FAQs

A Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, local organization composed of businesses, also called Members. A Chamber of Commerce is designed to promote, protect, and support the interest of its members.

The Brandon Chamber of Commerce has members all across Westman, and even across Manitoba. We are proud to be the second largest in Manitoba, and one of the strongest Chambers in Canada. We are membership-funded, meaning that we only succeed if our members do too!

Issues are identified by Chamber members, and further research on the issue is done by Chamber staff, committees, and other volunteers, approved by the Board, and then is presented to the municipal, provincial, or federal government. Oftentimes, the Chamber is invited to offer opinions and feedback regarding all types of business issues. From legislation changes and the Workers Compensation Act, to pre-budget meetings, economic issues, or community-specific problems, the Brandon Chamber staff and volunteers are on the ground working for the rights of our members.

Our Board of Directors are individuals that work for Chamber member businesses. Elections open in the spring, with the selections finalized and voted in by June of that year. Our fiscal year runs from June 1 – May 31.

You can become a member by filling out an application online, or by contacting our Member Relations Coordinator at 204-571-5344 or members@brandonchamber.ca.

Your membership will last until May 31st. Memberships must be renewed June 1st.

Prices will vary based on how many staff you have working at your business, or if you are a not-for-profit organization.

Pro-rated membership pricing comes into effect in February of that Chamber fiscal year

There are many different features you automatically gain access to when you become a member. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Being in the Chamber Roster Book
• Social networking – tag us and we will give you additional support on social media through liking, commenting, re-sharing, and more!
• Website – you get your own web listing to market your business. You can access and update your profile anytime.
• Member Information Centre (MIC) – You get access to the MIC which has additional online features only offered to our members
• Community Calendar – you can add your events to our website calendar that is visible to members and the community
• Member-to-Member Deals – Post your exclusive discounts for free on our website, Hot Deals, Job Postings, and News Releases
• Display Space – display your brochures or flyer in the front entrance of the Chamber office
• Stay updated – you receive our weekly Chamber Insider E-News, monthly Chamber at a Glance newsletters, and member emails
• Add your voice: Join a committee and learn about the Chamber business, develop your leadership skills, meet new people, and make a difference in the community

There are a wide variety of free and paid opportunities. Some free marketing opportunities include tagging us on social media so we can share it, adding events to our website calendar, and sending us news/press releases that we will happily add to our website for free. Other marketing opportunities include putting an ad in any of our publications, most commonly our weekly Chamber Insider E-News, or monthly Chamber at a Glance newsletter. Please contact our Member Relations & Marketing Coordinator for more information on advertising opportunities and pricing.

As a Chamber member, you get access to Member-to-Member Deals, Hot Deals, and member discounts. You also get access to the Chamber Group Insurance Plan — Canada’s #1 insurance plan for small to medium size businesses.

No! In fact, about 75% of our members have less than 10 employees, and almost half of our employees have 3 or less employees. Every size of business is welcome at the Brandon Chamber of Commerce!

One of the most common ways to get involved with the Brandon Chamber of Commerce is to join one of our committees! Check our committees page to see what committee might be for you! You can also volunteer at our events, speak at a luncheon, or host a Business After 5 event.

We offer a multitude of events! From casual mixers to elegant galas, there is always something happening. Our event season runs from September to June. View our Events Calendar and register for seats.

The Brandon Chamber of Commerce offers most of our events to anyone in the community! One of the benefits of being a Chamber Member is earlier access to tickets before the general public, as well as discounted prices.

We offer a variety of events at all different price points, including various free events and “pay what you can” workshops.

You can register for events by logging into the Member Information Centre, or by calling our Events Coordinator at 204-571-5343, or sending an email to events@brandonchamber.ca.

As a membership-based organization, our members can share their events on the community calendar in our Member Information Centre. While you might not find all community events on our calendars, we certainly try to get out to as much as we can in this great community!

Sponsorship with the Chamber is an effective way to promote your company! Get noticed by your fellow Chamber members when you sponsor and advertise with the Brandon Chamber of Commerce.  The power of advertising through sponsorship is that your investment instantly buys you a multifaceted marketing strategy through brand association, publicity, business relationships and advertising.

As a not-for-profit organization, all of our events are made possible through the support of our event sponsors. You could be a Luncheon Sponsor and have the opportunity to address the membership; you could be a Booth Sponsor at nearly any of our events and set up a display table and interact with other members; try being a Hole Sponsor at our Annual Golf Tournament and have the chance to network with 160+ other business and community members; sponsor our Annual Business Achievement Awards and you could have the opportunity to present one of our prestigious awards to the winner — the sponsorship opportunities are endless with the Chamber of Commerce! We will work with you to ensure you are getting the exposure with your logo and name, as well as the chance to connect with as many members as possible. Contact our Events Coordinator today to learn more!

Season Seats is a package deal for all 10 Chamber Luncheons throughout the year. By signing up for season seats you save money; you’ll never forget to register again — you’ll automatically be registered for all; your company name will be displayed on our website as an Official Season Seat holder; and you’ll receive priority seating ahead of general ticket buyers!

No! One of the benefits of signing up for Season Seats is being automatically registered for all luncheons.