Policy & Advocacy
Welcome to the Policy & Advocacy section of our website. As a member of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce, you have the clout of a much larger business community at your disposal. The Chamber has a long history of success in advancing business interests of its members. Together, we can make significant impact on the political agenda of all levels of governments.
With input from members through our volunteer policy committees, the Chamber develops positions, papers, advocacy letters and presentations that are then used by the Chair and the President addressing municipal, provincial and federal government officials. The Chamber’s Board of Directors approves all Chamber policies and presentations before their release to the public and assists in engaging government officials through regular meetings with elected officials and other specialized policy forums.
Helping Businesses Mitigate the Impact of Bill 148 (October 25, 2017)
185,000 Ontario Jobs at Risk from Bill 148: Independent Economic Impact Analysis (August 14, 2017)
Labour Relations and Employment Standards Changes Too Much, Too Fast (July 10, 2017)
Ontario Provincial Budget Submission (January 30, 2023)
According to Skills Canada estimates, 40% of new jobs created in the next decade will be in the skilled trades, but only 26%of young people aged 13 to 24 are considering a career in these areas. The labour force participation rate for youth aged 20-24 has also dropped from 79% in 2004 to 75.5% in 2016. The declining youth participation rate is partially attributable to young people pursuing further education and it captures those that are discouraged because they believe that no suitable work is available.
The WERCC is working to align government, employers and educators to find solutions to the skills mismatch in order to strengthen our economy and ensure there are meaningful career opportunities here in Windsor-Essex.
Business Losing Confidence in Ontario Economy: Access to Talent Remains Problem, Low Unemployment Rate is a Red Herring (February 7, 2018)
Second Annual Ontario Economic Report (February 7, 2018)
Report: Talent in Transition: Addressing the Skills Mismatch in Ontario (June 20, 2017)
Ontario Economic Report Launches in Windsor (March 6, 2017)
Report: Ontario Economic Report (OER) (February 8, 2017)
Report: Closing the Tourism Gap: Creating a Long-Term Advantage for Ontario (November 17, 2016)
Report: Passport to Prosperity: Ontario’s Priorities for Immigration Reform (April 7, 2016)
The Canadian steel industry is a cornerstone of our national economy and important to Windsor-Essex with key employers such as Atlas Tube in Harrow. The instability of the steel market, in large part due to China’s steel dumping and non market economy, has led to the sharp decline in the ability of our steel industry to compete globally, costing middle class jobs.
Matt Marchand on CTV on U.S. steel tariffs, March 5, 2018.
Letter to The Right Honorable Justin P.J. Trudeau (August 29, 2016)
The Ontario Chamber and its network of local chambers believes that trade between Canada and many American states yields positive outcomes for employers and workers on both sides of the border. Canada was the top destination for exports for 35 states and the U.S. is Canada’s largest trading partner. There is also an unprecedented MOU for automotive between Michigan and Ontario to support growth and innovation. A strong Canada-U.S. trading relationship is essential to our shared economic prosperity.
Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce Hosting Trade Officers (May 24, 2017)
Letter to Minister Freeland (January 19, 2017)
Report: 2016 Pre-Budget Submission (February 18, 2016)
Letter to the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade (December 12, 2018)
The WERCC has been one of the most aggressive Chambers in Ontario calling for the deferral and the suspension of cap and trade due to its costly impact on agri-food, greenhouses and business in general on top of a nearly 400% increase in electricity prices.
The WERCC urges the government to suspend cap and trade at this time, with appropriate cost mitigation to affected businesses. Should suspension not occur, the Chambers encourage the mitigation of risk of the cap and trade system on industry to ensure competitiveness.
Matt Marchand speaking on Cap & Trade at the Leamington Chamber Lunch & Learn, June 7, 2017
WERCC on CBC News on Electricity Costs and NAFTA – November 17, 2017
Windsor-Essex Regional and Ontario Chambers Call for Tax Reform, Smart Spending to Support Ontario Businesses and Communities (January 15, 2018)
In partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), the WERCC launched Small Business Too Big To Ignore, a campaign highlighting the important contributions of small businesses to our communities and investigating the top barriers to small business growth.
Coinciding with the launch of this campaign was the report: Top 3 Obstacles to Small Business Growth, aimed at starting a conversation about the underlying challenges weighing on small businesses and stifling job creation.
The report cites the rising cost of doing business as a major impediment to small business growth. OCC survey results show that one in 20 businesses in the province expect to close their doors in the next five years due to rising electricity prices. In addition, 38% will see their bottom line shrink, with the cost of electricity delaying or canceling investment in the years to come.
