Calgary Chamber to bring more SMEs online through Connecting Commerce

Calgary, October 22, 2020 – To accelerate the adoption of e-commerce by small and medium-sized businesses, the Calgary Chamber is pleased to announce Connecting Commerce, a program that partners local students with local businesses to get their products and offerings online by building online stores and developing digital marketing plans.

The program is managed and promoted by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Helcim, KPMG Enterprise, and with support from Western Economic Diversification Canada.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has eroded customer bases, threatened supply chains, and broken business models entirely,” says Murray Sigler, interim CEO of the Calgary Chamber. “But the creativity, grit and adaptability of our business community are unshaken. On the road to economic recovery, the Chamber will be there to support business every step of the way, alongside our partners, as we have done for nearly 130 years.”

Helcim will provide training and mentoring to students as well as the technology platforms to power each online store, while KPMG Enterprise will provide financial support and access to accounting resources. Businesses can apply for the program through the Calgary Chamber website and applicants will be chosen based on number of employees (10 – 60), months in operation (minimum 12 months), and must not currently have an e-commerce website.

"Even in the face of COVID, small business owners are resilient and they are finding ways to adapt, grow, and get paid," says Nicolas Beique, Founder and CEO of Helcim. "We're really proud of helping businesses move more of their payments online. In the end, it's about creating tools that are easy to use so that small businesses can quickly incorporate them into their day-to-day."

“Small businesses have been hit hard and business owners have had no choice but to adapt. KPMG Enterprise wanted to get behind something that was really going to make an impact and we see this initiative as a critical component to keeping businesses operating and thriving. This is part of contributing to the vibrancy of our community, and supporting businesses so they can grow and be successful, it’s what we’re committed to!” says Scott Olsson, Partner and Leader, KPMG Enterprise in Calgary.

The Connecting Commerce program is supported in part by the Government of Canada, through Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), as part of the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund.

“Small businesses play a vital role in the Canadian economy. I have heard from western Canadian businesses about the challenges they’re facing as a result of COVID-19, and my message to them is that the Government of Canada will do what it takes to support them. This e-commerce initiative is one example of how we’re helping small businesses adapt to a new landscape and ensure they can continue to make their products and services available to customers while helping to keep Canadians safe,” says the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada.

About the Calgary Chamber

The Calgary Chamber is an independent non-profit, non-partisan business organization. For 129 years the Chamber has worked to build a business community that nourishes, powers and inspires the world.

For media inquiries, please contact Marina Connors, Communications Manager, at media@calgarychamber.com or at (403) 750-0401.

About Helcim

Helcim is a payments company that lets businesses accept credit cards with ease. Helcim focuses on delivering a better payment service by making it easier to sign up, providing smarter payment tools, and making it more affordable to get paid.

For media inquiries, please contact Miranda Russell, Communications Coordinator at mrussell@helcim.com or 1 (877) 643-5246. ext 1174

About KPMG Enterprise

KPMG Enterprise has a long history in Calgary working exclusively with entrepreneurs, family businesses and private companies to enhance the growth and size of their business at any stage. Our team of professionals work with entrepreneurs and fast-growing private companies to add value to their businesses through innovative tax strategies and specialized services in accounting, audit and advisory. kpmg.ca/enterprise

For media inquiries, please contact Andrea Wenz, Senior Marketing Manager at awenz@kpmg.ca.

About Western Economic Diversification Canada

For more than 30 years, Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) has been working to diversify the western economy while improving the quality of life of western Canadians. WD aims to create a more diversified western Canadian economy that has strong, competitive, and innovative businesses and communities by focusing on business development, innovation and community development.

For media inquiries, please contact Rohit Sandhu, Communications Manager, at rohit.sandhu@canada.ca or 587-337-3141.