Why We Just Renewed Our Chamber Membership
We recently received our Chamber of Commerce renewal notice. We’re in the midst of deciding which memberships we maintain and which we do not (for example, we are letting our membership in the CFIB lapse), and so we had a discussion about whether or not to renew our Chamber membership.
Our conclusion wasn’t just “yes”, it was “Heck, yes!” Here are some reasons we decided to renew our membership.
Pushing a progressive vision. With its support for LRT, walkable streets and vibrant communities where businesses thrive alongside residents, the Chamber is pushing a truly progressive, innovative vision for the city.
The broader business community needs a voice. This is, of course, a central mandate of the Chamber. It’s especially important in Hamilton to have this voice, as decisions are often made that don’t maximize the potential for economic development and growth. A great example (and sorry to bring it up) is the location of Tim Hortons Field, which ended up in a place with limited potential for economic uplift compared to the west harbour location.
Courageous leadership. Keanin Loomis, the president and CEO of the Chamber, isn’t afraid to speak his mind, even when it engenders controversy, as telling the truth in Hamilton often does. It’s not hard to imagine a timid, do-nothing Chamber that does nothing as councillors and other prominent voices in our community advocate for poor planning decisions, disregard experts and ignore scientific evidence. That’s not the Chamber we have, and it’s thanks to Loomis.
We need to support one another. Hamilton can be a supportive place to live and work, but it’s not all sunshine. I see people dragging other people down more than I’d like. Gossip, sniping and cynical criticism are all too common.
We’re not always kind to one another and we’re especially unkind to “outsiders”. Witness the kerfluffle over the HSR+ rebrand — first of all, it’s totally disingenuous to act as though the entire contract was just for rebranding when there’s a host of other deliverables; and secondly, why not get excited and enthusiastic about marketing and technology investment for our public transit system?
Loomis’ musings about a gondola system were similarly panned, as were Bratina’s idea for a geyser in the harbour. Anyone who knows me knows I wasn’t a fan of Bratina’s mayorship, but I welcome blue-sky thinking about what we could do. Anyway, this is all a roundabout way of advocating that we support the Chamber and its advocacy.
The Chamber’s doing a good job. Setting aside the big-picture stuff like vision and leadership, the Chamber seems to be executing very well when it comes to their day-to-day operations. Their website, designed by our pals over at Orbital, looks great and functions well. Their events are excellent (we hope to see you at the upcoming Business to Business event!) Their newsletter is well-written and informative. Chamber staff are committed, dedicated and energetic. This is a well-functioning organization that deserves our support.
It’s affordable. Given the compelling reasons I just outlined, how can you complain about spending a mere $300/year?
Is it all sunshine and unicorns? Of course not.
As a company, we often disagree with the Chamber — or more specifically, the broader Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) — when it comes to certain policy objectives. For example, the OCC has been critical of Ontario’s plan for a new provincial retirement plan, and has also voiced concerns about minimum wage hikes, two initiatives that we strongly support. There are also times when the Chamber advocates for certain infrastructure projects that we are less inclined to support.
However, we also recognize that an organization that represents hundreds of businesses is never going to align with us perfectly on everything. It’s a path that must be carefully plotted between varying interests. But by and large, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, led by Keanin Loomis and powered by an extraordinary group of staff and volunteers, is firmly on the right path.
Our renewal cheque is in the mail.
