This week on the Voice of Business was a step in the right direction for the future growth and development of Peterborough. Siddhartha Nath, Consul General of India, held his first meeting outside of the GTA. Joel Wiebe, our VP of Operations & Government Relations and Sarah Budd, our President & CEO were present and led this open discussion.
Consul Nath was hosted by Mayor Jeff Leal and CAO Jasbir Raina on behalf of the City and Warden Bonnie Clark on behalf of the County. They were joined by a group of local businesses for a discussion on economic partnerships with India.

Our focus of this meeting was to foster the relationship between the consulate of India and Peterborough. There were many issues discussed at this meeting.  Several concerns were raised around the cap on international students and its impact on local postsecondary educational institutions as well as recruitment for local businesses, including long-term care homes. With a staffing shortage like this, we are risking the quality of service that goes into taking care of our growing elderly population.

The Chamber voiced the need for a strong relationship with India. Many businesses rely on bringing new Indo-Canadian workers to maintain their staffing numbers. Local businesses are relying on recruiting workers from India for roles like IT. With the shortage of international students, this could in turn lead to a staffing shortage.

After the concerns were voiced by local businesses, Mayor Jeff Leal and Bonnie Clarke voiced their proactive solutions to Siddhartha. Leal emphasized the need to increase the visibility of Peterborough and let others know about the advantages of Peterborough. Clark reiterated that we need to work more with the Indian government to show what Peterborough can offer and form more economic partnerships.
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Nath responded to the Leal’s and Clarks comments stating that he would work within the consulate to address our community concerns and conduct further investment promotion for Peterborough. Nath also stated the importance of reaching out to the Indian Consulate if there were any more concerns. Finally, the echoing message was “If we want to see Peterborough grow, we need more investment and investment” said Leal and furthermore, a strong relationship with the consulate of India can help facilitate this.
 
 
 
 

An average of eight people die every day in Ontario from drug poisonings. That’s 3,000 people every year.
 
It’s an issue affecting communities across Ontario.
 
The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce is echoing the comments of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) in its latest policy primer Beyond Emergency Declarations: Charting Ontario’s Course Through the Substance Use and Overdose Crisis.
 
In fact, our local chamber is leading a new Chamber working group under the OCC involving chambers of commerce and boards of trade from across the province to share best practices and find meaningful solutions to one of the biggest issues we’re dealing with.
 
In a press release about the new policy primer, OCC President and CEO Daniel Tisch says:
“Businesses across Ontario find themselves near the frontlines of an evolving social crisis that they are ill-equipped to manage. With rising security costs and dwindling customer traffic, they see risk to their employees, their customers, and their future. Our report also highlights high fatality rates in some sectors, such as construction. Without urgent action, our province faces devastating, long-term socio-economic harm.”
 
The goal as stated in the report is to frame the ongoing conversation about addiction management by simplifying the complex narrative surrounding substance use, bridging the knowledge gap among stakeholders and emphasizing the need for evidence-based, community-informed solutions that prioritize public health principles, prevent mortality, and improve recovery outcomes.
 
The report itself is only seven pages and packed with good information. It’s well worth a read, but I’ll pull out a few key points.
 
Peterborough is well above average in our number of opioid deaths. While Ontario averages 17.6 deaths per 100,000 people, Peterborough sits at 53.2. All of those with higher rates are in Northern Ontario in places like Thunder Bay, Timmins and Sudbury. The report notes that addictions issues are hitting northern, rural and First Nations communities particularly hard.
 
There is a lot of context when it comes to which communities are dealing with significant issues. For example, the issue in First Nations communities is magnified by the effects of colonization and residential schools as well as issues like inadequate housing and poor access to clean water. Access to healthcare and addictions services have a big impact on addictions and mental health issues, something that also creates more barriers in more rural communities.  
 
Seeing Peterborough with three times the opioid toxicity mortality rate of the provincial average is humbling. Our community is hurting. It’s hitting our families, our workplaces, and our friends.
 
Simranzeet Singh Vig, Senior Policy Analyst at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, sums things up well:
“Collaboration between industry, government, healthcare leaders and community organizations is paramount. We believe that through improved data collection that enables direct comparisons of provincial outcomes, Ontario and other jurisdictions can learn from one another and mitigate the impacts on our communities.”
 
