Breaking News - Tariff Support - The Chamber is your source for Tariff Updates. Check out our page for the latest Tariff Resources, SUpport & Events
Peterborough + Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Host a Chamber Event
    • Monthly >
      • The Business Exchange (TBX)
      • ChamberAM
      • Not-for-Profit Group (NFP)
    • Annual >
      • Luminary Awards
      • Seniors Showcase
      • PK Excellence
    • Campaigns and Connections >
      • Sales Lead Network
      • 26 Coffees
      • #lovelocalptbokawarthas campaign
    • 26 Coffees Program
  • Membership
    • Join Us
    • Benefits >
      • Chambers Plan
    • Profile and Sponsorships
    • Resources
    • Members Only
  • News
    • Voice of Business Podcast
    • Voice of Business
    • The Business Beat
    • Subscribe to e-Newsletter
  • Resource Hub
  • Directory
  • Advocacy
    • Policy Resolutions
    • Advocacy at Work
    • Advocacy Wins
    • Subscribe to e-Newsletter
  • Breaking News - Tariff Support
    • Updates
    • Resources
    • Support
    • Trade Analytics
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Host a Chamber Event
    • Monthly >
      • The Business Exchange (TBX)
      • ChamberAM
      • Not-for-Profit Group (NFP)
    • Annual >
      • Luminary Awards
      • Seniors Showcase
      • PK Excellence
    • Campaigns and Connections >
      • Sales Lead Network
      • 26 Coffees
      • #lovelocalptbokawarthas campaign
    • 26 Coffees Program
  • Membership
    • Join Us
    • Benefits >
      • Chambers Plan
    • Profile and Sponsorships
    • Resources
    • Members Only
  • News
    • Voice of Business Podcast
    • Voice of Business
    • The Business Beat
    • Subscribe to e-Newsletter
  • Resource Hub
  • Directory
  • Advocacy
    • Policy Resolutions
    • Advocacy at Work
    • Advocacy Wins
    • Subscribe to e-Newsletter
  • Breaking News - Tariff Support
    • Updates
    • Resources
    • Support
    • Trade Analytics

What Peterborough businesses would like to see in budget 2018

3/22/2018

 
Picture
This coming Wednesday, March 28th, the 2018 provincial budget will be delivered in the Ontario legislature.   Earlier this year the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to Finance Minister Charles Sousa and Peterborough MPP and Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Minister Responsible for Small Business Jeff Leal highlighting three priority areas for Peterborough business.
  1. Helping businesses transition under Bill 148 legislation
  2. Public transportation projects that ensure economic competitiveness 
  3. Encouraging strong and healthy communities by encouraging strong municipalities

Helping businesses transition under Bill 148
This provincial budget cycle is of particular importance to many of our Chamber members as it will be the first budget with the opportunity to implement cost mitigation measures around significant legislative changes to the Employment Standards and Labour Relations Acts.  It is anticipated that the impact of these changes will be felt for some time, possibly up to two years.  As a result, businesses will require transitional help as was given after the approval to move to a Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

For example:
  • Introduce a two year tax credit program that allows employers to recoup up to 32% of costs (e.g. Human Resources, legal consultants, increased accountant time, etc…) as a result of Bill 148.
  • Allow Enforcement Officers to issue warnings - as opposed to fines - for first time offenders on infractions related to the changes legislated in Bill 148.
  • Establish a ‘Reward the Good Players’ approach to recognize employers who have consistently demonstrated positive employment and labour practices.
  • For new legislation that shows an economic impact to small business or employers develop a framework for a defined implementation time frame.

Public transportation projects that ensure economic competitiveness
For Peterborough one of these projects is upgraded freight and passenger rail. In the past decade, the Ontario government has contributed to engineering studies and we thank them again for those investments.  Currently, the provincial government is a partner with the federal government on a freight rail
analysis for the Peterborough-Toronto-Havelock-Blue Mountain line.  We encourage timely analysis around this project as freight considerations were part of the afore mentioned engineering study and the current VIA Rail proposal that is before the federal government.

An upgraded rail line through the heart of southern Ontario along with the upcoming completion of the 407 extension to the 35/115 will offer significant economic benefits to the province as a whole and to eastern Ontario in particular.

Encouraging strong and healthy communities by encouraging strong municipalities
The Peterborough Chamber is a proponent of a request to increase the ‘Heads and Beds Levy’.  The current rate of $75 has not been adjusted in 30 years and we believe that increasing it to $100 and then attaching any future increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will help municipalities and more closely reflect the cost of providing services.

We thank Minister Leal for his response to a previous request to increase the heads and beds levy and agree that while uploading to the province has resulted in savings to the municipality, more can be done.  The heads and beds levy is one that gets at the heart of municipal challenges – cost of infrastructure and providing services to residents.  A rate that has not been adjusted in 30 years may not be reflective of the current requirements and is worth re-examining.

Peterborough businesses are looking for a province that is flexible and able to anticipate changes in the marketplace in a way that doesn’t slow down the economic wheel, but rather improves its efficiency and function, so that Ontario reaps the benefits.

The Peterborough Chamber will have post-budget reaction and identify the pieces important to Peterborough. Earlier this week the Lieutenant-Governor delivered a speech from the throne.  The speech provided a general overview of the government's policy commitments around the theme of 'care' rather than specific details.

Recap of Throne Speech - Ontario Chamber of Commerce Rapid Policy Update

Throne Speech

Comments are closed.

    Author

    The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce acts as a catalyst to enhance business growth, opportunity, innovation, partnerships and a diverse business community. 

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce.  ​All rights reserved.
175 George Street North, Peterborough, ON, K9J 3G6
Phone: (705) 748-9771  |  (705) 743-2331  
Home    |    Calendar    |   Site Map   |    Privacy    |    Accessibility
Join the Chamber
Picture
MemberClicks