Advocacy / Policy

Your organization can become an OHS Community Ambassador by sharing information about the OHS with your employees and clients.  In turn, Community Ambassadors will be acknowledged on the "Community" section of the OHS website. 

Shining Waters Railway Receives Results of Economic Impact Study

Media Release & Executive Summary

City Seeking Comments re Retail Business Holidays Act

The City of Peterborough is seeking comments from Peterborough businesses and organizations with respect to the Retail Business Holidays Act on whether your group is in favour or against an exemption to the Act.  An exemption would allow retail businesses to remain open on statutory holidays as set out in the Act.

Comments can be sent to:
 
Patricia A. Lester
Solicitor & Director of Legal Services
City of Peterborough
500 George Street North
Peterborough ON  K9H 3R9

or by email to jfraser@peterborough.ca.

Comments must be received by November 11th, 2011 and will be presented to City Council in December.   

2011 CCC Approved Policy Resolutions

OCC Survey: Help Shape the Economic Vision for Ontario

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Ontario Economic Summit are pleased to present you with the opportunity to add your voice to an Economic Vision for Ontario.

In partnership with Leger Marketing and the University of Toronto's Mowat Centre, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce is gathering the opinions of business leaders regarding Ontario's future.

As a participant in the Economic Vision Survey, you will be part of an influential coalition of business leaders that will play a defining role in shaping Ontario's next great economic era. All individual responses to the survey will be kept strictly anonymous and confidential.

The findings of the survey will be used to develop a call to action for realizing Ontario's vast economic potential. The OCC's Economic Vision for Ontario will be released at the Ontario Economic Summit on November 21-23, 2011 in Toronto and will provide a platform for dialogue with the new Ontario government.

Please join the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in this unique opportunity to influence Ontario's next great era. Take the time to make your voice, and the voice of your community, heard.

Please complete this short Economic Vision Survey by Monday, October 3^rd.

Chamber Releases Answers from Local Candidates to Key Election Questions from the Business Community

The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce sent the following questions to the local candidates in the upcoming Provincial Election. Their answers, in the order they were received, and limited to a maximum of 500 words each, can be found here: Provincial Election Q & A 

Ontario Chamber Releases 2011 Pre-Election Survey Results on Business Priorites

• 52% support for decreased fuel taxes
• 58% support for cutting spending and redirecting funds towards priorities
• 45% support for expanded inter-city bus and rail service
• 60% supported green energy as important to Ontario’s competitiveness

Ontario is facing a large deficit, increasing energy costs and crumbling infrastructure. Peterborough Chamber General Manager Stu Harrison said, “The next Government will face a tremendous challenge in cutting costs while maintaining key public services. The ability to manage costs and reduce the deficit and debt is critical to making strategic investments in R & D, energy and transportation”.

The Peterborough Chamber has sent the Pre-election survey to the local candidates along with a list of questions pertaining to this riding (see below). The answers to the local questions will be posted and distributed to our members and the media the week of September 12.

Press Release

OCC Survey Results

Questions to Local Candidates

Canadian Chamber Conducting Survey re Commercialization

The Canadian Chamber is inviting members to participate an online survey.  Developed by the Chamber, in collaboration with several other major industry associations, federal and provincial agencies and not-for-profi t organizations involved in business acceleration, this survey is to acquire a meaningful understanding of what works and what does not for Canadian companies in matters of commercialization. More information about this program can be found at the Commercialization Portal.

The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to provide critical information that will help Canadian executives – in industry as well as in government – to benchmark their organizations’ success in the commercialization of innovation and to develop better practices and support programs for ensuring competitiveness on the global scale.

In recognition of participation, participants will be provided with a summary of the survey results and will receive an invitation to participate in a webinar on proposals for achieving a more effective commercialization environment in Canada.

Take the Survey

Chamber Survey Results re Statutory Holiday Shopping

The email survey was distributed to the main contact at 991 Chamber Members. There were 196 responses for a 20% response rate.

The question asked was – “Do you agree that Peterborough retail businesses should be allowed the choice of remaining open on statutory holidays?”

