action!onlineIn this issue... • ABEX Winners • Sharpening Your Competitive Edge • Students First • Service improvements at the WCB • Canada-EU Trade Agreement ... and more!

The Voice of Business in Saskatchewan

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

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November, 2013

The words “social” and “media” were never used together in a sentence. People were not hiring “warm bodies” just to fill a position and global exports really meant wheat.

Now we sell bird seed to people in a small city in China who heard about the product on Facebook.

Where will all this lead us to in 30 more years I won’t even guess but I know enough of these young business people to be confident it will be a good place.

To all the sponsors, Finalists and attendees of ABEX 2013 I offer my sincere thanks. Keeping a program going for 30 years takes a lot of support and I am thrilled that the ABEX continues to grow.

CEO’s Message

The amazing ABEX

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On October 26th in Saskatoon, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of a very special program – the ABEX Awards.

To see some young faces winning awards and knowing they are still very active in the Sask business scene is very comforting.

Business leaders like Jim Yuel, Dave Dutchak, Russ Marcoux, Vaughn Wyatt, Steve Mazurak all won awards in the early years. To see the owners of Great Western Breweries all come onstage when they won Business of the Year and now having them immortalized in the GW “Original 16” beer is certainly special.

In fact, to see all of these guys on screen 25-30 years ago I wonder where our “Young Guns” of today will be in 2044 when the 60th ABEX is held.

Clearly, most will be still in business and selling their wares to the world. Most of these young business leaders will have started in a time when Saskatchewan is business friendly and when owning a business or making profit was not a bad thing or something to hide from your neighbors.

They face almost completely different challenges than those felt in 1984 and the manner of doing business has changed.

Click for details.

New Legislation Protects Foreign Workers

7456 Foreign Workers ad(Action Online)-3.indd 1 2013-10-24 2:55 PM

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Tuesday, December 3, 2013 • TCU Place, Saskatoon

Schedule of Events

How to set YOUR business apart from the competitionPlan to attend the 3rd annual Sharpening Your Competitive Edge conference, and hear business leaders from across the province, and across North America present innovative ideas to increase productivity and use it to maintain a competitive edge over your counterparts.

Sharpening your

Competitive Edge

8:30am – Welcoming address8:45am – Peter Clarke (Seed Hawk) The Struggles of a Rural Based Company in Hyper-Growth9:30am – Break9:45am – Dr. Jeffrey Liker Developing Lean Leaders for High Performance11:15am – Break11:30am – Wayne Morsky (Morsky Group of Companies) Family Business to Business Family12:15pm – Buffet lunch1:00pm – Dr. Jerome Konecsni (Innovation Saskatchewan) Developing Your Innovation Toolbox1:30pm – Break1:45pm – Gregg Cochlan (The Pacific Institute) Maximizing Your Competitive Edge Through Your Performance Ecosystem3:00pm – Break3:15pm – Productivity Round Table4:00pm – Closing Comments

Dr. Jeffrey K. Liker is Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan and president of Liker Lean Advisors—a network of top-notch practitioners who consult, coach and teach in the Toyota Way.

He is author of the international best-seller, The Toyota Way: 14 Management

Principles from the World’s Greatest Manufacturer, McGraw Hill, 2004 (26 languages, over 750,000 copies sold), and has coauthored six other books about Toyota. His

articles and books have won 11 Shingo Prizes for Research Excellence and The Toyota Way also won the 2005 Institute of Industrial Engineers Book of the Year Award and 2007 Sloan Industry Studies Book of the Year.

Developing Lean Leaders for High Performance

Dr. Jeffrey Liker, author of “The Toyota Way”

Since joining The Pacific Institute® in 1997, Gregg has done a tremendous job of taking organizations forward with a 21st century mindset resulting in significant performance improvement. Since the early 1990s, Gregg has been working with leaders and organizations on transformation and growth.

Gregg is the author of the book Love Leadership, and coauthor of Peace Really! One Mind @ A Time.

