THUNDER BAY – Business – Representatives of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, Jim Stadley and Chamber President Charla Robinson have just returned from a successful meeting of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in Sarnia.
The two-day conference included presentations by all three Provincial Party leaders, as well as discussion and debate on a broad range of provincial issues that are impacting businesses including competitiveness, infrastructure, skills, and taxation.
The most animated discussion revolved around Ontario’s new Cap & Trade program, as delegates came together in support of a resolution, co-sponsored by the Thunder Bay, Windsor-Essex, Greater Kingston, Greater Kitchener Waterloo, Greater Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie, North Bay & District and Timmins Chambers of Commerce, to suspend Cap & Trade at this time, with appropriate cost mitigation to affected businesses. Should suspension not occur, the Chamber encourages the mitigation of risks of the Cap and Trade system on industry to ensure competitiveness.
The Thunder Bay Chamber also led the discussion and adoption of resolutions outlining the need for Employment Ontario eligibility to expand to include post-secondary students, and recommending significant changes to the Ontario Energy Board hearing process to improve accessibility.
“We are very pleased to have garnered Ontario Chamber support for issues that are of great importance to Thunder Bay business. We will continue to lead the way as we work with colleagues from across the Province to have our voice heard by Government,” said Charla Robinson, Thunder Bay Chamber President.
The Annual Meeting also included an awards banquet at which Charla Robinson was presented the James Carnegie Memorial Award by the Chamber Executives of Ontario in recognition of exemplary efforts as a leader and mentor.
