With a network of over 450 Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade, representing 200,000 businesses of all sizes in all sectors of the economy and in all regions, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) is the largest business association in Canada, and the country’s most influential.
The CCC’s views are sought after and respected by the federal government thanks to its well-researched reports and policy resolutions that reflect a broad business perspective. To develop policy resolutions the CCC looks the local Chambers, since our members represent the grassroots of the organization.
As local businesses flag federal-related issues, Chambers develop resolutions with specific recommendations for the government. These draft resolutions must then go through rigorous pre-screening. They are first vetted by CCC committees to ensure their relevance and accuracy. A Screening Committee then makes sure the resolutions meet the CCC’s criteria: they must be within federal jurisdiction and of national significance; they must be timely and require action; they must be factual; and, they must not align one sector or region against another.
Milton has a connection here since our President & CEO, Scott McCammon sits as the Ontario representative on the CCC Policy Screening Committee. There’s an additional connection. The Milton Chamber, in partnership with the Rick Hansen Foundation, has put forward a resolution entitled, “Making Canada Truly Accessible and Inclusive”. It recommends using the Foundation’s voluntary certification process to help businesses to assess their facilities and improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Resolutions will be debated at the CCC’s national convention, being held September 22 to 24th in Thunder Bay. Those resolutions approved by the delegates are then used by the CCC in its policy reports and its lobbying efforts.