The report ends with three recommendations which are themselves merely the next steps in this discussion:
 
Ontario stands at a pivotal juncture in confronting the substance use and overdose crisis. While stakeholders welcomed provincial commitments in the Roadmap to Wellness Plan and additional investments in Ontario’s Addictions Recovery Fund, Ontario’s strategy must better engage and reflect the concerns of businesses and local communities, who find themselves at or near the frontlines of the crisis. Actions should include:
 
1. A review of the operating procedures and practices of existing interventions to reduce the unintended harm that can be caused to communities, while ensuring the crisis is managed through a public health approach that prevents mortality, improves recovery outcomes, reduces stigma and respects the dignity of all people.
 
2. Improved data collection that enables direct comparisons of provincial outcomes to ensure that Ontario and other jurisdictions can learn from one another.
 
3. Support for both a strategy and a culture of collaboration – with industry, government, healthcare, and community organizations working together to mitigate the impacts of this crisis on people and communities everywhere.
​

​Chambers of commerce are your local voice of business. We meet with businesses, non-profits, charities, governments, and local stakeholders to identify barriers to economic growth and opportunities and push for that change.
 
While the issues vary between chambers and the communities they serve, they are far more similar than different. As a result, we work well together to take local grassroots ideas and issues and amplify them as an advocacy effort to municipalities, the provincial and federal governments, as well as other industry associations.
 
Most of the 1,000 members of the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce do not have the resources to employ professional policy analysts and economists to research and draft effective policy proposals nor do they have the resources to hire government relations specialists and lobbyists to bring it to the attention of decision-makers.
 
That’s where the chamber network comes in. Across Canada there are more than 400 chambers and boards of trade working with 200,000 businesses to amplify the local issues that affect business across the country.
 
Recently, chambers from across Ontario met for our annual convention and policy debate. There we discussed, debated, and ultimately approved 28 new policy resolutions on behalf of businesses across the province, including three submitted by our chamber. This brings our total to 103 policy resolutions in our 2024-2027 compendium. If you want to see what chambers are advocating for, click the link! We have recommendations spanning everything from student housing to training people to work on electric vehicles to investments in life sciences. These policy resolutions are all topics we feel are relevant to businesses across Ontario. They are now a focal point for advocacy not just for the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, but all of us local chambers.
 
Here are the summaries of our additions to this year’s policy compendium:
 
Enforcing fair property tax ratios
 
Issue
Businesses in Ontario pay much higher property tax rates than residents, despite using fewer services. The Ontario Municipal Act requires municipalities to tax commercial and industrial properties at a ratio of 0.6 to 1.1, but many municipalities have no plans to comply.

 
Recommendations
 
That the Ontario Chamber of Commerce urge the Government of Ontario to:
 
Enforce existing property taxation ratios set out in the Ontario Municipal Act Reg. 386/98: Tax Matters – Allowable Ranges for Tax Ratios by withholding provincial support — including access to provincial funding streams — to municipalities that:

1. are not taxing commercial and industrial properties at the required rates or
2. are not actively transitioning to the required rates based on a plan that specifies gradual decreases on a timeline approved by the Province.

 
Making Ontario more competitive for permanent residency
 
Issue
Ontario is less competitive than other provinces when it comes to approving permanent residency for new Canadians. This impacts our ability to attract talent at a time when we desperately need to increase our workforce.
 
Recommendations
That the Ontario Chamber of Commerce urge the Government of Ontario to:
 
Make Ontario more competitive for securing permanent residency by:

1. Tailoring the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program to target candidates who fall outside the federal criteria with an emphasis on those already working in Ontario, including establishing a program for those with long-term work experience in Ontario as a pathway to residency.
2. Reducing employment criteria barriers, including:
   1. Providing clarity on what NOC codes will be invited in the future or eliminating the requirement to select a specific job or occupation from a list altogether.
   2. Lowering the revenue requirement and requirements for a specific number of employees for businesses to allow for smaller businesses to sponsor permanent residents.
3. Opening up the Student Job Offer Stream program to students in one-year programs.
4. Improving the functionality of the OINP website, providing a more up-to-date and user-friendly experience.

