Webinars have started to become a norm in the local business community.

A number of local groups have been offering these free sessions as a way to assist businesses with adapting and navigating the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic,

Jayme Hall, Executive Director of the Okotoks & District Chamber of Commerce, says going digital has allowed content to be more current than in-person sessions that are planned weeks to months in advance.

"We found with covid that everything for a long time was changing so fast. The provincial government would announce a program, the federal government would announce a program, nobody would have any idea what it meant, then they would slowly start to release the details and then we were having local professionals learn the information and give it out to the community," he explains.

"Things were happening really quick and the best way to get that information out to people was through these online virtual events."

The Okotoks Chamber of Commerce, Golden West, the Foothills Forage & Grazing Association, and the Alberta Wheat Commission are among many using webinars to provide clarity and education to the local business community.

Hall says turning to webinars and other forms of online connection has opened more people up to going digital which he could see sticking around.

"There has potentially been some good ways to connect with people that maybe weren't realized before and people are getting really comfortable utilizing these digital platforms. It has forced people to connect digitally. People are learning, so I think that we're going to notice more virtual events be consistent."

To learn how to join Thursday's free webinar with Golden West click here.

 

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