Last Week I was in Ottawa

The celebration was truly inspirational to see so many incredible initiatives and chamber leaders in the network being recognized for the difference they are making in their community.

The Whitby Chamber of Commerce was awarded Honourable Mention for the Chairs Award for Innovative Program, for our one of kind partnership with all Durham Region Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade and Durham College. A highlight of the evening for sure.

The final day of conference was filled with discussion and debate on 34 proposed policy resolutions from Chambers across the province. Each resolution had been reviewed by the OCC’s Policy and Advocacy Committee (PAC), which assessed whether the issue was a business issue, provincial in scope, sufficiently important for the legislative agenda, non-duplicative, and not structured in a way that pitted one industry or region against another. Adopted resolutions become part of the OCC’s Compendium of Resolutions and form part of the OCC’s advocacy agenda for the next three years.

Our friend at the Huron Chamber, CEO Colin Carmichael, created a summary of the policies. Below, please find the one policy that was submitted by the Whitby Chamber of Commerce as well as three policies that were co-sponsored by the Whitby Chamber of Commerce and were adopted as official OCC policy.

·      Submitted by the Whitby Chamber of Commerce

·      Adopted with 98% Support

The resolution proposed a time-limited, capped Ontario Emerging Entrepreneurs Fund pilot to mobilize private capital into Ontario small and medium-sized enterprises. It focused on creating regulated, professionally managed investment vehicles that would allow broader retail investor participation, supported by tax incentives, governance controls, and investor protections. There was supportive commentary but no substantive amendment.

·      Submitted by – Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce

·      Co-Sponsored by the Whitby Chamber of Commerce

·      Adopted with 92% support

PAC had no consensus, noting that procurement frameworks may be better led municipally with limited provincial intervention. Debate focused on procurement as an economic development tool, including for local suppliers, social enterprises, and businesses with community benefits. The submitting chamber emphasized a voluntary provincial framework with practical tools, while several speakers noted the importance of keeping procurement fair, transparent, trade-compliant, and administratively manageable.

·      Submitted by Dufferin Board of Trade

·      Co-Sponsored by the Whitby Chamber of Commerce

·      Adopted with 100% support

The resolution called for a dedicated WSIB board seat for a WSIB fee-paying small business representative from a micro or scale business with fewer than 20 employees. The resolution identified small business premium and administrative burden as the basis for direct representation in WSIB governance.

·      Submitted by the Belleville Chamber of Commerce

·      Co-Sponsored by the Whitby Chamber of Commerce

·      Adopted with 98% support

PAC had no consensus due to concerns about bureaucracy, scope, funding, and alignment with existing ministerial mandates, while still recognizing the importance of the issue. Debate framed homelessness, mental health, addiction, public safety, and housing instability as business issues because of their effects on downtowns, commercial areas, community safety, municipal capacity, and business confidence. The resolution called for provincial responsibility and leadership in systems that municipalities have increasingly been forced to manage.

Chambers and boards of trade play an important role in connecting what’s happening at the local level to advocacy at the provincial level. When businesses bring forward issues through their local chamber, those ideas can evolve into policy resolutions that move through the Ontario Chamber network. Once adopted, they help shape the advocacy work of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce with government and key decision-makers.

It’s one of the ways chamber membership goes beyond events and networking—giving businesses a real opportunity to influence the environment they operate in and be part of shaping broader economic policy.

We love getting together with our Chamber colleagues from across the province—sharing some laughs, making connections, trading ideas, and celebrating the work we’re all doing. This conference was the perfect chance to do exactly that.