 
Maximizing Growth in Built Areas
 
Issue
Historic downtowns in cities across Ontario are full of underused mixed-use buildings. These multi-storey buildings have commercial space on the bottom and un- or under-used residential space in the upper floors. Inquiring about updating to once again have people living in these buildings can trigger expensive inspection processes on buildings that were built long before building, fire, and accessibility codes. Those that do try to develop these spaces are often met with unrealistic costs to meet heritage preservation and accessibility regulations, leaving empty housing in the heart of our towns and cities.
 
Recommendations
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce urges the Government of Ontario to:
 
1. Designate the Downtown Revitalization Program be used for a pilot project that allows private building owners and municipal officials to study and assess, using an independent consultant and without punitive action, the needs of a building or series of buildings in a downtown core.
 
2. Implement a policy for municipalities that will allow for the redevelopment of upper floors of aging mixed-use downtown buildings for use as residences that takes a fiscally responsible approach to heritage preservation and accessibility standards.

​There is a topic that is often not discussed or planned for until late in the process – succession.
 
Here at the Chamber of Commerce we often have conversations with businesses who are thinking about selling their business. It’s something that has hit them fairly recently. They’re tired. The last few years have been a lot. They want to look after their mental and physical health. They’re getting older and want to spend time traveling and hanging out with the grandkids. It’s all understandable and, frankly, they’ve earned it after years of long hours, high stress, and financial risks.
 
The problem is they’re tired right now. They’re hoping to get out some time in the next 12 months or so.
 
There’s a new report on this subject from the Northern Policy Institute in partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Société Économique de l’Ontario called Taking Care of Business: The State of Business Succession and Planning in Ontario.
 
The report’s survey found that 73% of business owners do not have a succession plan in place, even though the leaders of many organizations plan to sell or retire soon. Most business owners report planning to sell or retire in the next 15 years.
 
From Taking Care of Business: The State of Business Succession and Planning in Ontario:
Business Owners’ Responses to “Do you have a succession plan in place?”
-I don’t know/prefer not to answer: 9%
-No, we do not have a succession plan in place nor have one in the process of being created: 44%
-No, but it is in the process of being created: 29%
-Yes, one is completed: 18%
 
The transition of business ownership represents both opportunity and risk. Established businesses provide a strong platform for someone to continue to grow. But poorly planned succession can be a mess.
 
The report notes that one-third of business owners who plan to sell or retire in the next five years do not have a succession plan in place or are in the process of creating one. Organizations who are not anticipating a change of leadership are far less prepared. Smaller businesses are typically less prepared, despite being more likely to undergo leadership change.
 
There is a cost to putting off planning for change, as stated in the report:
“Poorly managed succession can lead to worse organizational performance and lost business value. This can result in reduced economic growth, job losses for employees, and reduced options for consumers. Therefore, increasing the number of businesses that adequately plan for succession will be crucial to ensuring that Ontario’s successful existing businesses continue to provide employment opportunities, goods and services, and economic growth even as their current leadership departs.”
 
While we typically talk about succession planning as it relates to retirement, which is a big component of it, businesses change hands for multiple reasons. Some move on for a change of scenery, but there are also unexpected and unforeseen changes due to health issues, death, family needs, financial issues, business partnership breakdowns, etc. Having a plan on the books will go a long way to making that transition process go more smoothly.
 
Good planning will help preserve local businesses and create a stronger local economy. If you or your organization are interested in planning for changes in leadership and ownership, your local Chamber of Commerce can help make some recommendations on local businesses with succession expertise. The best time to plan for the future is now.

Guest Column by Daniel Tisch, President & CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
 
 
After 18 months as federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre spoke last week to a local Chamber of Commerce for the first time.
 
As he took the stage in Vancouver, he was eager to explain why it took him so long.
 
Poilievre began by noting that he had spoken more than 100 times on shop floors and to union locals. That was good to hear — even refreshing. He deserves credit for that effort.
 
But then he dropped the punchline, and it wasn’t kind to his hosts. The real reason he stays away from business audiences, he said, is because of “utterly useless” corporate lobbyists focused on “getting lunches with ministers” and “showing off their latest ESG brochure.”
 
Poilievre created a caricature of “politicians and CEOs working together for their own interest.”
 
He’s not alone.
 
In Ottawa, business-bashing is part of the populist playbook — right across the political spectrum. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently slammed a media company for its “garbage decision” to make cuts and layoffs after a $40 million operating loss. His government has imposed new taxes and costs on banks and tech companies because, well, they’re banks and tech companies.
 