Mr. Gregg Cochlan, Managing Director of The Pacific Institute

Maximizing Your Competitive Edge Through Your Performance Ecosystem

Register online at http://tinyurl.com/Sharpening-2013

Schedule Subject To Change

Peter has undergraduate degrees from McMaster University in Biochemistry at the University of Toronto in Industrial Engineering, plus a graduate degree in business from The Schulich School of Business in Marketing and Management.

Peter moved from Toronto to Yorkton in 2011 to join Seed Hawk and has since then taken on the role of President and CEO. His focus continues to be on helping a rapidly growing, entrepreneurial rural company succeed in the areas of operations and global market expansion.

With his education and roots in Industrial Engineering, Peter has always focused on operational excellence as the key to a sustainable

competitive advantage.

The Struggles of a Rural Based Company in Hyper-Growth

Mr. Peter Clarke, President & CEOSeed Hawk

At the age of 13, Wayne Morsky began working in his family’s heavy construction business. Upon completing his education, he joined the company full-time and now sits as President & CEO of the Morsky Group of Companies.

The companies’ primary business is in infrastructure development (highway construction, railway maintenance, oil and gas development, landslide remediation and industrial services). The company’s newest addition is Morsky Development Corporation with offices in Stony Rapids and Regina which focus on providing general contracting for industrial, commercial and institutional clients.

Mr. Wayne Morsky, President & CEOMorsky Group of Companies

Family Business to Business Family

Dr. Konecsni is an award-winning innovator. He has been a member of teams that have received national recognition for innovation and science.

Before joining Innovation Saskatchewan as its CEO in October of 2011, he served as Director General of the National Research Council’s Plant Biotechnology Institute in Saskatoon. Dr. Konecsni also brings an entrepreneurial background from prior positions as the President and CEO of both Genome Prairie and BioSmart Technologies, and as Vice President Corporate

Development of Bioriginal Food & Science Corporation.

Developing Your Innovation Toolbox

Dr. Jerome Konecsni, CEOInnovation Saskatchewan

Register online at http://tinyurl.com/Sharpening-2013

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Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Lunch included

Place: TCU Place 35 22nd St. E. Saskatoon, SK

Registration: $165 plus GST

Register online at http://tinyurl.com/Sharpening-2013

Proudly presented by these conference partners:

Sharpening your

Competitive EdgeHow to set YOUR business apart from the competition

Join us for this unique and valuable professional development opportunity. Come out to hear experts in the field of productivity and innovation such as: • Dr. Jerome Konecsni, CEO of Innovation Saskatchewan • Mr. Wayne Morsky, President & CEO of The Morsky Group of Companies • Mr. Peter Clarke, President & CEO of Seed Hawk • Mr. Gregg Cochlan, Managing Director of the Pacific Institute and • Dr. Jeffrey Liker, author of “The Toyota Way”and President of Liker Lean Advisors

These experts, along with networking and shared best-practices discussion will provide invaluable help for Saskatchewan businesses looking to distinguish themselves and sharpen their competitive edge in an aggressive and ever-changing business economy through increased productivity and innovation.

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The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce has been active in advocating for greater student achievement since the early part of 2006, when our members started telling us their newly hired workers did not have the skills needed to work in business.

The research at that point showed that our provincial academic standing was also indicating a lack in the levels we would have liked - often ranking as low as 8th in Canada.

Fast forward to 2013, where there has been much progress in terms of awareness and also in terms of change.

An assessment system has been launched and several other key changes have come into play. This fall the Ministry of Education got both a new Deputy Minister and then a new Minister, whose fresh take on an old subject has brought about a series of welcome enhancements.

The Student First project will engage more parents, students, teachers and “Governors” (administrators, trustees) in a full and frank discussion.

For too long, educators have had internal discussions without involving all the parties. This change is very welcome.

