Advocacy Work

Ontario Ministry of Finance Budget Consultation Submission

Oct 14, 2020

Following the Guelph Chamber's presentation to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on August 28, we provided a set of written recommendations to submit to the The Honourable Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance as part of the Government of Ontario’s Pre-Budget Consultation Process.

Business Calls with the Assistant Deputy Minister, Small Business & Marketplace Services

Oct 2, 2020

Frances McRae, the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of the Small Business and Marketplace Services at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, is chairing calls with stakeholders and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners to address the impacts of COVID-19 on businesses.

Letter to Lloyd Longfield - Alcohol Escalator Tax

Oct 1, 2020

In 2017, the Federal Government introduced excise duty taxes on alcohol, automatically increasing every April 1. On September 25, we submitted a letter to MP Lloyd Longfield to urge the Federal Government to reconsider the alcohol escalator tax.

Delegation to City Council: Outdoor Dining District

Sep 22, 2020

Mayor Cam Guthrie called a special meeting of city council on September 21 in an effort to keep the Downtown Dining District open past September 21. Our President & CEO, Shakiba Shayani, delegated at this meeting to support the extension of the Dining District and outdoor patio expansions in the city. Read her presentation below.

Presentation to Standing Committee on Finance & Economic Affairs

Sep 2, 2020

Guelph Chamber President & CEO, Shakiba Shayani, presented to the Provincial Government's Standing Committee on Finance & Economic Affairs last week to advocate for small and medium sized businesses. Read her presentation here.

Letter to Premier Ford from Mayor's Task Force on Economic Recovery

May 26, 2020

Today, the Mayor's Task Force on Economic Recovery, in which the Chamber is a part of, sent the following letter to the Provincial Government to advocate for municipalities to make reasonable policy modifications to enable businesses to re-open.

Chamber participates in Mayor's Economic Recovery Task Force

Apr 17, 2020

The Guelph Chamber is committed to advocating strongly for our members during this crisis and looks forward to ensuring our members are heard while being a key member of the Mayor's Economic Recovery Task Force.

Letter to Justin Trudeau & Minister Morneau: Wage Subsidy Delivery

Apr 3, 2020

On April 3, 2020, Canada's Innovation Corridor Business Council (in which the Guelph Chamber of Commerce is a member of) sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau to advocate for the urgency for the federal government to revise the delivery mechanism for this program in a way that prioritizes speed.

New Research Identifies Opportunities to Support Small Business Success

Feb 26, 2020

Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s and Guelph Chamber of Commerce’s fourth annual Ontario Economic Report Introduces New Small Business Friendliness Indicator.