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    Policy & Advocacy Priorities

     

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    2024 Policy Priorities for Growth & Stability 

    The members of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce (ACC) – representing more than 16,000 businesses through a network of 90 Chambers of Commerce – have identified three priority areas of focus for 2024 where business and government can work together to support business:

    Priority 1: Support for SMEs

    Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the Atlantic Canadian economy, they have expressed the need for support from all levels of government as the private sector endeavors to rebuild and expand the economic landscape. Ways in which government can assist Atlantic SMEs include reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining program access and delivery, and offering incentives for job creation.

    Government and business working together is essential to ensure SMEs have the support they need to succeed.

     

    Priority 2: Cost of Doing Business                                                                                                 

    Businesses in Atlantic Canada are facing the challenge of increasing operating costs. High taxes, excessive regulation, and damaging inflation rates all contribute to the growing cost of doing business in Atlantic Canada. Government has a major role in creating an environment for positive economic growth and can do so by reducing regulatory and financial burden on business.

    Government should actively aim to reduce burden on the private sector and lower the cost of doing business.

     

    Priority 3:  Access to Qualified Workers

    The labour market in Atlantic Canada faces ongoing difficulties, requiring both an increase in workforce size and skill development. Failing to adequately prepare the workforce for current and future opportunities risks limiting growth and prosperity. Policymakers must prioritize pursuing  growth rather than managing decline to navigate the foreseeable future effectively.

    Enhancing skills development and increasing the supply of housing is critical to resolving labour issues in Atlantic Canada. 

     

     

    2024 Policy Priorities for Growth & Stability

    Atlantic Chamber of Commerce’s policy recommendations for strengthening the economy:

     

    2024 Policy Priorities for Growth & Stability

     

    2023-2024 Atlantic Insights Survey Results

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  • Business Truth & Reconciliation Business Truth & Reconciliation

    The Atlantic Chamber of Commerce is taking proactive steps to promote reconciliation and respect for Indigenous rights within the corporate sector. In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 92, the Chamber urges its members to embrace the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a guiding framework. This entails a commitment to meaningful consultation, fostering respectful relationships, and obtaining the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples before embarking on economic projects. Moreover, the Chamber advocates for equitable access to employment, training, and educational opportunities for Indigenous communities, ensuring they reap sustainable benefits from economic development initiatives.

     

    Recognizing the importance of education, the Chamber encourages businesses to provide comprehensive training for management and staff on the history of Indigenous peoples, including the legacy of residential schools, Indigenous rights, and Aboriginal-Crown relations. Emphasizing intercultural competency, conflict resolution, and anti-racism, these efforts aim to foster a more inclusive and harmonious corporate environment rooted in mutual understanding and respect.

    Learn more click here