Too many parents ignored the education system unless a school was closing. Too many people ignored the outcomes of a student’s education as long as the child passed, ignoring the fact they may not be able to read at their grade level.

Education is a foundational issue of our province, and the Sask Chamber is very engaged with bringing the voice of business as an important factor in the discussion. We have held several meetings with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF), Saskatchewan School Board Association and various groups of educators and trustees.

We have fully engaged our Expert Committee on Youth, Education and Training and added significant bench strength to its membership.

We have even begun a small and informal national group of Chambers who share our concerns and are also willing to work collaboratively to find better

outcomes for students. We co-hosted a dinner in August with the STF where Finnish education expert Pasi Salberg spoke about his country’s experience and what it took to make them the top achieving school system on the planet. It came as no surprise that student assessment is part of it!

I encourage all of you to go onto the Ministry of Education website (http://www.education.gov.sk.ca/student-first) and look at the Student First information and videos. These give a clear and unscripted perspective of teachers’ feelings about things such as the ways in which student assessment helps them do their jobs.

I get very frustrated when I read some University of Regina professors slamming assessment in the papers, when actual teachers who would be utilizing it are supportive. (I think maybe we should start assessing the professors’ student achievement levels).

It’s very important to note that neither the Saskatchewan Chamber nor I are pointing our fingers at teachers or the administrators of education through our efforts.

Every day almost 12,000 teachers go to school and most do a great job. There are changes needed, but the teachers are and will continue to be the biggest asset the system has. Lets’ all do our share to make the system better and the student outcomes even more positive.

As Deputy Minister of Education Dan Florizone recently said, “There will always be students and they will always be first”: a very clear way of telling us all where our collective priority needs to be.

A few words on advocacySTUDENT FIRST - a new perspective on K-12 education

By Steve McLellanCEO, Saskatchwan Chamber of Commerce

Welcome to our new members!

For membership information, or

to refer your leads, contact Jesse

Chatterson at 306.352.2671 or

jchatterson@saskchamber.com.

United Centrifuge Ltd.Weyburn, SK www.unitedcentrifuge.caRobWel Contractors Limited PartnershipMeadow Lake, SKwww.robwel.cad3h Hotels Inc.Saskatoon, SKwww.d3h.caTec Water Supplies Inc.Tisdale, SKwww.tecwater.ca

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Service improvements at the WCBThe Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) announced its preliminary premium rates at a series of meetings in October. The preliminary average premium rate is $1.51, the lowest in 20 years. This is good news for employers and is the result of their diligent efforts to prevent workplace injuries and mitigate their impact. The WCB is focused on continuous improvement. Through internal reviews and multiple processes that engage our stakeholders (surveys, meetings, Committees of Review) the WCB gathers feedback that is used to help us con-tinuously improve our processes that lead to better customer service.

The WCB has undertaken a number of projects and changes in 2013 that are designed to improve injury preven-tion and customer service. A few of these include:

A new website is launching in November. This will make it easier to find services, check your account and report and update payroll online. Visit www.wcbsask.com.

The name and phone number of the Team Leader for each Case Manager is now provided on important letters to employers and workers.

Process reviews are leading to improvements related to cost relief, reporting injuries and return-to-work.

Increased the number of Account Managers from two to five to help expand our injury prevention programs and provide better support to employers. Visit www.worksafesask.com.

Account Manager Telephone E-mailBrad Compton (Saskatoon) 306-933-7277 bcompton@wcbsask.com Rate codes S&C, Youth Inju-

ry Prevention StrategyDayle Diekrager (Regina) 306-787-4030 ddiekrager@wcbsask.com G22 Rate Code, Health Care

Injury Prev. StrategyCatherine Fuchs (Regina) 306-787-4342 cfuchs@wcbsask.com G&B Rate Codes, Public Sec-

tor Injury Prev. StrategyKathleen Howell (Saskatoon) 306-933-6939 khowell@wcbsask.com M&D Rate Codes, Manufac-

turing Injury Prev. StrategyTracy Slwyka (Saskatoon) 306-933-7291 tslywka@wcbsask.com A,F,U,R,T Rate Codes, Small