Survey Results

Comment on Cost-Benefit Analysis of Beavermead Park

As a stakeholder in the future of Beavermead Park the Chamber was asked to comment on the cost benefit analysis of the campground. General Manager Stuart Harrison recommended that the campground not only be retained, but enhanced to provide fully serviced lots. With Provincial campgrounds sold out months in advance across the Province, Beavermead is a significant economic opportunity for the City, bringing people right into the heart of Peterborough. As it exists it loses money, and often attracts the wrong kind of camper. Make it first class and charge for it... As a supporting document we provided our Policy Resolution on the Little Lake Master Plan (see link below), which calls for balanced economic opportunities around Little Lake.

Policy Resolution on the Little Lake Master Plan

Federal Election: Candidates Answer Business Questions

2011 Federal Election Q & A

Ontario Chamber of Commerce Draft Policy Resolutions

Please keep in mind that the preliminary draft resolutions may be amended, merged or withdrawn over the course of March, as the OCC’s Policy Review Committee will be examining each resolution for clarity and adherence to policy criteria.

The FINAL policy resolution document will be posted in this space in early April. That document will be the FINAL version that will be used for the policy debate on Saturday, May 7.

Please also note that the proposed policy resolutions are not official OCC policy until voted on and accepted by the delegates at the AGM.

About the AGM
The core business of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce is policy development and advocacy on behalf of the Ontario business community. As a grassroots organization, the activities of Ontario’s Business Advocate are greatly enhanced by the participation of our members – Chambers, Boards of Trade and Corporate – on OCC policy. This enables the OCC to advocate policies that can help businesses prosper across Ontario.

The Annual General Meeting & Convention of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce allows members to learn from subject experts, debate policy resolutions and formulate the annual advocacy strategies of the Ontario Chamber.

The Peterborough Chamber is a very active participant in both the Ontario Chamber and Canadian Chamber policy process. I serve on the Policy Review Committee, and Co-Chair the Ontario Policy Caucus for the Canadian Chamber AGM in September. Any input from our members on specific policy resolutions is more than welcome. This is where HST came from folks, so click on the link below :-)

Stuart Harrison
stuart@peterboroughchamber.ca
705-748-9771 ext 202

Follow Chamber Advocacy Initiatives/Discussion on LinkedIn

Chamber Policy Resolution Calls for Health Care Reform

1. Further expand the Regulated Health Professions Act to;
        a.  Allow chiropractors access to advanced diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing.
        b.  Allow pharmacists to prescribe for minor ailments, monitor and manage certain chronic conditions and adjust medications accordingly.
2. Integrate the above (1a,b) into a funded service structure.
3. Integrate rehabilitation services (chiropractic, physiotherapy and occupational therapy) into Family Health Teams on an unfunded basis and ensure that the infrastructure is in place to allow for the integration of unfunded services.
4. Integrate musculoskeletal triage units (chiropractors and physiotherapists) into hospital emergency rooms on a funded basis.
5. Review the Physician Enrollment Model to eliminate double dipping and duplication of services.
6. Implement incentive programs for Ontario employers to create employee wellness programs.

Click on the link to read the background material: Policy Resolution

Progress Report on the Shining Waters Railway Project

For a progress report on the Shining Waters Railway Project, click here: 

Executive Summary
Full Report

To download a template for a Letter of Support for the project, please click here:

Template - Letter of Support

Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard Released

The Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard, as part of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, has now been posted on the Ministry of Community and Social Services' website. Developed by an external Accessible Built Environment Standards Development Committee, the final proposed standard was subject to public review and has now been submitted to the government for consideration. To view the document, click on one of the following links:

English
French 
 

Chamber Submits Letter re: Canada Border Services Agency Office Closure

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) recently announced that it is proposing to move its Peterborough office to Trenton effective April 1, 2011. This has ramifications for a number of Peterborough businesses who will now have to travel over 100 km’s to do a simple transaction. With the current expansion of the Peterborough airport, The Chamber is asking CBSA to delay its decision, in order to establish how the airport expansion will affect the levels of service required, and to explore alternative ways of delivering CBSA services.  Click on the following link to view the letter submitted by the Chamber.

