SJBOT Press Releases

TO TRULY TACKLE POVERTY, SUPPORT THE CREATION OF JOBS

2012-01-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

This joint opinion piece by the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce and the Saint John Board of Trade was published in the Wednesday, January 4, 2012 Telegraph Journal on page A5 under the headline 'Higher wages would hinder job creation'.

In recent months there has been plenty of discussion about the increase of the minimum wage in New Brunswick and how this has been linked to the Government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. In our view the best way to tackle poverty in New Brunswick is to create prosperous employment opportunities, and recent dramatic increases in the Province’s minimum wage have limited the ability of our small businesses to create jobs. Not only does this undermine any meaningful strategy to reduce poverty but it also hinders our Province’s ability to flourish.

In the past two years our province has seen a 21% increase in the minimum wage, an amount that has risen much higher than the rate of inflation. This, coupled with the increases of doing business, has put financial strain on the small business sector at a time when the Province is still severely challenged by the global economic downturn.

The majority of employers in New Brunswick are small businesses. Indeed, 97 percent of businesses are considered to be small and medium sized. Increases in minimum wage only increase an employer’s costs, and in fact, have a ripple effect throughout the entire economy. More often than not, these increases have unintended employment consequences. To underline this point, consider that New Brunswick is still the only province in Canada to have fewer jobs than it did before the 2008 economic crisis began.

It is our opinion that wage increases should be permitted to grow at a rate that is in tune with natural economic growth in the province. In Alberta, where starting wages vary widely, the legislated minimum wage, as of September 2011 is $9.40 per hour, 10 cents below what we have in New Brunswick. The average hourly wage in Alberta is $26.16 while in New Brunswick it is $19.73. That makes the minimum wage in Alberta 35.9% of the average wage compared to 48.1% in New Brunswick. In Alberta the provincial economy is better positioned to absorb minimum wage increases than in New Brunswick.

Quebec economist Pierre Fortin has argued that if the minimum wage is greater than a certain percentage of the average hourly wage in a province, economic evidence suggests that further increases to the minimum wage can have a profoundly negative employment effect. Fortin has suggested that as long as minimum wage remains less than 45% of the average wage it will not impact employers. Above the 45% threshold, employers need to make difficult choices to reduce their costs. For a number of small businesses, that choice unfortunately is layoffs. With the next scheduled increase to $10, N.B.’s minimum wage will jump to an estimated 50% of the average hourly wage in the province. This will only lead to further hard choices for business owners in the province.

In New Brunswick, approximately 23,000 households, rely on social assistance compared to the 15,000 individuals (mostly students) who make minimum wage. The focus should be more on improving policies like tax benefits and other targeted social initiatives rather than imposing increases on employers who work in a free market economy where the laws of supply and demand rule the day.

The poorest households of New Brunswick would be better served through changes to social programs and policies such as increasing the maximum income before tax, increasing the ceiling on income assistance (especially with respect to health cards), and other initiatives to encourage greater participation in the workforce.

A good job is the most meaningful way out of poverty, and our business members would welcome an opportunity to help create more jobs in New Brunswick. We believe an aggressive minimum wage increase undermines this approach.

In closing, the Saint John Board of Trade and Fredericton Chamber of Commerce agree that poverty is too high and the New Brunswick government needs to take concrete steps to reduce the cycle of poverty. However, we do not believe this should be on the shoulders of business. Virtually all economists agree that increasing the minimum wage as a means to tackle poverty is too blunt a policy instrument, and may have unintended employment consequences. Considering that 1 in 5 young New Brunswickers is already unemployed, our province can ill-afford further experimentation with wage rates.

With more than 900 members, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is one of Atlantic Canada’s largest chambers of commerce. A dynamic and relevant business organization, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is actively engaged in policy development that affects the competitiveness of our members and of the Canadian business environment.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. The elected Board of Directors is representative of the diversity of the membership and their concerns.

Outstanding Business Achievement Awards Recipients Announced

2011-12-01T06:39:00.000-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade has announced the recipients of its 2011 Outstanding Business Achievement Awards. At its 27th awards dinner, Go-Go Gymnastics Inc. was honoured with the award for Emerging Enterprise, and PUNCH Productions accepted the Entrepreneurial Achievement Award. In the Business Excellence category, the award went to Bayview Trucks & Equipment Ltd.

In the Emerging Enterprise category, Go-Go Gymnastics Inc. took top honours. Kara Hachey started her company from the ground up, founding Go-Go Gymnastics Inc. after winning the NB Innovation Foundation Student Entrepreneur Prize through a class project at UNB in 2006. The first division of the company, Go-Go Gymnastics, located in Fredericton, was an instantaneous success, with over 2,500 children in its first 24 months of operation. With increasing demand, Go-Go Gymnastics opened a second location in Saint John and Quispamsis in 2009, and a third location in Moncton in 2010. Servicing approximately 5,000 kids per year, Go-Go Gymnastics has had tremendous success by focusing on getting children active by making fitness fun.
After constant requests to expand into full-time child care, Kara founded Go-Go Gymrichment, a division of Go-Go Gymnastics Inc. in 2010. Go-Go Gymrichment is an elite after-school care initiative that focuses on teaching five main principles: literacy, leadership, entrepreneurship, arts and culture, and physical activity. The after-school program currently has 87 children enrolled full time and operates out of four elementary schools in Fredericton. Go-Go Gymrichment is expanding in the Saint John area in January 2012 as it undertakes an affiliation with four new local schools: Fairvale Elementary, Rothesay Elementary, Forest Hills School and Island View Elementary. With a goal to teach in an active and engaging way, the Go-Go Gymrichment after-school program focuses heavily on creating 21st-century leaders.
Go-Go Gymnastics Inc. has grown into a multi-functional endeavor, employing over 70 young leaders in New Brunswick. By affecting the budding generations of children within the province, Go-Go Gymnastics Inc. hopes that by getting children active and learning in a meaningful way, they can offer something unique to the various regions of New Brunswick.

PUNCH Productions was founded in 2000 by Judith Mackin, its sole proprietor and only full-time employee. Originally named Punch ‘n Judy, it has grown into a multifaceted company specializing in marketing, branding, public relations, design and event planning. Using PUNCH Productions as a platform for various other business ventures, the company expanded from organizing events and conferences to a variety of media and marketing projects.
Always beginning with the assumption that opportunity is everywhere, Judith has become a fearless serial entrepreneur. She has a number of ‘firsts’ to her credit including establishing the first artist-run galleries in the city, culminating in The Originals, a celebration of Saint John artists; co-founding happinez wine bar and the alternative newspaper here; and hosting a National CBC radio 10-week documentary from Saint John. In addition she writes a newspaper column and most recently branched into a sister company, Punchinside, an interior design firm focusing on makeovers of residential and commercial spaces around Saint John and the province, using industrial design and original art. Her newest venture, with her husband Robert Moore and Acre Architects, Into The Wild, will be the first home in Saint John to feature a ‘green’ roof and will house a design and decor studio (TUCK STUDIO). Punchinside’s design work has already been featured on HGTV and in several design magazines.
Judith has always maintained a close and friendly relationship with the media whether with press releases, newspaper columns, blog posts or interviews, and believes her new website is her best marketing tool. She firmly believes in collaborating with talented locals and promotes the people and companies she works with, as well as the City of Saint John itself. Over the last decade, PUNCH has been a constant presence in the community and has always tried to incorporate all things local into its many and varied projects.

Mike Nagle Junior became President of Bayview Trucks & Equipment in 1994, a company established in Saint John by his father in 1972. Under Mike Jr’s leadership, Bayview has added five additional locations - a full service dealership in Fredericton, truck parts stores in St. Stephen and Sussex, and Kubota Tractor dealerships in Fredericton and Woodstock. In 2007, after signing a dealer agreement with Kenworth Truck Company, Mike cancelled their franchise with International Trucks which had allowed them only limited sales territories. In 2008 Bayview opened a full-service Kenworth Truck dealership in Moncton. Bayview now has exclusive distribution and sales rights for Kenworth products throughout Atlantic Canada and is currently working with them on opportunities in other parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Bayview has also become the Atlantic Canadian dealer for Doosan Lift Trucks.
Bayview supports its 113 employees, 55 of whom work in Saint John, with paid training both in-house and off-site, while maintaining wage structures even when times were tough. This has helped keep morale high and the employees, some of whom have been with Bayview for more than 30 years, dedicated to the success of the company. Head office is in Saint John, with branch locations linked to the Saint John-based computer system. Bayview’s Saint John location was the first to be certified by Transport Canada to inspect and certify liquid petroleum tankers for highway use, plus the Saint John body shop is one of only two heavy truck shops in the province able to certify severely damaged vehicles as roadworthy after being repaired.
Working with such highly-respected manufacturers as Kenworth, Kubota and Doosan, leaders in their fields for quality and innovation, has enabled Bayview to expand locations and product lines. Bayview has been recognized with awards from manufacturers for superior market share plus two Dealer Excellence awards from Kenworth Truck Company.

This year’s recipient of the “Young Entrepreneur” award is Keith Brideau, Historica. This award recognizes young business leaders (30 years and under) just beginning to make their mark.

The Board of Trade presented this evening for the ninth year “The Big Heart” Award. The recipient of this award is Hestia House.

Also this evening, Board of Trade Chair, John Warrington presented Enterprise Saint John with the Chair’s Award. This marks the eighteenth year in which a deserving individual or organization has been selected by the Board’s Chairperson for their achievements within, and contributions to, the community.

For more information, please contact:
John Warrington, Chairman Ph: 632-2446
Imelda Gilman, President Ph: 634-4157

Saint John Board of Trade announces recipient of 2011 “Chair’s Award”

2011-11-15T10:49:00.000-08:00

John Warrington, Chairman of the Saint John Board of Trade is pleased to announce his choice for the 2011 “Chair’s Award” to be presented at the 27th annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards dinner on Wednesday, November 30th at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre.

The Chair’s Award was established in 1993 to recognize a company, or individual, who has demonstrated a particular excellence or achievement in a certain aspect of their business, having made either an immediate impact on or a substantial long-term contribution to the economic progress of our community.

“It is my pleasure to announce that the recipient of the 2011 Saint John Board of Trade Chair’s Award is Enterprise Saint John” said Mr. Warrington. “Enterprise Saint John was established in the mid-90’s by the City of Saint John, and at the encouragement and support of the Board of Trade. Over this time they have played a pivotal role in fostering economic development in our community from supporting a culture on entrepreneurship which leads to more new business starts ups and increased business investment to supporting our existing businesses through workforce development and expansion initiatives.”

Mr. Warrington continued “In early 2011, an economic task force reported to Common Council that Enterprise Saint John not only fulfilled its mandate to its funding partners, but was considered by its peers to be a model to emulate. They set the gold standard as a regional economic development agency. Our economic development agency for the region is the only one in Canada that brings together five municipalities to work collaboratively on economic development issues and opportunities; this is regional cooperation at its best.”

Enterprise Saint John’s philosophy is: regional cooperation is fundamental to having a balanced approach to achieving our social, cultural, environmental and economic goals. For Enterprise Saint John, that means focusing on their core services – workforce expansion, entrepreneur development and investment attraction. People, ideas and investment: these are the ingredients for success.

In 2010, Enterprise Saint John was Canada’s only Atlantic Canadian organization in the not-for-profit category to receive an IPAC/Deloitte Public Sector Leadership Award.

Enterprise Saint John led the initiative to have Saint John named one of the world’s 2012 high tech Smart21 hot spots by the Intelligent Communities Forum. Enterprise Saint John continues to lead the
initiative, in partnership with the City of Saint John, to get into the Top7.

Enterprise Saint John delivers the Business Immigrant Mentorship Program in partnership with YMCA-YWCA Settlement Services, the Saint John Multicultural and Newcomers Resource Centre, the Saint John Board of Trade and the Population Growth Secretariat. This program matches newcomers with local mentors to introduce them to New Brunswick’s business culture.

Mr. Warrington is looking forward to presenting the Chair’s Award to Mr. Tony Gogan - Chair, and Mr. Stephen Carson – C.E.O. who will accept the Award on behalf of Enterprise Saint John.

The 27th annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards dinner, Saint John’s Premiere annual business event, will be held at 6 p.m., Wednesday, November 30th at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre. Tickets can be purchased online or by contacting the Board of Trade office at (506) 634-8111.

Past recipients of the Chair’s Award include: Mr. Philip Oland in 1993; Saint John Pro Sports Inc. in 1994; Mr. Malcolm Somerville in 1995; the Imperial Theatre Inc. in 1996; Mr. Patrick Darrah in 1997; Cruise Saint John’s “Meet & Greet” Committee and the Irving Companies in 1999; New Brunswick Community College-Saint John and the University of New Brunswick Saint John in 2000; Mr. Lino Celeste in 2001; The Greater Saint John Roundtable on Primary Healthcare in 2002; Mr. Stephen MacMackin in 2003; Dr. Mary Eileen Travis in 2004; The five regional mayors were honoured as group in 2005; The Atlantica Centre for Energy in 2006; the Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative (BCAPI) in 2007; Bob Manning in 2008; Gerry Pond in 2009; and Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick in 2010.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization with distinction dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

For more information contact:

John Warrington, Chairman
Ph: 632-2446

Imelda Gilman, President
Ph: 634-4157

Saint John Board of Trade announces recipient of 2011 “Big Heart Award”

2011-10-31T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is very pleased to announce the recipient for the Outstanding Business Achievement “Big Heart Award” category. The 27th annual awards dinner and presentations will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30th at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre.