Business Injury Prevention Strategy

*******Contact the WCB at 306-787-4370, toll-free at 1-800-667-7590.

Norac Systems International Inc.Saskatoon, SKwww.norac.ca

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From Here to There Editor’s Column

A Pittance of Time“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” - Cynthia Ozick

On November 11, 1999 Canadian songwriter Terry Kelly was in a drugstore in Dartmouth when he heard an overhead announcement asking customers who would be in the store at 11:00 a.m. to participate in two minutes of silence, in honour of those who fought to defend our country.

The announcement made an impression on Terry; the store’s support of the Royal Canadian Legion’s two minutes of silence to remember those who had given all, he felt, was laudable.

A few minutes later, the announcement commencing the two minutes was made. Every person other than one man who was at the store with his young child honoured the silence.

As the man ignored the symbolic gesture of respect, and tried to get the store clerk into a converation, Terry’s anger was overwhelming. While the store was showing leadership and acknowledgement of the need for education about the cost of war, this man was teaching a much more personal lesson to his child - one of disrespect and selfishness.

Terry took that anger, and wrote the well-known song “A Pittance of Time”, which is available on his album, or free for listening on YouTube at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo.

If you haven’t watched this video yet, I strongly recommend that you do -- and then ask yourself what pittance of time you’re willing to give this November 11 to honour the brave, selfless souls who put their lives on the line so that freedom could continue.

Does your business allow the Royal Canadian Legion to display a poppy collection box on site? (If not, why not?)

Do you display wreaths of remembrance in your windows?

Do you attend your local Remembrance Day ceremonies?

Is your business closed on November 11 in respect? Or if it can’t be, are you at least willing to acknowledge the sacrifice of thousands of young men and women through a two-minute period of reflection?

Does your business offer special pricing or deals for members of the Legion and the Armed Forces?

Are you willing to provide leadership through education of young people about how awful war is, by taking part in public ceremonies on November 11, or volunteering in schools as part of their Remembrance Day services?

Will you visit a local seniors’ centre or care home to visit any remaining Veterans, or to speak to their relatives who may live there?

Can you make time to write a letter of thanks and remembrance, and share it by sending it to your local newspaper for publication as an op/ed piece?

Will you donate to the Legion so that it can continue its work, or apply to join it (if someone in your family served)? Time is often the most precious gift, and the existing Legion members are getting older and need help with their mandate.

And as Terry Kelly notes, this time will mean nothing to you in the end, but it will mean a lot to someone else. It’s a pittance of time.

“Take two minutes would you mind?It’s a pittance of time

For the boys and the girls all over May we never forget our young become vets At the end of the line, it’s a pittance of time.”

- Terry Kelly

By Dawn M. Barker

“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken? “ -- Terry Pratchett (author)

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A Remembrance Day plea to Saskatchewan business

This Remembrance Day, as we work in Saskatchewan to build our businesses and communities, it is imperative that we recognize how truly blessed we are. Far from the famines, natural disasters and war others face, we need to recognize that one of the key reasons we enjoy such freedom and peace is because of our Armed Forces defending our rights and our country.

Although it is not a statutory holiday across Canada, Remembrance Day is an important day. Even if your business operates on this day, it is crucial that you take the time to reflect on how others have served our interests, and to encourage your staff and customers to, as well.

As the world gets smaller and Saskatchewan business becomes more active in global markets, the Saskatchewan Chamber believes that a reflection on the sacrifice by others which allow us this freedom is important. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice; many more have been injured in the line of duty.

As we grow our businesses on the backs of those sacrifices, and are able to live comfortably because of it, we are asking each Saskatchewan business to step up their recognition efforts of Remembrance Week for 2012.

