Lend your voice to our 2018 federal pre-budget submissionWe can help ensure the federal government considers your business in Budget 2018. The Federal Standing Committee on Finance has launched its pre-budget consultations for Budget 2018. To inform the consultation, they're looking for submissions on the themes of productivity and competitiveness. For example, what would help Canadian businesses:
We invite you take a short survey to share your ideas on the themes above, which our Policy Team will work to ensure influences the federal budget. What changed for business in the spring legislative seasonThe 2017 spring session of the Alberta and federal Legislature was anything but dull. Many new policies have been implemented or updated that may significantly impact business activity in Calgary. In this blog, Zoe Addington, Director of Policy and Government Relations, outlines the policy changes made during the spring sessions, along with the work that the Chamber has done advocating on your behalf. So, read this blog, and check out the links for details on how new Alberta and federal policies may impact your business. What can the Stampede tell us about Calgary’s economy?July marks the 105th rendition of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth! And through thick and thin, the Calgary Stampede has contributed economic benefits for Calgarians. Along with those benefits, however, the Stampede also serves as a good indicator of how our economy is doing. In this blog, our Economic Policy Analyst, Franco Terrazzano, details the relationship between the Stampede Chuckwagon Tarp Auction results and business confidence in Calgary. Meeting the growing demand for food through tradeGenerating over $100 billion to the Canadian economy and employing over 2 million people, the agriculture and agri-food sector is a key driver for both Alberta and Canada. And with the world’s population expected to reach nine billion people by 2050, Alberta’s agriculture industry has a tremendous opportunity, and responsibility. So, come join us on July 13th, to hear Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, discuss how Canada can become a world agriculture superpower. But first, read the blog by our Economic Policy Analyst, Franco Terrazzano, outlining new market opportunities for Alberta agriculture. Taking steps toward internal free tradeAs a city with a relatively small market, many businesses must sell outside of Calgary and Alberta to be successful. Unfortunately, businesses not only face international trade barriers, but also regulations that significantly drive up the cost of trading within Canada. This contributes to many Calgary businesses only being able to sell in Calgary. To address these “internal trade barriers”, provincial governments across Canada have cooperated to create the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). Coming into effect on Canada Day 2017, our Economic Policy Analyst, Franco Terrazzano, has broken down the details of the CFTA, along with its merits and shortcomings. |