Advocacy

Chamber round table looks at red tape
October 11, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce was pleased to host a round table discussion with Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape on October 11th. Minister Sarkaria met with Chamber small business owners to listen to the red tape challenges that they face as entrepreneurs and employers. Joining Minister Sarkaria was SSM MPP, Hon. Ross Romano, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

The President and CEO of the Canada's largest business association addresses Sault Chamber members
October 8, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce was pleased to host Hon. Perrin Beatty, P.C., O.C., President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce as keynote speaker at its 130th Annual General Meeting on October 8th. Preein Beatty's full remarks have been available for our members to review. CLICK HERE.

Addressing Critical Imbalances to Ontario's Future - The Mosaic Report
September 12, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce has joined with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to release a new report, The Great Mosaic: Reviving Ontario’s Regional Economies. The report outlines how governments of all levels can work with industry to unleash the potential of Ontario’s regional economies and reinforce the competitiveness of the province as a whole. CLICK HERE. 

Advocacy for the creation of private, public and Indigenous partnerships pays dividends in Sault Ste. Marie
June 27, 2019 - In 2018, the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce led the charge on the adoption of a Canadian Chamber of Commerce resolution advocating for the creation of private, public and Indigenous partnerships to address the skills gap that is impacting employers across the country. The Chamber is pleased to see that the Federal Government is taking steps to build these partnerships here in Sault Ste. Marie. The Chamber expects that today’s funding announcement of $2.6million, which will help PQA / Plato Testing build and develop its skilled workforce and help create 76 new jobs, will serve as a leading example of the successes that can come when we invest in partnerships with Canada’s Indigenous businesses. CLICK HERE.

Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce statement on the removal of tariffs on steel and aluminum
May 23, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce commends the Government of Canada for its part in successfully negotiating the removal of U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. CLICK HERE.

Chambers of Commerce, Canadian Manufactures and Exporters & Tenaris Call for Changes to Federal Bill C-69
May 15, 2019 - Tenaris Canadian Manufacturers and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce came together for a press conference to call for changes on Bill C-69, An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act. They are concerned Bill C-69 will impact the ability to build major projects in Canada and will therefore also impair Ontario’s economic growth and potential. If projects do not get built in the province or elsewhere in Canada, Ontario will suffer as it is the manufacturing backbone of the country and the supplier of goods and materials for most major development projects. CLICK HERE.

Vote Prosperity Puts Business Issues at the Forefront for 2019 Election: Sault Ste. Marie Chamber
May 13, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, has launched the Vote Prosperity platform to urge federal party leaders to put the needs of Canadian business front and centre in the upcoming federal election. CLICK HERE.

Sault Chamber elevates business concerns to provincial level and puts Tenaris and Algoma Steel front and Centre
May 7, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce (SSMCOC) was represented at this year’s Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) Annual General Meeting in Muskoka Ontario by CEO Rory Ring and President Don Mitchell.  They did not go empty-handed. They brought with them a policy resolution calling on the Ontario government to support Ontario’s steel industry and its supply chain clusters. CLICK HERE.

Chamber hosts Round-Table discussion with Andrea Horwath, Ontario's Leader of the Official Opposition
April 24, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce had an opportunity to sit down for a roundtable discussion with Andrea Horwath, Leader of the Official Opposition in Ontario and Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party. Some of the items discussed included: infrastructure, transportation, skilled trades training, and steel. CLICK HERE.

Provincial Budget 2019 Strikes Right Balance for Business Community: Sault Chamber
April 12, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce (SSMCOC) is pleased to see that the Government of Ontario has heard the message of the province’s Chamber Network, and is taking reasonable steps to build a stronger Ontario. CLICK HERE.

Advocating for Business at Queen's Park
March 25, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce takes part in the Ontario Chamber network's annual 'Day of Advocacy at Queens Park. Representatives from Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade from accross the provinceare on hand to advocate for Ontario's businesses. We spend the day meeting with party leaders, provincial ministers and senior staff from various ministries. 

Business Confidence Improves but More Remains to be Done: 2019 ONTARIO ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
February 20, 2019 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce (SSMCOC) and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) have released their third annual Ontario Economic Report (OER), offering a unique perspective on the experience of businesses of all sizes across the province. Through the Business Confidence Survey, the Business Prosperity Index, and the Economic Outlook, this report presents a candid look at private sector sentiment and opportunities for economic growth for the year ahead. CLICK HERE.

Ontario Government’s move to make province Open for Business is the correct course of action: Sault Chamber
October 24, 2018 - The Ontario government's announcement of the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, was welcomed by the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce and by the wider provincial Chamber network. The proposed legislation includes a repeal of some of the most cumbersome and economically-challenging aspects of Bill 148. The new legislation would also see the dissolution of the Ontario College of Trades and improvements to the journeyperson-to-apprentice ratio. CLICK HERE.

Sault Chamber applauds a proposal that would open bidding and tendering opportunities for local businesses
December 19, 2018 - The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce is applauding the Ontario government's proposal to explicitly deem public bodies, including municipalities, school boards, hospitals, colleges and universities, as "non-construction employers". CLICK HERE.