President's Message

July 2010

In February, the Board met for its annual strategic planning session and identified five key areas for the Board and our committees to focus on for the upcoming year. In our Annual Issues Survey, the membership identified Business Competitiveness as a priority. Members felt that we were at a disadvantage relative to our sister provinces in areas such as Sunday shopping, HST, energy costs and operating costs. The Chamber’sPolicy Committee has been tasked with taking the lead in these areas.  Members also expressed concern about government finances. The Policy Committee willkeep a close eye on provincial and municipal budgets and provide input into the annual budget planning process. The Board will continue to foster strong working relationships with all levels of government to ensure that the voice of business is heard on issues tha timpact our members. Vibrancy of our downtown, municipal accountability, business development andmunicipal elections will dominate the agenda for our Business Development Committee and co-chairs Keith Lambe and Keith O’Neill. Prince Edward Island is facing a skilled labour shortage in the coming years which will present significant challenges for our Island businesses. In the July/August issue of Chamber Business Magazine we asked a cross- section of ourmembers to share the challenges they face attracting and retaining qualified staff within their sector, and how they are addressing these issues.

The Chamber continues to advocate for a comprehensive population strategy for PEI that includes a renewed focus on immigration.Through our Immigration Task Force, we will continue to work with the province and other stakeholders to attract and retain newcomers to PEI.

This year our Chamber has launched several new programs designed to support our young entrepreneurs and business professionals. These young leaders are the future of our business community. Through our Business to Business Mentoring Program, Business under Forty and Young Entrepreneur Seats, we hopeto provide these young people with opportunities to grow their networks and their businesses.

I encourage you to share your views, issues and concerns with any of our Board of Directors or staff. The Chamber is here to represent and support the membership and to provide a strong voice for business.

 President, Berni Wood