Update from the Governance Committee
The Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant is federally incorporated under the Board of Trade Act 1986, Part Two. This requires Industry Canada to approve the Chamber’s bylaws prior to them coming into force. The Board’s Governance Committee thoroughly developed the proposed bylaws from the format recommended by Industry Canada in 2025.
Here are the key changes you should know:
- Membership Voting: New members now require approval by vote at a Membership Meeting or by Special Resolution.
- Simplified Membership Structure: The delegate system has been removed. Each member now has one vote, with organizations designating a representative.
- Board Composition & Terms: Officers (President, VP, Secretary) are now part of the Board. Directors serve one-year terms, renewable up to four times. Director terms are now aligned with the AGM where Directors are voted in, instead of calendar year.
- Governance Committees: Three standing committees—Executive, Governance, and Finance—have been formalized with clear mandates.
- Digital Participation: Members and Directors can now attend meetings and vote electronically.
- Quarterly Meetings: The Annual General Meeting is now designated a one of four quarterly meetings each year. June, September, and the Annual Open House will complete
- Dispute Resolution: Mediation and arbitration mechanisms have been introduced to resolve internal disputes constructively.
For further reference, we have also developed a chart to show the changes here.
These updates ensure our Chamber remains responsive, transparent, and aligned with best practices. For more details, please see the chart below, access the complete updated bylaws below, or contact the Chamber for more information.
Rob Simmons, Chair, Governance Committee
Joy O’Donnell, President, Board of Directors
David Prang, CEO
Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant
