FanSaveHelps is a great new initiative that gives local businesses a boost by generating gift certificates in the absence of traditional business.
It’s up to Chamber members to step forward as recipients for the initiative or by purchasing gift certificates from registered businesses.
Simply click HERE to register your business (it’s free) and then click HERE to purchase a gift certificate from other businesses.
You’ll be making a genuine difference in a genuine time of need.
Local industry, including members of the Industrial Educational Cooperative, CAER and the Sarnia Lambton Environmental Association, has provided partial funding for a standby facility located in the gymnasiums of Lambton College.
Mike Lapaine, CEO of Bluewater Health, said creating the capacity to care for the residents of Sarnia-Lambton is a key objective.
“Our hope is we do not need to move any patients to the Lambton College site, but we have to be ready for the worst case. On behalf of Bluewater Health, I would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to both Lambton College and the City of Sarnia as we weather this storm of storms together.”
Please share your good news stories with us, and we will share them with Chambers across Canada.
The Johnston Group, which manages the Chamber Plan Benefits program, has put out a call for good news stories. Here’s a video that explains the program.
Please send your stories to: info@slchamber.ca.
The Canadian Government has announced expanded access to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, changes that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says are designed to “better support those who need help but don’t qualify for the CERB.”
Trudeau, who announced the changes on April 15, also said Canadians who work in essential jobs who make less money than they would if they received the benefit. Other groups that would benefit from the changes include allowing people to earn up to $1,000 a month while collecting the CERB and those who recently exhausted their EI regular benefits and cannot find work due to COVID-19.
The full Government release can be found HERE.
A story from CBC News which provides more details can be found HERE.
Energy producers around the world, including Canada, are in uncharted territory when it comes to their future.
So says the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in its “5 Minutes for Business” feature.
Its specific advice includes providing support for the oil and gas sector by keeping as many of the people employed.
Pausing all new regulations that would increase the cost to the sector is also among the initiatives being made by the Canadian Chamber.
Hello Chamber Members,
It’s Mary Jean O’Donnell, Chair of the Board of Directors. We hope you and yours are healthy and staying safe.
We know that many local businesses are worried and we want to help, so we have partnered with Fan Saves Helps to help our members for FREE.
Because you’re a valued member of the Chamber, we are inviting you to be part of this Gift Certificate Program, customized for use by the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce.
The program allows people to buy gift certificates from businesses that are currently closed or offering limited services. Once things get back to normal, the gift certificates can be used.
The first step for a business wanting to participate (the recipient) is to fill out THIS FORM.
Once that’s done, your business will appear on a unique website designed through Shopify, one of the safest, most convenient shopping portals (and a Canadian company to boot!)
How it works: As recipient companies appear on the Sarnia Lambton Chamber’s Fan Saves Helps site, we’ll let you know through our website (you can also visit the site to check to see who has registered as a recipient business).
Clicking through to a recipient business listing, you can then purchase a gift certificate. You’ll receive a digital gift certificate with a unique code that will be tracked for the recipient business in a spreadsheet (which you will have access to). Monies received on your behalf will be transferred to the business via Direct Deposit or e-transfer within 14 days (less credit card transaction fees).
When you re-open your doors, the buyer can redeem the gift certificate that they’ve printed off at your business.
You can keep track of the balance however it works best for you (some businesses are transferring it to their own gift card program, others are using the old-school method of tracking the balance right on the print out).
As mentioned, this program is completely free.
If you are interested in being a recipient business, please fill out this form and submit it as soon as possible.
Sincerely, Mary Jean O’Donnell
Chair, Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce
519-464-3699 (mobile)
The Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce is hiring a new Chief Executive Officer.
The successful candidate manages all aspects of the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce, a 650+member non-profit organization.
The role includes directing membership sales, member relations, budgeting, marketing, media releases, volunteer coordination, advocacy, community outreach, sponsorships and event planning.
A close working relationship with the board of directors, including regular communications and reporting is also fundamental to the role.
The CEO is the face of the organization and is required to sit on numerous local boards in addition to all Chamber committees, to attend all Chamber events, and to attend a high percentage of non-Chamber events for which there is an expectation of Chamber participation.
The CEO is expected to build upon the existing goodwill and long history of the Chamber to engage and retain members, grow the membership, find new sources of revenue, innovate, modernize service delivery, and generally expand the influence and community profile of the organization.
Skills/Attributes
Applications may be submitted in confidence to Mary Jean O’Donnell, chair of the Board of Directors, by email (mjodonnell@slchamber.ca).
Closing date for applications is May 1, 2020.
This year’s Annual General Meeting, will be a “virtual event”, it will take place from 6 pm to 7 pm on Wednesday, May 13, 2020.
The AGM will include the election of officers and directors and approval of the financial statements.
“We are living in times that are a game-changer,” said Mary Jean O’Donnell, who was recently elected Chair of the Board by her fellow Chamber directors.
Stay tuned for more details on this event as we get closer to Wednesday, May 13, 2020.
Tourism Sarnia-Lambton has launched an initiative designed to support local businesses.
The initiative includes a comprehensive listing of businesses that are providing various levels of take-out and delivery options. The listings can be found by clicking HERE
“We’re happy to do all we can to help our members succeed in these challenging times,” said Mary Jean O’Donnell, who is both Chair of the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce and Chair of Tourism Sarnia-Lambton.
“We encourage all members to support one another as we work through these times together.”
The Canadian Government has published a mobile app designed to serve as a comprehensive guide to help business survive during the COVID-19 crisis.
Download the Canada Business App: HERE to see how easy it is to navigate government services, get recommendations tailored to your business, set up personalized notifications and find the answers you need to start up, scale-up and access new markets.
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