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The power of the Chamber network to advocate for the business community became very apparent as representatives from chambers of commerce and boards of trade nationwide recently gathered in Mississauga to debate and approve policies aimed at boosting Canada’s economy.

Several hundred delegates -  including representatives from the Cambridge Chamber - gathered Oct. 8-9 at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Conference and AGM to network, hear from several high-profile business and industry leaders, but more importantly debate policies that can make a difference at a time when trade talks and tariff threats from the U.S. continue to impact Canada’s economy.

In a fireside chat with Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Candace Laing, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry of Canada Melanie Joly outlined the pivotal role the Chamber network plays in advocating for jobs and investment across communities nationwide and discussed ongoing talks with the current U.S. administration.

“The Prime Minister (Mark Carney) has been focusing on creating a positive working relationship with the President (Donald Trump) over the past few months,” she said, noting the ‘respectful’ conversation she was privy to between the two leaders in Washington the day before the CCC AGM. 

Trade deals in the works

Minister Joly did not outline the full details of recent talks, but told Chamber delegates Canada has remained focused on obtaining solid steel, aluminum, and energy deals with the U.S.

“What we’ve learned is that when dealing with this administration we can’t take anything for granted,” she said, adding Canada now knows it can be charge of its own future. “We’ve been overdependent on the U.S., we now know that.”

She referred to the fact the Major Projects Office is currently advancing $16B worth of investments—and is expected to expand that portfolio even further in mid-November. These projects represent opportunities to create jobs, attract capital, and strengthen Canada’s competitive edge.

In terms of defence spending, Minister Joly reinforced a new commitment to future investments that will focus on domestic job creation, ship building, building aircraft, vehicles, and drones in Canada, rather than relying on procurement from other jurisdictions. She said this shift signals a long-term strategy to bolster Canadian industries while advancing national security.

“The simple truth is if you think of the strength of a country you must think about its economic strength,” she said. “You cannot rely solely on trade. You must also diversify your markets and must continue to adapt; it’s a question of national strength.”

In one of several discussions offered to Chamber delegates, David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, explored how to offer reassurance to Canadian consumers and businesses amid growing uncertainty. He urged attendees to connect the dots between what is good for Canada and what Canadians believe will be good for them—reminding them that to counter perception, we must first change it.

Concerns have shifted

During his presentation, Coletto outlined the differences between a scarcity mindset and a precarity mindset, noting that prior to U.S. President Donald Trump’s election win there was a strong desire for political change in Canada.

Abacus Data research showed that in July of 2024 only 12% of Canadians believed the Liberals deserved to be re-elected and that inflation, cost of living, health, housing, and former PM Justin Trudeau were some of the key concerns. Fast forward to the start of October 2025 and these concerns have shifted to Trump, war, tariffs, costs, crime, and Charlie Kirk.

This recent Abacus Data research also showed that the rising cost of living is the top issue for 62% of Canadians, while only 33% felt Trump and his administration were now a concern. 

Overall, he said 68% of Canadians are now worried about their ability to afford basic needs over the next six months, while 70% are delaying major life decisions due to financial uncertainty.

“Uncertainty is going to be the norm,” Coletto told delegates, adding the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also become a growing concern and that six in 10 Canadians believe it will eliminate more jobs than it creates.

He said conducting polls is a good way to gauge public opinion, and that politicians tend to only hear the ‘loudest’ voices.

Strong voice for business

“You need to counter that, and polling can help,” said Coletto. “You need to remind policymakers those loud voices aren’t the voice of their constituency or community.”

Developing policies that can lead to fundamental changes in legislation to create environments where businesses can thrive and in turn, communities can prosper is a key role of chambers, said Cambridge Chamber President and CEO Greg Durocher, who attended the AGM, along with Board Chair Murray Smith and in coming Board Chair Travis Dyk.

“The policies approved need to encourage both the provincial and federal levels of governments to make decisions that can assist our economy,” he said. “The national Chamber network provides a strong voice for businesses.”

• At this year’s Canadian Chamber AGM, just over 40 of the policy resolutions presented by Chambers and Boards of Trade nationwide, were approved by nearly 300 voting delegates. The policies – which now become part of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s ‘official playbook’ - touched on the following areas: taxation and finance; health innovation; digital economy; international affairs; manufacturing and value chains; natural resources; transportation and infrastructure; and agriculture. Click here to review the policy book.