(Medicine Hat) –This weekend, two representatives from the Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce attended the Alberta Chambers of Commerce (ACC) Annual General Meeting and Policy Conference in Fort McMurray, taking with them twelve policy priorities from Medicine Hat. The following policies were all successfully adopted as policies of the ACC:

• Grown-in-Canada Label: Marketing Alberta's Agri-Food Industry
• Highlighting the Importance of Ag Education
• Investment Attraction for Industrial Zones
• Striking a Balance Between a Healthy Economy and Low Carbon Emissions
• Predictable, Fair, and Transparent Market Value Assessments
• Addressing the Truck Driver Shortage Through a Redesign of Class 1 Driver Training
• Modernization of Alberta Registry Agents
• Extension of Hours at the Port of Wildhorse
• Benefits of Twinning Highway 3
• Streamline Size of Government

 The Medicine Hat & District Chamber also co-sponsored three other policy submissions, providing additional support on the following issues:

• Supporting Alberta's Craft Liquor Industry with Fair AGLC Markups for Small Producers (Fort Saskatchewan)
• Promote Agribusiness Growth Opportunities by Reducing Barriers to Interprovincial and International Trade (Red Deer)
• Institute an Appeal Process for Labour Market Impact Assessments (Red Deer)

‘Listening to our members is of paramount importance to both the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Policy Council. This is how we determine the issues and challenges to prioritize in our advocacy at all levels of government’, stated Trevor Anhel, President of the Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce. ‘Through our policy approach we develop and advocate for new and innovative solutions to improve the business climate and regulatory environment on behalf of our members.’ 

There were a total of 39 policies brought forward with one withdrawn, one defeated, one referred back to the Alberta Chambers of Commerce Board and 36 policy resolutions that passed on the floor. The Alberta Chambers of Commerce will advocate to the Provincial and Federal Governments on all resolutions adopted at its annual policy conference. All resolutions adopted will remain on the ACC policy book for three years, at which time they can be removed or renewed by the original sponsoring Chamber. All the proposed policies can be viewed online at http://medicinehatchamber.com/pages/Advocacy and the complete policy book will also be made available on the Alberta Chambers of Commerce website at https://www.abchamber.ca/policies/. 

The Chamber of Commerce is a member-driven, volunteer-led organization that proudly represents the interests of businesses in Medicine Hat & area. For more than 120 years, the Chamber of Commerce has been Medicine Hat’s main connector of people, ideas and stories. Representing over 800 businesses, the Chamber continues to facilitate meetings, debates and gatherings in order to solve business challenges and push the social and political agenda to make our region a better place for business. Provincially and nationally the Chamber is part of a larger business network, aligning with organizations such as the Alberta Chambers of Commerce (ACC), which represents over 24,000 businesses and the Canadian Chambers of Commerce (CCC), representing over 200,000 businesses. Being aligned with the largest and most influential business organizations in Alberta and Canada respectively, the Chamber can work together to shape policy that will make a difference.

Please direct all media inquiries to:

Trevor Anhel, President
c/o Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce
(403) 527-5214 ext.227