A small effort can mean a lot. It is important that Saskatchewan businesses remember and honour the important reasons for this success. These simple ideas are easy to do, but they may mean a world of difference to those who made a difference for us. Please consider printing the following page and posting it in your staff room, to encourage your staff members to take part in such initiatives.

Yours in remembrance,

Fred Titanich, ChairSaskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

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ABEX makes history

For the first time in the 30 year history of celebrating business excellence in Saskatchewan, two businesses received the Business of the Year Award at the annual ABEX Awards Dinner, held at TCU Place in Saskatoon October 26.

Humboldt’s Diamonds of Detroit and Alliance Energy Ltd. of Regina shared the award, sponsored by the David Aplin Group. Diamonds of Detroit also won the award for Service sponsored by Canalta Hotels, and Alliance Energy took home the Community Involvement Award, sponsored by BHP Billiton.

Alliance Energy is an electrical contractor and maintenance provider. The company is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Diamonds of Detroit owner Michelle Bankowski has built her business’ success around the innovative motto “quality comes in a burgundy box”. She credited her high school principal in part with her success, for his advice to her that her future lay in business, rather than academics.

Approximately 800 people from across the province attended the event, which also saw Anderson Pump House inducted into the Saskatchewan Chamber Business Hall of Fame. Anderson Pump House, celebrating its 30th anniversary alongside the ABEX Awards is a provider of water system products, piping, valves, and plumbing-related products in the North Battleford and Prince Albert regions. This honour was presented by ABEX partner Conexus Credit Union.

Ron Carson of Carson Energy Services Ltd. was celebrated at the event as the recipient of the 2013 Business Leader, sponsored by Viterra.

In addition to the Business of the Year and Hall of Fame, 11 ABEX Awards for business excellence were presented from a finalist pool of 56. “It is an honour to have 2013 Business Leader of the Year Ron Carson, and all of the other category finalists, in the room with us tonight. It shows the calibre of entrepreneurship that Saskatchewan has produced, and these individuals serve as an exceptional example of what can be achieved. We are grateful for their contribution to Saskatchewan’s business community,” Sask Chamber CEO Steve McLellan said.

2013 ABEX Category Winners

Aboriginal Business Partnership Sponsored by SaskEnergy Affinity Credit Union

InnovationSponsored by Innovation Saskatchewan Superior Cabinets

Community InvolvementSponsored by BHP Billiton Alliance Energy

EnvironmentSponsored by SaskWater Shercom Industries Inc.

ExportSponsored by Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership Bioriginal Food & Science Corp.

Growth and ExpansionSponsored by PFM Capital Inc. Wilhelm Construction Services, Inc.

MarketingSponsored by Handy Special Events Prairie’s Edge Development Corp.

New VentureSponsored by The Saskatchewan Ministry of the Economy LB Distillers

ServiceSponsored by Canalta Hotels Diamonds of Detroit

Young Entrepreneur of the YearSponsored by Cameco Kelly Burns

Presented by

Saskatchewan Chamberof Commerce

2013 ABEX AwardsSaturday, October 26, 2013

TCU Place, Saskatoon

Thanks to all of our sponsorsfor the 2013 ABEX Awards

Presented by

Saskatchewan Chamberof Commerce

2013 ABEX AwardsSaturday, October 26, 2013

TCU Place, Saskatoon

Thanks to all of our sponsorsfor the 2013 ABEX Awards

®

ABEX Album 2013

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ABEX Album 2013 News TidbitsLast month, Eric Anderson passed the 1,500 episode milestone with his Prosperity Today broadcasts. Having run since January 7, 2008, the broadcasts and associated website/blog at www.prosperitysas-katchewan.com have become an information hub with over 2,100 searchable items for free access. Many Saskatchewan based businesses have helped Eric along the way through sponsorship, including 49 North Resources, Athabasca Basin Development Limited Partnership and Rawlco Radio. Congratulations, Eric!

