Chief Operating Officer (COO) Linda Machniak believes the accreditation is not just a proof of their efforts but also proof of the growth of Saskatchewan chambers throughout the years. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Kenneth Cheung

ACCREDITED CHAMBER

Battlefords Chamber earns second national accreditation; sees growth in Saskatchewan

Oct 8, 2024 | 10:43 AM

The Battlefords and District Chamber of Commerce has achieved its second accreditation, joining 73 other accredited chambers across Canada. Chief Operating Officer (COO) Linda Machniak said she has noticed positive changes in Saskatchewan’s chambers.

“This is a big, big project, and to meet those national standards and to know that we can compete with any organization that’s a chamber or Board of Trade in the country with the level of work and commitment we have to our Members and our policy work, I think that’s really important,” Machniak said.

Accreditation denotes official acknowledgment that a Chamber of Commerce / Board of Trade has achieved the utmost national standards of distinction in leadership, governance, and operations. It is a recognition given by the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada (CACC) based in Halifax, N.S.

The chamber received its first five-year accreditation in 2021; this year, the accreditation will last from 2025 to 2029.

Machniak explained that to get the honour; they must submit a ‘four-inch thick’ package containing information about meeting membership criteria and adhering to standards. The package covers everything from databases and member communication to governance, chamber structure, and the standards they must meet. It delves into every aspect of the business, including member services, event hosting, community engagement, and policy work.

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The ‘four-inch’ binder the chamber submitted for the accreditation. Machniak said it took them a several of months to gather it. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW Staff)

“Given that we’re a small office with just a small number of people to be able to do that and keep it and maintain it, it is pretty impressive,” she said.

Machniak is proud to have received the title and see the chambers in rural Saskatchewan, such as Yorkton, Warman, and Martinsville, receive credit. She remembered that chambers in smaller communities used to be less compatible than those in major urban areas.

“To say Warman and Martinsville’s case where they have smaller communities for them to be able to have the same level of commitment, maybe not the same programs or the same package of information, but for them to have that same level is impressive given that they’re going up against the Toronto’s, the Calgary’s, the Edmonton’s, the Saskatoon’s of the world,” she pointed out.

“There’s a bunch of us in Saskatchewan, and given that there’s only 73 in the country, that’s pretty impressive.”

She also pointed out that as the chamber’s system became more established, it gained greater influence over its opinions regarding federal government policy. This allows them to make decisions and recommendations instead of simply adhering to the policy, whether it benefits businesses or not.

“When they go to the Canadian Chamber then goes to the federal government to advocate, they can say there are 220,000 businesses and Chambers across the country that say ‘this is what needs to be done’ or ‘would recommend this is what gets done,’” she explained.

Looking ahead, Machniak believes that accreditation enables its members to confirm their good standing and allows its employees to recognize that they are working for a national standards organization.

Battlefords and District Chamber of Commerce’s office in North Battleford. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com