Report on AGM 2009: Session on Business Retention and Expansion

Apr 29, 2009 | Government News

The Winkler & District Chamber of Commerce sponsored a Business Retention and Expansion economic development project in cooperation with the support of Winkler Community Development Corporation and Community Futures Heartland.

The project is a community-wide effort that emphasizes personal business visits as a way to identify the needs of our existing businesses. Specifically, the objectives of the project are to:

1. Identify the needs, concerns, and opportunities of existing local businesses in order that, where appropriate, local action can be taken to respond to the businesses’ needs or development opportunities.

2. Learn of the future plans of the area’s local businesses with respect to expansion, relocation, and/or retention and assess where assistance can be provided.

3. Demonstrate the community’s pro-business attitude and develop an effective means of communication with local businesses.

4. Have the community actively involved in economic development.

The project has been very successful and the AGM was fortunate to feature Walter Siemens and Kenneth Thomas, both of Winker, to explain the project’s ‘nuts and bolts.’

Click here for a bio of Mr. Siemens and Mr. Walker.

Click here for a detailed PowerPoint that provides an overview of the Business Retention & Expansion Program

Click here to access the Winkler and District Chamber of Commerce’s status reports relating to the project including survey findings, recommendations and a link to further resources.

The Manitoba Chambers thanks the Arborg and Riverton Chambers of Commerce for hosting AGM 2009 and these sponsors for making the event possible (click on the company name to access their website):

AV Sponsor

Avent Pro

Chairman’s Reception

Protegra

Gold

Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba

Procurement Services Branch

Manitoba Public Insurance

Canadian National Railway

TD Merchant Services

Imaginets Resources Corp

Silver