The Big Heart Award, established in 2003, recognizes those who are working to make this community a better place to live through their support of charitable or other community causes. This award is open to non-profit or charitable organizations, or to companies for their support (through time and money) of those organizations.

The independent judging panel has selected Hestia House as this year’s recipient of the Big Heart Award.

Since 1981 Hestia House has been providing a safe haven for women, and women with children, who are victims of family violence, Over those 30 years, more than 10,800 women and children have come through the doors of Hestia House seeking and finding food, shelter, safety and support, as well as the opportunity to break the cycle of abuse. A non-profit organization with a volunteer board of directors, Hestia House is funded by the Province of New Brunswick, the United Way of Greater Saint John, private and corporate donations, and various fundraising efforts throughout the year.

Hestia House is staffed 24 hours a day with nine full time employees, three relief workers, a child support worker and the executive director who provide lay counseling, referrals to community agencies and accompaniment to appointments with family court, criminal court, lawyers, income assistance and housing. All services are offered free.

A children’s program is operated on site in a special area of the house which has been designed to be inviting, fun, supportive and safe. The child support worker interacts with children and their mothers and offers referrals to community organizations which are designed to offer continuous programs to children after they leave the shelter. A 10-week children’s summer program has been particularly successful.

Abuse can take many forms: emotional, physical, sexual and financial. Making the break from an abusive partner is not easy and often the women face many barriers. Hestia House provides a non-judgmental supportive environment where women can make their own choices.
Previous recipients of the Big Heart Award were The Greater Saint John Community Foundation in 2003, the Irving companies in 2004, The United Way of Greater Saint John in 2005, the Saint John YM-YWCA in 2006, the Carpenters Training Centre in 2007, Canaport LNG in 2008, Key Industries in 2009, and the Saint John Kiwanis Club in 2010.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

For more information contact:
Imelda Gilman, President
Saint John Board of Trade
Tel: (506)634-4157 Fax: (506)632-2008
igilman@sjboardoftrade.com

Saint John Board of Trade Announces Finalists for 27th Annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards

2011-10-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade proudly announces the finalists for Greater Saint John’s Outstanding Business Achievement Awards. The awards dinner, Saint John’s Premiere annual business event, and presentations will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre.

The five-member judging panel has selected PUNCH Productions, Saint John Ale House, and Thandi Restaurant as contenders for the Entrepreneurial Achievement Award. The finalists for the Business Excellence honour include A.E. McKay Ltd., Bayview Trucks and Equipment Ltd., and Innovatia Inc. The finalists for the Emerging Enterprise Award include Go-Go Gymnastics Inc., Natural Moves YOGA & Belly Dance, and The Urban Shoe Myth.

The recipient of this year’s Young Entrepreneur Award is Keith Brideau with Historica.

Now in its 27th year, the Outstanding Business Achievement Awards event recognizes businesses and business people in the community that have aided business development, entrepreneurship and increased economic progress in Greater Saint John.

The Entrepreneurial Achievement award is designed to recognize a company or individual that has started a business, considerably improved a company, or modified an existing enterprise.

The Business Excellence award focuses on established companies that have achieved highly in management quality, sales growth, community relations, marketing and leadership.

The Emerging Enterprise award recognizes new businesses just beginning to make their mark. To be eligible for this award, companies must have been in business less than five years.

The Young Entrepreneur Award recognizes young business leaders (30 years and under) just beginning to make their mark.

Previous winners of the awards, presented annually since 1985, have included: Lingley Printing Co. Ltd; Tabufile Atlantic Ltd; Pete’s Fruitique; Mother Nature’s Pita Bakery & Restaurant; Bourque Manufacturing Ltd; Eastern Technical Services Ltd; Fundy Computer Services Ltd; Moosehead Breweries Ltd; Hunter Marketing & Communications; Beattie Construction Services Ltd; Thirtysomething Enterprises Inc (The Body Shop); Gardner Electric Ltd; NBTel; Kelly Tire Services Ltd; Mitchell, McConnell, Daniels Insurance Brokers Ltd; PCL & Eastern Packaging Limited; Aquila Tours/Destination Marketing; Baxter Foods Limited; Brenan Group Ltd; DMR Consulting Group Inc; Maritime Aqua Service; New North Media; Delta Brunswick Hotel; Senior Watch Inc; Appleby’s Image Center; Discount Car & Truck Rentals; The Document Company Xerox; Impact Forensic Analysis Inc; CanSupply.com; Java Moose; Irving Oil, Refining Division; Funeral Directors’ Choice; Meridian Construction Inc; Media Planet; Eastern Collections Services Ltd; Cendant Canada Inc; Here Publishing Inc; CAA Maritimes; National Leasing, Rent-a-Chef Inc; H.E.L.P. Educational Services Ltd; Simply for Life; Cooke Aquaculture; Fundy Engineering & Consulting Ltd; ADI Limited; Brovada Technologies; Evolving Solutions; Mariner Partners; CentreBeam Inc; Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc; Maritime Rescue and Medical Inc; East Point Inc.; Lorneville Mechanical Contractors; Jacques Whitford Limited; Vision Coaching; The DPL Group; Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission; Opera Bistro; Dillon Consulting; Kelson & Kelson Limited; and ClinicServer.

Previous recipients of the Young Entrepreneur Award were Ji Li, Greg Hemmings, Tao Tao Liu, Marc Robichaud, Leah Anderson, Jenny Scott, James Galbraith, and Kiera Fraser.

This year’s winners will be announced at the awards dinner on November 30th. Tickets for the awards dinner may be obtained by calling the Saint John Board of Trade office at 634-8111, email ccunningham@sjboardoftrade.com or register online www.sjboardoftrade.com

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

For more information contact:
Imelda Gilman
President
634-4157

aint John Board of Trade Congratulates Irving Shipbuilding on being awarded the National Shipbuilding Procurement Contract

2011-10-20T11:01:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade congratulates Irving Shipbuilding on yesterday’s announcement by the Federal Government awarding them the $25 billion National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy contract for combat vessels. “The contract awarded will enable Irving Shipbuilding to undertake long term planning, which will provide stability and certainty to their supply chains – a very welcome piece of news for our region in today’s economy!” said John Warrington, Chairman of the Saint John Board of Trade. “The whole region will benefit financially from this contract. We are very excited about the opportunities for businesses in our region to benefit, both directly and indirectly, from the economic spinoffs of this investment.”

The National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy contract is expected to see the Canadian economy grow by an estimated $1.5 billion in peak years, and potentially create 11,500 jobs in Nova Scotia and 4,500 jobs outside the province. “As one of only three shipyards across the country on the short-list of potential bidders and the only shipyard in Atlantic Canada on the short-list, we are thrilled the experience of our highly skilled workforce was recognized” said John Warrington.

Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard and the Atlantic region have a proven record of expertise in building naval ships. Irving Shipbuilding alone has built over two dozen government vessels, and numerous commercial and off-shore vessels. “Their ability to offer shipbuilding, fabrication, conversion and repair facilities, and a strong supply chain that stretches throughout the Atlantic Provinces makes them a logical choice for the combat vessel contract” commented Mr. Warrington.

“The Irving companies have a proven record in the Maritimes of using the local supply chain. I fully believe companies across the Atlantic Provinces will benefit from the contract awarded to the Halifax Shipyard” Mr. Warrington continued. “We’re a community on the East Coast – we want to see everyone rise together and realize that what’s good for one will be good for all. Our Chambers of Commerce work together, our Governments work together, and naturally our businesses work together.”

In 2009 and 2010, Irving Shipbuilding worked with 115 New Brunswick suppliers, more than thirty of those suppliers had contracts worth over $100,000, and eight at more than $1 million. For every $1,000 in real GDP generated from shipbuilding inside Nova Scotia by this contract, another $491 is expected be spent in other regions across Canada, $20 of which will be spent in the other Atlantic Canadian provinces. “This is a multi-billion dollar, long-term project which will strengthen many companies in our region” Mr. Warrington mentioned “We’re very excited for Irving Shipbuilding to begin work on this long term contract.”

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. The elected Board of Directors is representative of the diversity of the membership and their concerns.

For more information contact:
John Warrington, Chairman Imelda Gilman, President
(506) 632-2446 (506) 634-4157

Saint John Board of Trade to host Dr. Warren Jestin, Chief Economist, Bank of Nova Scotia

2011-10-11T06:48:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade will be hosting Dr. Warren Jestin, Chief Economist with the Bank of Nova Scotia on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at noon. This event will be held at the Saint John Trade & Convention Centre.

Dr. Jestin has been with the Bank since 1979. He also has worked at the Bank of Canada and taught at several Canadian universities. Warren is on advisory boards for the University of Guelph Heritage Fund and the Sobey School of Business at St. Mary’s University. He has served on the C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary Policy Council and has been involved with policy committees of the Canadian and Ontarion Chambers of Commerce and the Toronto Board of Trade. Warren also is on the Board of Markham-Stouffville Hospital. As Chair of Scotiabank’s Sponsorship and Donations Committee, Warren works closely with a wide variety of charitable institutions.

Event and ticket information can be found at www.sjboardoftrade.com and can be purchased by calling the Saint John Board of Trade office at (506) 634-8111 or emailing info@sjboardoftrade.com

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. The elected Board of Directors is representative of the diversity of the membership and their concerns.

For more information contact:
Imelda Gilman, President
Saint John Board of Trade
Tel: (506)634-4157 Fax: (506)632-2008
igilman@sjboardoftrade.com

Saint John Board of Trade to host Mark J. Carney, Governor of the Bank of Canada

2011-09-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade will be hosting Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of Canada in his first address in New Brunswick on Tuesday, September 20 at noon. This event will be held at the Saint John Trade & Convention Centre and is expected to sell out.

“We are really excited to have the Governor speak to our members and our region about the economic outlook” stated Imelda Gilman, Saint John Board of Trade President. “With the current state of unrest in the global economy, we are really interested to hear what Mr. Carney has to say and particularly how it relates to Canada, the Atlantic region and New Brunswick.”

Mr. Carney assumed the role of Governor of the Bank of Canada on February 1, 2008 for a seven year term. Mr. Carney received a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University in 1988. He received a master's degree in economics in 1993, and a doctorate in economics in 1995, both from Oxford University.

Event and ticket information can be found at www.sjboardoftrade.com and can be purchased by calling the Saint John Board of Trade office at (506) 634-8111 or emailing info@sjboardoftrade.com

To view the pdf version click here.

Saint John Board of Trade pleased that the Provincial Government is listening to Small Business

2011-07-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is pleased with Provincial Government’s decision to postpone the next scheduled increase in the minimum wage until April 2012. The increases in the minimum wage over the past two years have negatively impacted small businesses, especially those in the hospitality industry. “We are pleased that the Government has listened to small business and is giving us the opportunity to consult on this issue and raise the concerns of our small business members who have been negatively impacted by the large increases in their operating costs over a very short period of time” stated Ms. Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We are encouraged that the government is also taking the next step in exploring tip differentials.”

“The 19 percent increase in the minimum wage over the past two years is well above the inflation rate and it makes it very difficult for a small business to adjust” Ms. Gilman continued.

In 2010 the Saint John Board of Trade convened a Task Force to examine the potential impact of the scheduled minimum wage increases on our members. The Task Force comprised of members in hospitality, law, small and medium sized business and an academic, examined the issue and some of the literature on minimum wage increases and their effectiveness on reducing poverty.

“The members of our Task Force agree that it is not by reducing hours and job opportunities that our economy will grow, but rather by making it easier for employers to hire and expand” Ms. Gilman mentioned. “We are concerned the increase in minimum wage is too aggressive and will actually have a negative impact on small business and the people it is designed to help through potentially reduced employment, fewer job opportunities for young, inexperienced and low-skilled workers, reduced customer service, higher prices, and lower revenues.”

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. The elected Board of Directors is representative of the diversity of the membership and their concerns.

Saint John Board of Trade supports Irving Shipbuilding’s bid for National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy contract

2011-06-22T07:08:00.001-07:00

The following is a news release from the Saint John Board of Trade, June 22, 2011.

SAINT JOHN, NB: The Saint John Board of Trade supports Irving Shipbuilding’s bid for one of the two National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy contracts, which would see the Canadian economy grow by an estimated $1.5 billion in peak years, and potentially create 11,500 jobs in Nova Scotia and 4,500 jobs outside the province. As one of only five shipyards across the country on the short-list of potential bidders and the only shipyard in Atlantic Canada on the short-list, the Saint John Board of Trade supports the bid that will see a long-term contract given to the Halifax Shipyard. The long-term contracts being offered by the Government of Canada will enable the successful shipyards to undertake long term strategic planning and provide certainty and stability to the companies included in their supply chains.

Irving Shipbuilding, the Halifax shipyard, and the region have a proven record of expertise in building naval ships. Irving Shipbuilding alone has built over two dozen government vessels, and numerous commercial and off-shore vessels. “Their ability to offer shipbuilding, fabrication, conversion and repair facilities, and a strong supply chain that stretches throughout the Atlantic Provinces makes them a strong contender for one of the two available large vessel contracts” commented John Warrington, Chairman of the Saint John Board of Trade.

“The Irving companies have a proven record in the Maritimes of using the local supply chain. I fully believe companies across the Atlantic Provinces will benefit from a contract awarded to the Halifax Shipyard” Mr. Warrington continued. “We’re a community on the East Coast – we want to see everyone rise together and realize that what’s good for one will be good for all. Our Chambers of Commerce work together, our Governments work together, and naturally our businesses work together.”

