The future of temporary foreign workers (TFW) in the community is one of many files the Olds and District Chamber of Commerce (ODCC) will be working on in 2015, president Doug Rieberger says.
A moratorium on the hiring of temporary foreign workers was imposed this past April.
Rieberger says it's now unclear what will happen with TFW in the community.
“We're starting to see (concern raised) because the contracts are starting to run out now, so labour's going to become a big issue,” he says, adding it appears those workers will have to go home once their contracts expire.
“Their contracts are going to run out and then those employers are going to have to start to find labour. I know that's a big issue in some areas,” he says.
April 2015 will be the 20th anniversary of the founding of the ODCC.
A chamber of commerce existed before that in Olds – certainly as far back as the 1950s, research shows. A board of trade also existed as far back as the 1920s. However, as far as Rieberger knows, this latest incarnation of the chamber of commerce in Olds is only 20 years old.
He says to his knowledge, celebrations will be held in October, when the chamber normally holds awards ceremonies, etc.
“We're also doing some other stuff, recognizing members who have been with us for numerous years,” Rieberger says. “Actually a good chunk of our members have been with us since the inception of the chamber of commerce.”
The ODCC will also be hosting an Alberta Chamber of Commerce roundtable discussion this coming May.
Rieberger says that's part of an overall effort to lure more events to Olds and thereby spur the local economy.
“By hosting it here we're bringing in people who aren't normally here,” Rieberger says. “If they have to travel some distance, then they get hotel rooms, meals, those type of things, so it brings money in here.”
He says it's too early to know how many people might be coming to the community for the roundtable.
“What this does is it puts us into a position where we can start working towards actually hosting something like the Alberta chamber AGM (annual general meeting) which would then bring in more people for a longer period of time,” Rieberger says.
He says Olds is plenty big enough to hold events like that, thanks to all the hotel and motel rooms in the community as well as restaurants and other attractions. He notes Drumheller hosted the Alberta chamber's AGM a couple of years ago.
This year, two local businesses that received Olds and District Business of the Year awards are in the running for the Alberta Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award.
They are Lady Bug Studio, which was named Business of the Year for firms with 15 or fewer employees, and BARR-AG Ltd., named Business of the Year for firms with 16 or more employees.
The Alberta chamber winner will be announced in February.