New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh routinely blames “corporate greed” for rising prices. He recently accused retailers of “ripping people off” — as if the high inflation, wage settlements and supply chain disruptions of recent years never happened.
 
Are concerns about high prices legitimate? Yes. Should business leaders be asked hard questions? Absolutely. Should their policy prescriptions be challenged and debated? Of course. Will anyone shed tears for big companies? No.
 
It’s a dangerous game, however, when political leaders traffic in anger, stereotyping and scapegoating of any group or institution. It might garner a few votes, but it won’t move us forward as a nation.
 
Canada has serious challenges: lagging productivity. Skills and labour shortages. An overloaded and disjointed health-care system. Insufficient investment in climate and clean technology infrastructure. And much more.
 
These challenges are too wicked for government to solve alone. While government’s job is to set the agenda and make the rules, it’s a huge error for political leaders not to engage the financial, human, intellectual and relationship capital of the private sector.
 
Does business want to be part of the solution? You bet. That, too, earned a rebuke from Mr. Poilievre. He criticized business leaders because “they want to get along with everybody” and urged them to “stop sucking up to the people who are doing the damage to our country.”
 
But it’s not the role of business leaders to get partisan, or to help opposition leaders get elected. Business leaders need to work with government — no matter who is in government.
 
This is particularly true today, in an era when none of the major federal party leaders have a business background. That’s not a criticism; they bring other skills and qualities to the table.
 
But it does mean business and political leaders need to reset their relationship, and to approach one another with fewer assumptions, and more humility; with less rhetoric, and more dialogue; and with less theatre, and more collaboration and co-creation.
 
In last week’s speech, Poilievre also told his audience that he favours a “bottom-up free enterprise agenda” — i.e., an agenda rooted in the needs of enterprising businesspeople, not politicians in Ottawa. He was wise to speak at a Chamber of Commerce, because there’s no more “bottom-up” business organization in our nation today. In every town, city or province in Canada, from heartland to hinterland, the vast majority of Chamber members are small businesses. They want their chambers to work with Poilievre, Trudeau and Singh — just as they do successfully with all our provincial leaders.
 
Canada needs political and business leaders to work together in a spirit of goodwill, reflecting the shared interests of businesses, workers and communities. It’s time to rebuild that spirit.

Ontario is less competitive than other provinces when it comes to approving permanent residency for new Canadians. This impacts our ability to attract talent at a time when we desperately need to increase our workforce, especially in Peterborough and the Kawarthas where unemployment remains well below the national average.
 
We have put forward a policy resolution for the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to add pressure to our provincial government to take a look at the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program and rework it to help employers attract and retain talent.
 
Ontario offers a lot for prospective new Canadians in terms of job opportunities and multicultural communities, but it has become less competitive when it comes to getting permanent residency.
 
For many people here on student and work visas, securing permanent residency is a major source of anxiety. Fear of not being accepted before their visas expire is driving people to other provinces that increase their chances of success.
 
Labour markets are softening, but access to labour remains one of the biggest barriers to business. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce 2023 Ontario Economic Report found businesses reported investing in workforce development to be their second highest policy priority.
 
The slowing economy is likely to ease labour pressure, but the slew of impending retirements will further increase demand.
 
While unemployment increased in the second half of 2023, BDC reports that it’s because the active working population grew with about 430,000 jobs being created between January and November of 2023.
 
As much as Ontario has to offer newcomers, lack of access to housing and the rising cost of living are increasingly becoming barriers. Add this to the fact that other provinces make it easier to gain permanent residency while offering lower living costs and Ontario is increasingly becoming less attractive.
 
Currently, the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) points system offers similar criteria to the Federal Express Entry program, which does not set the Province apart nor is it helpful for the candidates who fall outside the scope of the federal program. Our province should be targeting those who fall outside the federal criteria, especially if they are currently working or have a job offer in Ontario.
 
There is a lack of clarity on what National Occupation Codes (NOC) will be invited in the future, pushing people from certain professions to other provinces that are more likely to sponsor them. Additionally, provinces like Alberta have had success by removing the requirement to select a specific job or occupation from a list, opening up more opportunities for new Canadians to work in any job or business sector.
 
