ANNUAL REPORT

Transcription

1 ANNUAL REPORT

2 2 THE WINNIPEG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

3 OUR MISSION To foster an environment in which Winnipeg business can prosper OUR VISION Winnipeg, at the centre of North America... a cost compe ve, technologically innova ve city with a skilled labour force and modern infrastructure to support exis ng and emerging industries a city where ci zens take personal responsibility for and pride in community development a city with a bright economic future OUR ROLE Public Policy Influence: ini ate and effect change in government policy and prac ces to support a growing and thriving business community Member Business Support: Provide programs and services that create a compe ve advantage for individual business members Community Leadership: Serve as a catalyst for a healthy and prosperous community that offers a strong founda on for business loca on and expansion TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 President's Report Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3B 2A9 Tel: (204) Fax: (204) info@winnipeg chamber.com Website: chamber.com 5 Chair's Report 6 Board of Directors 7 Chamber Staff 8 Annual Report 17 Financial Statements 18 Auditor's Report 19 Consolidated Financial Statements 3

4 PRESIDENT MESSAGE I have been on the job for over 15 years, and I must say that I cannot remember being so excited about our city and also The Chamber. We o en speak about taking organiza ons to the next level. Iden fying what that looks like for The Winnipeg Chamber has been a significant focus for the board and staff over the past year. There is no ques on we are ready to aggressively pursue that next level as it relates to financial, opera onal and strategic objec ves for the organiza on. The Winnipeg Chamber is on solid financial foo ng as we head into the development of our next strategic plan. Another year of solid surplus has helped to put us in a place where we can push the envelope into some new direc ons that will enhance member value. What has helped is the stability that comes with a full complement of experienced, competent, mo vated staff. With the return and replacement of key personnel in key posi ons, we now have the horsepower to achieve even higher heights as an organiza on. The most important cri cal success factor for our organiza on is the quality of the staff and board. On both fronts, we are best in class. I am truly blessed with the outstanding leadership that is all around me. The next level will also be defined by increased member engagement. The Ambassador program has been a huge success and has a racted a very strong group of leaders that work very closely with staff to promote The Chamber. The BOLD Winnipeg program has engaged thousands throughout our community and will con nue to provide members a pla orm for their BOLD ideas to improve our city. Our Chapter program that brings The Chamber out of downtown and into other areas of Winnipeg is thriving. Chamber U, the Chamber s online training program, will take on a whole new look and program this year as we look to leverage the exper se in our membership to provide a valuable resource for members. Leadership Winnipeg has truly hit its stride and is one of the best Leadership programs in the country. The High School program, policy commi ees, Toastmasters, Travel program, First Na ons Tour and the over 100 events we run are all ways in which we provide value and engage our members. The next level for The Chamber will include a number of things we have been developing through this past year. The two most significant will be our Procurement program, which will be a way for The Chamber to play a significant role in ge ng more contracts and business for our members, and the other will be the finaliza on of a new home for Winnipeg s newly minted World Trade Centre. It s exci ng mes and it is great to be doing business in Winnipeg. The sky is the limit for our poten al, and your Chamber is commi ed to ensuring your organiza on sees us as a vehicle for you to take your company to that next level. Thank you to all of our members for making this a great year for both The Chamber and our city. I could not be more proud to be a part of Canada s greatest business community. Dave Angus 4 THE WINNIPEG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

5 CHAIR S REPORT ANNUAL REPORT If I was amped up before about all that The Chamber does, this past year has definitely given me a hands on apprecia on of The Chamber s many roles. The Chamber is all about making connec ons, sharing ideas and working together for the be erment of our community. BOLD Winnipeg con nued the discussion of where we want to take our community and how we, not just as a Chamber, can achieve those goals. We met with mayoral and council candidates to expose them to some of the BOLD ideas we heard everything from replacing property tax with a municipal income tax to a new tendering process that encourages innova ve solu ons as opposed to lowest cost. We engaged high school students in the discussion and heard from them how they d like to see their schools build roo op gardens, which would provide food for those in need and outdoor space for students. A personal goal was to strengthen the connec ons between the business and Aboriginal communi es. This summer, a preliminary visit was made to Sagkeeng First Na on in prepara on for taking a busload of Chamber members to the community this fall. The Chamber also got involved with such ini a ves as the Boldness Project, an early childhood development endeavor, and Selkirk Avenue regenera on strategy, both of which are drawing on deep community and indigenous knowledge. Another focus for me this year was to create a greater understanding of The Chamber. Our Ambassadors, who grew to more than 60 in number, did an outstanding job. They represented us at ribbon cu ngs, helped personally deliver our membership directories, volunteered at more than 125 networking events and mentored new members on what The Chamber is all about. Chamber staff also got involved in delivering membership directories, which provided an opportunity for them to get to know our members be er and to answer any ques ons about our programs, policies and events. We also ramped up our use of Twi er in strengthening our rela onships with our members. And I must admit, as chair, it was a thrill to be able to bring my son to a special membership luncheon and to rub shoulders with the Great One Wayne Gretzky. It s been a wonderful year, and I d like to thank everyone for the opportunity not only to serve the business community, but to grow as a person. Jodi Moskal 5