In 2009 and 2010, Irving Shipbuilding worked with 115 New Brunswick suppliers, more than thirty of those suppliers had contracts worth over $100,000, and eight at more than $1 million. For every $1,000 in real GDP generated from shipbuilding inside Nova Scotia by this contract, another $491 is expected be spent in other regions across Canada, $20 of which will be spent in the other Atlantic Canadian provinces. “This is a multi-billion dollar, long-term project which will strengthen many companies in our region” Mr. Warrington mentioned.

Saint John Board of Trade participating in Provincial Pre-Budget Consultation

2011-01-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is participating in the Provincial Pre-Budget Consultation session today with Honourable Blaine Higgs, Minister of Finance. “As part of our participation in the consultation process which started in December, the Saint John Board of Trade has made a submission outlining its suggestions to the Minister” informed Michael Murphy, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade.

Attached is a copy of the submission.

“We are pleased to have this opportunity to discuss our organization’s views with the Minister” said Mr. Murphy.

Saint John Board of Trade partnering with the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce to invite the public to influence conversation with Premier Alward

2011-01-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is partnering with the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce to help increase awareness of the opportunity for the public to influence the conversation with Premier Alward in the State of the Province Address. For the first time in the event’s 38-year history, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the Province Address will feature a unique interview segment using questions submitted from across the province.

“We think this is a great opportunity for the citizens and businesses of the province to have their questions asked directly to the Premier during a televised event” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We’re really excited to be working with the Fredericton Chamber and other Chambers across the province on this initiative!”

“We’re really excited about this year’s new format” said Susan Holt, CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. “In partnership with our friends at the Saint John Board of Trade, the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, and the Chambre de Commerce du Grand Bathurst/Greater Bathurst Chamber of Commerce, we’re connecting with businesses across New Brunswick to bring their questions forward, making this year’s State of the Province Address a truly provincial event. Engaging residents and our business community via Twitter, Facebook, and the Chamber website, we’re inviting all New Brunswickers to influence our conversation with the Premier.”

The Fredericton Chamber has already begun collecting suggested questions for the Premier and ishighlighting these questions on its website. To see which issues are generating the most interest, and/or to submit a question, visit www.frederictonchamber.ca. Questions will be accepted until January 23rd. Information on submitting a question can also be found on the Board News Section of the Saint John Board of Trade’s website.

The Saint John Board of Trade: Developing Saint John’s Future Workforce

2010-10-29T13:06:00.001-07:00

Next Wednesday, November 3rd employers across New Brunswick will have the opportunity to showcase their workplaces to Grade 9 students who are taking part in a strategy developed by The Learning Partnership called “Take Your Kids to Work”. This annual, national program enables the entire community - parents, teachers and employers to play an important role in the career development of our youth - our future workforce.

Members of the Business Education Forum, a Saint John Board of Trade Committee realized that this ‘one day workforce’ and their host companies or parents might be open to attending a supporting event designed to align and compliment this community wide career development initiative. The result is a November 3rd, 2010 ‘lunch and learn’ opportunity called “Our Kids, Their Future”.

This unique luncheon will feature a keynote address from Jamie Korab, a 2006 Olympic Gold medalist in Curling. Mr. Korab will relate his Olympic experience and how the same principles apply to reaching career goals and educational goals. After the luncheon, employers/parents and their one day Grade 9 workforce will have the opportunity to meet Mr. Korab who will be available for photos with his Gold Medal and student attendees can also visit booths featuring the 6 Career Destinations and labour market information.

The luncheon event will be held at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre from Noon until 1:30 pm, on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010 and tickets can be purchased by calling the Board of Trade office at 634-8111 or email: Info@sjboardoftrade.com Tickets are $70 +HST (Student & Adult) or $250 +HST for table of eight!

26th Annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards

2010-10-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade proudly announces the recipients for Greater Saint John’s Outstanding Business Achievement Awards. The awards dinner, Saint John’s Premiere annual business event, and presentations will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre.

From a field of over 35 nominees, the five-member judging panel has selected Dillon Consulting as the recipient for the Business Excellence award. The recipient for the Entrepreneurial Achievement award honour is Kelson & Kelson Limited. The recipient for the Emerging Enterprise award is ClinicServer.

The recipient of this year’s Young Entrepreneur Award is Kiera Fraser, with Je Suis Prest Boutique.

Now in its 26th year, the Outstanding Business Achievement Awards event recognizes businesses and business people in the community that have aided business development, entrepreneurship and increased economic progress in Greater Saint John.

The Entrepreneurial Achievement award is designed to recognize a company or individual that has started a business, considerably improved a company, or modified an existing enterprise.

The Business Excellence award focuses on established companies that have achieved highly in management quality, sales growth, community relations, marketing and leadership.

The Emerging Enterprise award recognizes new businesses just beginning to make their mark. To be eligible for this award, companies must have been in business less than five years.

The Young Entrepreneur Award recognizes young business leaders (30 years and under) just beginning to make their mark.

Previous winners of the awards, presented annually since 1985, have included: Lingley Printing Co. Ltd; Tabufile Atlantic Ltd; Pete’s Fruitique; Mother Nature’s Pita Bakery & Restaurant; Bourque Manufacturing Ltd; Eastern Technical Services Ltd; Fundy Computer Services Ltd; Moosehead Breweries Ltd; Hunter Marketing & Communications; Beattie Construction Services Ltd; Thirtysomething Enterprises Inc (The Body Shop); Gardner Electric Ltd; NBTel; Kelly Tire Services Ltd; Mitchell, McConnell, Daniels Insurance Brokers Ltd; PCL & Eastern Packaging Limited; Aquila Tours/Destination Marketing; Baxter Foods Limited; Brenan Group Ltd; DMR Consulting Group Inc; Maritime Aqua Service; New North Media; Delta Brunswick Hotel; Senior Watch Inc; Appleby’s Image Center; Discount Car & Truck Rentals; The Document Company Xerox; Impact Forensic Analysis Inc; CanSupply.com; Java Moose; Irving Oil, Refining Division; Funeral Directors’ Choice; Meridian Construction Inc; Media Planet; Eastern Collections Services Ltd; Cendant Canada Inc; Here Publishing Inc; CAA Maritimes; National Leasing, Rent-a-Chef Inc; H.E.L.P. Educational Services Ltd; Simply for Life; Cooke Aquaculture; Fundy Engineering & Consulting Ltd; ADI Limited; Brovada Technologies; Evolving Solutions; Mariner Partners; CentreBeam Inc; Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc; Maritime Rescue and Medical Inc; East Point Inc.; Lorneville Mechanical Contractors; Jacques Whitford Limited; Vision Coaching; The DPL Group; Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission; and Opera Bistro.

Previous recipients of the Young Entrepreneur Award were Ji Li, Greg Hemmings, Tao Tao Liu, Marc Robichaud, Leah Anderson, Jenny Scott and James Galbraith.

This year’s winners will be honoured at the awards dinner on November 24th. Tickets for the awards dinner may be obtained from the Saint John Board of Trade.

Saint John Board of Trade’s Women in Business Forum

2010-10-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

Starting today, October 15th, the members of the Saint John Board of Trade’s Women in Business Forum will be collecting toiletry items for their ninth annual “Bare Necessities” campaign. The goal of the campaign, first launched in 2002, is to provide women’s shelters, food banks and other organizations packages containing the ‘little but necessary’ personal care items, just in time for the holiday season.

Going on vacation or a business trip? The next time you find yourself in a hotel room, don’t forget to bring home the complimentary items available to you from every hotel – shampoo, soaps, lotions, etc.

The campaign will run from October 15 to November 26.

“There are many business men and women who frequently travel,” says Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We are asking them to pack the complimentary toiletries and drop them off at a ‘Bare Necessities’ location.”

Drop off boxes are located at all CIBC and RBC Royal Bank branches throughout Greater Saint John, and at the Saint John Board of Trade at 40 King Street.

Even if you do not travel you can still participate. Drugstores and shopping centers sell miniature size shampoos, conditioners, soaps, toothpaste too. Think Bare Necessities!
To view the poster which has a list of items and drop off locations click here.

Saint John Board of Trade Call to Action!

2010-03-30T10:30:00.001-07:00

On October 29, 2009 the need for a comprehensive energy policy was brought to the forefront of New Brunswick politics with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding outlining the proposed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec. Since October, New Brunswick businesses, citizens and politicians alike have been actively engaged in the discourse regarding Energy Policy in our province. Although the deal is no longer viable, the province faces a brave new world. “New Brunswick will never look at Energy the same” quoted J. Michael Murphy, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade’s Energy Task Force.

“The momentum that has been created must be continued and utilized to ensure all parties remain engaged and contribute to the development of a comprehensive energy policy which will need to address the concerns of businesses and citizens while mitigating the risks involved” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We need to have a clear, non-partisan, long-term vision for energy in our province; our citizens and businesses depend on competitive, clean, reliable energy. This vision is needed as soon as possible.”

Ideally, a comprehensive energy policy will also incorporate a variety of aspects surrounding energy including the regulatory framework and energy efficiencies. “This is a prime opportunity for the Department of Energy to develop a ground breaking energy policy. The Saint John Board of Trade is prepared to be part of the process and we are ready to help be part of the solution” Ms. Gilman continued. “We encourage all interested businesses and citizens in New Brunswick to continue that dialogue regarding the future of energy in our province and the immediate need for a comprehensive energy plan.”

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. The elected Board of Directors is representative of the diversity of the membership and their concerns.

Saint John Board of Trade calls for urgent meeting on Harbour Bridge

2010-03-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

The Harbour Bridge in Saint John, New Brunswick is a vital part of the Atlantic Gateway system, as such the Saint John Board of Trade with representatives from Access Atlantica, Enterprise Saint John and the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association held two productive meetings this past week with the Provincial Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Denis Landry and Minister Jack Keir on Thursday, and the Member of Parliament for Saint John, Mr. Rodney Weston on Friday. As a result of these meetings, the Saint John Board of Trade has respectfully requested the Premier and the Minister of Atlantic Gateway meet to discuss this critical issue within the next two weeks.

“Our meetings with both Minister Landry and Mr. Weston were very frank and open; the Harbour Bridge is a crucial piece of infrastructure for Atlantic Canada’s international trade that cannot be devalued. The four parties involved with the running of the Bridge need to create an immediate solution and a long term plan for the continued operation of the Bridge. We feel the best way to achieve this will be by having the Federal and Provincial governments meet face to face to thoroughly discuss all aspects of the issue and come to an agreement, which all four parties can support to ensure repairs begin this season” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “This is very time sensitive and we feel the most efficient and effective method of obtaining a solution to this crisis is to have both the federal and provincial governments meet within the next two weeks”.

The Saint John Board of Trade has offered to facilitate the meeting if necessary and will follow up with the recipients in the coming days to monitor progress.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. The elected Board of Directors is representative of the diversity of the membership and their concerns.

Saint John Board of Trade supports the revised agreement on energy between the governments of New Brunswick and Quebec

2010-02-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

On January 12th, the Saint John Board of Trade identified six recommendations which it would like to see incorporated into the final agreement concerning the proposed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec. Since its release, a number of the concerns have been substantially addressed in the revised agreement released on January 20th (including Heritage Pool Supply, NB Power Service and Maintenance Levels, and Municipal Utilities).

With the Saint John Board of Trade’s mission statement and mandate as their guiding principles (To contribute to a productive economic environment for business in Saint John. To provide encouragement, assistance and guidance for established enterprises, or those aspiring to become established in business) the Board of Trade’s Energy Task Force undertook a review of the revised agreement. “As part of our review the Task Force and members of the Board of Directors considered the report and recommendations made by the Advisory Panel and met with Minister Keir and members of the Advisory Panel” said J. Michael Murphy, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade’s Energy Task Force.

The Saint John Board of Trade supports the revised agreement and believes it is in the best interest of its members.

“The Saint John Board of Trade strongly encourages the Government of New Brunswick to consider the recommendations made by the Advisory Panel in its Report, specifically regarding the investment in energy efficiency and demand side management, the strengthening of the regulatory framework, and the creation of a comprehensive Energy Policy for the Province of New Brunswick” stated Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. The elected Board of Directors is representative of the diversity of the membership and their concerns.

Let’s Put Saint John on the Boardwalk! Monopoly Canada

2010-01-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

Members of the Saint John community came together today to kick-start a movement encouraging individuals of greater Saint John to go online and vote to put Saint John on the Boardwalk!

Hasbro has launched an online contest to determine which Canadian Cities will earn a spot on its latest board game edition, Monopoly Canada. Earlier in the week, Saint John was in 62nd place out of 65 cities who are trying for one out of a possible 20 spots on the board game. The City already moved to 55th place in just a few days after the media started picking up on the contest. “It is attainable,” said Graeme Weir, who started a Facebook site last week. “The page is gaining momentum”.

Dick Daigle, owner of the uptown area Boilerworks restaurant joined Rodney Weston, MP for Saint John, Mayor Ivan Court, Imelda Gilman, President Saint John Board of Trade, Enterprise Saint John and others on the Boardwalk at Harbour Passage to show support for a grass roots initiative that is going viral. “As a restaurant owner, I am happy to see the community come together on this,” said Daigle. “I will be including table toppers in my restaurants asking patrons to go online and vote as well, and I am encouraging other restaurant owners to do the same.”

“Saint Johners are proud Canadians,” said Rodney Weston. “Last year we participated in the Proud to be Canadian Campaign leading up to Canada Day and Saint John came in fifth place nationally. We should be proud of that result and that tells me Saint John can do it again.”

