MARY RUTH SNYDER
CAMPBELL RIVER – Despite the fact that the first chamber was created in 1750 in Halifax, and local Chambers across the country began formation in the early 20th century, less businesses seem to understand the inherent value of the chamber network.
What makes the chamber network so powerful is that in the province of BC there are close to 100 Chambers that make up the BC Chamber network, representing more than 36,000 businesses. And, across the country, coast to coast to coast 450 Chambers represent more than 200,000 businesses.
So, when the Canadian Chamber CEO Perrin Beatty picks up the phone to call the Prime Minister Trudeau — he takes the call. The chamber network is by far Canada’s largest, most dynamic, and influential association in our country — connecting all our small-town main streets to our provincial capitals and Ottawa.
The Campbell River & District Chamber of Commerce was created in 1932 and strives to share local businesses a voice at community, municipal, provincial, and federal tables.
A chamber is the common ground between businesses, all four levels of government, education institutions, community organizations, the greater community, and the Indigenous Nations — providing opportunities for engagement and learning from experts and each other.
Building on the success of its National Cannabis Working Group, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has re-launched the NCWG as the National Cannabis Business Coalition (NCBC) to advocate for the Canadian legal cannabis sector at home and abroad.
As the first G7 economy to legalize recreational cannabis, Canada has a narrow first-mover advantage in a rapidly growing global industry. Therefore, it will take significant collaboration between business and government to ensure a balanced, equitable and reasonable regulatory regime for the legal sector.
“Our goal as a coalition is to bring meaningful, data-driven and impactful industry insights to the federal government,” says Rachel Colic, Chief Strategist at YCREATIVE and member of the National Cannabis Business Coalition. “There is so much potential for the legal cannabis industry to help drive Canada’s economic growth and displace the illicit market, but it needs the right support and regulatory environment.”
This is just one example of the work being done on behalf of various industries and Canadian businesses.
Your local Chamber IS the voice of business at all the tables YOU as a business owner or leader of a community organization do not have time to participate in as you are busy running your business or community organization.
Visit the Campbell River & District Chamber’s website for more information and follow their social media channels.
Mary Ruth Snyder is Executive Director of the Campbell River & District Chamber of Commerce