TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Officers & Board of Directors 4 SCC Staff Members 5 Chair’s Message 6 CEO’s Message 7 CEO’S Message 8 Environment Committee Report 9 Finance Committee Report 9 Human Resources Committee Report 9 Labour Market Task Force Report 10 Human Resources Committee Report 10 Membership Report 11 Investment & Growth Committee Report 11 Youth, Education & Training Committee Report 12 Advocacy Report 13 ABEX Winners & Sponsors 2016 14 ABEX Hall of Fame 2016 15 ABEX Business Leader 2016 15 2016 Roger Phillips Chamber Builder Award 16 Special Events & Projects 17 2017 Conference Sponsors 18 Minutes of the 2016 AGM 19 Financial Statements - Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce 33 Financial Statements - Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Foundation Page 2 Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Officers Shawna Nelson Patricia Warsaba Michael Cossar Randy Beattie st Chair 1 Vice-Chair 2nd Vice-Chair Immediate Past Chair Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon McKercher LLP PFM Capital Inc Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Board Members Kendal Netmaker Natashia Stinka Peter Clarke Neechie Gear Inc. Canpotex Seed Hawk Inc. Greg Hanwell Monica Kreuger Ricardo Silva Beer Brothers Global Infobrokers Inc. & Gastropub & Deli Praxis Group of Schools Tim Schroh Clayton Veresh Sean Young Affinity Credit Union MNP LLP Young’s Equipment Inc. Page 3 Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Staff Steve McLellan Michele Geres Cindy Wright CEO Administrative Assistant Director of Special Events Curtis Hemming Joshua Kirkjian Jesse Chatterson Director of Government Director of Research & Director of Membership Relations Policy Development Sales Elissa LaLiberte Jennie Avram Director of Marketing & Director of Membership Engagement Communications Page 4 CHAIR’S REPORT It’s hard to remember a year that Lagimodiere provide the board and went by as fast as this one, my staff with Aboriginal awareness year as Chair of the Saskatchewan training. This certainly was for me Chamber of Commerce. very insightful. I am confident that as a board, we are on the right path We were busy! Our CEO Steve, the to working on our relationships and staff, our boards, our committees, partnerships with the Aboriginal our 100 day task forces – we were business community. working hard for our members! Carbon Tax – the new dirty word! What kept us on the straight and What does it mean to Saskatchewan narrow was having a solid strategic businesses – well we know what our plan. I can honestly say from our members think as we conducted a Strat Planning day back in June to survey and have had discussions where we are now – a lot of items with large industrial members. have progressed significantly in a Yes we are against the imposition positive way. of carbon tax – the word “tax” alone means no. However, in the Our committee work is meantime we are conducting some Shawna Nelson, Chair instrumental in moving files research on this issue with experts forward and delivering the and we feel it’s our responsibility outcomes voiced by our and obligation to our membership In closing, the seat is hot Patricia. membership. Without the to know the full course of actions There is still much work to be hard work and expertise of our available if one is put in place. done. I’ve placed the poker in the committee members, we would not We’ve been working on files such as fire on a few things that you will be one of the most active Chambers Water, Labor Market, Immigration need to keep burning. However, in North America. system, Workplace Safety, Mental you are not alone. You have one of Health in the Workplace, k-12 the best teams to support you and We are grateful for our partnerships Curriculum renewal – check out backing of the true drivers of our and the sponsorships received our website it’s all there for you to organization - 700 members and throughout the year that support see and read. 10,000 businesses through our local many of our events and projects. chamber networks! These activities enable the Chamber The biggest project that I’ve and its member’s opportunities to seen this organization tackle As one wise man said, “Stay Calm meet and have great discussions was TransformSk, a major and Saskatchewan On!” with our government, deputy accomplishment that was ministers, CEOs of the Crown spearhead by our valiant CEO Steve Respectfully submitted, Corporation and industry. I even McLellan. He deserves at least a Shawna Nelson, Chair got to meet the Ambassador of new set of tires! Ukraine at the Chairs Dinner! As Past Chair I’m excited to This year I wanted to invest in be representing our provincial board growth and development and chamber by fulfilling a board in particular, examine more closely seat on the