“If Saint John wins a spot on the game board it would give the city more exposure and recognition. Saint John is the oldest city, the first incorporated city and it’s a perfect lead into Saint John’s 225th birthday. It’s a nice fit,” said Imelda Gilman. “Once the social media network starts it goes viral.”

The time is now to get online and Vote! Let’s make sure Saint John has a spot on the new Canadian Monopoly Board. Let’s get Saint John on the Boardwalk! Go visit www.monopolyvote.ca. You can vote once a day until February 7th.

Stock exchange information seminar to be held in Saint John

2010-01-22T06:34:00.000-08:00

An information seminar about Canada’s newest stock exchange, the Canadian National Stock Exchange (CNSX), will be held in Saint John on Wednesday, 10 February. It will be presented by the New Brunswick Securities Commission (NBSC) in partnership with the Saint John Board of Trade.

The seminar will run from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre, Market Square, Saint John. The session will be open to the public and will be free of charge. Pre-registration is required by calling the NBSC at 1 866 933-2222.

“We are pleased to host this seminar with the Saint John Board of Trade as part of our Fullsail™ capital markets initiative education series: Learning the Ropes,” said Rick Hancox, Executive Director, NBSC. “As Canada's newest alternative market, the CNSX is another way for companies to access capital in New Brunswick.”

The CNSX, based in Toronto, trades in equity securities for emerging companies. Company representatives will provide an introduction about the CNSX as well as Pure Trading, a secondary market. The seminar will also address stock exchange competition in Canada and the opportunities unfolding with the evolution of multiple markets. The seminar will be of interest to business owners, lawyers, accountants and investment dealers.

“Partnering on this event with the NBSC provides our members an opportunity to learn more about the options available to grow their business,” said Imelda Gilman, President, Saint John Board of Trade.

The NBSC is an independent Crown corporation that regulates the securities industry in New Brunswick. Its mandate is to protect investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices and foster fair and efficient capital markets, as well as confidence in those markets.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization with more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations in Greater Saint John.

ABOUT THE NEW BRUNSWICK SECURITIES COMMISSION
The New Brunswick Securities Commission is the Crown Corporation that regulates the
securities industry in New Brunswick. It is funded indirectly by investors through industry. Its
mandate is to protect investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices and foster fair
and efficient capital markets, as well as confidence in those markets.

To view the full press release click here.

Saint John Board of Trade has identified Six Recommendations regarding the proposed sale of NB Power

2010-01-12T05:29:00.000-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade has identified six recommendations which it would like to see incorporated into the final agreement concerning the proposed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec. “We feel these additions will ensure that full advantage is taken of the opportunity to maintain existing businesses and jobs and to promote future economic growth and development in our Province” said Kathryn Craig, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade.

The Saint John Board of Trade has reviewed and analyzed the proposed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the Provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec on October 29, 2009. Due to the complexity of this issue, an ad-hoc Task Force comprised of members of the Board of Directors representing small, medium and large sized businesses was created to diligently examine the issue and meet with subject matter experts prior to making a recommendation to the Board.

1) Heritage Pool Supply. The size of the Heritage Pool Supply (HPS) needs to be increased. For example, the allocation currently included in the MOU for the Industrial HPS (4.5TWh) does not provide sufficient capacity to drive future economic growth and development. Proper analysis needs to be conducted to determine the appropriate size of the Heritage Pool Supply. Having a more predictable rate would allow industry to plan future projects more accurately than if the rate was to go to market each year because the Industrial HPS was surpassed.
2) Rate Increases after Five Years. The rate increase formula after five years (i.e. NB Consumer Price Index) needs to be modified. We recommend that the formula for rate increases for all customers after the initial five year period be the lesser of NB CPI or the percent rate change approved in Quebec for the same period and customer class.
3) New Brunswick Supply Chain. We recognize the importance of NB Power to many small- and medium-sized businesses in New Brunswick. While Hydro Quebec has stated that the supply chain will not be affected, we recommend that contractual covenants be incorporated into the final agreement ensuring this will be the case; 100% of work that can be done by New Brunswick companies should be done by New Brunswick companies.
4) NB Power Service and Maintenance Levels. The service and maintenance levels presently enjoyed by NB Power consumers need to be preserved or improved. Both current and potential new businesses require a consistent, reliable source of power. As a result, we recommend that the final agreement contain contractual covenants providing for service and maintenance standards which are equivalent to or improve upon those which currently exist today.
5) Municipal Utilities. We recommend that Saint John Energy should not be negatively impacted by this transaction.
6) Energy Hub. It is unclear how this transaction will affect the future development of the New Brunswick Energy Hub. We recommend the final agreement contain further definition of how the New Brunswick Energy Hub will be protected and developed.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. The elected Board of Directors is representative of the diversity of the membership and their concerns.

News Release: Saint John Board of Trade announces recipient of 2009 “Big Heart Award”

2009-11-05T06:30:00.001-08:00

On November 5, 2009 the Saint John Board of Trade announced Key Industries as this year’s recipient of the Big Heart Award. The 25th annual awards dinner and presentations will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 25th at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre. The Big Heart Award, established in 2003, recognizes those who are working to make this community a better place to live through their support of charitable or other community causes. This award is open to non-profit or charitable organizations, or to companies for their support (through time and money) of those organizations. To view the news release click here.

The Saint John Board of Trade partners with Propel ICT to Re-launch WiFi Freespots

2009-10-28T05:34:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade in partnership with Propel ICT announced
today the re-launch of freespots, the public Wi-Fi service that covers the City of Saint John
with free wireless internet. To view the full press release and find out how to become a freespot click here.

Saint John Board of Trade announces recipient of 2009 "Chair's Award"

2009-10-26T05:24:00.001-07:00

On October 26, 2009 the Saint John Board of Trade announced Gerry Pond as the recipient of the 2009 "Chair's Award". The Chair’s Award was established in 1993 to recognize a company, or individual, who has demonstrated a particular excellence or achievement in a certain aspect of their business, having made either an immediate impact on or a substantial long-term contribution to the economic progress of our community. To view the news release click here.

Saint John Board of Trade's Women in Business Forum Launches 8th Annual Bare Necessities Campaign

2009-10-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade's Women in Business Forum will be collecting toiletry items for their eighth annual “Bare Necessities” campaign. Started in 2002, the goal of the campaign is to provide women’s shelters, food banks and other organizations packages containing the ‘little but necessary’ personal care items, just in time for the holiday season.

For the full press release and to find out where items can be dropped off please click here.

Saint John Board of Trade encourages 5 Regional Municipalities to work together on Tourism model

2009-09-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is extremely excited with the City’s prospects for attracting and retaining more tourists and visitors to our great City and region. The fact we have now attracted over 1,000,000 cruise passengers to our area is solid and undeniable proof that we are in the midst of a great destination location; one that is gaining momentum, but one that is performing far below its potential.

It is for this reason that the Board of Trade is supportive of the formation of a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). The energy and optimism surrounding the positioning of the Greater Saint John area as the Destination of Choice in Atlantic Canada is gaining momentum.

“We are confident this can happen with one voice and a shared vision which the DMO is proposing. We are also pleased that the Strategic Plan will be based on measurable tactics that can show return on investment objectives” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “The proposed model will leverage existing dollars, eliminate duplication of efforts, and clarify the common vision to industry, stakeholders, entrepreneurs, and visitors. We encourage the five regional municipalities to work together on this tourism model” added Ms. Gilman.

For the past two years, the Saint John Board of Trade’s Retail Forum has been working on promoting Saint John as a Retail Destination. The Board of Trade wants to see more shopping in Greater Saint John by our local citizens and to attract shoppers to our city. While the objective is to increase retail activity, the City’s attraction is much more than retail. It is heritage, waterfront and rivers, cultural activity, sporting events and great restaurants. It is a walk in Rockwood Park, the Nature Park, Harbour Passage, or Fundy Trail. It is a great evening of dining in the historic downtown or the Kennebecasis Valley. It is golfing at Saint John, Grand Bay-Westfield, and Rothesay. And of course it is shopping throughout our City and region.

The Board of Trade and its Retail Forum are ready to work with the DMO and the five regional municipalities in helping it see Greater Saint John become the Destination of Choice in Atlantic Canada.

Saint John Board of Trade pleased with investment in water infrastructure

2009-08-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is pleased with today’s joint announcement by the Governments of Canada and the Province of New Brunswick for $16 million in funding to improve Saint John’s water infrastructure.

“Investment in our water infrastructure is one of our organization’s key priorities. Clean, safe, reliable drinking water is important for businesses. It is especially important to those in the hospitality and manufacturing sectors of our economy” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “This investment in our City’s infrastructure, especially during a time of economic renewal, will benefit our economy, businesses and residents. This is definitely a good start to renewing Canada’s oldest incorporated city’s aging water infrastructure.”

This investment will help Saint John meet the new, stricter water safety regulations the Honourable Jim Prentice, Federal Minister of the Environment announced as part of the government’s new Water Action Plan for Canada unveiled at the August 6th Saint John Board of Trade luncheon.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

Saint John Board of Trade excited about possible truck pilot in Maine

2009-08-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is excited about the possible truck pilot program in Maine that will see the weight restrictions on trucks travelling on the Interstate 95 increased from 80,000 lbs to 100,000 lbs.

Presently, the Interstate 95 north of Augusta is limited to the federal weight restriction of 80,000 lbs. In Canada, however, the weight is set at 100,000 lbs. This discrepancy has led to inconsistency and inefficiency in the shipment of goods across the border. The increase in weight restrictions for transport trucks will decrease in overall fuel consumption and increase the efficiency and safety of transporting various goods.

The weight disparity has created an economic hardship for the northeast sector of the United States and Canada as it has had an impact on the cost of goods sold in the region. It has repercussions for a variety of companies, not just those exporting goods to the U.S., but also, those that rely upon imports from Maine, whether for commercial, construction, or industrial use.

“Local companies have experienced a hindrance to growth because of this. It has been cheaper for some of our members to ship to Europe than the United States due to these weight restrictions” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We are excited by the proposal by Senator Susan Collins for a one-year pilot project that would enable larger trucks on the Interstate 95. We hope she will have all the Congressional support needed for this to pass.”

Saint John Board of Trade urges Canadian Blood Services to reconsider

2009-07-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is urging Canadian Blood Services to reconsider their decision to close the Saint John production center on University Avenue. The Saint John Regional Hospital is the tertiary care, level one trauma hospital in our province, it requires fast, secure, reliable access to blood products. Our Province and our City have a large industrial sector and rely upon this access to blood products for contingency planning.

In addition to tertiary care, the Saint John Regional Hospital also provides oncological, surgical, and haematological services which require blood products. Haematologists will be challenged to continue their program without a blood production centre nearby. Also, it puts the recent bone marrow transplant program in jeopardy.

The Saint John Regional Hospital, as part of the provincial trauma system, has experience in working with other hospitals in all regions of our province, both quickly and efficiently. As the new trauma system grows, access to blood products will become more important. The trauma system and cardiac centre, which are high users of emergency platelets which are needed within hours, require close proximity to a blood production centre. The production centre in Saint John has a proven track record of working with the hospitals throughout the province to provide the blood required to places like Fredericton and Moncton’s cancer and surgical units which rely upon this service within hours. The Saint John production center has been recognized nationally as a centre of excellence.

“Health is one of the growth sectors our community identified in the True Growth Strategy. Keeping a blood production centre on University Avenue compliments the hospital, the new Provincial Anglophone Medical Program at UNBSJ, and the co-location of the medical programs of NBCC-SJ at the Tucker Park campus. As a centre of excellence, there is great potential and opportunity for the further development of the Saint John production center and the Medical Program of both UNBSJ and NBCC-SJ” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade.

The Board of Trade would like to see the business plan for moving the production centre to Halifax. “To our knowledge no one in New Brunswick has been provided with a copy of this plan. We just want to know how moving blood products multiple times across two provinces is more advantageous, economical, and sustainable than the system that is currently in place; a system that works very well all year round” stated Ms. Gilman. After consultation with some of our medical members, the Board of Trade understands that since the implementation of Phase 1 of the Canadian Blood Services plan, the amount of platelets that has been wasted has increased. The platelets have gone from having a 5 day life span to 36 hours.

“We support the work of Minister Jamieson and the bi-partisan committee of doctors, politicians and community leaders in their quest to explore all options beyond Canadian Blood Services, including a potential partnership with our neighbours in Quebec” Ms. Gilman stated.

Saint John Board of Trade excited ICSC conference is coming to Saint John

2009-07-30T05:55:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is excited that Saint John will be hosting this year’s International Council of Shopping Centre’s (ICSC) Atlantic Provinces Idea Exchange, August 11th-13th. The ICSC conference will bring together national retailers and shopping centre professionals from both Canada and the United States. This conference gives organizers an opportunity to showcase the developing retail sector in Saint John.

“Members of our Retail Forum have been working with the organizers of this event with the mutual goal of promoting Saint John as a retail destination” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “It’s an exciting time for our rapidly growing retail sector. This conference highlights the growth that we are experiencing as a community.”

Saint John Board of Trade understands decision by Irving Oil and BP

2009-07-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade understands the difficult decision made by Irving Oil and British Petroleum to suspend the investment in the Eider Rock refinery project announced today. The current global recession has already impacted other refining projects around the world.

“We are disappointed in this morning’s announcement that Eider Rock project will not be going through, however, we are positive that Saint John and the Province of New Brunswick will continue to develop our position as a regional Energy Hub and Gateway. We have significant foundational assets in our community to build upon including our existing refinery (the largest in Canada), Canaport LNG terminal (the first in Canada), the Brunswick Pipeline, and Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade.

