The NWT Chamber of Commerce is needed more than ever. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the message from Newton Grey, the chamberSA国际影视传媒檚 president.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 Small Business Week across Canada and the chamber is celebrating 50 years of advocating for businesses around the territory. But it has been another challenging year. Evacuations of several communities meant a severe loss of revenue for small businesses and there is plenty of worry about what the future will hold.

Grey said the chamber will do whatever it can to ensure entrepreneurs in the NWT have their concerns front and centre to whoever needs to hear them.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur board understands how critical the need is,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪o many communities have been affected by evacuations and you can imagine the disruption this has caused. Our businesses were starting to really recover from Covid and then the evacuations happened.SA国际影视传媒�

Around 60 per cent of the territory was evacuated in some form during 2023 and other communities, such as Inuvik, came close, he added.

But for those communities that werenSA国际影视传媒檛 evacuated, Grey said the effects were just as bad.

SA国际影视传媒淐ommunities in the Sahtu depend a lot on Yellowknife and we heard about the impact that (evacuations) had on them,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e heard about communities in the Tlicho that were in need, also Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 and the food situation. We can look at Yellowknife as the big one, but we must never forget the smaller communities and we will always lobby and do whatever we can to make sure they know theySA国际影视传媒檙e being supported.SA国际影视传媒�

During the major evacuations in August, the GNWT announced assistance for businesses through the Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) Policy. Eligible businesses were originally eligible to receive $5,000 to help with income loss, property damage or increased costs due to the wildfires and evacuations. That was recently increased to as much as $20,000, depending on the community.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was much appreciated to see the GNWT make some moves,SA国际影视传媒� said Grey. SA国际影视传媒淪omething is always better than nothing and they recognized that disruption for businesses. The response from the government needs to be multifaceted because there is no one-trick pony that will solve the problems facing small businesses.SA国际影视传媒�

When asked what governments can do besides offer short-term relief, Grey said solutions could be both economical and skill-based.

SA国际影视传媒淕rant money is badly needed,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭here could be SA国际影视传媒榮hop localSA国际影视传媒� campaigns in communities SA国际影视传媒� I know some communities have already started those and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 great to see. For the mom-and-pop locations, they may need some marketing help. Giving out money may not be the only answer because thereSA国际影视传媒檚 more assistance needed than just that.SA国际影视传媒�

Grey also suggested loan forgiveness as an option to ease the burden on small businesses.

SA国际影视传媒淭he evacuations put some businesses in a position where theySA国际影视传媒檙e struggling to meet financial obligations,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭here could be an opportunity for institutions to help people out take the stress off, especially for those businesses that paid their employees during the evacuation. Those businesses had to dip into reserves or savings to do that, so we mustnSA国际影视传媒檛 forget them.SA国际影视传媒�

One of the initiatives that the chamber is working on is getting a new executive director in place to fill the role formerly held by James OSA国际影视传媒機onnor. His final day with the chamber was on Oct. 12 after 14 months in the position.

SA国际影视传媒淚 have very much enjoyed my time with the NWT Chamber, advocating for and working with its fantastic board of directors,SA国际影视传媒� stated OSA国际影视传媒機onnor in an e-mail to SA国际影视传媒. SA国际影视传媒淗owever, coming into the position just after the country reopened from Covid, and given the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 subsequent economic struggles and a summer of wildfire evacuations, itSA国际影视传媒檚 been a challenge to fully execute my strategies for the organization.SA国际影视传媒�

As a matter of full disclosure, OSA国际影视传媒機onnor provided bi-weekly columns on behalf of the chamber to SA国际影视传媒 for publication during his employment.

Grey said the chamberSA国际影视传媒檚 board would hold a meeting to determine the next steps on finding a new executive director.

SA国际影视传媒淥nce weSA国际影视传媒檝e done that, we will release that information,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

The Chamber's 50th anniversary gala takes place at the Explorer Hotel, Oct. 27.