We have small and microbusinesses in Ontario that have a desire to sponsor new residents, but their business does not meet financial requirements. In the Greater Toronto Area, sponsoring businesses must have five employees and $1 million in revenue. Outside the GTA that drops to three employees and $500,000 in revenue. This financial threshold especially impacts small family businesses from immigrant communities.
 
Some candidates for residency have been working in Ontario for years with programs like the Labour Market Impact Assessment, but still do not qualify for residency here. Others are here studying for in-demand vocations like personal support workers, but don’t qualify for the Student Job Offer stream because their program is less than two years.
 
It has been pointed out by a number of industry professionals that the online application system is not as user-friendly as it could be, especially when those trying to apply may have language barriers, technology barriers, and slow internet connections.
 
Ontario needs to make some strategic changes to its approach to immigration and sponsoring candidates for permanent residency.
 
Recommendations
We recommend the Government of Ontario:
 
Make Ontario more competitive for securing permanent residency by:

1. Tailoring the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program to target candidates who fall outside the federal criteria with an emphasis on those already working in Ontario, including establishing a program for those with long-term work experience in Ontario as a pathway to residency.
2. Reducing employment criteria barriers, including:
   1. Providing clarity on what NOC codes will be invited in the future or eliminating the requirement to select a specific job or occupation from a list altogether.
   2. Lowering the revenue requirement and requirements for a specific number of employees for businesses to allow for smaller businesses to sponsor permanent residents.
3. Opening up the Student Job Offer Stream program to students in one-year programs.
4. Improving the functionality of the OINP website, providing a more up-to-date and user-friendly experience.

 

​Businesses in Ontario pay much higher property tax rates than residents, despite using fewer services. The Ontario Municipal Act requires municipalities to tax commercial and industrial properties at a ratio of 0.6 to 1.1, but many municipalities have no plans to comply.
 
For 2024, the City of Peterborough moved to increase its business tax ratio from 1.5 to 1.65, shifting added tax burden onto the business community in order to minimize the rate increase for homeowners. This trend is causing concern among businesses across Ontario.
 
The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce has put together a policy resolution on this tilted “Enforcing fair property tax ratios” that we have submitted to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC). It will go to the membership to debate and vote on in April, at which point approved resolutions become part of the advocacy efforts of the OCC for the next three years.
 
Our resolution:
 
Commercial and Industrial property taxes in Ontario municipalities are calculated based on a ratio of what residential property owners pay. For example, if a municipality has a commercial tax ratio of 1.75, commercial property owners are paying 175% what a resident is paying for the same amount of property tax assessment.
 
The Ontario Municipal Act Reg. 386/98: Tax Matters – Allowable Ranges for Tax Ratios sets an allowable range for property tax on commercial and industrial properties at 0.6 to 1.1.
 
A quick look at tax ratios from a selection of municipalities from across Ontario from 2023 demonstrates that this range is not being followed:
 
                Commercial        Industrial
Barrie                    1.43       1.51
Milton                   1.46       2.09
Peterborough    1.5         1.5
Brantford             1.75       2.25
Guelph                  1.84       2.2
North Bay            1.88       1.4
Woodstock         1.9         2.63
Sudbury               1.91       3.45
Belleville               1.92       2.4
Kingston              1.98       2.63
Thunder Bay       1.98       2.37
Clarington           1.98       2.49
Sarnia                    2.02       2.4
Niagara Falls       2.15       2.95
Sault Ste. Marie 2.31       4.38
 
Municipalities are coming under increasing financial pressure due to factors that include inflation in everything from capital projects to wages, increased demand for services, and an increased role in areas like public health and homelessness. Despite this pressure coming from a variety of sources, they essentially have one tool for raising the funds to do it — property taxes.
 
More financial pressure on municipalities is leading them to further increase tax ratios to the benefit of residents at the expense of the business community.
 
The City of Peterborough spent a decade lowering its commercial and industrial tax ratios to 1.5, achieving that several years ago. This year it voted to increase the tax ratios to 1.65, shifting $3 million in taxation from residents to businesses. Businesses in the City of Peterborough will on average pay 22% more in property tax in 2024.
 
Similar stories are playing out across Ontario and businesses cannot continue to bear the brunt of property taxation on behalf of residents. Businesses use fewer services but are expected to pay significantly more for them.
 