The Board of Trade is pleased that Irving Oil will be investing in its largest Turnaround of the current refinery over the next two years and building their new headquarters at Long Wharf. This shows tremendous confidence by Irving Oil in our Energy sector and economy. The strong relationship forged by Irving Oil and British Petroleum over the past 18 months is positive and bodes well for future potential joint projects.

“As a Board of Trade we will continue to work on the community’s True Growth Strategy for our city and region to grow our Energy & Manufacturing, Health, ICT, Tourism and Retail sectors” continued Ms. Gilman.

“Although today’s announcement is disappointing, we are building excellent synergy in our city with the investment in the One Mile Highway Interchange, the Anglophone Medical School at UNBSJ, the recent investment by Aliant in Fibre to the Home, the new Cruise Terminal, the massive renovations and development in the retail sector, and the future development of Peel Plaza. Our economy has diversified greatly over the past decade” concluded Ms. Gilman.

Saint John Board of Trade supports the need for Peel Plaza

2009-07-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is supportive of the creation of a new Police Headquarters and the development of Peel Plaza as a justice complex. “The creation of a long-term, sustainable building that enables our Police force to work in a more efficient and effective manner while meeting national standards and regulations is important to us” said Kathryn Craig, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “Presently they are having a hard time meeting national standards as the location in City Hall was only meant to be a temporary site”.

The new facility will enable the Saint John police force to better serve the public, victims, staff and prisoners. From a modern, properly equipped forensics unit, to the Major Crimes Project Room, to a LEED design which will eliminate harmful odours and chemicals Peel Plaza will be a proper building for our police force.

“These improvements over their current location are necessary, standard requirements that the force currently does not have. We can’t expect them to do their best without the proper equipment. Simple things, like ensuring that victims and prisoners are separate are capabilities our force does not have in its current location” Ms. Craig highlighted. “Ensuring that our force is well equipped to provide the best protection to our residents and businesses is key to growing our community.”

In examining the issue of Peel Plaza, the Board of Trade has met with the Police Chief, Police Commission Chairman, and the City’s Commissioner of Finance to determine the need and costs of the project. Presently, the breakdown of costs for the development of Peel Plaza is approximately: $25 million for the police station; $15-17 million for the parking garage; and $2 million for the Plaza itself. The Commissioner of Finance has assured the Board of Trade that the development of Peel Plaza will not impact the tax rate in Saint John.

The City is presently waiting for 3 proposals for public-private partnerships. “We look forward to seeing the quotes for the development of Peel Plaza as a public-private partnership to see if there will be substantial difference in the cost. We trust the City will choose the most effective, efficient and sustainable route in creating Peel Plaza”.

While the Board of Trade realizes the development of Peel Plaza will cost about one-third of the City’s Capital spending budget over the next 4 years, we would like to see the City develop a long-term list of priorities that balances new development with on-going maintenance and up-keep of current infrastructure. “This would indicate to current and potential investors, residents and businesses where our City plans to be in the next 10 years. A balanced, planned road map for our municipal infrastructure development should be designed in conjunction with the new municipal plan to ensure proper location and allocation of resources” Ms. Craig suggested.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

Saint John Board of Trade pleased with investment in New Brunswick Southern Railway

2009-07-10T05:23:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is pleased with Tuesday’s announcement by the Provincial and Federal governments to fund the upgrading of New Brunswick Southern Railway lines in Saint John and McAdam. With matching funding from New Brunswick Southern Railway, the total investment in this project will be $36 million. This is a long-term investment which will lead to greater payload efficiency and improved costs for businesses.

“The continuing investment by New Brunswick Southern Railway and both levels of government in the lines makes New Brunswick and its businesses more competitive with the rest of Canada and enhances our role as an integral part of the Atlantic Gateway” said Kathy Craig, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “The economic and environmental benefits from this project will help us on the road to self-sufficiency. We were pleased to hear that New Brunswick Southern Railway will be using a local supplier for its environmentally friendly railway ties. This is in line with the Benefits Blueprint’s design for supporting local businesses through the supply-chain. ” added Ms. Craig.

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The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

Saint John Board of Trade excited about the possibilities of Fibre Optic

2009-07-08T12:17:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is excited about the possibilities of yesterday’s announcement regarding Bell Aliant’s installation of Fibre To The Home technology in the municipalities of Saint John and Fredericton. “The potential for growth and development is great” said Kathy Craig, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “The increase in the ability of individuals and businesses to send and receive large amounts of data will greatly enhance the competiveness of our businesses and the attractiveness of our Province as a place to do business. This is another step on the road to self-sufficiency. ”

“The investment of $60 million by Bell Aliant in our Province during these times of economic uncertainty is exciting. This infrastructure will lay the groundwork for future development which will further enhance our Province’s competiveness in business. The benefits of this investment encompass all sectors, including ICT, Health, and education” continued Ms. Craig.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

Saint John Board of Trade calls for input from all stakeholders on implementing the Provincial Trauma System

2009-05-29T11:38:00.001-07:00

Last year’s announcement by the Minister of Health in February regarding the designation of eighteen hospitals as part of the province’s integrated trauma system was welcomed with excitement. The proposed collaboration among the health regions in the care of trauma patients was a positive step for improved health services to all parts of New Brunswick and the government deserves to be commended for this. We now need to focus on completing the process and implementing the system.

The Saint John Board of Trade is calling on the government, Minister of Health and the Trauma committee to ensure that the new trauma system receives the benefit of full input from all stakeholders, including the Department of Health, both Regional Health Authorities, and the medical staff who will deliver trauma care. This approach will also serve to restore credibility to the process of building and implementing the provincial trauma system.

We strongly encourage the government, the Minister of Health, and the Trauma Committee to reach out to Dr. Trenholm and ensure that he is invited to participate in the implementation of the new trauma system.

The circumstances in which Dr. Andrew Trenholm withdrew his application for the position of Medical Director of Trauma are concerning. As one of only a handful of orthopedic trauma surgeons in Canada, it would seem imperative that Dr. Trenholm be involved in the implementation of the new provincial trauma system. Dr. Trenholm has given generously of his time and commitment towards this important work for the past six years, and he is intimately acquainted with the strengths and weaknesses of the current system.

“This issue not only impacts our ability to attract new doctors but also in attracting a highly skilled workforce to our community” said Imelda Gilman, Board of Trade President. “This is vital to our ability as a province to becoming self-sufficient.”

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The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

Saint John Board of Trade very concerned with cuts to CBC Radio & encouraging members and the community to voice their concerns

2009-05-01T12:08:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is very concerned with the proposed cuts of one-half of the staff at the CBC station in Saint John. “The CBC is a well respected media outlet in our region which provides excellent coverage of local issues” said Dr. Michael Barry, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We, as a community, fought hard to get them here 30 years ago. We’re very concerned that these cuts will lead to an eventual closing of the station in Saint John.”

“The CBC’s commitment to our community through various activities including the Annual Harbour Lights Campaign which raises money for food banks in the region, is exemplary.

“As a Board of Trade we are encouraging our members and the community at large to let their voices be heard either by calling the Talk Back line at 1-800-632-7743 or 632-7747 and/or by sending a letter to The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6.

“The Saint John Board of Trade is currently preparing letters to the Minister, Prime Minister, and local area politicians” Dr. Barry stated.

Saint John Board of Trade Concerned with Closure of Blood Distribution Center

2009-04-02T09:35:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is concerned with the decision announced by Canadian Blood Services to close the Saint John distribution center on University Avenue. “I think there is some shock in Saint John that we were not alerted to this prior to the announcement. This impacts our ability to provide the best health care, from a spectrum of specialties including oncology, surgery, hematology and Trauma, to the residents of Saint John and the Province of New Brunswick” said Dr. Michael Barry, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “The Board of Trade urges both levels of government and Canadian Blood Services to work together on this issue to develop a rapid solution to mitigate the potentially negative impact on our healthcare system.”

Letter to the Editor "Thanks for Hospice Backing"

2009-02-25T06:44:00.001-08:00

On February 17, 2009 the following letter from Dr. Michael Barry, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade was published in the Telegraph Journal.

On behalf of the Saint John Board of Trade members and staff I would like to congratulate Hospice Saint John and the Province of New Brunswick for making palliative care a priority in our Province.

First, I would like to recognize all the Hospice Saint John volunteers and staff for their compassion and caring. Their commitment and hard work has paid off. I would especially like to extend thanks to our local area MLAs, Minister Michael Murphy, and Premier Graham for making Hospice Saint John a reality. Thank you for contributing not only to the capital campaign to renovate the location, but also committing to the operational funding of Hospice.

As a doctor I know the tremendous impact this will have on the patients and their families in providing quality end of life care; as the Chair of the Board of Trade I know the economic benefits this will have on our health budgets; and as a member of the community I know the role this will play in the lives of the people of Saint John and surrounding areas. With this funding New Brunswick and Saint John will become a leader in providing palliative care in Atlantic Canada.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michael Barry

Chair

Saint John Board of Trade Satisfied with the First Budget of the new Council

2009-01-27T11:47:00.001-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is surprised that Common Council reduced the tax rate in their first budget since being elected last year. Even with increases in property tax assessments we were concerned that the tax rate would still go up. We look forward to further tax reductions as a result of the "value for money" audit.

“We are pleased with Council’s decision to cut the tax rate for the first time in 22 years. This is something that we as an organization have been lobbying for on behalf of our members for many years. We hope this is the first of many tax rate cuts to make our City more competitive for our businesses and residents” stated Dr. Michael Barry, Chairman of the Board of Trade. “As an organization dedicated to growing business and opportunity in Greater Saint John, we know that it is the competitiveness of the complete package that sells. An overall 12% increase in water rates is cause for concern for both businesses and residents in our City. We look forward to continued efforts by Council to ensure that all of the economic indicators are sending the right signals to attract new business and residents to our City.” Dr. Barry continued.

A survey of the Saint John Board of Trade membership conducted last year found that 50% of members who responded felt that high levels of municipal taxation were a challenge currently facing the business community in the Greater Saint John area. “Lower levels of taxation make our city and our businesses more competitive, not just in Canada but internationally as well” Barry said.

The Board of Trade is also pleased to see money set aside to create a new Municipal Plan, independent advice on the City’s Pension Plan, “Value for Money Audit Program”, and increased funding for Saint John Industrial Parks Ltd.

The Saint John Board of Trade is dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organization and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

Saint John Board of Trade Extremely Pleased with Province's Investment in the Community College, Saint John Campus

2008-12-05T11:59:00.001-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is pleased with the Provincial Government’s commitment of funds totalling $45 million for the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) facilities in Saint John. "The long awaited expansion of NBCC Saint John campus will ensure that businesses in the region and the Province will have access to the highly skilled workforce they require" said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade.

"In these tough economic times, it is encouraging to see the Provincial Government taking steps to not only stimulate the economy through construction, but also ensure the long-term advancement of our citizens and businesses through critical infrastructure that will aid New Brunswick in its long-term goal of self-sufficiency" added Ms. Gilman.

Outstanding Business Achievement Awards Recipients Announced

2008-11-27T07:02:00.001-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade has announced the recipients of its 2008 Outstanding Business Achievement Awards. At its 24^th awards dinner, Vision Coaching was honoured with the award for Emerging Enterprise, and Lorneville Mechanical Contractors accepted the Entrepreneurial Achievement Award. In the Business Excellence category, the award went to Jacques Whitford.

In the Emerging Enterprise category, Vision Coaching took top honours. The idea of setting up a business focused solely on business/leadership coaching came to Dave Veale when the management consulting company he already owned received repeated requests for coaching services. What intrigued him was the high calibre of people asking for these services.

Determining that this was a good business opportunity, he and partner Marilyn Singh established Vision Coaching and invested in the best coaching certification program possible, both eventually earning a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching,

When Vision Coaching began operations in 2005, the company had one coach, one service (One-to-One Coaching) and one client willing to pay for the service. Today, Vision Coaching has a network of seven certified coaches across the country offering four core services, and has worked with clients all over the world from Saint John to New Mexico to Australia. The three full time employees in Saint John are ultimately responsible for the strategic direction, marketing and delivery of the bulk of the services.

The company is currently involved in several innovative projects including marketing Coach Gateway, an online tool that facilitates the coaching process, developed with a local technology firm, Evolving Solutions. A desire to use video to introduce coaching to the market turned into a documentary of Dave coaching local film maker Greg Hemmings over a two year period, and was recently shown in Montreal at the 'Executive Summit' to a group of Executive Coaches from around the world. In 2007, the company began offering coaching skills training, one of the fundamental components that lead to an organization creating a coaching culture.

Vision Coaching has used innovative techniques to tap into an uncontested market space in the business/leadership coaching area. Fully embracing the notion that they have the ability to be leaders in this exciting new field has supported Vision Coaching in seeing business opportunities in the global market.

After having spent many summers working for their father and uncle who had founded Lorneville Mechanical Contractors in 1977, Styve and Martin Dumouchel were quite knowledgeable about the mechanical service work side of the business. But when they took over the company in 1999, they recognized that they would need to expand outside of their core business in order to grow.

To access the larger construction market, they approached large general contractors and proposed that Lorneville Mechanical take ownership of small sections of large jobs. The contractor was offered a set profit on the sub-contracted portion, with a guarantee of quality work and timely delivery. This strategy enabled Lorneville Mechanical to enter a market that would otherwise be out of reach and to build a solid reputation for the company. In 2001 they obtained further industry reach when they were joined by a third partner, Carl Tremblay, who brought expertise in hydro and gas turbines.

