Darla Lindbjerg, president and CEO of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, has spent the past two and half years leading our city’s Chamber and championing the largest business community in Saskatchewan.

The Chamber is an advocate for its members with government at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. This is especially important given that provincial and municipal elections are coming up in fall 2020. Understanding and sharing Saskatoon’s value proposition with the rest of Canada, and the world, is also central to the Chamber’s success.

Lindbjerg is the first female president and CEO in the Chamber’s 116-year history. She grew up on a farm in southwest Saskatchewan and went on to complete undergraduate degrees and an executive MBA at the University of Regina.

Recently, Lindbjerg noted that the Chamber is experiencing an increase in membership among women and young people. “In terms of Saskatoon, there are a lot of up-and-coming female senior leaders rising through the ranks and strong female entrepreneurs here. This includes founders and other highly competent women in our technology sector,” said Lindbjerg.

She observed that, overall, Saskatoon residents are generous with their time and this is one of our city’s strengths. There is no shortage of individuals volunteering and sitting on the boards of local non-profit organizations. On the topic of governance, the Chamber currently has an even split of male-female representation on its board of directors. “While this is ideal, the Chamber doesn’t have a quota system for our board and this even gender split happened organically. Our board is composed of highly engaged people, so it leads to great discussion. Nobody on our board is hiding in a corner and all voices are heard,” Lindbjerg said.

According to the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA), Saskatoon is the fastest growing – and youngest – city in Canada, with more than 40,000 residents between the ages of 20 and 29.

When Lindbjerg is asked about a current “hot button” issue with Chamber members, she mentions proposals for a new downtown entertainment district and more businessoriented investment in the city’s downtown core. On behalf of its members, the Chamber continues to advocate for a walkable and safe downtown Saskatoon (the Chamber’s office is also located downtown).

“Crime and safety in our city, particularly in the downtown core, have been identified as a priority area for our members – both at roundtable sessions and in online survey responses. We’re committed to focusing on regional job creation since we recognize that poverty can be a significant driver of vulnerable populations and jobs in our community are a part of the solution.”

She points to the software company Vendasta taking office space downtown as an example of how a business can continue to enhance the community.

After December, Lindbjerg is taking on the role as chair of the Saskatchewan Business Council – a group of more than 20 organizations contributing to provincial growth, transformation and a thriving province. Other members of the council include the Regina & District Chamber of Commerce, the Saskatchewan Construction Association, the Saskatchewan Mining Association and Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan, to name a few.

“The Saskatchewan Business Council is a group of like-minded amazing leaders of associations across our province,” she said. “Often we end up working for our respective membership group and don’t have a lot of interaction with other provincial groups. The goal of this group is to ensure that we all know what other groups are working on across the province (and) add value where we can in order to create a maximized benefit for the business community in all sectors.”

Finally, Lindbjerg believes that centres of excellence in agriculture, mining, technology and research innovation serve to further reinforce Saskatoon’s strengths. Educational institutions such as the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies also serve as “beacons” for our city’s young population and new immigrants to the region.

-Elizabeth Ireland