It is clear Reg. 386/98 of the Ontario Municipal Act has no teeth. Municipalities across Ontario have been charging property tax ratios well outside the allowable range for decades with no plans to change. The Government of Ontario needs to put some teeth in the act and hold non-complying municipalities to account.
 
Recommendations
 
That the Ontario Chamber of Commerce urge the Government of Ontario to:
 
Enforce existing property taxation ratios set out in the Ontario Municipal Act Reg. 386/98: Tax Matters – Allowable Ranges for Tax Ratios by withholding provincial support — including access to provincial funding streams — to municipalities that:

1. are not taxing commercial and industrial properties at the required rates or
2. are not actively transitioning to the required rates based on a plan that specifies gradual decreases on a timeline approved by the Province.

 

​Consumer behaviours have changed and with it the landscape for small businesses across Canada. It’s important to step back and have a look at what’s happening in the industry.
 
A new report from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab titled A Portrait of Small Business in Canada: Adaption, Agility, All At Once does just that.
 
Small business is the backbone of the economy, making up 98% of businesses in Canada, employing 11 million people. Small businesses are considered businesses with 1 to 99 employees. Within that designation, micro businesses (1 to 4 employees) are by far the most common with the median small business having fewer than five employees.
 
The report states: “This underscores the importance of improving our understanding of the business realities of all small firms, but especially micro firms, while ensuring that adequate financial, operational and regulatory support measures boost the resilience of small and micro businesses for the sake of Canada’s economy. Put simply, the survival of micro firms is a macroeconomic issue for Canada.”
 
The report also looks into the realities, challenges, and opportunities for small businesses owned by women, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ2s+ community, immigrants to Canada, Indigenous peoples, and visible minorities.
 
For example, immigrants make up 25.5% of all private sector businesses, well above their 23% representation in Canada’s population. However, within this, immigrants are less likely to own larger businesses.
 
Progress was made in recent years with women having more opportunity through flexible work arrangements, leading to more women in in-demand work at higher pay. While government programming aims to increase access to childcare, the transition back to the physical workspace is threatening to scale back progress for women.
 
Majority ownership of private sector small businesses in Canada, by underrepresented/equity-seeking groups.
• Immigrant to Canada – 25.5% of businesses/23% of population
• Visible Minority – 19.2% of businesses/26.5% of population
• Women – 17.8% of businesses/50.9% of population
• LGBTQ2s+ – 3.3% of businesses/4% of population
• Persons with a disability – 2.2 of businesses/22% of population
• Indigenous – 2.2% of businesses/5% of population
 
When looking at the situation for small businesses, Business Data Lab notes many of the problems they faced prior to the pandemic persisted or were exacerbated during it. They found the smaller the firm, the bigger the problems. Smaller businesses faced more significant revenue declines, worse debt constraints, and have more difficulties adopting new technologies.
 
Workforce challenges also hit small businesses the hardest. While large businesses increased their employment numbers by 26% and medium businesses by 13% from January 2020 to July 2023, small businesses had no growth registering a 0% increase in employment.
The report itself has a lot more insight and information and is worth a read.
 
While vulnerable, our small and micro businesses remain nimble. Investing in digital will help, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
 
The report notes: “With one era of global upheaval in our rearview and another with as many uncertainties ahead, a bright light from the data is the nimbleness of small businesses. However, even with their impressive resilience, agility and adaptability in leveraging the appropriate technologies to stay connected with customers and to streamline their operations, the reality is that small businesses remain strapped for funding, resources and exposure.”
 
It’s imperative that we invest in our local small businesses — it goes a long way to building a stronger, more resilient local economy.
 