The fabrication shop, built in 2001, enables the company to construct their own components for industrial contracts, ensuring quality workmanship and timely delivery through vertical integration. With 20,000 square feet of indoor workspace, the company faces few limitations in fabrication component sizing. As well, about 90% of their construction customers return to the company for maintenance work on their equipment. Lorneville Mechanical is one of the first companies in Canada to assemble large-capacity LNG tanks.

With 18 full time and 150-300 seasonal employees, a key factor in Lorneville Mechanical’s success is that the owners are hands-on and on site, unusual in a company of this size. This gives their customers the best of both worlds, the resources of a large general contractor with the personalized service of a small company. By being on site, the owners are able to offer timely on-site solutions for any issues that arise during a construction project.

Jacques Whitford is internationally recognized as a leader in engineering, sustainability, environmental and earth sciences solutions, with 45 offices across North America and internationally. The company was originally founded in Halifax in 1972, with the Saint John office established in 1975. Saint John is home to the corporate executive office of the company and is the headquarters for its New Brunswick operations. About 190 of their 1,800 employees worldwide are employed in New Brunswick, 67 of them in Saint John.

Over the past four years, all key business processes have been reengineered and modified to maximize efficiency and scalability. Colleague performance is managed by an electronic balanced scorecard process which measures key indicators in the areas of safety, retention, client and

colleague satisfaction, quality, operational efficiency and financial performance against specific targets. The company’s commitment to offer workplace benefits that set the standard for employees and their families has resulted in Jacques Whitford being recognized repeatedly as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and Top 10 Family Friendly Employers.

Over the past two years, Jacques Whitford has invested in joint ventures, partnerships and affiliations to provide additional expertise, open new markets and provide additional capacity in order to position the company for growth in the energy sector. As evidence of its excellence in the energy field, the firm has been involved in environmental planning and permitting for the largest LNG project in the world, the only two new refineries proposed in Canada over the past 20 years, and the major pipelines in Atlantic and Western Canada and the North. In 2007, Jacques Whitford became the first major environmental consulting firm in North America to become carbon neutral

At the beginning of 2008, the company instituted a new business plan aimed at diversifying operations and client base in Atlantic Canada to provide direct business opportunities and growth for their Atlantic Canada operations.

This year’s recipient of the "Young Entrepreneur" award is Jenny Scott, owner of Ambiance Day Spa. This award recognizes young business leaders (30 years and under) just beginning to make their mark.

The Board of Trade presented this evening for the sixth year "The Big Heart" Award. The recipient of this award is Canaport LNG.

Also this evening, Board of Trade Chair, Dr. Michael Barry presented Bob Manning with the Chair’s Award. This marks the fifteenth year in which a deserving individual or organization has been selected by the Board’s Chairperson for their achievements within, and contributions to, the community.

Saint John Board of Trade Announces Recipient of 2008 Big Heart Award

2008-11-13T04:39:00.001-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is very pleased to announce the recipient for the Outstanding Business Achievement Awards “Big Heart Award” category. The awards dinner and presentations will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26th at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre.

The Big Heart Award, established in 2003, recognizes those who are working to make this community a better place to live through their support of charitable or other community causes. This award is open to non-profit or charitable organizations, or to companies for their support (through time and money) of those organizations.

The independent judging panel has selected Canaport LNG as this year’s recipient of the Big Heart Award.

Canaport LNG, a partnership of Irving Oil and Repsol, is building a state-of-the-art liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving and regassification terminal in Saint John. This will be the first such plant in Canada and, when completed, will supply natural gas to Canadian and American markets. Although in operation in Saint John for only two years, Canaport LNG has already shown its deep commitment to the ongoing betterment of the Greater Saint John community through support for numerous local initiatives.

In addition to substantial donations to complete the Lily Lake Pavilion and fund a new digital mammography unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Canaport LNG also takes a hands-on approach to its philanthropy, encouraging staff involvement in organizations such as Junior Achievement, Children’s Wish Foundation and the First Steps Program. Clean-up projects at Marsh Creek, Red Head Road, Saint John Boys & Girls Club, Ocean Drive and Celebration Street Park Restoration Projects are just a few examples of the company’s commitment to improving the environment. The donation of Smart Boards to several schools in District 8, and a partnership with the Saint John Sea Dogs to promote Math through Hockey, illustrate the company’s continuing support for education. Canaport LNG’s sponsorship of Symphony New Brunswick and Saint John Theatre Company, and the introduction of Spanish-language festivals in Saint John, encourage cultural activities in the community.

A fitting candidate for the Big Heart Award, Canaport LNG has already become an integral part of the Saint John community and plans to continue its efforts to make a difference on projects that are important to the people of Saint John in the areas of healthcare, education and the environment.

Previous recipients of the Big Heart Award were The Greater Saint John Community Foundation in 2003, the Irving companies in 2004, The United Way of Greater Saint John in 2005, the Saint John YM-YWCA in 2006, and the Carpenters Training Centre in 2007.

Saint John Board of Trade launches 2008 Bare Necessities Campaign

2008-11-05T07:47:00.001-08:00

Starting today, November 4, the members of the Saint John Board of Trade’s Women in Business Forum will be collecting toiletry items for their seventh annual “Bare Necessities” campaign. The goal of the campaign is to provide women’s shelters, food banks and other organizations packages containing the ‘little but necessary’ personal care items, just in time for the holiday season.

Going on vacation or a business trip? The next time you find yourself in a hotel room, don’t forget to bring home the complimentary items available to you from every hotel – shampoo, soaps, lotions, etc.

The campaign will run from November 4 to November 28.

“There are many business men and women who frequently travel,” says Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We are asking them to pack the complimentary toiletries and drop them off at a ‘Bare Necessities’ location.”

Drop off boxes are located at all CIBC and Royal Bank branches throughout Greater Saint John, and at the Saint John Board of Trade at 40 King Street.

Even if you do not travel you can still participate. Drugstores and shopping centers sell miniature size shampoos, conditioners, soaps, toothpaste too. Think Bare Necessities!

For a list of items needed, click here.

The Saint John Board of Trade is dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.

The Saint John Board of Trade’s Women in Business Forum brings together women in business and other interested members to exchange ideas and information and share their experience. Identifies and deals with issues and challenges impacting women in business. Develops policy or activity recommendations for consideration by the Board of Directors. Works to develop activities and initiatives of benefit and interest to women in business in Greater Saint John.

Saint John Board of Trade Announces Recipient of 2008 Chair's Award

2008-11-05T07:25:00.001-08:00

October 29, 2008: Dr. Michael Barry, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade is pleased to announce his choice for the 2008 “Chair’s Award” to be presented at the 24th annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards dinner on Wednesday, November 26th at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre.

The Chair’s Award was established in 1993 to recognize a company, or individual, who has demonstrated a particular excellence or achievement in a certain aspect of their business, having made either an immediate impact on or a substantial long-term contribution to the economic progress of our community.

“For his countless hours contributing to the development and leadership of the Saint John Board of Trade and his championing economic development initiatives such as Reaching Atlantica and the Benefits Blueprint, it is my pleasure to announce that the recipient of the 2008 Saint John Board of Trade’s Chair’s Award is Bob Manning” said Dr. Barry. “I congratulate Bob for all the time and effort he has devoted to the economic enhancement of Saint John.”

Since returning to Saint John a few short years ago, Bob Manning has volunteered with numerous community organizations in Saint John. Mr. Manning, currently the Chair of Enterprise Saint John, has been involved with the Saint John Board of Trade as a Past Chair 2006-2007 of the Board of Directors, Past Chair of the Government Affairs Committee and a Co-Chair of the First Reaching Atlantica Conference in 2006 held in Saint John. Mr. Manning is also a member of the Board for Saint John Energy, a member of the Board at Rothesay Netherwood School and a Director of the Regional Hospital Foundation. Most recently, Mr. Manning has Chaired the Benefits Blueprint initiative which is a broad-based community initiative designed to optimize economic growth and social benefits resulting from New Brunswick’s major capital projects.

The 24th annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards dinner will be held at 6 p.m., Wednesday, November 26th at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre. Tickets are available by contacting the Board of Trade office at 40 King Street, Saint John or by calling (506) 634-8111.

Past recipients of the Chair’s Award include: Mr. Philip Oland in 1993; Saint John Pro Sports Inc. in 1994; Mr. Malcolm Somerville in 1995; the Imperial Theatre Inc. in 1996; Mr. Patrick Darrah in 1997; Cruise Saint John’s “Meet & Greet” Committee and the Irving Companies in 1999; New Brunswick Community College-Saint John and the University of New Brunswick Saint John in 2000; Mr. Lino Celeste in 2001; The Greater Saint John Roundtable on Primary Healthcare in 2002; Mr. Stephen MacMackin in 2003; and Dr. Mary Eileen Travis in 2004. The five regional mayors were honoured as group in 2005 for their leadership in the region’s True Growth Strategy including Mayor Grace Losier, Mayor Ron Maloney, Mayor Bill Bishop, Mayor Jim Huttges and Mayor Norm McFarlane. The Atlantica Centre for Energy was the recipient in 2006 and the Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative (BCAPI) was the recipient in 2007.

24th Annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards Finalists

2008-10-30T08:18:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade proudly announces the finalists for Greater Saint John’s Outstanding Business Achievement Awards. The awards dinner and presentations will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre.

The five-member judging panel has selected Bay Ferries/NB Museum, Cyber-Freight Systems Maritimes Inc., and Lorneville Mechanical Contractors as contenders for the Entrepreneurial Achievement award. The finalists for the Business Excellence honour include Jacques Whitford Limited and Loch Lomond Villa. The finalists for the Emerging Enterprise award include Strong and Free Emblem Inc. and Vision Coaching.

The recipient of this year’s Young Entrepreneur Award is Jenny Scott with Ambiance Day Spa.

Now in its 24^th year, the Outstanding Business Achievement Awards event recognizes businesses and business people in the community that have aided business development, entrepreneurship and increased economic progress in Greater Saint John.

The Entrepreneurial Achievement award is designed to recognize a company or individual that has started a business, considerably improved a company, or modified an existing enterprise.

The Business Excellence award focuses on established companies that have achieved highly in management quality, sales growth, community relations, marketing and leadership.

The Emerging Enterprise award recognizes new businesses just beginning to make their mark. To be eligible for this award, companies must have been in business less than five years.

The Young Entrepreneur Award recognizes young business leaders (30 years and under) just beginning to make their mark.

Previous winners of the awards, presented annually since 1985, have included: Lingley Printing Co. Ltd; Tabufile Atlantic Ltd; Pete’s Fruitique; Mother Nature’s Pita Bakery & Restaurant; Bourque Manufacturing Ltd; Eastern Technical Services Ltd; Fundy Computer Services Ltd; Moosehead Breweries Ltd; Hunter Marketing & Communications; Beattie Construction Services Ltd; Thirtysomething Enterprises Inc (The Body Shop); Gardner Electric Ltd; NBTel; Kelly Tire Services Ltd; Mitchell, McConnell, Daniels Insurance Brokers Ltd; PCL & Eastern Packaging Limited; Aquila Tours/Destination Marketing; Baxter Foods Limited; Brenan Group Ltd; DMR Consulting Group Inc; Maritime Aqua Service; New North Media; Delta Brunswick Hotel; Senior Watch Inc; Appleby’s Image Center; Discount Car & Truck Rentals; The Document Company Xerox; Impact Forensic Analysis Inc; CanSupply.com; Java Moose; Irving Oil, Refining Division; Funeral Directors’ Choice; Meridian Construction Inc; Media Planet; Eastern Collections Services Ltd; Cendant Canada Inc; Here Publishing Inc; CAA Maritimes; National Leasing, Rent-a-Chef Inc; H.E.L.P. Educational Services Ltd; Simply for Life; Cooke Aquaculture; Fundy Engineering & Consulting Ltd; ADI Limited; Brovada Technologies; Evolving Solutions; Mariner Partners; CentreBeam Inc; Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc; Maritime Rescue and Medical Inc; and East Point Inc.

Previous recipients of the Young Entrepreneur Award were Ji Li, Greg Hemmings, Tao Tao Liu, Marc Robichaud, and Leah Anderson.

This year’s winners will be announced at the awards dinner on November 26th. Tickets for the awards dinner may be obtained from the Saint John Board of Trade.

Saint John Board of Trade Awarded Accreditation with Distinction at Canadian Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting

2008-10-06T11:00:00.001-07:00

Canadian Chambers Awarded Accreditation at Annual Chamber Meeting

Quebec City – At the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Annual general Meeting held recently in Quebec City, 12 community chambers from across the country received their accreditation.

"We are proud to recognize these chambers as examples of effective, well-managed and stable organizations making a difference in communities across the country – keeping "the voice of business" loud and strong" said Perrin Beatty, Canadian Chamber President and CEO.

To achieve accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in critical areas, including areas of governance, operations, membership programming, policy and advocacy and strategic planning.

Accreditation is aimed at continuous operational improvement and standards of local chambers of commerce and an elevation of their profile across the country as effective and well-managed organizations.

"Accreditation is the acknowledgment that member chambers have been successfully evaluated against rigorous national standards of policy, service and performance," said Roslyn Castleden, President of the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada.

Developed by a team of chamber executives, in conjunction with provincial and territorial chambers and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the accreditation program is operated by an arms-length organization called the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada (CACC). The CACC is composed of representatives from across the country. The Council meets twice per year to review applications for accreditation.

Accreditation is a means of reinforcing and clarifying to the community at large what activities are pivotal to a chamber’s functions and determines the chamber’s unique value proposition vis-à-vis other organizations in the marketplace.

