May 2017 Inside this issue: Investing in Membership Member Spotlight Events Review Signature Event Recommended Reading Brandon Airport Update
CHAMBER at a glance
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a publication of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Advocacy
O
ver the past year, I have truly learned the importance of the Chamber in advocating for issues important to our Member Businesses and our community at large. There is no better example than trying to understand the current issue on the implementation of “Development Charges”. Clearly there are opposing views and approaches on how to pay for infrastructure to support and encourage growth in Brandon as well as the deficit in maintaining and replacing existing infrastructure.
finding ways to balance costs to ensure development continues. This could even include new approaches to supplying the services by the developer or triple “P” partnerships. As we continue to collaborate with the City, Developers, and Investors, it is clear the costs of infrastructure are going to impact the cost of development and our property taxes. It is more a question of who and how much; or how can we reallocate existing taxes to offset some of these infrastructure costs. This undoubtedly will be an ongoing area of discussion and collaboration The discussion we are having today is between the City, Chamber, on the importance of balancing Developers and Property Owners. development with who pays Advocacy on for the costs to behalf of our “it is clear the costs put in the members does of infrastructure are services that are primarily going to impact the required like happen at a roads, water and local level but cost of development sewer. we also have and our property Developers an opportunity taxes ” understand they to impact have a price to Provincial and pay (and are already paying) but are National issues when developing also trying to work with the City on policies with and for the Manitoba
Terry Burgess, Chamber President
Chamber of Commerce (MCC) and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. This means we are potentially engaging the strengths of these organizations to impact our community. As I write this article, your Chamber Executive is preparing for the MCC Annual General Meeting. Part of the meeting is to present new policies for consideration, review expiring policies and vote on policies that will direct the MCC Board and Executive on issues important to business throughout Manitoba. This is our chance to engage the expertise of the Provincial organization to lobby and support our business community in Brandon and Western Manitoba. I am proud to say that we have three (Continued on page 6)