The Canadian government has decided to take on the growing housing crisis in the country. They’re first target was aimed at the international students entering Canada.
The recent announcement from Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller regarding the cap of international students in the 2024 caught many by surprise, including the two local post-secondary institutions located right here in the Kawarthas.
Fleming College President Maureen Adamson didn’t hide her disappointment while speaking to the Chamber of Commerce shortly after the announcement.
“This will have a sweeping impact on our region,” stated Adamson, adding this will be a loss of $100 million to Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
The Canadian government declared a two-year cap on student permits to international students in 2024; only approving 360,000 in total – a decrease of 35 percent from 2023.
This move, he said, is an attempt to ease the strain on the housing crisis in Canada and to weed out what he calls, “bad actors” applying for spots in our Colleges and Universities.
Adamson is expecting a 50 per cent drop in international student enrolment for Fleming, and she stated it will be “a staggering loss” to Peterborough, Lindsay and Haliburton.
Currently, approximately 1,000 international students are enrolled at Fleming College across their Peterborough, Lindsay and Haliburton campuses. And approximately 4,000 students are enrolled at their campus in Toronto.
And many of those students, she adds, are filling in the gaps in Ontario’s labour market. Sectors like, health care, social assistance, hospitality, and the trades sector will all be affected by this cap.
“International students that come to Ontario are essential to bringing in top talent for key sectors of the workforce, here in our area and across the province.  They usually come with a diploma or degree and are ready to move quickly into the labour market.”  Stated Adamson in a statement.
The Council of Ontario Universities also released a statement, stating they are “disappointed” with the cap on international student permits. They added in their statement that this decision, “it may have unintended consequences for the sector and for international students.”
Ontario Colleges and Universities have yet to hear how the 2024 permits will be divided among the provinces by the Ontario Government.
Trent University sent the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber a comment; stating that with all the information they have currently:
“Trent University is currently reviewing the Government of Canada’s announcement regarding international student permits, and supports the position taken by the Council of Ontario Universities. Trent has been a responsible player in the postsecondary sector, preparing for growth in domestic and international enrolment for some time, and basing international student enrolment on the unique needs of our communities and regional labour market demands. The international students who come to Trent bring enormous advantages to our campuses and beyond, introducing highly-skilled, worldly talent, and bridging cultures in ways that benefit our local economies and our communities as a whole. We take a measured and sustainable approach to international enrolment and none of Trent’s degrees, certificates or programs operate through public-private partnerships. Currently, there are 2,799 international students enrolled at Trent (20% of total enrolment).”
 
The university assures they will release updates when more information becomes available to them. 
 

​More than 100 local business and community leaders gathered at Market Hall last week for a chance to discuss business issues with Minister Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board of Canada.
 
It was an opportunity to raise concerns and address pressing issues to someone in the inner circle on Parliament Hill, a discussion that hopefully leads to stronger public policy.
 
The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce as well as our colleagues at the Ontario and Canadian Chambers of Commerce regularly meet with and voice our concerns to our elected leaders, but it’s important that we aren’t the only voices they hear from. While we do our research to understand a variety of issues — we don’t know it like those who work with it day in and day out.
 
As chambers, we can appreciate that the best solutions come at the grassroots level from local business, non-profits, charities, and community-minded people. Our own policy and advocacy process is built on grassroots advocacy. We take local discussions and issues raised by businesses and organizations and turn that into advocacy policy that we then bring to the provincial and national levels. It’s a direct pipeline to our elected leaders.
 
But the chamber advocacy process is just one part. We strive to provide opportunities for local business and community leaders to directly talk with their government leaders. Events like the discussion with Minister Anand allow the decision makers to hear the concerns and creative solutions directly from those experiencing them. Opportunities like this are a key part of the Chamber’s role in the community.
 
We have plans for quite a few upcoming opportunities. Power Hour, a signature annual Chamber event, is returning on Friday, February 23. This event features a discussion with the Warden of the County of Peterborough, the Mayor of the City of Peterborough, our provincial Member of Parliament, and our federal Member of Parliament. Attendees can submit questions ahead of time or write them down during the event.
 
In 2024, we are planning events with as many of our local elected leaders as we can, including a Warden’s breakfast scheduled for April 19 and another breakfast with several township mayors planned for June.
 
On top of these public events, we hold regular roundtable discussions. These events are typically a smaller group of 10 – 20 businesses and organizations with interest in a particular topic. We have a few coming up in the next couple weeks, including one on skilled trades and another on Employment Insurance. Our aim is to keep the groups small enough to be able to have a meaningful and candid conversation with the government representatives on hand. To do this, we do have to limit numbers and offer space by invitation-only. If you’re a Chamber member interested in being part of these conversations, let me know.
 
In addition to discussions directly with government representatives, we work with chambers across Canada where businesses are dealing with similar issues to work together on our efforts for change.
 
Together, we have a stronger voice in addressing the issues and opportunities that will help our communities thrive.