Chambers of commerce and boards of trade that are successful in achieving the requirements for accreditation are recognized each year at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting.

The chambers of commerce and boards of trade that received accreditation at this year’s AGM in Quebec are:

Alberta Chambers of Commerce

The Brampton Board of Trade

Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce

Eastern Kings Chamber of Commerce

Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

Saint John Board of Trade

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

Whitby Chamber of Commerce

La Chambre de commerce de Lévis

La Chambre de commerce de St-Georges

La Chambre de commerce et d'industries de Trois-Rivières

La Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Mirabel

La Chambre de commerce et d'industrie Les Maskoutains

For more information on accreditation, visit the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada Web site.

Saint John Board of Trade extremely pleased with announcement on the completion of Twinning Highway 1

2008-09-05T11:39:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is extremely pleased with yesterday’s joint announcement by the New Brunswick Provincial Government and the Canadian Federal Government committing to the completion of twinning Route 1 from Saint John to the border at St. Stephen by 2014.

"This news is fantastic; it couldn’t be better timed with the forecasted increase in Energy projects in Saint John, and the positive impact it will have on the Atlantic Gateway Project through the creation of an uninterrupted two lane highway from Halifax to the border at St. Stephen. This project also complements the proposed East/West Highway and Utilities Corridor in Maine slated for completion by 2014 which will enhance and strengthen the Atlantic Gateway Project" said Dr. Michael Barry, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. "But even more importantly, the twinning of this section of highway will improve the safety of truck traffic, tourist traffic and the residents in the communities along the present highway. We congratulate both the Federal and Provincial Governments for their commitment to the region’s development and safety."

The twinning of Route 1 highway between Saint John and the border at St. Stephen has been a top priority for the Saint John Board of Trade for several years and we have continuously lobbied for its completion. The Saint John Board of Trade congratulates both the Federal and Provincial Governments for working together to improve the safety and efficiency of New Brunswick’s Highways.

Saint John Board of Trade Excited to see Magnitude of Investment in the Waterfront

2008-06-20T12:40:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade supports the Saint John Port Authority in its endeavours to develop and diversify our working Port. The development of Long Wharf is significant to the continuing rejuvenation of the Saint John Waterfront and the economic development of the City of Saint John. The MOU presented by the Saint John Port Authority and Irving Oil is great news for our working port. An improved revenue stream from Long Wharf, not to mention the improvements proposed for the property, and the financial support required for the formation of a continuous strip of operational Port property at the southern tip of the peninsula will have a lasting positive impact.

The building of a new Irving Oil Headquarters on the site would add aesthetic value to the location as well as the financial benefit to the Port Authority through the equal value land transfer (the Port is actually gaining accessible waterfront) and the Uptown merchants in keeping the Irving Oil Limited employees in the Uptown area. The fact that the cruise ships will still be able to utilize the port side of Long Wharf only adds to the benefit of a redeveloped working port. The construction jobs associated with this new building and the addition to the City’s skyline will signify to other companies that Saint John is capable of housing the headquarters of a multinational company.

“We are excited to see investment of this magnitude in the waterfront. We know this building will set a powerful benchmark for other projects of this kind through its leading-edge architectural and environmental elements. These, combined with the planned enhancement of Harbour Passage and Fort La Tour, make this development a clear win for the entire community” said Dr. Michael Barry, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade.

“We are proud to be one of several groups that encouraged Irving Oil to look at the uptown for its new building location, Irving Oil, the Saint John Port Authority, and all other stakeholders should be commended for their efforts to make this project a reality” continued Dr. Barry. “It is great to see Irving Oil reaffirm its commitment to Saint John as its home base.”

“The structure we saw enveiled today is nothing short of inspirational. It is more than just a leasehold improvement to the Long Wharf site, it is something workers can be proud to construct and Saint Johners will be proud to incorporate into its skyline” said Dr. Michael Barry.

This is the first step of many required for this to happen" cautioned Dr. Barry. "We think that the fact that this first step is being brought to the public for consultation is great and represents what the people of Saint John have been looking for - more public consultation in the development of their city." The Saint John Board of Trade looks forward to the feedback from its members and the community in the upcoming weeks and months.

Saint John Board of Trade is Extremely Pleased with Decision on Locating Anglophone Medical Education Program in Saint John

2008-06-03T12:59:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is pleased with the long awaited decision that was announced today regarding the location of the Anglophone Medical Education Program at UNBSJ. The Board of Trade commends Premier Shawn Graham, Minister Ed Doherty, Minister Michael Murphy, Pat Darrah, Chair of the Anglophone Medical Education Program, Saint John area MLAs, Dr. Harold Cook from Dalhousie University, and Dr. John MacLaughlin from the University of New Brunswick for their hard work and dedication in ensuring that UNBSJ has a building to house the Anglophone Medical Education Program and a start date of September 2010.

“This is a great announcement that enables the Universities and the community to move ahead with the next stage of implementation. The choice of using the Saint John College building is a good one considering its proximity to the hospital and Ganong Hall, the sciences building. This, combined with the funding announcement of $622,000 from the Department of Post-Secondary Training and Labour, ensures the creation of the Anglophone Medical Program at UNBSJ” quoted Dr. Michael Barry, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We look forward to next Tuesday’s signing of the Agreement with Dalhousie University representatives as a historical signing for our community and the Province as we move towards self-sufficiency”.

Long Awaited Health Plan Falls Short

2008-04-11T12:24:00.001-07:00

The Provincial Health Plan announced on April 1st has already received feedback from various groups in the community. Today, the Saint John Board of Trade added its voice to the changes outlined in the Plan. “We are pleased with some of the changes, in particular the savings and efficiencies that will flow from the consolidation of non-clinical services, and the increased role of nurse practitioners. However, much of this long awaited Health Plan falls short on specifics and actions” said Nathalie Godbout, Chairperson of the Saint John Board of Trade. “The Health Plan talks a lot about projects and initiatives but does not provide any timelines, benchmarks, or steps to show how these projects and initiatives will be developed.”

“We are concerned that the new Health Plan makes no mention of the Anglophone Medical Training Program, or the expansion and retrofit of the Saint John Regional Hospital. Both these projects are very time-sensitive. It is also difficult to ascertain how local hospitals will be represented under the new Health regime” Godbout added. “We are left with more questions than answers. This provincial government simply must put an end to the uncertainty that is attached to this Health Plan, and deliver on the funding for the medical school and the expansion of our regional hospital. This will allow our community to keep in step with the government’s agenda for self-sufficiency.”

The Board of Trade is seeking a response on the following initiatives:
• That the Health Plan be unrolled rapidly so that uncertainty surrounding ongoing operations can be alleviated;
• That a CEO/upper management position be developed an filled for the immediate and continued management of the Saint John Regional Hospital to pursue major initiatives;
• Continued preservation and enhancement of tertiary care programs, with no loss of existing or planned services;
• Rapid development and implementation of the trauma system;
• Rapid decision and support for a high level medical education program within the next 30 days;
• Delivery of details and information concerning the New Brunswick Research and Innovation Council;
• Information on how the Department of Health will work with post-secondary institutions for the training of in-demand health professionals;
• Advice on how local senior management of our hospitals be structured.

“Healthcare is an integral part of our community; we cannot underestimate the repercussions these changes will have. Already we have heard of medical practitioners moving away because their future in their community and their jobs is uncertain. Our members need to know how this new system will work effectively for greater Saint John before we are prepared to support it”.

For more information contact:

Nathalie Godbout, Chair, Saint John Board of Trade
Ph: 633-3505

Imelda Gilman, President, Saint John Board of Trade
Ph: 634-4157

The Saint John Board of Trade is Excited to Welcome BP to our Community

2008-03-17T08:37:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade welcomes the announcement that Irving Oil Limited will work together with BP on the next phase of engineering, design, and feasibility for the proposed Eider Rock refinery in Saint John.

“This is exciting news as it is a crucial next step in the further development of the proposed 2nd refinery” said Nathalie Godbout, Chair, of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We would like to extend a warm welcome to BP, their employees and families to our community.”

This next phase will support the further development of the New Brunswick energy hub and the refining industry on the east coast, as well as our province’s goal of self-sufficiency.

“BP is an international company with a renowned reputation for environmental performance and for working with the communities where it operates. We are excited to have a company of this calibre being a part of our community, and we congratulate Irving Oil on their efforts to bring them to Saint John” continued Ms. Godbout.

Change to Health Care System Unsettling says Saint John Board of Trade

2008-03-13T06:05:00.001-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade has reservations regarding some of the transformational changes announced earlier this week by the Minister of Health, The Honourable Michael Murphy. “We are pleased that the consolidation of selected non-clinical services under a new public sector company. That will most certainly build efficiencies into the health system and reduce infrastructure costs” said Nathalie Godbout, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. “We do, however, have some concerns surrounding the announced changes to the way health care will be administered in New Brunswick.”

“This move from eight to two Regional Health Authorities within several months is an unsettling measure that is going to be challenging and problematic” Godbout stated. “As a business community, we need more detail regarding how this governance structure will meet the present and future needs of the Saint John community and its medical professionals” said Godbout.

“With no local Board or CEO, we are concerned that these changes will mean a loss of local autonomy for this region’s hospitals” continued Godbout. “Meanwhile, doctors and medical staff who require rapid responses to unique situations will face challenges if reporting to a centralized body in another part of the province, with no clear explanation as to how this will improve efficiency and cost. Whatever the details are surrounding this plan, one must take into consideration the very basic need for local autonomy in the day-to-day management of hospitals.”

The Board of Trade is also seeking clarity on other related issues, such as:
• The impact this could have on recruitment and retention of doctors and other health professionals;
• Potential impact on the new Anglophone medical school;
• How the implementation of the new trauma system may be impacted;
• The impact on community foundations and fundraising efforts should be clarified, as fundraising efforts are ongoing. Several large events are held each year in support of the Regional Hospital and St. Joseph’s. What will happen to these funds: will they stay in the community or will they be divided among various hospitals in the region? Community fundraising, through the support of the Foundation, the Board and administration, has helped make our regional hospital a leader in innovation and patient care;
• What will be the requirements for, and application process of the Health Council members?
• Do the savings the government is proposing ($20 million in 5 years on a $2.2 billion budget=1%) warrant such a drastic move?

Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation is an integral part of our community and our largest employer. The answers to these questions are crucial with the anticipated growth that is projected for our community. “Our members need to know that this new system will work effectively for greater Saint John before we are prepared to support it.”

North of Union project an excellent opportunity, should lead to creation of urban plan-says Saint John Board of Trade

2008-03-06T12:14:00.001-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade sees the development of the North side of Union Street as a tremendous opportunity for positive growth in our community. The Board is encouraged by the ongoing community consultation process and looks forward to the report on the outcome. It is important that this development reflect the needs of the City and that a timely decision is made.

“This development, if done correctly, could be the platform to spur future growth and investment.” said Nathalie Godbout, Chairperson of the Board of Trade. “However, the recent debate has highlighted an inescapable factor regarding business development in Saint John: the need for an updated urban plan. This community has the opportunity to design a comprehensive urban plan that will reflect our anticipated future needs, designate specific areas of the city for targeted growth, and promote further development for the entire city. This plan would then be the roadmap for future development and identify opportunities to potential developers.”

“Also important in this process is the need to monitor the cost of such development to the City, and to ensure that sufficient funds are available.” Ms. Godbout continued “Any plans for major development should also include a plan to protect residents and business owners from tax increases. We are confident that City officials will keep this fiscal responsibility top of mind in their plans.”

Saint John Board of Trade pleased with Premier Graham's announcement that Community Colleges will run independently & UNBSJ will remain as a university

2008-02-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

SAINT JOHN, NB: The Saint John Board of Trade is very pleased with Premier Graham's announcement last evening at the State of the Province dinner, that UNBSJ will remain as a university and will become a "Centre of Excellence" for applied courses in the province. The Board is also pleased to see that the Community Colleges will run independently and be removed from government.

"This is a tremendous announcement from Premier Graham and Minister Doherty," said Nathalie Godbout, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade. "We are very encouraged with this renewed commitment to existing programs at UNBSJ, as well as to focused growth in applied learning in response to emerging economic opportunities."

The Board of Trade is also pleased that government will see the creation of a new Commission, designed to review the relationship between the UNB campuses in Fredericton and Saint John, and would propose to play a key role in providing feedback and guidance to this Commission. In particular, the Board remains concerned that there be a timely response to Post-Secondary Education reform on matters of both governance and funding for UNBSJ.

The Board of Trade looks forward to the report that will be forthcoming from the Premier?s Working Group, comprised of university presidents and community college principals, to include more comprehensive recommendations on cooperation between universities and community colleges, new approaches to apprenticeship training, and reducing student debt.

"As I mentioned back in October 2007, education is our future. These new announcements suggest that we are moving in the right direction to ensure the business community is prepared for the anticipated economic growth in our region. We need an accessible, innovative, quality post-secondary framework to reinforce and retain workforce development right here in our city," said Godbout.

The Board of Trade is also encouraged by the other initiatives and benchmarks mentioned in the Premier?s speech. "Our region is significantly impacted by the crisis unfolding in the forestry sector. We are encouraged that the provincial government is consulting with the foremost experts on this issue in order to respond appropriately," said Godbout.

New Courthouse can be anchor to responsible future development says Saint John Board of Trade

2007-12-18T07:57:00.000-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is pleased with today's announcement by the Provincial Government to construct a new courthouse in Saint John on the site of the old YMCA-YWCA building.

