Municipal

Transportation Policy

A signature policy position of the Chamber since inception (transportation in general), inclusive of the Grand River, Rail, BSAR/West Arterial Access Road, 403, and Highway 24
Approved in 2024, this is the signature policy and is most up to date.

Red Tape Reduction for Business

A general policy consistent with both Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Chamber of Commerce policies, and acted upon in some aspects by recent provincial and federal governments.
Opportunities:
• develop a more local focus – micro opportunity may exist with lottery licensing by-law administered by City of Brantford as delegated from AGCO
• develop specific recommendations

Property Tax Policy

A second signature policy of the Chamber since its creation. The City has attempted to follow its recommendations, but has paused and slowed a full implementation on more than one occasion, and the County has not acted upon it.
Opportunities:
• Research relative position of the City and County tax classes against the Range of Fairness Ratio Guidelines
• Include agriculture rate as part of review due to boundary lands
• Develop 3-5 priorities and action plan to promote with municipalities

Business Friendly Communities

The Chamber’s 2nd most recent paper, drafted in Spring 2019 partially in response to national media coverage of a number of violent incidents in the City.
Opportunities:
• National media coverage has examined cities across Canada dealing with similar issues
• Review paper with Committee using more recent data
• Strengthen the issue
• Develop 3 key priorities that define a Business-Friendly Community, and create a plan to advocate for them
• City promotes its self as Business Friendly – does County? Election issue?

Affordable Electricity Pricing

Developed in concert with an OCC policy initiative in 2017.
Opportunities:
• Update the paper with 2026 data
• Develop 3 key priorities and target audience for the paper

Boundary Adjustment

A catalyst for the policy paper program development, this is the first paper written in 2015.
Opportunities:
• Review paper with lens towards today’s environment, and the implementation of the Boundary Lands in the future
• Develop 3-5 key priorities
• Change to Municipal Cooperation-oriented focus and title
• Joint Services?

Provincial

The Chamber has participated in the Ontario Chamber of Commerce Policy Resolution process annually, including participating on the Policy Advisory Committee in advance of the policy convention. In the current OCC Policy Compendium 2025-2028, our engagement:
– Enforcing Fair Property Tax Ratios (co-sponsor)
– Building Rural Transportation and Transit Infrastructure (mentioned)
– 2+1 Roads Save Time, Lives and Taxpayers Dollars (co-sponsor)
– Encouraging Municipal Government Collaboration to Address Transit Needs and Gaps (authored)
– Deploying Economic Principles to Policing (authored)
– Simplifying Information Sharing to Improve Specialized Mental Health Care for People Experiencing Homelessness (co-sponsor)
– Addressing the Real Time Provincial Data Gap Surrounding the Cost of Homelessness (co-sponsor)
– Create and Implement a Provincial Strategy to Address Homelessness, Addiction, and Mental Health (co-author)

Federal

The Chamber has participated in the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Policy Resolution process annually, including participating on the Ontario Caucus Policy Advisory Committee in advance of the policy convention. In the current CCC Policy Compendium 2025-2028, our engagement:
– Equitable Tax Distribution to Assist Canadian Municipalities (co-sponsor)
– Investment in Affordable Housing Partnerships (co-sponsor)
– Bridging the Infrastructure Gap: An Innovative Federal Approach to Support Industrial Growth (co-sponsor)