Canadian Chamber something that is very important to of Commerce. I will continue to all of us, how we engage with our ensure that on a national level, our Aboriginal business community. voice is heard on Saskatchewan Off the top in January, we had issues. the pleasure of having John Page 5 CEO’S REPORT On Track 2016 was a policy document that was created These were all condensed into to serve both the Federal and a report called ‘The Upstream Provincial elections. It contained Economy- A Transformative policy outlines that would mean Dialogue for Transformative positive growth for business Change’. It contains 45 Calls and incremental growth for to Action that will encourage Saskatchewan. discussion on how we can work together to achieve the kind of The Federal election in October transformational change that was 2016 brought a Liberal majority hoped for. This work will continue and while Saskatchewan lost seats in 2017 and beyond. in government, it meant the Hon. Ralph Goodale was back in Cabinet Membership challenges came in and held a very powerful voice. both retention and new member To have more than one MP on the sales. The economy was soft in government side would be great but many sectors and we felt the pinch. we have always worked very closely While sponsorships were solid, new Steve McLellan, CEO with Mr. Goodale and that will sales dropped by more than half continue. and renewals took a 10% drop from Every year is busy but few have historical averages. two elections, a major consultative The April 2017 provincial election effort, a rebate in the hundreds of returned the Saskatchewan Party New sales remained a priority but millions of dollars and a potential with a majority; little has changed we targeted more strategically and tax that could cost business in in how we deal with Government. also went to a ‘farmer’ rather than Saskatchewan millions, plus all the ‘hunter’ mode. We cultivated a regular files that in ‘normal years’ TransformSK was a reaction to the mindset of retention rather than keeps the Saskatchewan Chamber Minister of Finance’s call for ideas going out with a focus on hunting busy. But 2016/17 was such a year. that could be transformational in for new members. It worked! We I reference the time since our last how the government does business, retained a large percentage of our annual meeting, not just 2016, to serves the public and earns its membership. Though the rates give a fuller perspective on what revenues. decreased, the engagement stayed we have been active on. And while strong. I attempt to hit on the key points, From a concept that began on June our website has our full library of 1, we had a remarkable success We were very active on the WCB letters to and from governments, forming partnerships with 5 other file in a couple areas with the rebate policy documents and of course business groups, held 60 sessions of the surplus being one that had our reports written internally or by in 14 communities and received the greatest impact on business. outside agencies in our collective hundreds of ideas. efforts to advocate for business. 6Page 6 CEO’S REPORT The new Board is doing a great We welcomed Joshua Kirkjian job of reducing the timelines as Director of Research and Policy for appeals. That along with Development and also Michele implementation of the Committee Geres as Executive Assistant and of Review recommendations Secretary to the Board. will make 2017 and beyond very progressive. The Sask Chamber’s Strategic Plan was updated in June of 2016 and We were very glad to have been we have been following its key active in a positive and productive themes to guide our actions. The manner with the WCB Board and value of having the Strategic Plan is management to ensure the $241 that we can both plan and measure million surplus in investments were our success in priority areas and I returned to businesses. am happy to say progress was seen Very focused advocacy work in all areas. A full recap will be resulting in good outcomes. presented over the summer. Carbon was the key word for On a final not we were very pleased our Environment Committee to be a Finalist for the Association for 2016/17. The fact the Federal of Chambers of Commerce government said they would Executives (ACCE) Chamber of impose a tax on the province if the Year Awards for State and one was not in place by 2018 was Provincial Chambers for 2015. We of great interest. The impact on had a very through process and to business could be catastrophic if be recognized in such a significant done in a manner that would harm manner was rewarding for the our energy intense and trade reliant whole team- staff and volunteers. sectors and others. The past year was a very busy but We undertook a member survey, certainly a positive year for the held numerous meetings with Saskatchewan Chamber.