It’s hard to believe 2019 is already coming to end. In the last year, we’ve seen huge event growth, welcomed new staff and new members, built our voice for advocacy and started to work on our 2019-2023 strategy.
We’re grateful to our members for their continued feedback on our initiatives. Your comments and suggestions help us shape our events, our membership engagement and our advocacy work. We work for our members.
In 2019, we garnered hundreds of responses to our new website polls, from the fracking conversation to cannabis. Our executive team held close to 100 meetings with government officials, community groups and members on advocacy issues and strategic plan initiatives. Thanks to our new website, we’re able to interact in even more two-way communication with our members.
We implemented our “host” initiative at luncheons to provide a platform and exposure to members and to ensure better and more diverse representation on stage. Ninety two per cent of the time, these hosts were women who were able to show the great talent and organizations we have locally.
We’re also introducing a Halifax Chamber Annual Report this year, to be released in late January 2020 and at our Annual General Meeting in April 2020. Members will be able to see a snapshot of all the work we’ve done together, from event numbers, to advocacy meetings with government, to new members. Look for that in 2020!
In December’s issue, we’re excited to focus on our Agents of Change, the eigth edition. We’ve included local leaders with a variety of backgrounds. It’s important to showcase our range of businesses here in Halifax and we’re always looking for new speakers and new businesses to highlight. If you know of a local business leader working on a great new project, send them our way! We’d love to hear from you.
Our Agents of Change include a young tech guru breaking down crypto-currency barriers for businesses, an environmentalist spreading action instead of awareness, an entrepreneur finding alternatives to egg products and a brand-new business helping Halifax plan better and eat healthier. Read more about them here.
We’re also thrilled to shine a light on eBay’s Retail Revival program taking place right here in Halifax. They had plenty of cities to choose from across Canada, but they chose Halifax, in conversation with the Halifax Partnership, for its current business landscape and opportunity for even more growth. Read their success stories here.
All in all, we’re thankful for a successful 2019. A special thank you goes out to our staff, our Board of Directors, our Affinity Partners, our sponsors, our ambassadors and our task forces. Your continued support and dedication to the Chamber propels us forward and pushes us to do better. We value your efforts to continue growing the Chamber so we can support our members and their goals.
Thank you, everyone. Happy holidays and a happy new year!
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