Ontario Chamber of Commerce

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Ontario Chamber of Commerce The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is an independent, non-profit advocacy and member services organization representing a diverse network of 60,000 members.

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Small businesses are the backbone of Ontario’s economy, and helping them succeed requires both smart policy and strong p...
10/23/2026

Small businesses are the backbone of Ontario’s economy, and helping them succeed requires both smart policy and strong partnership.

To wrap up Small Business Week, OCC President & CEO Daniel Tisch sat down with the Hon. Nina Tangri, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Small Business, to discuss how we can keep building an environment where entrepreneurs can start, grow and succeed.

There is important progress to build on. The Ontario government has:

✅ Cut the small business corporate income tax rate from 3.2% to 2.2%, representing $1.1 billion in relief over three years.

✅ Invested a record $49 million over three years in Ontario’s new Small Business Advisory Centres network.

✅ Strengthened entrepreneurship and succession supports through Starter Company Plus, Summer Company and Succession Ontario.

✅ Expanded the Ontario Together Trade Fund to $150 million over three years to support market diversification.

We thank Minister Tangri for her leadership on these initiatives and her continued commitment to Ontario’s entrepreneurs.

The conversation also looked ahead at opportunities to improve business taxes and incentives, support succession and Employee Ownership Trusts, strengthen talent pipelines, and help more small businesses reach their full potential.

The OCC looks forward to continuing to work together to turn big vision into lasting success for businesses across the province.

Learn more about Small Business Week here: https://occ.ca/small-business-week-2026/

10/23/2026

For businesses, navigating regulations can sometimes be as challenging as the regulations themselves. So, how can we make it easier to do business in Ontario?

Dufferin Board of Trade Executive Director Diana Morris joined us in studio for a special Small Business Week episode of the Commerce Talks podcast, where she shared her thoughts on how multiple layers of requirements can make it harder for businesses to start, grow and expand.

When regulations and processes are better aligned, businesses can spend less time navigating complexity and focus more on growing and expanding.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN48TPZKKpg7nQUf9T78pFCpjXc5clJcT&si=eCeJjVf3hxSfV-Iy

Listen here (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/commerce-talks/id1819783829

Listen here (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1M8lzqpwnG4rC475nKArQc

What does it take to build a thriving technology company while keeping talent close to home? Teleco has spent more than ...
10/23/2026

What does it take to build a thriving technology company while keeping talent close to home?

Teleco has spent more than 40 years helping businesses embrace new technology while creating meaningful careers in Northwestern Ontario.

Learn more about how they’re keeping people and talent at the heart of what they do here: https://occ.ca/creating-tech-careers-close-to-home/

Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce

Creating more supportive workplaces starts with awareness. This week, OCC’s Julie Martini and Neeky Dalir joined MPP Peg...
10/22/2026

Creating more supportive workplaces starts with awareness.

This week, OCC’s Julie Martini and Neeky Dalir joined MPP Peggy Sattler, advocates and experts at Queen’s Park for an important roundtable on women's health.

The discussion explored Peggy Sattler’s proposed Private Member’s Bill to recognize October as Menopause Awareness Month and October 18 as Menopause Awareness Day in Ontario. Greater awareness can help create workplaces where employees feel supported and can remain engaged, while strengthening workforce participation, employee well-being and a more inclusive economy.

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce welcomes today’s Canada-Ontario action plan and the $8.7 billion commitment to strengthe...
10/22/2026

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce welcomes today’s Canada-Ontario action plan and the $8.7 billion commitment to strengthen strategic industries including steel, automotive, and energy, support workers and businesses impacted by trade disruption, and build long-term economic resilience.

The measures announced reflect key priorities for Ontario businesses, including advancing critical mineral development, strategic infrastructure and domestic manufacturing, streamlining project approvals, and helping Canadian companies diversify into new markets. These steps can help unlock investment, strengthen supply chains and improve Canada’s competitiveness.

Ontario businesses have been clear: Canada must build more, make more and trade more. As governments move from announcement to implementation, continued collaboration with businesses and industry will be critical to ensuring these measures deliver stronger investment, productivity and long-term growth.

Read the Government of Ontario's announcement here: https://news.ontario.ca/en/backgrounder/1008172/premier-ford-and-prime-minister-carney-launch-new-action-plan-to-protect-workers-from-tariffs-and-strengthen-ontario-industries

10/22/2026

Are your employment contracts ready for a second look?

A recent decision from the Court of Appeal for Ontario provides important guidance for employers on the enforceability of termination provisions, offering greater clarity around commonly used language and compliance with the Employment Standards Act.

In our latest blog, Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP breaks down the decision and what it means for Ontario employers.

Read more here: https://occ.ca/are-your-employment-contracts-ready-for-a-second-look-new-guidance-from-ontarios-court-of-appeal/

What does it take to grow a family farm for more than 40 years while staying true to the values that built it? DeVries F...
10/22/2026

What does it take to grow a family farm for more than 40 years while staying true to the values that built it?

DeVries Fruit Farm is a family-owned business that has grown from a small orchard in Fenwick into a destination for local food, fresh fruit, and community connection.

Read more about how this second-generation business is realizing its big vision for Ontario farming here: https://occ.ca/family-at-the-heart-of-vision-for-niagara-region-fruit-farm/

South Niagara Chambers of Commerce

Ontario’s small businesses are ready to grow, innovate, and compete. But turning vision into reality requires the right ...
10/22/2026

Ontario’s small businesses are ready to grow, innovate, and compete. But turning vision into reality requires the right conditions for success.

Drawing on insights from small business, the OCC has put together recommendations that focus on three key priorities:

✅ People: Supporting businesses in attracting, retaining, and developing the talent they need to grow

✅ Innovation: Helping businesses adopt new technologies, modernize operations, and remain competitive in a rapidly changing economy

✅ Growth: Creating the conditions for businesses to invest, expand, access new markets, and build long-term prosperity

Read our recommendations here: https://occ.ca/our-publications/ontarios-small-businesses-are-builders-small-business-week-2026-outlook/

10/21/2026

Tariff relief programs can help businesses adapt, invest and diversify, but only if business owners know what support is available and how to access it.

Stratford & District Chamber of Commerce GM Aaron Martin joined our special Small Business Week episode of the Commerce Talks podcast to talk about the hurdles facing businesses, and how strong local support can help them connect the dots and seize opportunities to grow, diversify and strengthen their communities.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN48TPZKKpg7nQUf9T78pFCpjXc5clJcT&si=eCeJjVf3hxSfV-Iy

Listen here (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/commerce-talks/id1819783829

Listen here (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1M8lzqpwnG4rC475nKArQc

What if healthcare came to the patient instead of the other way around? Kingston-based Doorstep Dental Inc is reimaginin...
10/21/2026

What if healthcare came to the patient instead of the other way around?

Kingston-based Doorstep Dental Inc is reimagining access to preventative oral healthcare.

Founded by Qurratulain Kamil and Adam Beganyi, the business was built on a simple idea: remove the barriers that prevent people from getting the care they need.

Learn more about their innovative vision for the future of dental here: https://occ.ca/innovating-access-to-preventative-oral-healthcare/

Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce

Address

180 Dundas Street West
Toronto, ON
M5G1Z8

Telephone

416.482.5222

Website

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