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.
GNCC Welcomes Municipal Nominee Immigration Program
January 6, 2020
In his mandate letter, Prime Minister Trudeau instructed Immigration Minister Mendicino to begin work on a program that would give local communities, chambers of commerce and labour councils a say in the selection of immigrants, helping them match newcomers with labour needs. The GNCC has suggested such a program in the past, anticipating that allowing…
GNCC Optimistic for Future of North American Trade
December 11, 2019
The GNCC was pleased to receive the announcement that U.S. House Democrats had approved the CUSMA trade agreement. We have strongly advocated for free trade and hope that this agreement will clear the way for uninterrupted and unhindered trade between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. We urge legislatures to ratify this agreement quickly and…
City, GNCC team up to give women a Seat at the Table
November 5, 2019
The City of St. Catharines and Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) are teaming up to get more women on the municipal ballot, and in seats around the City Council table. Thanks to a grant from Women and Gender Equality Canada, in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the City is excited to launch…
St. Catharines government policy must be fair and rules-driven
November 2, 2019
Sound evidence and reasoning are the foundation to making sound decisions. It is the principle that has guided our work at Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce. It is the principle that has steered the work of our governments as well. Yet, on Oct. 7, St. Catharines city council narrowly voted to ignore both a staff…
GNCC Still Optimistic for Future of Niagara Governance
October 25, 2019
Today, the Government of Ontario announced that the result of its study of governance reform in regions across Ontario, including Niagara, was to accept the status quo. To many who were looking for changes in the municipal government structure, this will come as a disappointment. However, the GNCC does not take it to mean that…
What does the federal election mean for Niagara’s businesses?
October 24, 2019
The 2019 election is over. The governing Liberal Party was reduced to a minority, albeit a strong one, while the Conservative Party and the Bloc Québécois made considerable gains. An NDP surge was expected from polling but did not materialize on election day, likely as a result of strategic voting, while the Green Party gained…
GNCC announces expansion of Trade Accelerator Program to Niagara
October 23, 2019
Partnership with World Trade Centre Toronto to deliver award-winning program empowering small and medium-sized businesses to export The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the launch of the Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) in the Niagara Region. Winner of the 2018 Ontario Export Award for Export Excellence, TAP debuted locally on October 4…
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…