Small Business Too Big To Ignore: Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce (October 16, 2017)
Report: Obstacles and Opportunities for Small Business in Ontario (October 19, 2016)
Read the full resolution: Enabling More Canadian Firms to Scale Up (September 20, 2016)
Small Business Too Big to Ignore: Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber (May 3, 2016)
Report: Small Business Too Big To Ignore (May 3, 2016)
Report: Breaking Barriers: Ontario’s Scale Up Challenge (April 22, 2016)
Agri-business has long felt overwhelmed and inhibited by a regulatory framework that is overly prescriptive and difficult to navigate. In order to comply with regulations, producers and processors are required to divert substantial resources to meet obligations. This affects their bottom line and their capacity to invest in growth.
Ontario agri-businesses are experiencing increased pressure to adapt processes to large-scale policy reform, including the introduction of the cap and trade system, waste elimination legislation, and delivered electricity costs that exceed those of competitor jurisdictions.
In Windsor-Essex, agri-food stakeholders cited increased costs, regulatory pressures and the availability and reliability of natural gas as a barrier to growing their competitiveness. Ontario has the largest net loss of plants in the country. Locally, we’ve lost $450 million in investment in two examples alone: Golden Acre Farms and Nature Fresh Farms who set up plants in Ohio instead.
The WERCC held its Policy & Solutions Forum on May 11, 2016. The Forum was the coming together of business, labour and academia in a non-partisan way offering ideas and solutions, giving newly appointed Auto Advisor Ray Tanguay advice from global executives in the auto sector, senior labour and business leaders as well as academia to maintain and build Ontario’s largest industry and export driver.
Bill C-221 would amend the Criminal Code by repealing one small section, allowing sports betting on single-wager sports events by providing the provinces and territories with the freedom to decide if they would like to make these changes.
If passed, Bill C-221 would help stimulate the economy, contribute to job creation, increase U.S. tourism at Canadian casinos and cause a reduction in the organized crime associated with single event betting. This would also provide Caesars Windsor with a strong competitive advantage versus Detroit and Ohio casinos.
It is important to get Caesars Windsor first into the marketplace. Once people experience the wonderful facilities, they’ll certainly come back, which is great for tourism and the local economy in Windsor-Essex. It’s reasonable to assume that the same positive economic impacts would be replicated in gaming facilities across Canada should provinces choose to develop products to tap into this lucrative market. Bill C-221 has the potential to create up to 100 direct jobs at Caesars Windsor, and more importantly, will be able to help secure the existing jobs at Caesars.
RESOLUTION TITLE: Investing in Ontario's International Undergraduate Student Entrepreneurs
SUBMITTED BY:Â Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce
Co-Sponsored By:Â Leamington Chamber of Commerce; Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce, Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce
Supported By: Dr. Francine Schlosser – Odette Professor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Odette School of Business, University of Windsor, Stephen MacKenize - Windsor-Essex Economic Development Corporation, Michelle Suchiu – Workforce WindsorEssex
ISSUE
Ontario attracts an increasing number of international students each year. The Ministry of Advanced Education has estimated international students will account for 20 per cent of all Ontario post-secondary enrolments by 2022.1 These students have an incredible impact on the local economy.
With an increasing talent shortage across the province coupled with a significant business succession issue, it is vital that international students are encouraged to remain in Ontario to continue their positive effect on the economy.
The Ontario Government can support international undergraduate student entrepreneurs by creating a nominee program to provide a more expedient pathway to permanent residency. Both Nova Scotia2 and Saskatchewan3 have implemented such pathways in recent years.
BACKGROUND
International student enrollment in Canada is on the rise. Since 2014 there has been a 73 per cent increase in enrolments bringing the 2018 total to 572,000.4 The total number of post-secondary international students in Canada as of December 31, 2018 was 435,415, a 17 per cent jump over 2017 (370,975).5 In 2017, Ontario hosted 48 per cent of the nation’s international students.6
The positive impact of international students to the economy is remarkable. Approximately 170,000 jobs were created nationally as a result of international student spending in 2017.7 International students contributed $21.6 billion to the Canadian economy in 2018 with international student tuition surpassing government grants as a revenue source for many colleges and universities across the province. 8,9
Some of these students come from entrepreneurial families who wish to expand their family business into Canada. Others may have the desire to purchase established businesses which would address the nation’s growing business succession issue.10
Currently, international students must find an eligible work position before applying for permanent residence status.11 This puts their entrepreneurial ambitions on hold. If they could commence their business plans after graduation, they would become not an employee, but an employer, boosting the local economy even further.
Needing to find employment often means these students move to larger city centers. When eligible, the majority will choose to start their new business in the city of their employment – not the city where they completed their studies leading to a huge economic loss for the smaller cities of Ontario.