When Magna Electric Company CEO Kerry Heid was building a shed in his yard, he realized a need for safety glasses at home. With safety a top priority at work, Kerry wondered if any of his employees were experiencing the same thing, and he decided to purchase safety glasses for each of his employees’ home use. Then he thought, “Even better, I am going to buy them each an additional pair to share with a friend or family member.” Little did he know this was the beginning of something much bigger.

Kerry connected with Peter Federko, CEO of the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) to suggest a partnership, and within a short time, over 2,000 pairs of logoed Privo safety glasses were or-dered for distribution. By May of 2012, over 40 partners had joined the initiative, and over 35,000 people in Saskatchewan have heard important safety messages.

WorkSafe Saskatchewan commissions students as safety ambassadors at school presentations across the province. Each is given two pairs of safety glasses - one to wear and one to share. The program has been so successful that it has run out of glasses for 2013, and WorkSafe Saskatchewan is looking for more partners to join in. If you’re interested, contact Heather Becker, Manager, Social Marketing at the WCB at 306.787.4651 or at hgetz@wcbsask.com.

Signing of the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement (CETA)

By Curtis Hemming, Sask Chamber Director of Government Relations

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is pleased with the federal government’s recent announcement that after four years of negotiation the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement (CETA) has been signed.

This is a very important trade deal for Canada and it may even surpass NAFTA in scope. International trade is a major engine for economic growth and with the global economy continuing to struggle, such initiatives are more important than ever.

CETA will provide Saskatchewan’s beef, bison, grain, and other agricultural producers with significant new access to the European Union and the increase in activity for Canada’s entire agricultural sector is estimated to be near $1.3 billion.

The new agreement will also ease Canadian restrictions on EU investment, including in the uranium mining sector. These changes will make Saskatchewan more attractive for EU investment in uranium mining projects and create more economic opportunities for the people and communities of northern Saskatchewan.

The Sask Chamber looks forward to working with the federal government and our membership to make sure that the opportunities opened up by this agreement are fully realized. We also hope that the momentum generated by signing this deal will help push forward Canada’s other major trade talks, including with Japan, India, Korea and the Trans-Pacific Partnership countries.

A summary document was created by the government that highlights the benefits that Saskatchewan will see as a result of this Trade Agreement being signed. It can be viewed here.

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Members in the News

Congratulations to Grant Kook, who heads Westcap Managment Ltd., who recently was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit by Lt.-Gov. Vaughn Solomon Schofeld. Grant joins Dr. Richard Baltzan, John Cross, May Henderson, Jim Miller, George Reed and Arthur Wakabayashi in receiving the medal, which has recognized the province’s distinguished citizens since 1985.

Congratulations also go out to Ms. Tafaline Wall, on her recent appointment as Regional Vice President, Personal Banking for Regina and Southwest Saskatchewan at BMO.

Athabasca Basin Development has committed $249,000 to help bring cellular service for the first time to the Athabasca communities of Fond Du Lac, Black Lake, Stony Rapids, and Wollaston Lake. Athabasca Basin Development will be joining SaskTel and Huawei Canada for the northern cell tower initiative. This partnership is based on SaskTel’s Community Participation Model, which allows communities to raise funds to cover the shortfall when it is not economically feasible for SaskTel to finance a new cellular site alone. These towers will give the northern Saskatchewan communities connectivity to the rest of the world and province, better access to emergency services and further develop the economic opportunities for the residents of these communities. SaskTel anticipates that the cellular service will be in place by 2015.

The annual Progress2Capital Provincial Business Planning Competition (P2C), presented by Regina Regional Opportunities Commission (RROC) and Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) has evolved to become the Saskatchewan Business Challenge (SkBC). After eight years and the expansion to a provincial competition, the organizers felt it was time for a new name, look and process tailored to the growing needs of our province’s entrepreneurs. The Saskatchewan Business Challenge is committed to supporting and bringing together the entrepreneurial community. The countless hours provided by the judges, mentors and coaches is invaluable and works toward inspiring an emerging generation of entrepreneurs. Their work strengthens the business community and helps grow the entrepreneurial culture in our province. Please visit www.saskbc.com for more information on the challenge.