This new courthouse along with the City of Saint John's plans for a new police facility, parking garage, pedway, and investment in the Saint John Arts Centre and public spaces is an integrated approach to development. The Board of Trade encourages city staff and officials to make these investments responsibly with a keen eye to cost efficiency.

With this in mind this platform for urban renewal north of Union Street can spur potential future development for the uptown while protecting businesses and residents from future tax increases.

The Board of Trade is looking forward to the consultation process and encourages citizens to participate in the public sessions.

Saint John Board of Trade Retail Forum encourages Saint John consumers to consider the Hidden Costs to Cross Border Shopping

2007-11-30T16:29:00.000-08:00

SAINT JOHN, NB – Members of the Saint John Board of Trade’s Retail Forum are asking consumers in Saint John to think carefully about the issue of cross-border shopping. The recent value of the Canadian dollar has led to a large increase in shopping trips across the border. The Retail Forum recognizes many consumers are attracted by the excitement of all the ‘bargains’ across the border or on-line. However there are costs to cross-border shopping and they should be considered.

Daryl Wilson, Retail Forum Chair says, “Beyond the costs of meals, gas and accommodations there is the cost of time, with some of the closest shopping involving at least 6 hours of driving time. And then there is the wait time at the border.” Consumers must also consider the ability to make exchanges and the applicability of warranties on goods purchased stateside.

The Retail Forum also asks consumers to think about your local retailers. Whether they are locally owned or National chains, all of them are trying to react as quickly as they can to a very difficult situation. They are being asked to discount their products, and yet are still expected to pay their employees (often our sons and daughters in part-time positions), taxes, rent, heat and hydro, give to charities, and sponsor teams and special events.

And finally the Retail Forum asks that consumers consider the impact on the environment of driving for six hours and idling at the border for several more.

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For more information contact:

Imelda Gilman, President
Saint John Board of Trade
Tel: (506) 634-4157

Daryl Wilson, Retail Forum Chair
Saint John Board of Trade
Tel: (506) 633-1500

Outstanding Business Achievemnet Awards Recipients Announced

2007-11-28T07:41:00.000-08:00

The Saint John Board of Trade has announced the recipients of its 2007 Outstanding Business Achievement Awards. At its 23rd awards dinner, Maritime Rescue and Medical Inc. was honoured with the award for Emerging Enterprise, and Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc. accepted the Entrepreneurial Achievement Award. In the Business Excellence category, the award went to East Point Inc.

The Board of Trade also presented silver and bronze awards. In the Emerging Enterprise category, the silver award was presented to Avant Garde Construction and Management Inc. In the Entrepreneurial Achievement award category, silver was awarded to Galbraith Florists. The silver award in the Business Excellence category was given to AnyWare Group, with bronze awarded to Fundy Linen Service Inc.

In the Emerging Enterprise category, Maritime Rescue and Medical Inc. took top honours.
Maritime Rescue and Medical was carved out of a larger company that was offering Red Cross training programs in the local area when, in November 2003, Michael Currie, a trained paramedic, and Scott O'Brien bought out that aspect of the business which they were already operating. The young partners continued to offer Red Cross training programs from their homes but, in making sales calls on business and industry, soon learned that there was a pressing need for additional training services in specific areas such as confined space rescue technicians and high angle rescue training. These services are highly technical, governed under the Workplace Health and Safety Commission and, at the time, were only offered by out-of-province firms.

After extensive research, the partners decided to get into the field of industrial safety training and brought in an Ontario firm to train its first 15 people as Confined Space Rescue Technicians. Maritime Rescue was now in the business of Industrial Rescue training and opened its first office. The client list grew rapidly and requests began to come in to provide additional services.

A contract at the LNG site led to the hiring of paramedics and the purchase of an ambulance. Contracts for Confined Space Rescue technicians in Newfoundland and for high angle rescue training for Fire Departments in New Brunswick led to more rapid expansion, new larger offices, a physician consultant and a Mobile Confined Space Training Simulator, the only one in the province.

Employees now number five full time and 40 part time, with the Saint John staff the backbone of the company, involved from the initial call through scheduling, site set up and working the site, no matter where the job is located. Maritime Rescue is now the number one company in its field in Saint John.

The Canadian Cable Systems Alliance was established in 1994 by Barb Stanley and Alyson Townsend, both lawyers at Fundy Cable, as a "union" of independent cable operators to improve their bargaining position with the large television programming distributors.

Interest from small cable operators across Canada was immediate but CCSA's first task was to convince the rapidly consolidating media companies to deal with it rather than with the individual operators. Understanding that being the single payment source for programming wholesale fees would give it more clout, CCSA made participation in its automated payment system a condition of membership. While few distributors would deal with CCSA for the first few years, by providing value to members and suppliers alike, CCSA gradually grew its credibility and its volume-based purchasing business. The result was substantially lower costs for small operators across Canada.

Recognizing the value to all parties of its collection/payment services, CCSA took the bold step of charging signal suppliers a contract administration fee. That fee helps defray CCSA's operating expenses and reduce members? annual dues. CCSA also established a hardware purchasing business and now manages contracts for virtually all hardware items regularly used by small cable systems. With the rapid technological change expected in the industry, CCSA anticipates additional opportunities from emerging communications platforms and services.

When the 50 year old Canadian Cable Television Association dissolved in 2006, CCSA quickly stepped into its role of regulatory advocate and lobbyist for Canada?s independent cable companies, playing a major role at CRTC hearings and winning several regulatory changes in favor of the small cable operators.

CCSA's current team of 14 full time employees has strong business and family roots in the Greater Saint John area. Though the business has grown exponentially, it plans to maintain its headquarters here for the foreseeable future.

East Point Inc. believes that retail shopping is all about the experience and creating that unique experience is what East Point Shopping is all about.

East Point Shopping is the vision of local developer Troy Northrup. His goal was to create an open air retail centre in one of the most visible areas in Saint John. This has positioned Saint John as a major retail and commerce centre and as a retail destination of choice for both residents and visitors. East Point wants to continue to play a pivotal role in helping transform Saint John from a drive-by city, to a drive-in city.

Home Depot was the first major retailer at the site and serves as an anchor for the development. Many exciting new fashion retailers are now open for business. And so is Saint John's first new hotel in nearly 20 years, the Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton. Under construction are New Brunswick's first free-standing Starbucks and the province?s first Indigo Books & Music store with its award winning building design.

Construction extends beyond the actual development. The public/private partnership between the City of Saint John and East Point Inc. resulted in Retail Drive, a new, four-lane connector between Rothesay Avenue and Westmorland Road. This provides service to East Point Shopping and much needed access between two of the city's busiest roadways.

East Point is also committed to protecting the environment. A unique water retention basin was constructed beneath the parking area to manage storm water run-off from the site, a design first for Atlantic Canada. The development includes an abundance of treed green spaces, energy control systems for lighting and heating, a retailer recycling program and many other environmental features.

East Point sees quality retail services not as a luxury, but as an essential community service ? essential in supporting the True Growth initiatives of our region.

This year's recipient of the "Young Entrepreneur" award is Ji Li of HugoLee International Trade Ltd.. This award recognizes young business leaders (30 years and under) just beginning to make their mark.

The Board of Trade presented this evening for the fifth year "The Big Heart" Award. The recipient of this award is The Carpenters Training Centre of NB Inc.

Also this evening, Board of Trade Chair, Nathalie Godbout presented The Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative Inc. with the Chair's Award. This marks the fourteenth year in which a deserving individual or organization has been selected by the Board's Chairperson for their achievements within, and contributions to, the community.

Saint John Board of Trade encouraged by Minister Doherty's Statement

2007-10-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

The Saint John Board of Trade is pleased with the Minister of Post-Secondary Education Ed Doherty’s statement yesterday that there will always be a university in Saint John.

“We are encouraged by this statement from Minister Doherty, and are confident the provincial government will continue to seek out the best model for post-secondary education in Saint John and the province,” said Nathalie Godbout, Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade.

The Board is also encouraged by the province’s plan to bring together university presidents and community college principals to form a working group to develop an integrated governance plan and fast-track the process. This is a necessary step to develop a post-secondary solution which involves a nationally accredited university for greater Saint John and an enhanced community college. “This comprehensive review of Post-Secondary Education in New Brunswick was an important step, and consultation with university presidents and community college principals will simply add to the dialogue and the knowledge base to make informed decisions on this issue,” said Godbout.

“Saint John is experiencing a time of tremendous economic growth, we need an accessible, innovative, quality post-secondary framework to reinforce and retain workforce development right here in our city,” said Godbout.

The Board has publicly supported the need for Saint John to maintain at least two high-quality, accessible institutions with direct provincial funding in a common area offering a full range of degree and diploma programs, while maintaining the UNB brand resulting in a centre of excellence for Saint John. “Education is our future. We feel the province is moving in the right direction by making a commitment to a university in Saint John and calling on stakeholders to accomplish the best possible post-secondary solution for Saint John and the Province.” said Godbout.

"SAINT JOHN MUST HAVE OUR UNIVERSITY" SAYS SAINT JOHN BOARD OF TRADE

2007-10-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Since mid-September, the recommendations from the Commission on Post-Secondary Education have been the number one water cooler discussion item in Saint John.

For the last three weeks, the Saint John Board of Trade has focused on gathering information and vigilantly reviewing and debating the contents of the PSE Report with its membership and community stakeholders. Reactions from members have ranged from outrage at the idea of dismantling UNBSJ in favour of a Polytechnic, to optimism regarding the overdue enhancement of the New Brunswick Community College in Saint John.

“With every challenge comes an opportunity. There is certainly agreement that the status quo is no longer acceptable. Now is the time for bold ideas, for Greater Saint John to be the author of a solution that will ensure the creation of a “Centre of Excellence”. We must take charge, and let our provincial government know what Greater Saint John is prepared to champion as a solution for post-secondary education,” said Nathalie Godbout.

The Board has determined through an ongoing consultation process that there are many areas where consensus has been reached:

- The existing post-secondary education framework in our region needs serious improvement.

- Saint John must have a university, including full access to a four-year business and liberal arts education. Our university will not be replaced by a polytechnic. Instead, we should be building capacity.

- There are significant advantages to co-locating NBCC-Saint John and UNBSJ in a common area. Specifically, those benefits include the sharing of infrastructure such as libraries, student residences, student-life facilities, and the ability of faculty to teach at both institutions.

- We need better access to programs, credit transferability and advanced training in related disciplines from both institutions.

- Saint John must create a ‘Centre of Excellence’ in areas critical to the growth of the community, namely Energy/Advanced Manufacturing, IT and Health Sciences.

- More investment in post-secondary education is crucial.

After careful consideration and tremendous feedback from Board of Trade members and the community at large, the Board of Trade supports a post-secondary solution based on a model that meets the needs of our students and the strengths of both NBCC-Saint John and UNBSJ. This would involve:

- Co-location of both institutions in a common area, which could certainly be Tucker Park;

- Both institutions would maintain their existing identities reporting to an appropriate management body, which would receive direct funding from the provincial government;

- A full range of degree and diploma programs, including Masters and Doctorate studies, with emphasis on Energy/Advanced Manufacturing, IT and Health Sciences;

- The importance of the UNB brand and its recognition as a nationally accredited university would be maintained with the new Saint John campus.

The result is a Centre of Excellence, comprised of at least two high-quality, accessible institutions with direct provincial funding in a common area offering a full range of degree and diploma programs, while maintaining the UNB brand. This is a modernization of an existing model in Saint John, designed to improve access to post-secondary education and meet our existing need for a well-trained workforce. The Board urges all community stakeholders to continue the dialogue and craft a response that meets the needs of the Greater Saint John community as a whole.

“Education is our future. It speaks to workforce, to health, to literacy, to community, to family. The growth of this region is dependent on education. The uncertainty around this issue cannot be permitted to continue. Our students, our faculty, and families in this region deserve a strong voice and a timely solution. Let’s go to our government with one voice and one solution.”

Saint John Board of Trade’s "Top 3" Transportation Priorities addressed by PM’s Transportation Announcement

2007-06-25T07:46:00.000-07:00

SAINT JOHN, NB: Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced work is beginning on six highway projects across New Brunswick. These are part of the $207 million in federal funding set aside over the next ten years to cost-share with the province to improve National Highway System routes.

The number one transportation priority for the Saint John Board of Trade since 2002 has been the completion of the One Mile Highway Interchange.

“Today is a tremendous boost to transportation infrastructure for the City of Saint John. The completion of the One Mile Interchange will take truck traffic off our downtown streets and channel it directly to our industrial areas creating a more positive uptown experience for tourism, boosting our industrial parks and reducing wear and tear on our city streets,” said
Board of Trade, Chair Nathalie Godbout.

The Interchange has long been advocated by the Saint John Board of Trade as a crucial piece of transportation infrastructure for Saint John as it will allow the city to better leverage investments and opportunities for new investments to the energy sector and enhance the development and growth of the Green Industrial Park, Bayside Drive properties and both the Grandview & McAllister Industrial Parks. With Saint John positioned at the geographic centre of Atlantica it is vital our highway infrastructure be improved to allow our region to compete on a global scale.

“The federal re-investment announcement in New Brunswick’s highway system will bolster stronger trade routes and position our province as not only open for business but accessible and efficient,” said Godbout.

The Saint John Board of Trade has long advocated the twinning of Highway 1 therefore the announcement of the 24 km stretch of road between Pennfield and Lepreau is a positive step toward strengthening our bilateral economic access to New England.

“Another key priority for board members”, said Godbout, “is the completion of the Welsford Bypass which was also announced. Quite honestly it feels like Christmas came in June this year for our business community."