Regional Chair Addresses the Business Community

On March 25th, Regional Chair John Henry highlighted pandemic recovery and growth opportunities at the 2021 Regional Chair’s Address. Once again, the event was jointly hosted by the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade, Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, and Whitby Chamber of Commerce, and a virtual audience of nearly 200 business leaders attended. This event was made possible by presenting sponsors Baker Tilly Durham and Durham College and supporting sponsors Johnson Insurance, PGL Environmental Consultants and Trent University Durham GTA.

“We have been planning Durham’s recovery and restoration for some time and implementing as many supports as we can for local businesses throughout the past year,” said Chair Henry. “This work wouldn’t have been possible without the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade, Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce and the Whitby Chamber of Commerce through our joint efforts as members of the Durham Economic Task Force.”

Through the pandemic, the Task Force worked on initiatives like the RitualONE free food ordering service, Digital Main Street program, the Downtowns of Durham website, and the central online portal at InvestDurham.ca to share critical information with the Durham business community. In addition to this work, the Region also recently launched ShopDurhamRegion.ca, an online local marketplace. Chair Henry went on to praise small businesses and urge the community to shop and support local. “They have pivoted,” he said. “They have adapted. And they have shown that they are the true heart and soul of our community.” His update also highlighted key transit projects, like the Durham Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit Corridor and Lakeshore GO East Extension, which Chair Henry urged the provincial government to commit to. He also looked forward to Durham’s new economy, which he forecasted to include autonomous and electric vehicles, sustainable nuclear energy, AI and personalized medicine.

The Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade, Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce and Whitby Chamber of Commerce are proud to deliver an event like this to the business community represented within our memberships. By speaking with one voice, our message is strong and clear when advocating to the government, whether at the regional, municipal, provincial, or federal level.

– Natalie Prychitko, CEO, Whitby Chamber of Commerce