6 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Execu ve Commi ee Jodi Moskal MOSKAL electric ltd. Michael Legary Seccuris Inc. Kevin Sie The North West Company Ron Typliski AECOM Brian Scharfstein Canadian Footwear Dave Angus The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Jan Belanger Great-West Life Assurance Company Jim Bell Winnipeg Blue Bombers Gary Brownstone The Eureka Project Albert El Tassi Peerless Garments Ltd. E.J. Fontaine Amik. CA Stephanie Forsyth Red River College Wadood Ibrahim Protegra Derek Johannson Carlyle Printers, Service & Supplies Claudette Leclerc The Manitoba Museum Martin McGarry DTZ Barnicke Winnipeg Priti Mehta Shah Capital Partners Jim Newton CN Paul Prenovault Chambre de commerce francophone de Saint-Boniface Lori Robidoux PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Pat Solman MTS Frank Sottana, Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Johanna Wood Junior Chamber International Winnipeg Kevin Zaharia Lafarge Canada Inc. 6 THE WINNIPEG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

7 ANNUAL REPORT CHAMBER STAFF Dave Angus President and CEO Catherine Holder Execu ve Assistant Marissa Schluter Recep onist and Administra ve Assistant Chris ne Ens Director of Membership and Marke ng Art Alexander Membership Sales Manager Erin Stagg Membership Development Manager Deborah Woodbeck Member Service Reten on Co ordinator Derek Kuzina Marke ng Manager Tori Ma chuk Events Manager Yanik O enbreit Special Events Co ordinator Loren Remillard Vice President, Policy and Public Affairs Alana Odegard Director of Communica ons Ellen Kornelsen Crea ve Designer Wendy Stephenson Director of Strategic Ini a ves Karen Weiss Vice President, Opera ons Marion Wong Opera ons Assistant, Conference Centre Co ordinator Maxine Kashton Director of Finance Nancy Geng Accoun ng Technician 7

8 ENHANCING PROSPERITY BOLD Winnipeg BOLD Winnipeg recognizes that people are inspired to ac on by visionary goals and ground breaking ideas. BOLD Winnipeg is a Chamber led ini a ve to spur innova ve and inspired thinking about our community, its collec ve goals and the road ahead. BOLD Winnipeg Conference In April, we hosted a half day conference, combining panels, videos and keynote addresses, to encourage us to think outside the box on crea ng community, encouraging crea va on (crea vity, innova on and inspira on) and looking ahead to what will define Winnipeg over the next 100 years. We heard a wide variety of BOLD ideas from making the North End the best place in the country to raise children to holding the first ever Innova on Olympics in Winnipeg and building an interna onally recognized ac ve transporta on network throughout the city. BOLD Breakfasts Throughout the year, we invited local thought leaders to join us for breakfast and to help us imagine what our city could look like if we embraced change. These breakfasts were themed around Winnipeg as a winter city, an entrepreneurial hub, a crea ve city, an environmental centre of excellence, a city with an accountable and transparent government and a navigable city with the infrastructure to support it. BOLD Winnipeg Pla orm The BOLD pla orm is the culmina on of numerous community engagement ac vi es and events, including BOLD breakfasts, conferences and social media (videos and Twi er). It represents the ideas (not ideology), discussion (not debate), engagement (not exclusion), passion (not poli cs), opportuni es (not obstacles) and possibili es (not parameters) we saw and heard. The intent of the BOLD pla orm is to promote innova ve long term vision, thought and ac on for Winnipeg at City Hall and throughout the community and to inspire mayoral and council candidates to incorporate elements of the pla orm into their elec on campaigns. BOLD Caucus Our grassroots campaign team for the BOLD Winnipeg Pla orm is helping us get the pla orm out to candidates and voters in the October 2014 civic elec on, along with media and everyone in between. We are trying to schedule mee ngs with all candidates for mayor and council, and will be asking 8 THE WINNIPEG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