After offering their services last spring to embattled flood victims in Alberta, Got Mold? has recently signed its first franchise agreement, which will result in a full-time Calgary office for the company.

Saskatchewan businesses are notably present in the Mediacorp Canada’s Top 100 Employers list for this year. Among the best employers are Agrium, The Mosaic Company, PotashCorp, SGI, SaskTel, Solvera Solutions, RBC, CIBC, KPMG and Loblaw Companies Ltd.

Late last month the WCB proposed a 4.4 percent drop to its 2014 average premium rate, from $1.58 to $1.51 per hundred dollars of payroll. The rate reduction is the seventh straight drop to the average premium rate and the lowest rate proposal since 1987. The rate has dropped 26.3 percent since a high of $2.05 in 2004. The 2014 rate proposal means that Saskatchewan could have the fourth lowest average premium rate in Canada next year.

Due to a lack of funding SpringBoard West Innovations (SBWI) will be closing its doors. Client activity will cease October 15, 2013 and the organization will commence the process of dissolution. SBWI was created in Regina in 2007 in order to assist with the research, development and commercialization of technology in Saskatchewan. Operations were expanded in 2009 to Saskatoon in order to be able to offer provincial service access.

Congratulations go to Jonathan Thauberger of Crave Kitchen and Wine Bar for winning Gold in the Gold Medal Plates competition for Regina.

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LEGISLATIVE REPORT

The 13th annual Apprenticeship Awards Ceremony and Banquet celebrated success in the skilled trades October 4. Newly certified journeypersons and additional honourable achievements were presented at the celebration, hosted by the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) at the Conexus Arts Centre. The awards recognized the 34 top achievers of 1,664 journeypersons who were certified in 47 designated trades, and the three top achievers of those who were certified in 23 subtrades between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013.

The October sale of petroleum and natural gas rights in Saskatchewan brought in $9.1 million in revenue, with an average price paid of $524/hectare. Year-to-date revenue from the five land sales held in 2013 is $53.5 million.

The Saskatchewan Government proclaimed The Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act and regulations recently. The new legislation will protect immigrants and foreign workers from exploitation and mistreatment while they are in the process of immigrating to the province or are being recruited to work.

The new legislation will require immigration recruiters and immigration consultants to be licensed and sign

open and transparent contracts with employers and foreign nationals; require employers to be registered; prohibit employers from charging or recovering recruitment fees from foreign nationals; prohibit unethical conduct against foreign nationals, such as withholding documents or other property, threatening deportation or providing misleading information; allow foreign workers and immigrants to seek compensation if they incur costs that are considered illegal under the Act; and allow fines to be levied of up to $50,000 for an individual and $100,000 for a corporation and up to one year imprisonment for those violating the Act. Please visit the website for more information about the Act atwww.saskimmigrationcanada.ca/protection-for-foreign-workers-legislation.

The number of people employed on a full-time basis hit a record in September, according to new figures released by Statistics Canada in October. There were 555,500 people working in the province in September, the highest ever for that month. That’s an increase of 14,700 jobs compared to last September, a 2.7 per cent growth rate which is the second highest among the provinces.Unemployment in Saskatchewan was 4.3 per cent in September 2013, tied with Alberta for the lowest in Canada, and well below the 6.9 per cent recorded nationally. Regina’s unemployment rate was 3.0 per

Thank you to our renewing

members in October!

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!

