See our latest municipal policy and advocacy work from the Greater Niagara Chamber, promoting policy and governance that’s good for business, and representing Niagara’s business community within the Region. Get in touch to let us know how we can support your business. Follow us on twitter at @GNCCadvocacy for up-to-the-minute news or subscribe to get updates in your inbox.
Niagara Region Public Transit Survey
July 31, 2019
Public transit in Niagara is a key driver of prosperity and poverty reduction in our community. Niagara Region is conducting a quick survey to better understand what Niagara residents want and need from their transit system. Please consider completing the survey by clicking below:
Province launches public consultation on land use and housing policy
July 23, 2019
Ontario residents will have 90 days to comment on changes to Ontario’s land-use policies which, according to Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark, will create more housing stock in the province. Clark announced the consultation during a speech at a Great Niagara Chamber of Commerce breakfast at Rockway Vineyards in St. Catharines Monday morning. Clark said…
Port Colborne Quarry
July 18, 2019
Port Colborne Quarries (PCQ) has operated three pits in Port Colborne for many years. The first, now exhausted, has become subject to public controversy over the future use of the site. Unfortunately, misinformation about these issues has spread. The GNCC hopes to shed light on it and to help elected officials reach an evidence-based decision…
GNCC Comments on Proposed Government Reform in Niagara
May 13, 2019
The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, as Niagara’s largest business organization, wishes to offer these comments on the Government of Ontario’s proposal to review and potentially alter the governance structure of Niagara. Our mandate is to improve business competitiveness in Niagara and to foster an environment where our members can thrive. The GNCC is agnostic…
GNCC Delegation on Governance Reform
May 2, 2019
On May 1st, the Government of Ontario’s special advisers, Michael Fenn and Ken Seiling, were in Niagara to hear delegations on governance reform. The GNCC was there to represent the interests of business, and you can see the presentation from CEO Mishka Balsom and Government Relations Director Hugo Chesshire above. The GNCC spoke about the…
Tomorrow’s Niagara – Executive Summary
March 15, 2019
The Ontario Government announced a review and potential reform of Niagara’s municipal governance structure. Here is an overview of different governance models. The summaries below include some of the more notable advantages and challenges for each model. For more detail, see the full background paper. Status Quo Niagara’s government structure remains unchanged No cost –…
Provincial Government Survey
March 14, 2019
Help inform the Government of Ontario’s review of regional municipalities Ontario is launching online consultation for the regional government review of eight regional municipalities and their lower-tiers. In total, 82 municipalities are included in the review. The government invites our members to share their thoughts on the municipalities where you live, work or spend time. …
Governance Reform Survey Results
February 13, 2019
The Government of Ontario recently announced that it intended to review and possibly reform the governments of several municipalities across the province, including Niagara. We ran a survey to assess what Niagara needs from its government. Answering that question enables us to assess what model of government would best fit those needs. In summary, Niagara’s…
Shifting the conversation about governance reform
January 23, 2019
Last week, the Government of Ontario announced that it will be reviewing the government structure of eight regions in the province, including their lower-tier municipalities, and Niagara is one of them. Two highly-regarded special advisers, Michael Fenn and Ken Seiling, have been appointed and their recommendations are scheduled to be submitted to the minister of…
GNCC Releases Vote for a Prosperous Niagara Platform
May 4, 2018
Niagara, May 4, 2018 – The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) has released its 2018 provincial election platform. The suite of policy proposals, built after extensive research and consultation with members, industry leaders and the Ontario Chamber network, aims at building business competitiveness in both Niagara and Ontario and at sustaining a vibrant, healthy…
Economy report not telling the full story: Balsom
February 9, 2018
A recent report that gave high marks to Niagara’s economy isn’t telling the full story, says the president and CEO of Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce.“We’re very positive about Niagara, but I think when you look at this report, or any report, you also have to look at the big picture,” Mishka Balsom said about…
GNCC Advocates for Better Long-Term Parking in Downtown St. Catharines
February 5, 2018
BACKGROUND: The St. Catharines Downtown Parking Study opines that there is adequate long-term parking in Downtown St. Catharines and that, in the future, it will be necessary to increase the parking available to accommodate the average rate of growth that will be seen through the Place to Grow initiatives. However, there is, in fact, already…
Niagara must be forward-thinking
October 23, 2017
On Oct. 26, the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) will host the 6th annual Niagara Economic Summit. Previous summits looked at answering controversial questions around job market myths, the skills gap, and our infrastructure and public transit. The summit is a key driver for Niagara initiatives. The event not only highlights concerns, but brings…
Federal Tax Proposal Requires Dialogue
September 1, 2017
Canada’s Finance Minister Bill Morneau released a plan to end what he calls “unfair tax advantages.” He says that his proposed tax changes, the most radical in 50 years, are about “fairness.” Some Niagara businesses see it differently. Imagine two individuals, both earning $80,000 per year. One has a comfortable salary with four weeks’ vacation.…
Last chance to participate in jobs inventory
August 23, 2017
The deadline to complete Niagara Region’s annual employment survey is September 30, 2017. The jobs inventory aims to create a complete picture of employment in the region. Data is being collected about the types and size of businesses and how many people they employ, contributing to a clearer picture of Niagara’s economic conditions. The 2016…