9 ANNUAL REPORT them to complete a survey on what we consider the important issues of this campaign. We will also be hos ng a mayoral debate, Oct. 16. BOLD Radio We took your BOLD ideas and carried on the conversa on as part of Manitoba s boldest radio programming, hosted by The Chamber every Saturday from 12 1 p.m. on 680 CJOB. Trade and Transporta on Commi ee Part of the focus this year of our Trade and Transporta on Commi ee was on the Winnipeg Transporta on Master Plan, Winnipeg Transporta on Authority and rail ra onaliza on in Winnipeg. Commi ee members par cipated in a roundtable discussion with Sean Finn, CN execu ve vice president of Corporate Services, on the current state of Canada s rail system, the impact of cold winters, CN s investment in Winnipeg and the review of the Canada Transporta on Act. The challenge, issued by the Prince s Chari es Canada, grew out of a model of business/community engagement developed by the Prince of Wales and resulted in us seeing a need to iden fy those businesses that are a fit with a vision for the area. Chamber Way The City s Standing Policy Commi ee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works received a report from the City s administra on in November sugges ng it would be feasible to install polyethylene fencing similar to Chief Peguis Trail along Chamber Way, but the commi ee took no ac on. For a decade, we have been looking at ways of beau fying the drive from the airport to downtown along Route 90, but have faced numerous obstacles. We have decided, for the me being, to regroup and try again at a future date. Prince s Chari es Canada Prior to the Winnipeg visit of His Royal Highness Prince Charles, we were one of nearly 20 community representa ves who met to consider a challenge: How business can take advantage of the commercial regenera on of Selkirk Avenue and leverage benefits for the surrounding community. Start Up Crawl We supported a unique ini a ve organized by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organiza on in which 80 university and college students took part in a bus crawl to visit innova ve entrepreneurs, largely in downtown s Innova on Alley, with the hope that it would spur new ideas and businesses. 9

10 BEING AN INTERNATIONAL CITY World Trade Centre Winnipeg Centrallia Manitoba The advantage of Winnipeg having acquired a World Trade Centre licence is that we can leverage it to s mulate development of a new building downtown or rebranding of an exis ng building. Both op ons are s ll open to us and we con nue to explore opportuni es. In October, months of planning will culminate in a two day business to business forum that in the past has provided more than 800 companies the opportunity to get connected, iden fy new opportuni es and grow their businesses. This year, Centrallia returns Oct. 8 9 with the same proven speed da ng model, but will focus on opportuni es here in Manitoba, connec ng Manitoba businesses with other Manitoba businesses. In April, WTC Winnipeg took over the role of the Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre and through its Business InfoCentre (BIC) offers a one stop shop for all things business. In addi on to informa on on everything from financial assistance programs and business plans to import/export procedures, BIC offers more than 100 free seminars and workshops in English and French, plus customized research using hundreds of databases. 10 THE WINNIPEG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Travel Program In an a empt to foster a be er global understanding, we con nue to offer a travel program to our members and the public. We have organized escorted tours to South Africa (October 2013), Italy

11 ANNUAL REPORT (April 2014) and Churchill (August 2014). Future plans may include Israel and the South Pacific. Mission to the Netherlands We were part of a week long mission to the Netherlands to discover the latest water and waste water technologies and to look into flood protec on. Mee ngs were arranged with key companies and organiza ons in order to develop connec ons and strategic alliances. EU Trade Agreement We took part in a mee ng organized by Manitoba Trade with Canada s Ambassador to the EU to discuss the trade agreement (CETA), which will remove over 99% of tariffs between our two economies and create sizeable new market access opportuni es in services and investment. Roundtable on Trade With the U.S. Richard Sanders, appointed U.S. Chargé d Affaires for Canada in July 2013, visited Winnipeg to establish business and trade contacts. We hosted a roundtable so he could hear about trade issues that specifically impact businesses in Western Canada. 11

