Chamber of Commerce CEO Prabha Ramaswamy has developed a plan she hopes political parties will use as blue prints for small businesses (Will Mandzuk/650CKOM)

By CKOM

advocating for small biz

Sask. Chamber of Commerce focus on helping small businesses grow

Jun 15, 2024 | 5:00 PM

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is advocating for smaller businesses ahead of the provincial election.
The Chamber of Commerce is providing political parties with information on the priorities of Saskatchewan businesses.
According to Prabha Ramaswamy, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, they have laid out five pillars for the provincial government.

Those five pillars are:

1. Laying the foundation for growth
2. Leveraging our strengths
3. Attracting and growing investments
4. Investing in a better tomorrow
5. Investing in what matters

Within those five pillars are 26 recommendations. Ramaswamy said the platform was based on surveys and feedback with business leaders and community leaders.

“Our platform in much detail lays out what those challenges are and what those opportunities are,” said Ramaswamy. “What we are asking for now is that all the political parties review that document in detail.” The hope is that when political parties develop their business plan they will use the blueprint given to them from the Chamber of Commerce.

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Ramaswamy said that none of the five pillars are more important than the other.
“All the five pillars matter equally,” said Ramaswamy. “We believe that implementing the recommendations and the platform will actually create a better Saskatchewan.”

The Chamber of Commerce also wants to see the Provincial Government roll back the PST and decrease the corporate income tax.
Andrea Crittenden, co-founder of 16 Safety Services, said it is important to give small businesses a voice.
“When small business is under-represented in business, in industry, in the government platforms,” said Crittenden. “It’s important that small businesses have a voice to be able to show what we need in order to foster the growth the province needs to grow the future.”

Crittenden also said that 98.8% of businesses are considered to be a small business.
There also is a hope that more people will soon begin to understand the differences between a small business and a large business.

“Small business doesn’t have the same access to labour forces, access to capital and lending,” said Crittenden. “When the growth is able to occur but it’s not able to happen because of one bottleneck or challenge… it’s hard for us to continue to grow.”

Crittenden said the five pillars and 26 recommendations made by the Chamber of Commerce will help her business in one-way shape or form.

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