Chamber Connection Vol 43 (Mar 11)

Chamber CONNECTION

Your Weekly Connection to The Chamber

GET YOUR PHOTO FEATURED - PAGE 20

FEATURED PHOTO: CLAIRMONT UNDERPASS - DOUG HARE

MARCH 2026 ISSUE NO.43 GRANDEPRAIRIECHAMBER.COM

WHERE INNOVATION CREATES OPPORTUNITY Join us at the Peace Region Energy Show 2026: Discover: Latest trends, technologies, and insights in the energy sector.

Connect: Network with industry leaders, innovators, and decision-makers.

Grow: Elevate your business with unparalleled access to new markets and ideas.

MAY 13-14, 2026 Grande Prairie, Alberta

Register Now at:

PRENERGY.CA

Upcoming Events!

Upcoming Events!

03.17 Workshop Your Business #2 Ribbon Cutting - Express 03.25 Pizza Plus Donair

03.26

Business After 5 Mixer - Sawmill Prime Rib & Steak House

Ribbon Cutting - Rite-Way 03.27 Fencing (2000) Ltd.

04.07 Workshop Your Business #3

business.grandeprairiechamber.com/event-calendar

UPCOMING RIBBON CUTTING WED, MAR 25 | 11:30AM

EXPRESS PIZZA PLUS DONAIR #102 10702 - 108 St Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 7A9 GRANDEPRAIRIECHAMBER.COM

Ribbon Cutting - Express Pizza Plus Donair Join us as we officially welcome Express Pizza Plus Donair to Grande Prairie with a Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting celebration!

The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce is excited to celebrate the newest destination for fresh, flavour-packed pizza and donairs in our community. Express Pizza Plus Donair is bringing bold tastes, quality ingredients, and friendly service to the heart of our city — and you’re invited to be part of the celebration.

Straightforward Tax Filing — No Surprise Fees Book Online

Save time - upload your tax documents online!

Stress-Free Personal Taxes

Self Employed & Contractors

Maximize deductions & credits

Business & home office deductions

Clear upfront pricing

Vehicle & expense tracking

No surprises. Just peace of mind.

Helping you keep more of what you earn.

Seniors

Veterans, Legion or ANAVET Members

Pension & retirement income

Benefits, pensions & allowances

Medical & disability credits

Respectful, confidential service

15% discount for Seniors

15% discount for Veteran, Legion & ANAVET Members

Veteran Owned and Operated 780[538[4699

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Chamber Connection

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Local Photographer?

Get Featured Submit your best shot to max@gpchamber.com for a chance to be featured on the cover!

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CHAMBER CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance CHAMBER MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO CANADA'S LARGEST EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PLAN TARGETED TO SMALL-TO-MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESS. Operating since the early 1970s, Chambers Plan now provides coverage to over 30,000 firms like yours. Regardless of the size of your organization Chambers Plan can be customized to meet your needs, request a free quote today and let us show you how we can customize a plan for you.

Established Your firm's rates will remain stable regardless of claims history.

Additionally, Chambers Plan Group Health Insurance is noncancelable due to any claims experienced by your firm. Your company will never be singled out for a rate increase, ever.

Local Your business is unique, so your business needs unique coverage.

That is why a local Chambers Plan advisor administers your employee health benefits plan. A Chambers Plan advisor is a member of your community. Whether you want to add dental coverage, change or update, or simply ask a question, your advisor is there for you.

Customizable Coverage can be tailored to suit your needs. Customize your plan selecting from a wide range of coverage – life, health, dental, disability, critical illness and much more! As well, Chambers Plan members have access to my-benefits® an online management tool.

This tool allows you to administer your plan anywhere, anytime.

Local Agent - Cam Neil Neil & Associates 10715-102 Street Grande Prairie Website: https://neilandassociates. ca

At Neil & Associates, we believe you deserve the best when it comes to group insurance— personalized service from a team of advisors and support staff who live and work right here in your community. As your local provider of the Chamber Plan,

we

offer

affordable,

flexible, and stable benefits designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses.

Whether you’re looking for comprehensive coverage for your team or just starting to explore your options, our experts are here to guide you every step of the way. Get the best deal on insurance and peace of mind for your business —contact Neil & Associates today!

Payworks for Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce Payworks is a leading expert in the field of total workforcemanagementsolutions, providing innovative cloud-based solutions for Payroll, Human Resources, Employee Time and Absence Management to businesses across the country.

As a proudly Canadian company serving businesses from coast to coast for more than 25 years, we understand what it takes to be an employer in Canada. We’re deeply committed not only to your success, but also to the communities we call home.

98% of clients who choose Payworks choose to stay. Here’s why…

•

We simplify year-endprocessing, electronically submitting tax form information to CRA/RQ on your behalf when authorized by the processing deadline.