Ontario does currently have an Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) in place but most international students will not meet the requirements of this program.12
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce urges the Government of Ontario to:
- Emulate Nova Scotia’s International Graduate Entrepreneur program that allows the Government of Ontario to nominate International students to start and operate their own company in Ontario and meet the eligibility requirements to apply for Permanent Residency.
1 Proportion of UWindsor international students more than doubled since 2006 (CBC News · Posted: Jun 17, 2019)
2 International Graduate Entrepreneur, Nova Scotia Immigration
3 Sask. Government aims to make immigration easier for entrepreneurial international students (Global News – Posted December 3, 2019)
4 International education in Canada is booming – but the system is flawed. Here’s how to fix it (The Star – September 28, 2019)
5 Another record year from Canadian international education – Canadian Bureau for International Education
6 International Students in Canada (Canadian Bureau for International Education, August 2018)
7 Semotiuk, A. J. (2018, NOV 16). International Students Pour into Canada While the U.S. and Others Lag Behind. (Forbes – November 13, 2019)
8 Ibid, International education in Canada is booming.
9 The University of Toronto noted that international student fees accounted for 30 percent of revenue, more than provincial grants (25 percent). (University Affairs – May 6, 2019). At St. Clair College in Windsor-Chatham, the 2019-20 budget shows for the first time that international student tuition is the largest source of revenue, with a projected $71.8 million. By comparison, operating grants are $41.3 million, and tuition for its budgeted 7,600 domestic students is about $24.3 million. This fall, the college, which has seen its population of international students grow from 500 in 2014 to 4,200 in 2018, increased tuition for new international students by 15 per cent.
10 2006 data shows that 60 per cent of the Canadian population works for a small business, with approximately 45 per cent of Canada’s economy coming from small-medium size businesses (Bruce, D., & Picard, D., 2006. Making succession a success: Perspectives from Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises. Journal of Small Business Management, 44(2), 306-309.). Only 20 per cent of these businesses have a succession plan in place (Motwani, J., Levenburg, N. M., Schwarz, T. V., & Blankson, C. (2006). Succession Planning in SMEs. International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship, 24(5), 471–495.). Matching eligible international student entrepreneurs with successful businesses seeking a successor could help address this growing issue.
11 OINP Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream.    and  Ontario Immigration Nominee Program: Masters Stream. The OINP program allows for nominations for Masters level graduates who meet certain conditions. There is no such program for undergraduate international students. Undergraduate students must obtain viable employment and have sufficient work experience to meet residency requirements before applying for permanent residence.
12 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
RESOLUTION TITLE: Support for the Trucking Industry
SUBMITTED BY:Â Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce
ISSUE
The challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic have brought to light the operational difficulties in the trucking industry throughout Canada. The trucking industry is facing two major challenges:
- Driver shortage: Throughout Canada trucking companies are struggling to find drivers. This is more pronounced for smaller fleet companies. and
- High cost for training and insurance: Current licensing rules mean that truck drivers who have international driving experience must completely re-train when they arrive in Canada. The additional costs for training drivers hurt smaller business more than the larger fleets. Insurance premiums for smaller trucking companies are significantly higher than the larger fleets. The issues related to retaining truck drivers, the rising costs of insurance premiums, and equipment shortage for smaller owner-operator businesses make it important to review and amend regulations and develop a strategy to implement support, both federally and provincially.
BACKGROUND
More than 55,000 truck drivers’ jobs will need to be filled in Canada by March of 2023 according to the latest report and statistics gathered by Trucking HR Canada. Ontario was the first province to introduce mandatory entry-level training programs, which requires 103.5 hours of core training, and another 8.5 hours of training for an air brake endorsement, before testing for a Class A/Z license.
The turnover rates are lower for larger fleets while the smaller fleets struggle to retain drivers. The challenges of increased insurance costs, shortage of equipment and rising price in makes it challenging for smaller trucking companies to remain competitive.
When international drivers arrive in Canada, their driving experience is not considered, and they must retrain which can cost between $7,000 and $12,000 dollars. Smaller businesses are paying over $15,000 a year in insurance costs and are unable to secure new drivers because of insurance policies that favour the larger trucking companies. Smaller fleets are disadvantaged because they do not have resources and cannot offer wages at par with larger fleets, thereby leading to driver retention challenges.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce urges the Government of Ontario to:
- Implement and adjust licensing requirements for internationally trained truck drivers so that specific training and safety tests allow new truck drivers to fast-track their careers and consider their previous experience, thereby reducing the time and cost to obtain a license.
- Increase immigration and bring internationally trained truck drivers that would amplify the pool of workers available.
- Implement financial support to smaller fleet companies (owner-operator) so that they can offset high insurance cost, offer competitive wages, cover training, and hire more workers.