Open Letter from SIMSA

September 18, 2020

Did you know that every dollar spent with local Saskatchewan suppliers generates nearly  four times more economic output for the province than  the same amount spent with out-of-province suppliers?

During a time of much-needed economic stimulus spending by the Government of Saskatchewan (and others), there is an equally pressing need for that spending to stay in our Province. As the only supply/construction related Association that represents the voice of Saskatchewan Suppliers – and only Saskatchewan suppliers – our members can help keep that stimulus money and its impact close to home.

When SIMSA was incorporated in 2013, we were formed to represent and serve the needs of Saskatchewan suppliers in the mining, energy, and industrial sector – not suppliers from other provinces working in Saskatchewan. We were unique in this regard, and continue to be so.

To serve that mission, SIMSA built a requirement into its membership criteria that remains to this day: in order for a company to be a member, it must have a permanent physical office in Saskatchewan and at least three full-time employees based in the Province.  This office must have a permanent foundation (not wheels), a permanent address (not a post-office box or lawyer’s address), and a permanent site (not an assembled site created for a project). Put another way, it must be a place of day-to-day operations, not a place where business is occasionally conducted for the purpose of maintaining a favorable public image.

To further amplify our impact on Saskatchewan, we also built into our Board eligibility requirements a mandate for candidates to be senior decision-making leaders from companies whose world headquarters are based in Saskatchewan. This ensures us that the interests of our home province will always be protected and served.

Our membership continues to grow through the COVID-19 crisis: we now represent well-over 200 companies, with over 23,000 employees in the province and over $10-billion in revenues.

In short, SIMSA is an organization that puts the needs of the Saskatchewan economy, and Saskatchewan suppliers, first. Working transparently and cooperatively with our Government and Crowns, plus our colleagues in the industrial and resource sectors, we strive every day to build a stronger, smarter, and more sustainable Saskatchewan.

 

Eric Anderson

Executive Director, SIMSA

 

Download a PDF of this letter HERE