12 PROVIDING MEMBER VALUE Lobbying and Advocacy Manitobans for the Arts We have been working with Manitobans for the Arts to ensure that arts, culture, heritage and crea vity are a cri cal part of the voter conversa on this fall as Manitobans go to the polls to elect new mayors and councillors. Financial Capital and Investment in Infrastructure One of two resolu ons, presented by us and passed at the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce AGM in April, recommended the establishment of three funds: a $100 million public/private venture capital fund to invest in Manitoba firms; an arms length investment fund comprised of a pool of venture capital from public sector pension funds to invest in Manitoba companies; and a $30 million start up capital fund in Manitoba funded by the provincial government. The second resolu on recommended that the Province, in partnership with municipal governments and the private sector, establish a core municipal infrastructure plan that s sustainable and principlebased. In a media interview, our President and CEO Dave Angus indicated there is an $800 million annual infrastructure deficit and that he s never seen such visual evidence of a decline in our infrastructure from brown tap water and water main breaks to traffic lights shu ng down and poor snow removal. He a ributed part of the problem to a dysfunc onal rela onship between the City and Province and a lack of trust of our poli cians. Tariff Elimina on In reac on to Canada s finance minister s plan to introduce legisla on to address the price gap between iden cal goods sold in Canada and the U.S., we indicated the government shouldn t dabble with tariffs, but simply eliminate all tariffs that currently exist. City Budget 2015 In a new undertaking, we joined with the City of Winnipeg in engaging ci zens in a conversa on and consulta on process on the Opera ng Budget and the Capital Budget. Our members were asked to iden fy their priori es, define levels of service and elaborate on the value and mo va ons underlying their solu ons and choices. Provincial Budget Consulta on As part of our prebudget submission, we met with Finance Minister Jennifer Howard and urged the provincial government to rein in spending and create economic 12 THE WINNIPEG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

13 ANNUAL REPORT stability, tax compe veness and efficiencies. We also discussed the need to improve business/ government rela ons. Black Friday In the face of Black Friday in the U.S., we sought to support local and keep Winnipeggers at home by offering free adver sing to our retail members, so they could promote their own discounts. WCB Rate Review In partnership with the Manitoba Employers Council (MEC), we made a submission to the Workers Compensa on Board and met with Labour Minister Erna Braun regarding the WCB s rate se ng review. We suggested that key to stakeholder buy in and long term WCB support are a fair, balanced, collec vely shared liability and a posi ve injury case management experience. The Volunteer of the Year Awards recognize members who lend their enthusiasm, me, talent and energy to making us a great organiza on. This year s recipients were: Rookie of the Year Rob Read of Bison Fire Protec on Volunteer of the Year Milton Corado of One Brand Design Director of the Year Wadood Ibrahim, Protegra BOLD Ideas, Ini a ves, Leaders Thomas Sparling, ACI Manitoba (Arts and Cultural Industries of Manitoba) Ambassadors Program The Ambassadors are a dedicated team of members who strive to maintain a strong and vibrant Chamber through volunteerism, networking and professional development. In 2013, the program grew to almost 60 Ambassadors. A new ini a ve saw them par cipate in ribbon cu ng ceremonies to celebrate grand openings, businesses under new management or businesses that relocated or expanded. They a ended ribbon cu ngs at Academy Florist, the UPS Store, The Dog Lo, Children s Dental World, Blossoms and the Sara Riel Founda on. Awards Recogni on From innova on to volunteerism, it s important to recognize excellence. We do so through our Spirit of Winnipeg and Volunteer of the Year awards. The Spirit of Winnipeg Awards showcase companies, chari es and not for profits that embrace change by taking a concept or idea and choosing to do things differently. This year s recipients were: Charity Graffi Art Programming Inc. Not for Profit The Manitoba Museum Start up Advolve Media Inc. Small Business Infomagne cs Technologies Corpora on Medium Business Manitoba Harvest Fresh Hemp Foods Large Business Shindico Realty Accredita on At the Canadian Chamber of Commerce AGM in Kelowna, we were formally recognized for being an Accredited Chamber of Commerce with Dis nc on for The accredita on acknowledges our strategic focus on core chamber ac vi es, our uniform prac ces and policies, dependable governance procedures, dis nc ve brand iden ty and strong voice of business. Membership Directory What s new is old. At your request, we returned this year to publishing a print membership directory, which provides your contact informa on in an alphabe cal lis ng, as well as by sector. More than 3,500 copies are available, offering you advice on how to get the most out of your Chamber membership. 13

