Well, here we are, swiftly pulled into 2019. I’d like to welcome you all to a brand-new year of growing, innovating, trying new things and celebrating change. 2018 was a great year in Halifax with announcements around the Ocean Supercluster, the completion of the Halifax Convention Centre and many other firsts. Your chamber had a great year as well with our members’ support. We finished 2018 strongly, with our Fall Dinner focused on innovation, a full-day Wonder Women conference and an annual update from Mayor Savage on the State of the Municipality.
In December, the second Wonder Women event brought together women leaders in our community to share ideas, discuss challenges and lift each other up. It was amazing to see the powerful energy in the room and to learn from attendees the tangible skills they were able to acquire in networking, goal-setting and personal and professional planning.
In late November, Mayor Savage’s uplifting presentation highlighted Halifax’s incredible growth in the last few years. The Mayor’s favourite comparison photo shows the Halifax skyline in 2012 and 2018, and the difference is, to say the least, significant.
The Halifax Index points to our second straight year of population growth and 1.7 per cent GDP growth. Our workforce is educated, with 38 per cent holding a university degree or certificate. We’re looking forward to seeing continuous improvements on reducing red tape and taxes and creating a frictionless business environment. We’re kicking off 2019 on a high note!
As we enter 2019, January is one of our most exciting months of the year, not only for that refreshed feeling and budding opportunities, but thanks to the Halifax Business Awards.
This is our 19th year celebrating Halifax businesses. Every year, 30 finalists are selected from a vast number of nominees. We had a record-breaking year with more than 300 nominations! While we applaud our members and future members alike on all their successes all year round, the Halifax Business Awards shines the spotlight on a select few for the night.
The gala showcases a diverse group of businesses, from traditional businesses like retail to emerging industries like VR technology. We believe this night inspires other businesses to come together and celebrate the triumphs. Running a business, from start-up to Globe and Mail top 1,000, comes with challenges. The gala recognizes the risk-takers and the dedicated employees who make Halifax a vibrant and growing city.
Take a look through our finalists on pages 20-31. What’s different about them? What’s similar? Their passion. Their drive. Their commitment to creating jobs, boosting the economy, and putting Halifax on the map.
We hope to see you on January 24, 2019, at the Halifax Business Awards to celebrate our city’s diverse success and kick off what will be a great new year!
PS: Join us for the Annual State of the Province with Premier McNeil on February 6!
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