Advocacy is one of the four core pillars of our Chamber, but it’s sometimes hard to understand the importance and the practical aspects of the advocacy work that we do. What is it? Why is it important? How do we do it? Who supports it? The answers are all below.
In the context of the business community, advocacy involves representing the interests of local businesses, ensuring their voices are heard, and working to shape policies that help foster a thriving economic environment. It’s about influencing decisions that affect the way businesses operate, grow, and succeed. Advocacy can be directed at all levels of government—local, provincial, and federal—and can also extend to addressing issues with other organizations or international bodies that affect the business landscape.
Advocacy is at the heart of every successful business community. It’s how we ensure that the voices of business owners are heard and that policies are shaped in ways that foster growth and opportunity. At the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, we’re committed to advocating for the issues that matter most to our members – from local regulations to international trade. We prioritize our advocacy efforts around the businesses within our membership, and the issues that matter most to them. Sometimes that includes reducing red tape or accessing funding for small businesses, while also pushing for job creation and investments for larger employers in our Region. We also tackle industry-specific issues, such as threats to the supply chain for our manufacturers.
First and foremost, we listen to our members and where their pain points are. Once those priority areas have been made clear, we engage with policymakers, government officials, and industry leaders to promote policies that benefit businesses in our area. This includes advocating for better regulations, favorable tax policies, improved infrastructure, and other essential elements that help businesses thrive.
We also track political and economic developments, from provincial and federal elections to international affairs, ensuring that our members are always informed about how these changes might impact their operations. You can access this information in our email communications, on our website, and at events. We bring a number of elected officials and Cabinet Ministers to the Region to speak at events throughout the year, giving our members access to the information that impacts them.
Our goal is to be a trusted advocate for businesses, helping them navigate challenges and seize opportunities.
You do! We do the advocacy work to support you – our members. So the areas in which we focus, are driven by you too.
We are a non-profit. Our primary goal is to support and advocate for the interests of businesses and the local community rather than to generate profit. That means, without your support, the work we do wouldn’t be possible. If you believe in the work we’re doing, and/or are looking to support us in our advocacy efforts, there’s a couple of different ways you can do so.
Advocacy is a powerful tool for change, and by becoming actively involved with the Chamber, you’re helping us make a difference for the entire business community. To learn more about how we’re working for you, or to participate in discussions and initiatives aimed at shaping policy decisions at the local, provincial, and federal levels, please email us!