Letter to Canada Border Services Agency
 

Protectionism

At its Board meeting June 6, 7, 2009 in Edmonton, the Board of Directors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce expressed its support for efforts by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to pursue bilateral discussions with the United States to ensure that companies from both countries can bid on government procurement contracts. The Canadian Chamber issued the media release below.

Meanwhile the Chamber of Commerce of the USA has written a letter to President Barack Obama expressing their concern over the growing protectionist policies being written into the American stimulus funding initiatives. See the link below.

Canadian Chamber USA Chamber

County Signage By-law

The County of Peterborough is proposing changes to the current Signage By­Law. If you own property within the County, this may apply to you.

Click on the link below to see a memo from County staff highlighting the proposed changes. We are providing the proposed changes to you so that you are aware they are being discussed at County Council in the near future. The first two pages of the document feature a brief summary of the changes by Chris Bradley and should provide a quick overview.

Please note, regarding change #5, which would only allow one sign per business, we asked for clarification from Paul Hurley, Manager of Technical Services with the County. He emailed the following clarification “Our by­law doesn’t regulate signs attached to buildings ­ those fall under the jurisdiction of the local Townships. It relates to free standing signs erected adjacent to a County road. Also, within urban areas (Lakefield, Bridgenorth, etc.), our by­law does not apply and signs fall under the jurisdiction of the local Township.”

County Signage Bylaw

Prosperity Round Table Report to Council

The Prosperity Round Table initiative released a report to Peterborough City and County Councils at a special joint council meeting in December. This document is serving as a work plan for the various task teams moving forward. Click here to read the report.

Ontario Fact Sheet May 2009

The Economic & Revenue Forecasting & Analysis Branch, Office of Economic Policy of the Ontario Ministry of Finance has updated the fact sheet for Ontario, as of May 2009. The fact sheet includes information on population, trade (international and interprovincial), economy, exports and imports. For your convenience, we have included a link to the fact sheet for Ontario, located on the Ontario Ministry of Finance website below.

Ontario Fact Sheet 2009

Protectionism

At its Board meeting June 6, 7, 2009 in Edmonton, the Board of Directors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce expressed its support for efforts by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to pursue bilateral discussions with the United States to ensure that companies from both countries can bid on government procurement contracts. The Canadian Chamber issued the media release below.

Meanwhile the Chamber of Commerce of the USA has written a letter to President Barack Obama expressing their concern over the growing protectionist policies being written into the American stimulus funding initiatives. See the link below.

Canadian Chamber USA Chamber

Tax Harmonization

Harmonized Sales Tax is a dramatic change in taxation for the Province of Ontario. The Chamber of Commerce Network has been advocating for a single tax since 2004. Unfortunately the initiative has become somewhat Political, resulting in a significant amount of miscommunication and misunderstanding. The links below will provide some information on HST.

Comprehensive Tax Reform Package

Finance Budget 2009

Download Tax Harmonization Facts and Figures

Examples - Tax Harmonization Website Ontario 2009 Budget

Ontario Fact Sheet - November 2009

The Economic & Revenue Forecasting & Analysis Branch, Office of Economic Policy of the Ontario Ministry of Finance has updated the fact sheet for Ontario. The fact sheet includes information on population, trade (international and interprovincial), economy, exports and imports. For your convenience, we have included a link to the fact sheet for Ontario.

Ontario Fact Sheet

Work Sharing Might Help You Avoid Layoffs

The Work Sharing Program is an Employment Insurance program through Service Canada that enables employers to avoid layoffs by shortening the work week by one to three days, and paying reduced wages accordingly. Service Canada then arranges EI for eligible employees to cover the reduced hours. Here is a link for more information.

Government Affairs Committee Minutes

The Government Affairs Committee is a new initiative designed to bring together all four levels of Government (City, County, Provincial and Federal) on a regular basis to compare notes and share information Click below to read the minutes:

May 15, 2009
June 26, 2009
September 11, 2009
January 15, 2010
April 23, 2010