• Gene’s Realty Partnership• Crave Kitchen & Wine Bar• Saskatchewan Mining Association• Seed Hawk• Crystal Glass• Sysco Food Services of Regina• CAA Saskatchewan• PMC Investments Inc.• Key Chevrolet Cadillac• Future Exteriors Ltd.• LDM Foods• Enbridge Pipelines

• En Vogue Day Spa & Gift Studio• Clarence Campeau Development Fund• Quality Molded Plastics• Robinson Residential Design• Dr. Christine Lwanga• Young’s North West Bus Line Ltd.• Grain Millers Canada• Ernst & Young LLP• Universal Bindery• Athabasca Basin Development Limited Partnership• McNair Business Development Inc.• Hill Companies• CTV• Upshall Consulting• Regina Beach Esso• Scotiabank• Alliance Pipeline• Yara Belle Plaine• Saskatchewan Potash Producers Assoc.

• GNC Bioform• Bennett Dunlop Ford• Information Services Corporation• Signal Industries • Millsap Fuel Distributors• Chemtrade West Limited Partnership• Boyd Excavating Ltd.• LML Industrial Contractors Ltd.• Avanti Office Products• Home Hardware Building Centre• PCL Construction Management• Nelson Motors & Equipment• Prairieland Park• Trikoot Real Estate Services Ltd.

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cent and Saskatoon’s was 4.4 per cent. Regina had the lowest and Saskatoon the second-lowest rate among major Canadian cities. Regina has had the lowest unemployment rate among major Canadian cities since August 2011. Youth unemployment was 9.1 per cent, the second lowest among the provinces. Off-reserve Aboriginal employment was up by 4,800 (12.3 per cent) for eight consecutive months of year-over-year increases. Aboriginal unemployment is down from 14.6 per cent to 12.0 per cent in the past year.

During a recent one-year progress report, Premier Brad Wall announced 1,000 new training seats and the creation of a new Manufacturing Centre of Excellence as two of the next steps the government is taking as part of the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth.

Some of the key Growth Plan goals and progress to date include: Goal: 1.2 million people living in Saskatchewan by 2020 Progress: Saskatchewan’s population is 1,108,303 as of July 1, 2013 after increasing by more than 100,000 people over the past six years. Goal: Invest $2.5 billion in infrastructure over three years Progress: This year, the government invested

$847.5 million in infrastructure, slightly more than one-third of the targeted three-year commitment. Between the government and Crowns, infrastructure investment is up 110 per cent in the past six years compared to the previous six years. Goal: 60,000 more people working in Saskatchewan by 2020 Progress: Through the first nine months of 2013, Saskatchewan is averaging employment growth of nearly 20,000, putting the province on pace for the strongest year of employment growth ever recorded. Saskatchewan has also posted the lowest unemployment rate in Canada for the past nine months. Goal: Increase the cap on provincial immigrant nominees from 4,000 to 6,000 per year Progress: This year, the federal government increased Saskatchewan’s allocation under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program by 450, from 4,000 to 4,450. This represents 27 per cent of the additional nominees allocated across Canada in 2013. Goal: Continue to balance the budget every year Progress: The 2013-14 Saskatchewan budget is balanced on both a General Revenue Fund and Summary Financial Statement basis. Saskatchewan’s tax-supported debt is just six per cent of Gross Domestic Product – the second-lowest level among Canadian provinces, behind only Alberta.

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

Kristin McKeeDirector of Policy Developmentkmckee@saskchamber.com

Curtis HemmingDirector of Government Relationschemming@saskchamber.com

Jesse ChattersonDirector of Member Servicesjchatterson@saskchamber.com

Elissa LaLiberteMembership Services Coordinatorelaliberte@saskchamber.com

Cindy WrightDirector of Special Eventscwright@saskchamber.com

Dawn M. BarkerDirector of Communicationsdmbarker@saskchamber.com

1630 - 1920 Broad StreetRegina, SK S4P 3V2

www.saskchamber.com

CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair - Marion Ghiglione 1st Vice-Chair - Bruce Anderson 2nd Vice-Chair - Randy BeattieImmediate Past-Chair - Fred Titanich

Directors -

Cam Cooper Andrew Geary Trina Warren Michael Cossar Greg Hanwell Patricia Warsaba Shawna Nelson Sean Young Monica Kreuger

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