The Canadian Chamber of Commerce issued a new report looking at Canada's infrastructure. The report looks at the impact a lack of proper infrastructure has on both business and residents in our country. 

To read the full report from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, click here. 

On August 17th the Prince Albert Raiders will host their 19th Annual Golf Classic. The golf tournament will be held at Cooke Municipal Golf Course.

The afternoon will include games, snacks and opportunities to win prizes throughout the day for both teams and individual golfers. 

The tournament includes a banquet in the evening that will be in the Cosmo room at Cooke Municipal Golf Course, starting right after all the golfers finish their rounds.

Deadline to register is August 4. Visit the Raiders Golf Classic website for more information. 

The KidSport Corporate Challenge takes place September 9 at the Alfred Jenkins Fieldhouse in Prince Albert. Business and corporate sponsors are invited to take part in this fun fitness challenge to raise awareness and funding for local KidSport programming. 

Prince Albert KidSport, raises funds for children to participate in organized sports. For information about becoming a sponsor, please click here. For partnership and registration information, click here, or follow the link here for a registration form. 

For more information on how your business or corporation can get involved in the KidSport Corporate Challenge, contact Dwight Bergstrom at 306-961-9601 or email dwight@sasktel.net

The Prince Albert and District Community Services Centre (PACSC) talked successes and challenges at its annual general meeting last week. The local non-profit organization held its AGM June 27 with about 20 people in attendance.
 
The PACSC has contracts with the Saskatchewan Ministry of the Economy, Ministry of Social Services, City of Prince Albert and SARCAN and provides services and community programming for residents in and around Prince Albert.
 
Bill Powalinsky, CEO with the PACSC, said the organization has great funders and positive partnerships with business, community groups and government.
 
Services provided by the PACSC include:
Budget Counselling: Working with those who lack the skills to manage money, clients are referred through Social Services due to challenges such as mental health issues, substance abuse, addictions, brain injury or reduced intellectual capacity.
 
Guiding Future Visions: Now in its eighth year, this program supports families receiving the Transitional Employment Allowance and Social Assistance benefits. The program includes a 16-week “Parents Reaching Employment” course, aimed at helping participants complete employment training, develop positive work habits, and enhance life skills. According to the PACSC, an average of 60 per cent complete the program, 25 per cent find employment, and 15 per cent enroll in additional education programs.
 
Prince Albert Supported Employment: The PASE program provides supported employment services to adults with a disability who have experienced barriers to employment. Facilitators work with local employers and education facilities to offer work experience and training programs.
 
Work Preparation: This program works with adults who have trouble either finding or maintaining employment, due to a variety of factors that may include a lack of childcare, language barriers, substance abuse, poor mental health, lack of education or a limited work history. The Work Preparation program works with employers to help adults gain work experience.
 
Seniors and Special Needs Transportation Services: This service provides transportation to seniors and those with mobility issues in the community. This year, the PACSC received additional funding and has extended services into the evenings and all day on Sundays.  PACSC’s major fundraiser for Senior’s Transportation is the Two Miles for Mary radio-thon.  The event raised more than $35,000 in 2016.
 
Pine Industries: Pine Industries operates the city’s two SARCAN depots, along North Industrial Drive and the main depot on Fifth Avenue East. Last year, the two depots processed more than 30 million containers, 87 tub skids of paint (4 feet x 4 feet x 3 feet), 122,000 pounds of computer monitors and 89,000 pounds of other electronics. The two SARCAN facilities employ 31 people locally.  A new express depot location opened in early July inside the former Schwan’s Food building. The two SARCAN locations are listed in the Top 4 locations in Saskatchewan for cost efficiency.
 
To learn more about the Prince Albert and District Community Services Centre and their various programs, visit their newly-designed website at http://www.pacsc.com

The Prince Albert & District Chamber of Commerce had the pleasure of hosting Doug Griffiths, co-author of 13 Ways to Kill Your Community on May 11, for a workshop and luncheon. Mr. Griffiths' speech focused on the various ways that communities can hinder growth and economic development. 

This summer, Mr. Griffiths and the 13 Ways website released 150 Small Things that Can Make a Difference in your Community, a challenge in honour of Canada's 150th birthday. 

For example, numbers 1-5 include:

1. Take a walk, don't drive, through your community. Seeing things in slow motion allows you to see the details of community life.
2. Mow the grass for someone who can’t …. or for anyone, just because.  
   
3. Pick one spot in town and volunteer to plant some flowers there.
   
4. Go watch kids playing sports even though you don’t have any kids playing. Cheer them on. Take some friends.
5. Volunteer. Anywhere. It doesn’t matter where. Just do it.

These are just five of 150 small things that can make a difference around your community. As Mr. Griffiths points out, it's important to remember that the small things really do matter, and we all have a role to play in making sure they happen.