4 -minute read
Written by Loren Remillard, President and CEO of The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce
As I was shovelling my driveway for the umpteenth time recently, I thought to myself, ‘of course this winter has been tough; the whole year has been.’ That, and a few choice words not fit for print.
This winter in many ways mirrors the experience of so many businesses during the pandemic. Digging your business out with each wave, only to have another crash down, undoing your hard work. Steeling yourself for battle with forces beyond your control, you venture out once more to trench a path forward, wondering whether more is coming and/or if the mountain walls around you will cave.
The impending arrival of spring offers cause for optimism on all fronts. It’s an optimism shared by Chamber members, as evidenced in our recent Quarterly Check-In Survey.
WHAT WE HEARD:
When asked about Year over Year business performance, 45% of respondents reported better or significantly better results, 20% saw worse or significantly worse results, and 36% noted no change. Quarter on Quarter, 27% showed improvement, 55% reported no change, while 18% experienced a decline.
COVID recovery (52%) remains the leading policy priority among Chamber members, according to the survey. Yet, we are seeing longstanding issues, somewhat sidelined by the pandemic, return to prominence – notably municipal planning (37%) and infrastructure investment (41%), red tape reduction (35%), and tax reform (21%). It may suggest that the pandemic battle is beginning to cede the spotlight to longer-term challenges, in part as business turns its eye to the future.
Confidence in Manitoba’s economic outlook appears to be growing, with 47% of survey respondents being confident or very confident compared to 18% somewhat or not at all confident.
Check out more results from our Quarterly Check-In Survey here.
And watch for next quarter’s survey in April to participate.
Contact our Director of Policy, Colin Fast, at cfast@winnipeg-chamber.com for more information.
For our Chamber, we are gearing up to welcome you back to in-person events, featuring an incredible lineup of speakers. There’s pent-up energy among our members to step out of the home cave and reconnect with colleagues, prospective clients, and partners. I do believe a commercial, courtesy of Extra Gum, featuring the one and only Celine Dion (full confession, my wedding song was a Celine Dion song and I picked it!), captures the zeitgeist quite well. Watch Here.
Yes, the removal of the vaccine and mask mandate and its impact remains to be seen. We always knew this day would arrive and with it a period of uncertainty, even anxiety. It’s time for all of us to begin a thoughtful transition and, based on our survey responses, it would appear many are doing just that.
