2024 Annual General Meeting and Convention

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Convention represents one of the most significant opportunities for business leaders from across the province to come together to network with peers, debate policy issues important to the Ontario business community, and shape our advocacy agenda for the year ahead. The 2024 AGM and Convention took place on April 25-27, 2024, in Timmins, Ontario.

Attendees at this year’s AGM and convention had the opportunity to put together two quilts that will be sent to survivors of the Residential School System and survivors of other trauma through Quilts for Survivors, a nationwide collective effort of volunteer quilters from across Canada. We were honoured to have Vanessa Génier, Founder of Quilts for Survivors, join us at the AGM to highlight the generational trauma faced by Indigenous communities across Canada and the important role of reconciliation and support going forward.

Left to right: Kraymr Grenke, Board President, Timmins Chamber of Commerce, the Hon. George Pirie, Minister of Mines, Government of Ontario and MPP for Timmins, Jennifer Constant, Chief of the Mattagami First Nation, Daniel Tisch, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Her Worship Michelle Boileau, Mayor, City of Timmins and Keitha Robson, Chief Administrative Officer, Timmins Chamber of Commerce.

Powering Ontario’s North panel. Left to right: Vasudha Seth, Vice President, Strategy, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Board Chair, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Randall Bartlett, Senior Director, Desjardins Group, the Hon. George Pirie, Minister of Mines and MPP for Timmins, Matt Sikstrom, Project Director, Renewable Generation Projects, OPG and Dean Millar Energy Management Lead, Ontario Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.

Meeting the North’s Labour Needs panel. Left to right: Andre Leite, Vice President Ontario Operations Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Julie Cyr, Employment and Training Coordinator Wabun Tribal Council, Sarah Campbell, Dean, Schools of Health Sciences and Emergency Services Northern College and Matt Vines, Vice President – Growth, Hydro One.

Joaquim Ballès, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and General Counsel, Trudell Medical Limited and Past-Chair, Ontario Chamber of Commerce receives the Past-Chairs Gavel.

Accredited Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade in attendance at the 2024 AGM and Convention.

Kraymr Grenke, Board Chair, Timmins Chamber of Commerce received the Richard Dolphin Community Service Award. The award was presented by Julie Martini, Vice President – Public Affairs, Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

The Mississauga Board of Trade (MBOT) received the Outstanding Advocacy Campaign Award. Left to right: Teri French, Executive Vice President, Operations and Customer Experience, Hydro One, Sameer Sharma, President, Crown Group of Hotels and Board Chair, MBOT, Trevor McPherson, President and CEO, MBOT, Brett McDermott, Director, Government and Stakeholder Relations.

Brenda Whitehead, CEO, Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce received the 2023 James Gordon Carnegie Memorial Award. The award was presented by Rory Ring, CEO, Sault Ste Marie Chamber of Commerce and Chair, Chamber of Commerce Executives of Ontario.

Ontario Chamber of Commerce Staff in attendance at the 2024 AGM and Convention.

Service Awards were presented to long-standing members of the Ontario Chamber Network who will be retiring later this year. Left to right: Debbi Nicholson, President and CEO, Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, Gail Hundt, President and CEO, Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce and Suzzane Renken, CEO, Tillsonburg Chamber of Commerce.

The recipient of the 2024 Chair’s Award for Innovative Program was the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. The award was accepted by Greg Dunnett, President and CEO, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and presented by Joaquim Ballès, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and General Counsel, Trudell Medical Limited and Past-Chair, Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

The 2025 Annual General Meeting and Convention will be hosted in Windsor, Ontario. Rakesh Naidu, President and CEO, Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce and Wendy Parsons, General Manager, Leamington District Chamber of Commerce took the stage following the announcement.

Members of the OCC’s Policy team moderated the policy resolution process. Left to right: Daniel Safayeni, Vice President – Policy, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Neeky Dalir, Policy Analyst, Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Claudia Dessanti, Director – Policy, Ontario Chamber of Commerce.