•

Our ROE Manager tool makes processing a breeze, and ROEs are submitted directly to Service Canada on your behalf.

•

You can automate vacation pay entitlements and benefits enrolment after the employee probationary period.

•

No more data re-entry: our workforce management solutions for time tracking, scheduling, absenteeism, and HR functions are fully integrated.

•

User-defined fieldsandautomation empower you to shape the application to your specific requirements.

•

Payworks' Self Service App provides easy access for your employees to receive pay statements, tax forms, and more from their mobile device.

•

You call, we answer: all clients are assigned a dedicated, National Payroll Institute-trained service representative for unlimited, one-toone service.

•

Federal and provincial tax remittances are done for you.

Special pricing for Grande Prairie & District Chamber Members: PER RUN FEES*:

YourPrice

ONE TIME:

YourPrice

Base Run Fee

$18.40

Payroll Setup

Per Payment per employee

$1.96

YEAR-END FEES¹:

Per ROE

Included

Run Fee

$18.40

Self Service App

Included

Per Tax Form

$1.96

$240.00^

*All prices aresubjectto change without notice asperthe terms of your service agreement. ^$12 per employee with a minimum implementation (setup) fee of $240. ¹ Price does not include Year-End archive fee of $34.95, charged once per year if Year-End is processed.

Pricing in effect until April 30, 2026

Contact Madi Stevens

Phone: 780.902.8074 Email: madi.stevens@payworks.ca

CONTACT US NOW!

Chamber Connection

Alberta makes historic investment in doctors

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Expanding access to Alberta’s great outdoors Budget 2026 is investing in provincial parks and public land infrastructure to make outdoor recreation safer, easier and more enjoyable.

If passed, Budget 2026 provides $275 million over the next three years to support new and upgraded trails, expanded trailheads, more campsites and improved park amenities, making it easier and more accessible for families to safely enjoy Alberta’s great outdoors.

The largest investment in physician funding will strengthen access to care and support the health system priorities of Albertans.

If passed, Budget 2026 will make a record investment of $7.7 billion in 2026-27, $1.4 billion or 22 per cent more than Budget 2025, in physician recruitment, training, compensation and development. Family physicians caring for patients with chronic conditions, surgeons performing life-saving procedures and specialist physicians play a critical role in caring for Albertans. This investment helps ensure the province can meet that demand with timely, high-quality care in communities across Alberta.

This record investment builds on Alberta’s ongoing efforts to support physicians and the care they provide. In 2025, the government launched a new primary care physician compensation model.

Learn More

Learn More

Clearer condo rules, better protections Strengthened governance, stronger protections and faster dispute resolutions are now in place for condo owners.

Alberta’s government is giving Albertans who own condos peace of mind with new rules to increase transparency, strengthen protections and provide a faster, court alternative for dispute resolutions.

Learn More

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CHAMBER CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

Fundable: What Lenders and Investors Look For You’ve built something real. Now you need capital to take it further — but the bank keeps asking for information you weren’t expecting, the process feels like a black box, and you’re not sure if you’re even asking for the right amount in the right way.

This session is for you.

Register Today

Entrepreneur Forum For Newcomers in Alberta Business Link Alberta invites newcomers in Edmonton to a full-day forum designed to support individuals exploring entrepreneurship, self-employment, and small business ownership in Alberta.

This welcoming event will provide practical learning sessions, direct connections to community resources, and opportunities to meet organizations that support newcomer entrepreneurs Register Today .

Why Entrepreneurs Stay Stuck (And How to Move Forward) You’re talented. You work hard. So why does running a business sometimes feel like you’re making it up as you go?

If business has been feeling inconsistent, exhausting, or harder than it should be, this session is for you.

Register Today

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CHAMBER CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

Member Exclusive Deals Service Plus Grande Prairie Both hotels are conveniently located off the Highway 43 Bypass on the Alaska Highway. Great location for shopping, dining and entertainment.

For business or pleasure, we are the place to stay.

Use code: GPChamber24 for a discounted rate when booking Book today 1.888.875.4667

Best Western Plus West Edmonton Conveniently located off Highway 2, our West Western Plus West Edmonton hotel is just 3min from West Edmonton Mall and just minutes from local attraction. With comfortable and convenient amenities, our hotel is the perfect choice for business and leisure travellers alike.

Use code: CHAMBER for 15% off all Grande Prairie Chamber Members

Kit Office Plus 10% off office furniture assembled or unassembled in our Grande Prairie Showroom or Peace River Store 10% off unassembled furniture off our website, delivered to our Showroom in GP Custom plans for stationary, office supply and janitorial. They can look at our website for options. For up to 20 of their most used SKU’s, we setup an account for them and offer the best price possible on those 20 items then full price after that. Great for schools as well.

Please email gpsales@kitofficeplus.com or use in store/showroom custom plan must be an email to oksanam@kitofficeplus.com

Have a deal to share? Email max@gpchamber.com to get your exclusive offer featured!

Chamber Connection

Chamber Member Shout-out Month: March Our New Members!

Evolution Power Projects Inc Muffler Man Mechanical Ltd Grande Prairie Eye Care

Our Milestone Members!

Check out our Montlhy Milestone Member feature newsletter on Page 4

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CHAMBER CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

“Behind every strong community is a network of resilient, passionate local businesses..”

TOP HAT APPLIANCE Joined: December 01, 2025 We’re pleased to welcome Lori Russell and Top Hat Appliance to our Chamber network!

We look forward to seeing this trusted local business continue to grow and serve our regional community.

The Article Joined: January 13, 2026 We’re excited to welcome Jesse Boily and The Article Magazine. to our Chamber network! We look forward to seeing this publication continue to grow and contribute to our regional business community.

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CHAMBER CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

The Job Board Looking for a trusted local business to get a job done? Whether you need professional services, skilled trades, marketing help, or business support, our Chamber Member Classifieds help connect you with the right providers from our network!

» D/C Operator I Aquatera is recruiting a distribution and collection operator for our water distribution and wastewater collection department in Diamond Valley, Alberta.

This job is for physically active people who get a great deal of satisfaction from doing the job right every time. Highly motivated, independent workers will enjoy the opportunity to work with small crews to accomplish big things and to support Aquatera’s culture of continuous improvement.

Learn more and apply at www.aquatera.ca/who-we-are/join-our-team.

» Distribution and Collection Operations Manager

» Barr None Mechanical: Heavy Duty Mechanics Learn more and apply at https://www.careers-page.com/theagency212

» INDOOR ELEMENTS MECHANICAL - PLUMBER Learn more and apply at https://www.careers-page.com/theagency212/job/RYV64V7R

» Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation: Director of Finance

Aquatera is hiring a Distribution and Collection Operations Manager to lead our water distribution and wastewater collection systems, ensuring safe, efficient service delivery, regulatory compliance, and a strong safety culture while guiding and supporting our operations team.

Learn more and apply at https://www.careers-page.com/theagency212

Learn more and apply at aquatera.ca/careers.

Administrator

» Royal LePage Property Management: Finance

» Water/Wastewater Treatment Operator – Level III

Learn more and apply at https://www.careers-page.com/theagency212

Aquatera is hiring a Water/Wastewater Treatment Operator – Level III. This position offers the opportunity to gain direct responsible charge experience in both water and wastewater operations, as well as exposure to our cogeneration plant, which utilizes methane gas from our solid waste facility.

» Membership Services Manager (full-time)

Learn more and apply at www.aquatera.ca/who-we-are/join-our-team.

» Senior Accountant Aquatera is hiring a senior accountant an dplays a key role in managing Aquatera’s daily accounting functions, including journal entries, reconciliations, and financial analysis. This position supports the preparation of financial statements, internal and external audits, budgeting, forecasting, and the monitoring of internal controls.

Learn more and apply at www.aquatera.ca/who-we-are/join-our-team.

Services Manager is responsible for Membership Sales, Member Retention, Advertising Sales, Event Sponsorship and Digital Sign Sales for the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce.

For more information: https://ca.indeed.com/viewjob? jk=c4127f7c833a3b81&from=shareddesktop_copy

» Statistics Canada is hiring We are looking for local people to help us collect accurate data in your community. These data are vital for planning and evaluating programs and services such as education, health care, child care, housing, emergency services, roads, public transportation and job training..

Learn more and apply at census.gc.ca/jobs.

Chamber Connection Alberta Nuclear Energy Survey open: March 3–24 Albertans are invited to share their perspectives in the Nuclear Energy Survey, open until March 24. This survey is an engagement step by the Nuclear Energy Engagement and Advisory Panel to help guide Alberta’s plans for incorporating nuclear power into the province’s energy mix. Feedback will inform the panel’s final report, due March 31.

Learn more

Reducing oilsands tailings ponds Alberta is providing $46 million through the TIER fund to support nine projects focused on tailings management in the oilsands. Led by Alberta-based oil companies, a postsecondary institution, and private businesses, these projects aim to develop technologies for mine water treatment, tailings reclamation, and land and water management.

Learn more

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Alberta referendum scheduled for October 19, 2026 Albertans will vote in a provincial referendum on October 19, 2026, on immigration policies and constitutional questions related to provincial powers.

Voters will respond “yes” or “no” to questions on immigration, eligibility for provincial programs, and provincial-federal governance matters. This referendum will provide an opportunity for Albertans to share their views on policies that affect social services and provincial decision-making.

