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The collective strength of the Ontario Chamber network to advocate for businesses during one of the most turbulent economic junctions in Canadian history became a unifying theme at the recent Ontario Chamber of Chamber of Commerce AGM in Windsor.

The event – held April 24-26 and hosted by the Windsor Essex, Amherstburg and Leamington District Chambers of Commerce - brought together approximately 150 delegates representing 60 chambers provincewide to network, hear from economic leaders, and to debate policies that can create evidence-based solutions to benefit the business community and province’s economic growth.

“The annual AGM is a great opportunity for Chamber leaders to not only share ideas and best practices, but to find ways to navigate current economic upheavals created by U.S. President Donald Trump’s continued trade threats,” says Cambridge Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Greg Durocher, who attend the AGM accompanied by Board Chair Murray Smith. “Having a unified voice is pivotal, especially now, in helping to create the certainty businesses need.”

Drop in business confidence

It was a sentiment echoed by Ontario Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Daniel Tisch during his opening remarks at the conference, entitled Bridges, Not Barriers. 

He spoke about the immense stress business leaders are under due to staffing concerns and rising prices and referenced the OCC’s ninth annual Ontario Economic Report (OER) released earlier this year which showed a significant rise in business confidence over the course of 2024, climbing from a historic low of 13 per cent to 26 per cent by year’s end.

However, despite this improvement, confidence remains historically low and fragile, with 48 per cent of businesses expressing a lack of confidence in the economy. When U.S. tariff threats are on the table, business confidence dropped dramatically to just 15 per cent, almost erasing the last year’s gains, according to the OCC’s separate tariff survey in early February.

Tisch said business leaders are looking for assistance and guidance, noting the Chamber network is the best organization to take on that leadership role.

Trade clarity will come

“We can provide that platform and provide the clarity and collaboration and continuity they need to be successful, and that they deserve because we need them to help build our province and to create jobs and economic opportunity and the growth that we all want,” he said, adding Canada will eventually achieve some level of clarity when it comes to U.S. trade. “We don’t exactly know when, but we know that it’s going to be fragile and as long as the president (Trump) is in office there is no guarantee he will respect any (trade) deal that he signs because he didn’t respect the last one. We can’t put all our eggs in that basket anymore and have to diversify as a trading nation.”

Competitiveness was the underlying theme of two sessions at the AGM featuring a panel of experts, including Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ryan Donally, who spoke about the long-standing trading relationship between the U.S. and Canada. It was noted that 25% (approximately $320 to $390 million) of all trade between the two countries crosses the Ambassador Bridge daily.

Long-term strategies needed

“You can’t unscramble this egg since cross-border trade has been around for at least a century,” he said, adding Trump’s tariffs will cost thousands of jobs on both sides of the border before stressing the need for trade diversification and long-term strategies.

It was a sentiment shared by Luke Polcyn, Senior Executive, Development and Economic Transformation for the City of Detroit, who outlined the vibrant trading relationship between the two cities and the opportunity for cross-border partnerships in terms of innovation assets.

“This disruption (tariffs) is being done in our name but ask any SMEs on the U.S. side and they would tell you the system could be tweaked but not blown up,” he said.

A second panel of experts which focused on Ontario’s ‘competitive edge’ offered insights on how key sectors can navigate policy changes, and how the province can build on its future competitiveness.

“Our responsibility at the moment is to think long-term,” said panelist Jaipaul Massey-Singh, CEO of the Brampton Board of Trade, adding more could be done to commercialize innovation. “Let’s not let this crisis go to waste. It’s not all doom and gloom but a wakeup call.”

He stressed the need to hold decision-makers accountable to push for change, an opinion shared by a fellow panelist, Sueling Ching, President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade.

“We must demand a continued collaboration of strategies,” she said. “Our new normal is change.”

Policies will help businesses

In effort to make changes, this year 36 policies were approved by the delegates covering a wide variety of issues that can directly affect businesses. These included  policies relating to education, healthcare, homelessness, mental health and addictions, transportation, infrastructure, and manufacturing. These policies now become entrenched in the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s policy ‘play book’ to guide its ongoing advocacy work at Queen’s Park.

The Cambridge Chamber co-sponsored three policies which received support from delegates:

Create and Implement a Provincial Strategy to Address Homelessness, Mental Health and Addictions

• This policy outlines several recommendations for the Province, including ensuring social services outreach teams are available as partners to police throughout Ontario to support marginalized individuals and improve province wide data collection and access for frontline services to enable better decision-making. Also, prioritize funding, program, and policy changes to better support those with complex mental health conditions that may pose a risk to themselves and others, and incentivize municipalities to develop more low barrier supportive housing solutions.

Cutting Administration for Ontario Physicians

• This policy sets out several recommendations, including encouraging the Province to collaborate with physicians, healthcare administrators and stakeholders to set key performance indicators for administrative workloads and set targets based on industry benchmarks to ensure improvements in physician efficiency. It also calls for the prioritization of secure digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and collaboration with the Ontario Medical Association and other healthcare organizations to implement proven strategies that reduce physicians’ workloads.

Ontario Government Assistance on Employment Land Assembly

• This policy calls for the Province to financially assist municipalities with the purchase of land for major industrial and economic development projects. It also recommends funding support be provided for necessary infrastructure, such as roads, utilities, and servicing, to enhance the viability of potential employment lands to attract investors. As well, it recommends the need for regional partnerships and engagement with the private sector to optimize both existing and new employment land uses to ensure the land assembly efforts integrate with broader economic strategies.