The Town of Sylvan Lake has been named the 2021 National Champions by Certified Management Consultants (CMC Canada) along with earning the International Constantinus Award’s silver medal.
In 2020, Sylvan Lake partnered with ClearThink to offer local businesses economic mentoring during the pandemic, explains Amanda Mercer, Economic Development Officer.
Mercer said, “We are so thrilled and humbled to be selected for this award!”
ClearThink group partner Pierre Cormier explained that the town’s ClearThink™ Business Coaching Program provides business owners 12 hours of business support with a professional Certified Management Consultant. This initiative is sponsored by the town and offered free to local businesses.
“Sylvan Lake’s Business Coaching Program attracted 17 business participants in 2020. Each business received one-on-one support from a designated certified management consultant who was selected based on each individual business owner’s needs. The time was spent defining challenges, addressing critical issues/opportunities, setting priorities, and establishing action plans,” shared Cormier.
Cormier said that the program has received plenty of positive responses from participants.
The award winners were declared on the basis of value provided to the customer, project management structure, risk and quality management, social responsibility, health and safety, among others.
According to the Constantinus Awards Jury, this project sets a positive precedent for other institutions and is a great example of how excellent advice can bring about positive change. They added this is the type of consulting that small businesses need, especially in times of crisis.
Cormier said, “Sylvan Lake relies on the strength of our small business community. Being rural, local businesses don’t have the same access to the supports that some of the larger centers do. It is important to be able to support them with quality programming especially in the face of extraordinarily challenging times such as the ones we are facing as a result of Covid-19.”
The ClearThink Business Coaching Program will continue to facilitate and guide business owners through the ongoing challenging times in a safe, supportive and confidential environment.
Visit the CMC website for a full profile about the award-winning project at bit.ly/2YY5R0Z. Those interested in joining the program can contact Amanda Mercer at (403) 887-2141.