14 New Website Just in me for the start of our Chamber year, we unveiled our new website, designed with you in mind. Its clean, simple design makes it easier for you to navigate and find what you re looking for. It s generated a lot of interest in the first week alone, there were more than 8,000 page views. Chamber Facili es Whether it s one on one client mee ngs, seminars, board mee ngs or even social func ons, you re invited to use the boardrooms in our 2 nd floor Conference Centre free of charge. While you re there, sit back and relax in our newly equipped Pitblado Business Lounge. A computer and printer, donated by Pitblado Law, allow you to catch up on your or go online. And thanks to Buy Rite Business Furnishings Source, you do so in comfort. Learning and Networking Through Our Events From Chapter mee ngs, A er Business Mixers, Golf and New Member Orienta ons to membership luncheons, we host more than 100 events a year where you can network and even learn from local, na onal and interna onal speakers. This year, through our luncheon series, we offered you the opportunity to hear from former Winnipeg mayor Susan Thompson, No. 99 Wayne Gretzky, urban guru Richard Florida and WestJet Encore President Ferio Pugliese, to name just a few Compensa on Survey for Manitoba Employers This year, we partnered with People First HR Services to provide our members with the 2013 Compensa on Survey for Manitoba Employers, a tool that answers the ques on: How much should I be paying my employees? More than 100 organiza ons took part in the survey, represen ng nearly 20,000 employees in the Manitoba marketplace. The completed survey reports on more than 285 posi ons, exclusive to Manitoba. Rubbing Shoulders with the Power 30 We couldn t help but note that as a Chamber member you get to rub shoulders with some pre y influen al people. More than half the people named by The Winnipeg Free Press to its Power 30 list Manitoba s most influen al ci zens are Chamber members. In fact, the Free Press even made reference to The Chamber, referring to us as the place where the chummy shoulder rubbing of the old school business club mixes with smart strategic marke ng partnerships and edgy advocacy. ANTHONY FERNANDO (YOUR BEST SHOT PHOTOGRAPHY) 14 THE WINNIPEG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

15 ANNUAL REPORT ATTRACTING, RETAINING AND NURTURING LOCAL TALENT Chamber U Chamber U featured a series of in person, noon hour learning sessions that allowed us to share the wealth of knowledge and exper se found among our 2,000 plus members. Topics ranged from social media to financial statements and public speaking to the fundamentals of selling. Leadership Winnipeg marked the sixth year we have run the Leadership Winnipeg program with Volunteer Manitoba. A total of 28 par cipants enrolled in the 10 month program, aimed at helping them develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of themselves, their community and their role in it. The class project, a book profiling 32 community leaders, was published through Blurb h p:// invited/ /0383aaa52bc875085f42ea1b61edc 96cd1d08b80. High School Program About 130 students from 13 high schools a ended our full day High School BOLD Conference and shared their ideas on Making a Be er Tomorrow for Young Manitobans. Their ideas included banning plas c water bo les, comba ng homelessness and gang ac vity, crea ng school roo op gardens and adding more bike, walking and snowshoe trails in the city. About 75 students a ended both the State of the City and State of the Province luncheons, then met privately with the mayor and premier to discuss issues of concern to their genera on. New this year, we introduced a half day behind thescenes tour of downtown businesses, opening the students eyes to careers that they were unaware of or might never have considered. 15

16 We Believe Toastmasters Through our We Believe Toastmasters, recognized as the fastest growing Toastmasters club in Winnipeg, we help develop the confidence, speaking ability and leadership skills of our 40 members, so they become ambassadors for our city and our Chamber. This year, the club won the Sunshine Award and several members won district and regional awards. Community Involvement We love our city. Our staff, together with our members, are quick to get involved, to help in the community. This year, we donated $1,200 from the sale of compe on cards at our Chamber Golf Classic to The Children s Hospital Founda on; $4,650 from our Juno Awards luncheon to MusiCounts, a program that ensures Canadian children, regardless of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, have access to a music program, and $15,000 in total from the Mayor s State of the City luncheon to the two chari es of his choice, Making Waves and Inner City Football. We also raised $2,050 by taking part as a team (the Keen Dragons) in the Canadian Cancer Society River City Dragon Boat Fes val. And on one of the coldest days last winter, we headed down to Siloam Mission to volunteer during lunch. Some of our board of directors and members also took part in the CEO Sleepout, spending the night on the street to raise funds for a housing ini a ve for the homeless. We also par cipated in discussions on the LiveSAFE Crime Preven on Strategy, an ini a ve supported by Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis, to address violent crime using social development as a tool. We have staff representa on on the boards and/or organizing commi ees of the Winnipeg Industrial Skills Training Centre, the Winnipeg Parade Commi ee (Santa Claus Parade) and CommerceDesignWinnipeg. ANTHONY FERNANDO (YOUR BEST SHOT PHOTOGRAPHY) 16 THE WINNIPEG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

17 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS DIAMOND SPONSORS PLATINUM SPONSORS GOLD SPONSORS VIDEO EXPERIENCE PARTNER AUDIO-VISUAL PARTNER DÉCOR PARTNER