2016, it was a very good year

If you are a regular reader of this page, you’ll have a sense of the type of work we are involved in at the Chamber of Commerce.  As much as the word has taken on some darker undertones in the last few years, we are lobbyists for the business community.  We belong to both the Ontario Chamber and the Canadian Chamber networks and as such are able to voice your concerns at all three levels of Government: Municipal, Provincial and Federal. We employ a full-time Policy Analyst, Sandra Dueck, whose byline you normally see in this space, and who does an amazing job of studying the issues, lobbying the appropriate halls of power, and communicating it all to you here on this page, in her weekly television feature, on our website and on social media. Sandra’s policy work was recognized this year when she was awarded the Staff Person of the Year from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. She is indeed the best in the
country…
Here is a sampling of the policy work completed on your behalf this year:
Four policy resolutions were advanced by the Peterborough Chamber (Policy Resolutions are approved at the Municipal level by our Policy Committee and Board of Directors, at the Provincial level by the delegates to the Ontario Chamber AGM and the Federal level, by the delegates to the Canadian Chamber AGM). They are:
o Federal level

1. Advancing Canadian Competitiveness Using Short Line Rail

• Create a dedicated short line capital funding program that is accessible to all short line companies.
• Establish a tax credit program to assist short line rail companies in making capital investments.
  

    2. Restoring Canada’s Innovation Competitiveness

• Recommendations include the need for a tax credit beyond the SR&ED program.

o Provincial level

1. Recognize the different requirements for apprenticeships in rural communities vs urban communities. 
2. Identify the cost drivers behind electricity prices

• Electricity prices have been a major focus for the Chamber in 2016. Identified as one of the key barriers to business in the province, we have written letters, submitted to the Long-Term Energy Plan consultations, and included our concerns in the “Small Business – Too Big to Ignore” report.  We also recorded a question to the Premier on the Government's hydro strategy, which was chosen and played for the Premier at the annual Ontario Economic Summit.

The Ontario Government picked up an idea from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce called The Red Tape Challenge. The government is now drilling down in six specific sectors including; financial services, food
processing, and automotive parts manufacturing and will also be adding the tourism sector into the mix.
o Locally 

• Established #TeamPtbo, a rallying cry for collaboration amongst Peterborough businesses, economic development partners and government
• Participated on taskforces on agriculture and tourism
• Lobbied for the continuation of the Tax Ratio Reduction program
• Participated in Climate Change Action plan talks and represented the business community on the Sustainable PTBO Business group
• Weighed in on numerous issues of importance to local business through letters, columns, and media commentary

Looking forward we see tremendous opportunity for Peterborough in 2017, including:

• Trent Research and Innovation Park, which will begin construction and already has its first tenant in NobleGEN.
• Tourism will feature prominently.  With Canada’s 150th birthday the Trent Severn Waterway is waving it’s fees for 2017, providing a tremendous opportunity to showcase the waterway and all of the surrounding tourism infrastructure. 
• Venture North, the new business hub in the downtown core which brings together key economic development agencies under one roof - #TeamPtbo.
• VIA Rail and the recently announced proposal to introduce daily commuter rail service between Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Peterborough and Toronto. This is all pending federal Government approval, but hopes are high.

The Chamber will continue its core work by continuing to lobby for a level playing field for business, and
offering specific programming for the local business community such as our Power Hour, PBX, Trade Shows, Next Level and Leaders Lunches, all designed to Strengthen Business.

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