Ontario Chamber of Commerce

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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Watch the Lifetime Achievement Award episode featuring Victor Dodig! The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a...
12/15/2025

Watch the Lifetime Achievement Award episode featuring Victor Dodig!

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a person who demonstrates leadership in a particular Ontario industry that has a significant positive impact on the province and beyond.

In this episode, celebrate Victor’s business, personal and philanthropic accomplishments with his colleagues, friends and family!

Watch the episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIoOueT_z5c

Opening a new mine in Ontario can take upwards of 15 years. Exploration and development take time, but lengthy, often d...
12/15/2025

Opening a new mine in Ontario can take upwards of 15 years.

Exploration and development take time, but lengthy, often duplicative regulatory processes can slow progress, increase risk and discourage investment.

By continuing to modernize regulations, Ontario can accelerate critical mineral development while improving Indigenous consultation, protecting the environment and boosting investor confidence.

As part of our recently published report Mining 2030: Unearthing Ontario’s Potential, the OCC calls on government to take the following steps to reform its regulatory system and reduce timelines for mining companies operating in the province:

✔ Maintain one point of contact for mining applications
✔ Establish a government ‘concierge’ to help mining proponents navigate the process from end-to-end
✔ Consolidate permitting into one site-wide permit with coordination between levels of government to reduce duplication
✔ Expand capacity within government
✔ Develop a unified digital platform to submit and track applications
✔ Enforce firm deadlines to reach decisions impacting new and operating mines

Read our full report and recommendations here: https://occ.ca/our-publications/mining-2030-unearthing-ontarios-potential/

The Beyond Borders Business Award recognizes a small- to medium-sized enterprise (up to 250 employees) that has succes...
12/12/2025

The Beyond Borders Business Award recognizes a small- to medium-sized enterprise (up to 250 employees) that has successfully implemented an export strategy.

Congratulations to this year’s award winner, Aviation GSE.

Watch the segment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf1ZX4fAUAo

Want to use AI but don’t know where to start? If you’re like other small and medium-sized business owners, you’ve probab...
12/12/2025

Want to use AI but don’t know where to start?

If you’re like other small and medium-sized business owners, you’ve probably thought about using AI – but real barriers keep getting in the way:

❌ You’re overwhelmed by your options
❌ You’re worried about getting it wrong
❌ You’re too busy to figure it out alone

On December 18, 2025 at 4PM-5PM (EST), join the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and AI Growth Academy online for a practical, one-hour session that builds your confidence and gives you clear, actionable steps to unlock AI’s real value. Learn how to:

✔ Reduce busywork and free up time for what matters most
✔ Improve customer experience and find new paths to growth
✔ Adopt AI safely with simple guardrails

Use the promo code AI4SMES to register for FREE for this event.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/from-buzzword-to-bottom-line-ai-for-small-business-tickets-1977100717468

Skills Bridge is funded by the Future Skills Centre - Centre des Compétences futures with Magnet and Diversity Institute - Toronto Metropolitan University as project partners.

Skills Bridge / Capacity Building for Canadian SMEs - Unleashing Learning Management Systems at Scale is funded by the Government of Canada under the Future Skills program » « Renforcement des capacités des PME canadiennes - Déployer des systèmes de gestion de l'apprentissage à grande échelle est financé par le Centre des Compétences futures du gouvernement du Canada.

Watch the Community Impact Award episode featuring Senator Paulette Senior! The Community Impact Award is presented t...
12/12/2025

Watch the Community Impact Award episode featuring Senator Paulette Senior!

The Community Impact Award is presented to a leader or business that has demonstrated positive socio-economic impact through activities across Ontario.

In this episode, we share insights and highlight what defines community impact, featuring perspectives from Senator Senior and others.

Watch the episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP5WwrHKboM

Ontario’s mining future starts with strong fiscal support. Mining exploration is high-risk, capital-intensive and ofte...
12/12/2025

Ontario’s mining future starts with strong fiscal support.

Mining exploration is high-risk, capital-intensive and often takes years to generate returns. Despite a favourable tax regime, many projects stall between exploration and development.

Government backing and a well-designed fiscal framework are essential to reduce risk, attract investment and secure Ontario’s long-term economic growth.

As part of our recently published report Mining 2030: Unearthing Ontario’s Potential, the OCC calls on the government to:

✔ Expand flow-through share eligibility for the Canadian Exploration Expense (CCE) to include the costs of technical studies

✔ Introduce an exploration tax credit that is stackable with federal flow-through share rules to support the development of new mines

✔ Explore options, such as contracts for difference, to provide greater long-term price certainty for critical minerals

Read our full report here: https://occ.ca/our-publications/mining-2030-unearthing-ontarios-potential/

AI is the future, but isn’t always inclusive or ethical from an equity, diversity and inclusion perspective. On Decembe...
12/11/2025

AI is the future, but isn’t always inclusive or ethical from an equity, diversity and inclusion perspective.