Learn more

Canada advances critical minerals development At the 2026 PDAC Convention, Minister Tim Hodgson announced $3.6B in investments to strengthen Canada’s critical minerals sector, including funding for 22 projects, the First and Last Mile Fund ($1.5B) for infrastructure, and the upcoming ($2B) Critical Minerals Sovereign Fund.

A new Mine Permit Navigator will also help streamline approvals.

Learn more

For businesses seeking more insights and tools: EMC workforce programs for manufacturers: EMC’s Learning Centre offers fully funded or subsidized upskilling and hiring supports.

Buy Local Alberta Toolkit - download the free made-in Alberta toolkit Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker – Track trade trends and disruptions.

EMC Trade Relations Tracker – Collaborate on trade solutions for manufacturers.

Understanding CUSMA compliance - New resources from Trade Commissioner Service (TCS)

61

CHAMBER CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

Op-ed: Infrastructure Is the Missing Link in Canada’s Diversification Strategy Trade infrastructure and trade diversification intuitively go hand-inhand. We need them progressing at the same pace.

A phenomenon occurred in November 2025: Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement compliance rates for Canadian businesses increased to 87 per cent even as the United States share of Canadian exports dropped to 68 per cent, one of the lowest levels outside of the COVID years. The takeaway is that trade diversification efforts are working, as Canada’s overall trade mix is shifting away from its reliance on the U.S. Read Full Op-Ed

Our Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Tariff Ruling The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the use of IEEPA tariff powers is a legal ruling, not a reset of U.S. trade policy. This is certainly not the last chapter of this never-ending story.

Canada should prepare for new, blunter mechanisms to be used to reassert trade pressure, potentially with broader and more disruptive effects.

Read Full Statement

Our Statement on the Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy Canadian businesses are ready to put their expertise, innovation and capital to work to help build the military strength and industrial base that will protect Canada’s sovereignty.

Read Full Statement

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CHAMBER CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

EVEN MORE RESOURCES

Top Digital Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2026 Amidst technological progress, one thing remains the same: people are constantly looking for answers, solutions, products, and connections. And, today, they do this by searching, streaming, scrolling, and shopping.

This is happening at an immense scale on Google platforms. According to a survey with Ipsos, 83% of global consumers report using Google and/or YouTube on a daily basis, which is significantly higher than any other online platforms. Because Google has this activity at a scale no one else does, Google AI has an unparalleled ability to understand customer intent.

With that in mind, explore the top digital marketing trends and predictions for 2026 from Google visionaries who can help you show up in the moments that matter.

Learn More

9 retail marketing strategies to drive growth From doing market research to building your online store and setting up your social channels, you’ve worked hard to launch your retail business. Now working smart can help you grow. With the right retail marketing strategy, you can get more customers to discover your store, keep existing ones coming back and drive more sales.

Whether you own a clothing store with multiple locations or sell home goods, this guide breaks down what you need to know about how to implement a retail business marketing strategy that will drive results.

Learn More

Chamber Connection

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Celebrating a Business Milestone?

YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS DESERVE THE SPOTLIGHT, AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU CELEBRATE! SEND YOUR UPDATES TO MAX@GPCHAMBER.COM AND GET FEATURED IN AN UPCOMING EDITION OF THE CHAMBER CONNECTION!

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CHAMBER CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

Help shape internet improvements in Grande Prairie with the City’s new Fibre Gap Analysis Project The City of Grande Prairie, through Invest Grande Prairie, has launched the Fibre Gap Analysis Project in partnership with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) to better understand local internet service levels and identify areas for improvement.

“The Fibre Gap Analysis Project reflects our commitment to understanding local service needs and ensuring Grande Prairie remains well-connected for the future,” says Mayor Jackie Clayton. “We encourage all our local residents and businesses to take part in the quick online test to support reliable, high-quality internet which is essential to support our growing community, attract new investment and enable innovation.”

Working with CIRA’s Internet Performance Test program, the project will collect real-world data on internet speed, reliability and consistency across the city.

Learn more

Exhibitors invited for Youth Career Discovery Expo The City of Grande Prairie is inviting local businesses, educators and community organizations to take part in the Youth Career Discovery Expo on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Bonnetts Energy Centre.

The Youth Career Discovery Expo connects teens and young adults aged 14 to 30 with employers and training organizations from across the region. Throughout the day, young people will have the opportunity to explore career pathways, learn about education and training opportunities and speak directly with professionals about what working in different industries looks like.

Learn More

February Economic Development Newsletter

Easter Brunch Sat. April 4th Easter Brunch Sun. April 5th

Easter Dinner Sat. April 4th Easter Dinner Sun. April 5th

Turkey Take-Out Sat. April 4th Turkey Take-Out Sun. April 5th

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Chamber Connection MARCH 2026 ISSUE NO.43

EMAIL US : MAX@GPCHAMBER.COM