Hamilton ON, August 17th, 2016: At a time when the province is trying to address the major challenge of fiscal sustainability, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and Hamilton Chamber of Commerce are suggesting a different approach to fixing the province’s health care system and putting patients first. In a report released yesterday, the organization is calling on the provincial government to turn its focus from budget cuts to empowering the health care system to become an economic and productivity driver that is responsive to emerging innovation being developed in our own backyard.

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On July 27th, 2016 released details on its ongoing Changing Workplace Review.

Should Employers and Employees Be Concerned?

Following the release of the Changing Workplace Review, Ontario employers are collectively voicing their concerns about several policy recommendations being considered by the provincial government due to the profound impact these proposals will have on every workplace in Ontario.

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Today, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce released a report that advocates the need to invest in trade-enabling infrastructure in order to maintain our competitiveness in global markets. In The Infrastructure that Matters Most, which was produced in cooperation with the Canada West Foundation, the CCC makes five recommendations to the federal government:

1. Make trade infrastructure an equal priority in the $120-billion Federal Infrastructure Plan
2. Make trade infrastructure investment decisions using merit-based criteria
3. Renew the federal commitment to Canada’s trade corridors
4. Partner with industry to develop a national trade infrastructure committee
5. Consider the proposed federal infrastructure bank to enhance trade infrastructure investment

For our export-based economy, trade-enabling infrastructure is the category of infrastructure that has the strongest connection to our long-term global competitiveness and economic well-being.

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Hamilton, ON, May 31, 2016: Today,  the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released a new report, Prescription for Partnership, which points to the need for health care stakeholders, both public and private, to put patients first. This report takes a closer look at the role commissioning can play in re-orienting a system that too often operates in response to budgetary pressure.

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The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and Innovation Factory are excited to announce the five Lions for the 2016 LiON’S LAIR Pitch Competition. For the first time, the panel features three women – including two well-known Hamilton entrepreneurs. Four Lions from the 2015 contest are returning: Mario Paron (KPMG), Michael Macaluso (CARSTAR), Cheri Chevalier (Microsoft) and Tonia Jahshan(Steeped Tea).

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The City of Hamilton announced today a new temporary licensing option that will allow entrepreneurs to test drive their new business ideas before fully committing to the costly start-up process.

The concept gives entrepreneurs, under certain circumstances, the ability to test the market and build a business case for potential lenders .

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Hamilton, ON, May 2nd, 2016: The Ontario Chamber of Commerce had it’s annual general meeting on April 28th to 30th in Oakville. The annual meeting is an opportunity for Chambers across Ontario to hear about the progress of the organization, hear from leaders of all three provincial parties, build networks and share best practices with other Chambers and lastly set priorities through the policy resolution process.

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Hamilton, ON, April 21, 2016: Today, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), released the report, Breaking Barriers: Ontario’s Scale Up Challenge, which identifies the major roadblocks preventing Ontario businesses from expanding and presents recommendations to best support business owners in taking their ventures to the next stage of growth.

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Hamilton, March 29, 2015 – The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Morriston Bypass Business and Economic Development Coalition, applauds the Government of Ontario’s decision to invest in the region’s transportation infrastructure by constructing a Highway 6 Bypass around the Village of Morriston, ON beginning in 2019.

“This project was a critical priority to the connectivity of businesses in Hamilton within an important trade corridor between the GTHA, Southern Ontario and the United States affecting over ten million vehicles and hundreds of millions of value in commercial goods,” said Keanin Loomis, President & CEO, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.

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