Chamber: Ontario Must Create the Right Conditions for Growth

(TORONTO- May 3, 2022) – The COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis have created an unstable environment for Ontario business. Inflation, labour shortages and supply chain backlogs have been exacerbated by the global state of emergency. Today, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released a statement in advance of the writ drop this week:

“As the non-partisan, independent voice of business, our message to all parties is simple: It has never been more important for public policies to focus on measures that support business predictability and economic growth,” said Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “We know recovery will be led by the business community, but Ontario’s next government must commit to creating an environment to support, not stifle growth.”

As outlined in OCC’s election priorities document,  Vote Prosperity, parties should be focused on policies that result in more prosperous communities, improved business confidence, high-quality jobs, and a more resilient economy. This requires:

• Boosting confidence and predictability by modernizing regulation, committing to meaningful consultations, and developing a long-term plan to tackle Ontario’s debt without increasing taxes or cutting valuable programs and services.
• Implementing pro-growth policies through helping businesses access the capital, markets, and talent they need to grow.
• Building resilient communities by bolstering health care capacity, addressing climate change, and bridging our infrastructure gaps, including housing.
• Supporting entrepreneurship and innovation with targeted supports and a bold approach on technology adoption and data innovation.

“Let’s not forget that the pandemic has been particularly harmful to small businesses, many of which are not out of the woods yet,” added Rossi.

The recommendations outlined in OCC’s Vote Prosperity were developed together with businesses, associations, post-secondary institutions, as well as chambers of commerce and boards of trade from across the province.

As the indispensable partner of business, we look forward to putting our members’ issues front and centre this election. To ensure the next provincial election addresses the most important issues, we have developed Vote Prosperity. Read the full plan.

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About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.

For more information or to arrange an interview:

Samir Janmohamed
Specialist, Policy and Public Affairs
samirjanmohamed@occ.ca| Mobile: (647) -882-9878