On December 17, join the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Diversity Institute for a free one-hour webinar where we’ll highlight practical strategies and resources to support fair, transparent, and trustworthy AI adoption and use in SMEs.

Key areas of discussion will include:

▶ Risks of bias, misinformation, and inequitable outcomes in AI systems
▶ Responsible and ethical AI adoption
▶ Tools and supports that help SMEs implement safer and more transparent AI practices
▶ Tips to make informed decisions about AI integration, workforce upskilling and organizational readiness

Register now to secure your spot: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1975996575951

12/11/2025

Thank you to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) for supporting the 2025 Ontario Economic Summit

Canada's oil and natural gas sector is the engine of our nation’s economy, providing jobs, reliable energy, while supporting our national security and sovereignty. By continuing to invest in our oil and natural gas resources and expanding associated industries, Canada has the opportunity to continue to build prosperity.

Learn how Canada Builds on Oil and Natural Gas: Canada Builds on oil and natural gas at https://www.capp.ca/en/

The Seeding Digital Skills program offers FREE access to cutting-edge digital twin training, designed for SMEs in the ag...
12/11/2025

The Seeding Digital Skills program offers FREE access to cutting-edge digital twin training, designed for SMEs in the agriculture, food/beverage processing, clean tech and manufacturing sectors.

💭 Never heard of digital twins? It’s a real-time, 3D virtual mirror of your farm or processing facility, letting you test, tweak and optimize operations before making costly decisions.

If you’re a small and medium-sized business, you can get a Digital Twin adoption package valued at $20,000 CAD which includes:

✅ A 12-month license to Unity’s digital twin industry-level license.
✅ 12-week training with three hours of live instruction per week.
✅ Access to Unity Hub's 400+ hours of on-demand modules.

Get ahead of the curve and secure your spot today at https://occ.ca/programs/seeding-digital-skills/

CC: cahrc-ccrha, Food and Beverage Ontario, Food Processing Skills Canada, Unity.

12/10/2025

“We stack up very well in Ontario in terms of our potential; but potential is not performance. It shows that while Ontario has got strong leadership and world-class geology and wonderful mining companies that have built great businesses here that are benefiting workers and communities – investors still face too much risk.”

Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) President and CEO Daniel Tisch, appeared on CTV News this week with MineConnect Executive Director and OCC Mining Policy Council Co-Chair Marla Tremblay and Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce to discuss the OCC’s new report Mining 2030: Unearth Ontario’s Potential.

The report highlights strong provincial and federal leadership on critical minerals but emphasizes the urgent reforms and actions needed to secure Ontario’s critical minerals advantage.

Read more about the report here: https://occ.ca/our-publications/mining-2030-unearthing-ontarios-potential/

Mining companies operate in parts of Ontario with a large representation of Indigenous Peoples and communities, where th...
12/10/2025

Mining companies operate in parts of Ontario with a large representation of Indigenous Peoples and communities, where they collaborate to drive economic opportunities and share prosperity, contributing significantly to economic reconciliation.

While this partnership is mutually beneficial, it only works when industry, government and Indigenous Peoples come together at every stage of resource development.

When it comes to ensuring that Indigenous consultation around mining is meaningful, respectful and effective, however, the process is often fraught with inconsistent rules and substantial financial burdens to both mining proponents and Indigenous communities.

As part of our recently published report Mining 2030: Unearthing Ontario’s Potential, the OCC calls on government to:

➡ Remove ambiguity around administrative and community-building expenses by ensuring that both upfront and ongoing partnership costs are eligible for Mining Tax treatment

➡ Ensure that mining proponents are provided with a single list of Indigenous rights holders with whom they are required to consult

Read our full report and recommendations here: https://occ.ca/our-publications/mining-2030-unearthing-ontarios-potential/

At the recent Mayor's Business Breakfast in Bradford West Gwillimbury, OCC Senior Manager of Policy Simran Singh Vig sha...
12/10/2025

At the recent Mayor's Business Breakfast in Bradford West Gwillimbury, OCC Senior Manager of Policy Simran Singh Vig shared insights on Ontario's economic outlook and what it means for local business as we look towards 2026 and beyond.

Ontario's economy is gaining momentum, driven by population growth, a resilient market and strong investment trends; however, local businesses continue to face challenges in workforce shortages, rising costs and capital and regulatory constraints.

At the same time, new opportunities are emerging – particularly in AI, clean tech and advanced manufacturing. For Bradford West Gwillimbury, the potential is significant. Growth in AI integration, immigration-driven talent expansion, industrial land development and infrastructure investments represent key opportunities to shape the region's economic future.

By harnessing local leadership, fostering business innovation, and strengthening provincial collaboration, together we can transform today’s challenges into long-term growth, driving sustainable prosperity well into 2026 and beyond.

Big thank you to the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury for the invitation, Dean Gillis and Michael Disano.

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180 Dundas Street West
Toronto, ON
M5G1Z8

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416.482.5222

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