Richard Froese
South Peace News

The High Prairie and Area Chamber of Commerce has set its focus to stimulate the economy and the region.

It’s part of the vision in the strategic plan adopted by the executive.

“The High Prairie and Area Chamber of Commerce is in a great position to move forward in a more business focused direction,” says Rodney Gainer, who started his new post in March.

“There will be a greater focus on the business community, providing educational opportunities for organizations and businesses and we will create new partnerships locally, regionally and provincially.”

For that, the chamber serves a pivotal role.

“To be the stimulus in our region, to serve and connect chamber members and to promote and enhance a sustainable and thriving business community” is the mission statement presented in the plan.

The chamber will be directed by the guiding principles “to unite the regional business community to drive economic growth and support business concerns and be the collaborative force to bridge local governments with businesses in our region,” as presented.

To fulfill its mandate, the chamber has set three strategic goals:
– Ensure the long term viability of the High Prairie and Area Chamber of Commerce;
– Improve the professional image of the chamber of commerce and serve as the avenue for regional projects and initiatives; and
– Build consumer confidence through education. To create collaboration and cost-effectiveness, the chamber desires to ensure a focus on fundraising events when possible.

“By working to create partnerships and increased communication between support organizations and the business community, we can assess what type of support is needed,” Gainer says.
“We can then provide the support the business community needs to be successful.
“Successful business community means a successful chamber.”

On that effort, he continues to consult and gauge business.

“The priority is to identify the businesses, organizations and other community assets,” Gainer says.

He has been gathering information on businesses based in High Prairie to identify the type of businesses the area has.

“In turn, this also points out what we don’t have,” Gainer says.
“Understanding what the business community needs are will come from face-to-face consultation.”

Those consultations work on different levels.

First, it starts building the relationship between the business and the chamber.

Second, it gives the business owners and managers a confidential mechanism to share their views on the current economic conditions in the High Prairie, their thoughts on the current municipal governments (town and county) and speak about business needs.

Information will be compiled and used to create educational opportunities for all businesses.