Welcome to the Latest Advocacy in Action Newsletter

This newsletter will inform you of how the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce is actively working to advocate for your business. 
York Region Business Coalition
The Vaughan Chamber of Commerce has announced the formation of the York Region Business Coalition (YRBC), which was officially launched on November 15 th 2019, at RedCrest.

Headed by the Vaughan and Newmarket Chambers of Commerce, this powerhouse coalition will create a concentrated and centralized regional effort to work with government to find solutions to the problems faced by companies in both Vaughan and across York Region.

See the Full Media Release here .
Fall Economic Statement Event
The Vaughan Chamber also hosted the Fall Economic Statement event at RedCrest, in partnership with CN. Members heard from 7 Ministers from across York Region, including 5 Cabinet Ministers.

The Ministers in attendance were:
  • Hon. Christine Elliot MPP -Deputy Premier of Ontario & Minister of Health
  • Hon. Stephen Lecce MPP - Minister of Education
  • Hon. Caroline Mulroney MPP - Minister of Transportation
  • Hon. Paul Calandra MPP - Government House Leader
  • Hon. Michael Tibollo MPP - Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
  • Michael Parsa MPP - Parliamentary Assistant to the President of the Treasury Board
  • Gila Martow MPP - Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Francophone Affairs

Each Minister outlined how the Fall Economic Statement would affect their respective portfolios. With MPPs Daisy Wai and Logan Kanapathi also in the audience, there were a total of nine York Region MPPs present. This event allowed the Vaughan Chamber to develop a successful dialogue with the government to emphasize the concerns of businesses. To read the full Fall Economic Statement and what implications it has for your business, follow the link below.
Manufacturing Council

On November 1 st , Northern Transformer hosted the first in a series of Manufacturing Councils. The meeting saw industry leaders come together to deliberate on the most critical challenges facing the manufacturing sector. Among the most prevalent topics discussed were:

  • Skills and Labour shortages
  • Cost of shipping
  •  Transportation and infrastructure development

The Vaughan Chamber will continue to hold these round-tables to understand the needs of industry. The Chamber will then develop a clear action plan to work with government to fix these problems.
Ontario Chamber of Commerce Releases Post Election Report

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has released a report which outlines the commitments the new Federal Government must to fulfill to support Canadian businesses.

Specifically, the Ontario Chamber has requested the Government address the following three issues:

  • Regulation and Taxation
  • Economic Development
  • Infrastructure and Transportation

The Vaughan Chamber will collaborate with the Ontario Chamber to advocate for these issues in Ottawa and ensure government takes action to support industry. Read the full report here .
Recent Advocacy Wins

The Vaughan Chamber has worked on policy initiatives across multiple sectors, below is a snapshot of some of the Advocacy wins we have had.

  • Full Repeal of Bill 148-Through Bill 47
The Making Ontario Open for Business Act provided a full repeal of Bill 148, this repeal keeps the minimum wage at $14 an hour.

  • Alterations to the Journeyperson Trades Program
By lowering the Journeyperson-to-Apprentice Ration to 1-1, it will be easier for trade apprentices to receive their journeyperson status.

  • Bill 50, Cutting Red Tape for Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2018
Bill 50 allows specified auto-dealers to electronically apply for items such as permits and number plates, a common-sense method which simplifies the registration process.