Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce President Aaron Fleming speaks to a sold out crowd during its annual general meeting Thursday evening at the Hampton Inn & Suites on Thursday evening.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
The Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce was recognized by the Medicine Hat’s Heritage Resources Working Group for its historical contribution to the city during its annual AGM held Thursday night.
President Aaron Fleming accepted a plaque from Louisa Smith, chair of the Heritage Resource Working Group, for reaching a milestone of 125 years and being a founding member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, which was established in 1925.
“Obviously proud of the organization, but humbled by the fact of how it’s changed lives, keeps businesses not only alive but thriving, and that’s what’s important to me,” said Fleming. “Our community is built on business and anything else that we appreciate in life is because of hard work and getting things done.”
Typically, the Heritage Resource Working Group provides plaques for buildings, landscapes and historical areas, however Smith says the local Chamber has achieved a significant accomplishment by serving Medicine Hat almost since its inception as a town in 1898.
“The city’s not really much older than that,” Smith said while speaking about the Chambers’ deep history. “Some of it, we’re aware of it, and some we’re not as aware of it as we probably should be. So we’re really hoping to make the general public just more aware of what a great heritage we have here.”
Fleming says it’s important to recognize the working families and businesses who built Medicine Hat at the end of the rail line.
“Where there was nothing. Some hard working families and businesses started here to build what we have,” Fleming said. “I think it’s important to look back and to recognize and then from reckoning that, where do we leapfrog going ahead? How do we continue on with that?”
In current times, the region’s chamber says it’s thriving. Since Sept 1. 2024, 127 companies have become new members of the chamber and it has been recognized as the top performer among chambers with more than 500 members.
Figures presented by the local chamber stated it hosted more than 100 events in 2024, including the launch of a new trade show in Brooks to match one in Medicine Hat.
“The impact that Medicine Hat has always had on the Chamber network, our trade shows are always something that’s huge, and to see them continue to grow and provide people a great buying opportunity as well as support for the local businesses,” said Fleming.
Fleming also highlighted the region’s success hosting the 87th annual Alberta Chamber of Commerce AGM back in May.
“It’s always huge when you have something here provincially, and have the delegates from around the province here, and then also the celebration with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the recognition that we are one of the founding members 100 years ago.”
The Chamber also held two well-attended mayoral and city councillors public forums leading up to the October municipal election at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre.
Additionally the Chamber has led more than 20 advocacy events and participated in more than 70 meetings with government officials, as well as hosted numerous events throughout the community including the recent Midnight Madness event downtown last Friday night, which attracted hundreds of Hatters, to the city’s core to support local businesses.
“For the Chamber to be able to put on an event that actually has that impact, and where people actually latch on to, it shows,” said Fleming. “That’s what’s important to me, the numbers and the statistics aside, it’s seeing people out and about and recognizing Medicine Hat for what it is.”
Chamber officials say they are already preparing for the next large event, the annual southeast Alberta Home & Leisure Tradeshow, which will run for three days from Mar. 6-8, 2026. Fleming says the Chamber is accepting vendor applications which are already going quickly.
