November / December 2011

Executive Director Report
GCACC – A distinguished past and a prosperous future

2011 was an extremely active year for the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce.

This was an election year on PEI and we were pleased to engage the provincial leadership candidates in a debate on issues of interest and importance to the business community.

Our 2011 pre-budget submissions to the province and the City of Charlottetown included scorecards developed to measure performance on a number of key performance indicators (KPIs) important to our members.  The Chamber is on record requesting that our provincial and municipal governments incorporate KPI’s into their reporting so taxpayers can better understand the value they are receiving for their investment of tax dollars. The Chamber scorecards will be revisited on a regular basis to update members on the fiscal and economic performances of our provincial and municipal governments.  Kudos to the Town of Stratford – the staff, mayor and council have undertaken a major initiative and incorporated KPIs into their entire municipal operation. Taxpayers in Stratford will be well informed on the efficiency and effectiveness of their municipal government.

Immigration was another major area of focus for your Chamber in 2011. In early March, the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce was proud to partner with the Chinese Canadian Association of Prince Edward Island, the Prince Edward Island Association for Newcomers to Canada, and Innovation PEI to host the first ever Chinese Islanders Business Summit. The purpose of the summit was to connect Chinese newcomers with established Island businesses in order to facilitate dialogue and explore potential business and investment opportunities. In late March, we hosted an information session for members on the new PNP Program with Honourable Alan Campbell, former Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning.

 In June, the Chamber launched PEI Connectors, a program designed to assist newcomers to Prince Edward Island, interested in starting or investing in business on PEI to connect with established members of the business community.  Under the leadership of our Program Coordinator Don MacCormac and our Chinese Program Liaison, Lannia Pan MacAleer, the program is flourishing.  We are currently working with 37 clients (connectees) including 28 entrepreneurs and nine international students from 11 countries in the Middle East, Europe and North America.  I would like to extend a special thank you to Shawn Murphy for his commitment to this program as our “Lead Connector” and to the other volunteers on our advisory committee.  A number of our members have stepped up to support this program through sponsorship.  This is important work and we appreciate your support.

The Chamber was founded in 1887 to facilitate trade between PEI and the U.S., predominantly the New England States. Over the years, transportation and trade issues have dominated the Chamber advocacy agenda.   Now, 125 years later, we are placing a renewed emphasis on export as a means for members to reach new markets and grow their businesses. Working in partnership with Trade Team PEI, we’ve offered a series of workshops and presentations on export, sales and “markets of interest” in 2011.  One of these markets of interest was the Caribbean.

In March 2011, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Barbados Chamber of Commerce.  Barbados has a long standing relationship of trade with Canada; it is of a similar scale to Prince Edward Island; and we share common government structure, traditions and language.  Through our Export Working Group, under the leadership of Wendy Drake, and with tremendous support from Jeff Burry of Trade Team PEI, we have crafted an export strategy and action plan for the Chamber.  You will be hearing much more on this exciting initiative in the coming months.

The Chamber is known for providing networking opportunities to its members.  This past year we organized over 50 events, from Lunch & Learn sessions to our signature events.  Biz Under 40 continues to be a welcome addition to our roster of programming, with over 300 young entrepreneurs and business professionals involved.  We are especially proud of the work we have done to move the Chamber into the realm of social media.  This is, for many, the new age of networking and it is essential that our Chamber steps up and gets involved.  We are fortunate to have a great team of professionals on our Communications Committee who have assisted us with the development of a social media strategy.   Jennifer Harkness, communications and special events manager for the Chamber, has taken this on with gusto and is doing a great job.  I encourage you to visit our updated website at www.charlottetownchamber.com  to participate in our live Chamber Chat!

Included in this issue of Chamber Business Magazine is our annual “Year in Review” publication, which provides a more detailed report of the work your Chamber has undertaken on your behalf this past year.

125 years into its mandate, the Chamber remains a relevant and important voice for business in our community.

There are so many benefits to belonging. I belong ... do you?

Kathy Hambly,

Executive Director