the money would be their own, and they would account to their local voters for how they manage it.

It’s time to clean up the property tax. Let’s end the annual begging municipals must do, recognize that education is a provincial responsibility, and give property tax payers a long-overdue break.

Cam Cooper,Practice Leader from Sigma Analytics

A regular column by members who not only want to rant but also offer resolutions.

volume 1 / issue 2 11

Some Key Recommendationsfrom the Action Plan> The Province must expedite the immigration process – working towards a 90-day timeframe from “Job Offer to the Arrival of Immigrants in Saskatchewan.”

> The Province must establish a 3 year pilot project for Expedited Labour Market Opinions in Saskatchewan in partnership with the Federal Government. Expedited Labour Market Opinions would be for all occupations.

> The Government of Saskatchewan needs to ensure short-term loans are available for immigrants wanting to upgrade their training.

> The Province and private sector should facilitate the establishment of Settlement Service organizations in every district in Saskatchewan.

Complete recommendations are available at www.saskchamber.com

Saskatchewan’s economy is growing faster than its labour force. This means that businesses are missing

opportunities simply because they do not have the staff resources necessary to capitalize on them. And unfortunately, Saskatchewan’s labour shortage will not be solved by recruiting across Canada due to the high demand for labour in most other regions.

Employers need to look abroad to met their labour needs.

At present, the Federal and Provincial immigration systems are not designed to deal with the ever increasing volume of immigrant applications the present day economy is generating

On April 11th, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce chose to tackle this issue head-on by hosting Saskatchewan’s Immigration Forum. The purpose of the Forum was to generate an action plan for Saskatchewan’s immigration system.

Prior to the generation of the action plan, the Forum provided those in attendance with an understanding of the current Immigration process highlighting its challenges and successes. Presenters from both levels of government supplied an overview of the current numbers, industry representatives shared their experiences- both positive and negative- new opportunities for recruitment were introduced and an immigrant,

who works in the settlement field, shared both personal and professional experiences.

Following the formal presentations, the group was split into smaller groups for a focused discussion on the key issues.

“We asked each small group to record their ideas and conversational themes,” noted Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve McLellan. “We are working through this information for the compilation of our Summary Report and I am amazed by the wealth of ideas and suggestions put forward. We are going to take Saskatchewan in a great direction.”

Following the small group discussions, the group as a whole developed a 14-Point Action Plan to streamline and accelerate

the immigration process in Saskatchewan. The plan included recommendations like co-locating federal and provincial immigration offices, increasing private sector access to settlement services, accelerating processing time and eliminating of the Provincial backlog.

The Provincial Minister Responsible for Immigration Rob Norris attended the Forum for the majority of the day and noted that it went far beyond his expectations and that he was eager to receive the Chamber’s materials.

The 14-Point Action Plan for Immigration and the Summary Report will be sent to the Saskatchewan government and the Provincial Chamber will consistently advocate for it to become part of a new provincial strategy.

ImmigrationForum

Immigration– A Problem Worth Solving

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

POLITICAL FORUM 2008M

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Phone: 306-352-2671Fax: 306-781-7084E-mail: info@saskchamber.com

1630– 1920 Broad StreetRegina, Saskatchewan

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Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

With a New Format for 2008 the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce‛s Annual Dialogue Session with Elected Representatives is Better Than Ever!

June 4th, 2008

An Evening with the Government

5:30 p.m. Reception

6:00 p.m. Dinner

7:00 p.m. Breakout Groups

8:15 p.m. General Questions

8:45 p.m. Recap

9:30 p.m. Closing Remarks &

Night Cap

10:00 p.m. Adjournment

Calendar of EventsJune 5th, 2008

A Breakfast with the Opposition

8:00 a.m. Breakfast

9:00 a.m. Breakout Groups

10:15 a.m. General Questions

10:45 a.m. Recap

11:30 a.m. Closing Remarks

12:00 p.m. Adjournment

This year Political Forum is all about moving forward and finding solutions.

The new 2008 format still provides Chamber members with an opportunity to network with political representatives informally and then question members of both the Government and the Opposition in a structured setting, but this year the Chamber is introducing a Breakout Group Session

Breakout Group topics will be selected by the Chamber‛s Expert Policy Committees beforehand. Objectives of each breakout group are as follows:• To provide the Minister/ Critic with an understanding of the Chamber‛s

position and the logic behind it• To gain an understanding of the Political Party's position and the logic

behind it• To work together to come to some sort of common understanding

Saskatchewan Chamber members are able to attend whichever session is of the most interest to them.

Register For Only $100.00

The Registration Deadline is May 30th and Political Forum is Only Open to Members of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

For more Information and A Registration Form Please Visit

www.saskchamber.com