Kennebecasis Valley Chamber of Commerce

Welcome! The Kennebecasis Valley chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization committed to representing the interests and aspirations of the local business community, and to making the communities of the Kennebecasis Valley a preferred location in which to live, work, and do business.

Committee Updates

Promotion & Events Committee I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Don Shaw and Neil Pond for their great effort in bringing forth the Christmas tree mulch ‘98. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped to make this a great success.
Would you believe 2000 trees were dropped off at the tree mulch? Let's just say it was a great feeling to see a group of people with no anticipation for profit, just the community effort to help dispose of all the trees, and showing great responsibility for our environment.
Carrie Furness, Chair

Government Affairs   The committee is now up and running. Currently we are in the process of identifying projects, setting our mandate and developing a mission statement. We plan to provide the Chamber of Commerce with an open line of communication with government and will continue to work toward a mutually beneficial relationship with all levels of government.
Tony Bamford, Chair

Business Development Committee After a very successful session focused on the committee's direction, the Business Development Committee is now in the process of identify future goals and projects. One project that is already under way is the Home-Based Business Initiative which will focus on the needs of home business, how the Chamber can address those needs and a comprehensive database of home based business.
Steve Clark, Chair

Communications This is our second newsletter. We would appreciate any feedback or contributions to its content. We are also working on developing a new Web page for the Chamber and will let you know its address as soon as it is up and running.
If you are interested in getting involved with either of these projects or have some other ideas about how the Chamber can effectively communicate with its membership and the public, please get involved. Your input and suggestions are always welcome.
Robin White, Chair

Members Forum

Tips for the RRSP Season

Plan for a richer retirement: Setting retirement goals and putting a plan in place can mean a more comfortable retirement. RRSPs may be your only source of income retirement. With the number of Canadians over age 65 expected to more than double by 2030, the Canadian Pension Plan is expected to run out of money by 2015.
Canadian taxpayers are able to contribute up to 18% of 1996 earned income to a maximum of $13,500 (minus a pension adjustment) to an RRSP for the 1997 tax year and can carry forward 1996 deductions. The sooner you start investing in an RRSP, the more time the money will have to compound.

Borrowing funds to invest in an RRSP can make sense for many people. The 2 most common options for RRSP investments are: 1. Interest based investments (GIC, annuities), 2. Market based investments. Although interest based investments have been more popular, market based investments have provided higher returns.

Example of $1 invested 35 years ago: T-Bills $14.90; Canadian Bonds $18.26; large Canadian companies $32; small Canadian companies $124.84.

Other ways to maximize your RRSP returns is through carrying forward unused contributions or through spousal RRSPs.

For more information on creating your RRSP portfolio, contact Mary Schryer at 849-2262.

Message from the president

The Annual General Meeting for the K.V. Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to take place on March 25, 1998. At that time, I will be leaving my position as President. It has been a very busy two years for me, full of challenges and changes. This time two years ago, the Chamber of Commerce was an idea in its infancy. Today, we are not only 100 members strong, but we have successfully managed two major projects, implemented a health plan for our members, and began two new traditions in the Valley: a summer festival and a Christmas celebration. Reflecting on the past two years, I am proud to have been a part of this movement toward a unified business community.

I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to all of you. Specifically, I would like to thank those who served on the Board of Directors and committee members over the course of my presidency. Your support and hard work has been of great value. I would also like to thank my wife Pam for her encouragement, support, and patience throughout my term.

In closing, I hope that the Kennebecasis Valley Chamber of Commerce will continue to grow and develop under the leadership of our next President. I encourage each of you to get involved. It is the people who shape the organization and the Chamber of Commerce is indeed an organization for the business community, by the business community.

Michael F. Cole