As Ontario’s largest business advocate, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has long been recognized as a leading voice in advancing economic development across the province. This year finds our collective voice to be stronger than ever, allowing the OCC to successfully translate your support into historic policy impact. Looking back at the past twelve months, we are most proud of the results of our Vote Prosperity campaign, which provided all parties with a strategy to leverage Ontario’s advantages and strengthen our global competitiveness. Following the provincial election, we wrote ‘blueprint’ letters to each provincial Cabinet Minister, outlining priorities to execute over the next four years. These letters have not only led to improved engagement with every Ministry, but also concrete and meaningful policy wins. While there are multiple factors that shape public policy in Ontario, we feel the collective voice of the Ontario Chamber Network can take credit for the subsequent policy actions, including: Labour reform. The OCC and Chamber Network persistently advocated for the repeal of Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2018 which introduced imbalanced labour reforms too quickly, at too high a cost to both employers and workers. Armed with evidence-based policy recommendations, we laid the groundwork for the Ontario government to introduce a near-full repeal of Bill 148. Skills and workforce development. Through our policy and advocacy efforts on Ontario’s skills mismatch, we repeatedly urged the provincial government to revise Ontario’s journey person-to apprenticeship ratios and dissolve the Ontario College of Trades. Both recommendations were adopted in Bill 47, the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018. Expanding natural gas access. We have consistently called on the Ontario government to expand natural gas access to make life more affordable in rural Ontario. The Ontario government announced it will develop a program which will encourage distributors to partner with communities to deliver projects that will expand access to natural gas. Open tendering for the public sector. We have repeatedly called on provincial government to amend the Labour Relations Act, 1995 to allow for a more open and fair tendering procurement process. In April 2019, the government of Ontario responded by passing a bill which explicitly deems public bodies, including municipalities and school boards, as “non-construction employers.” The past year also saw considerable trade uncertainty, including a challenging negotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Free Trade Agreement and the imposition of retaliatory tariffs. In spite of this difficult climate, the OCC signed nine joint statements with US state chambers of commerce to bring greater awareness to the importance of North American free trade, while our Chamber Network worked tirelessly in support of impacted industries such as steel and aluminum. This period culminated with an unforgettable conversation between US Ambassador Kelly Craft and Canadian Ambassador David MacNaughton at the Ontario Economic Summit. The OCC and its members were in the spotlight this year, working hard to achieve change we have long fought for. We continued to have a strong media presence, with coverage in both print and broadcast media, cementing our place as the leading advocate for business in Ontario. However, much work remains to be done. As our 2019 Ontario Economic Report notes, Ontario’s growth is forecasted to slow as the province confronts capacity limits, a likely increase in interest rates, and a reduction in government spending. Although business confidence in 2019 has rebounded from a historic low in 2018, several major policy issues loom large, including challenges relating to the cost of doing business, addressing regional economic disparities, and navigating Ontario’s on-going skills mismatch. Looking ahead, we will continue to provide thoughtful analysis and strong advocacy to government and the media, building on the momentum of 2018. As the provincial government re-examines its approach to debt and deficit spending, regional governance, transportation and infrastructure, now, more than ever, there is a need for the OCC’s non-partisan, evidenced-based policy solutions. But these solutions would not be as effective or impactful if it weren’t for the contributions of the Ontario Chamber Network – your insight, experience, connections, and voice make our work stronger and give it the widest possible reach. I want to offer you my genuine thanks for your on-going support of the OCC and commitment to the chamber movement. Together we can do – and have done – incredible things. In 2019 and beyond, the entire OCC team looks forward to working with you all as we help build a stronger Ontario. Ashley Challinor Vice President, Policy Ontario Chamber of Commerce Read the OCC Policy Report Card
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