Recognizing Art Sinclair: A Legacy of Advocacy, Insight, and Community Impact
After nearly two decades of dedicated service, the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce is recognizing one of its most influential and respected leaders. Art Sinclair, Vice President, Advocacy & Policy, is retiring, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy that has shaped not only our organization, but the broader business and public policy landscape of Waterloo Region.
Art joined the Chamber in 2006, bringing with him deep institutional knowledge and a rare ability to translate complex policy environments into actionable advocacy for local employers. His career prior to the Chamber included twelve years at the Ontario Legislature, where he served in advisory roles to multiple cabinet ministers, including the Minister of Agriculture and the Premier. This experience laid the foundation for the strategic, solutions-oriented approach that would become his hallmark.
Throughout his tenure, Art was the Chamber’s steady hand and authoritative voice on advocacy and policy. He represented the interests of our business community before provincial and federal finance committees during pre-budget consultations, appeared regularly before municipal councils, and ensured the Chamber was consistently positioned as a credible, informed, and respected stakeholder at every level of government.
Art also played a critical leadership role nationally and locally, serving as Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee, and contributing to the Region of Waterloo’s Employment & Income Support Community Advisory Committee. Internally, he acted as staff liaison to numerous advocacy bodies, including the Federal and Provincial Affairs Committee, Regional and Municipal Affairs Committee, Environment Committee, and the Prosperity Council of Waterloo Region. Through this work, Art ensured the Chamber’s advocacy efforts were both strategically aligned and deeply informed.
Beyond committee rooms and policy briefs, Art was a trusted public voice for business. His regular columns in Business Times and the Waterloo Chronicle helped demystify policy issues and elevated the conversation around economic development, competitiveness, and community prosperity.
Raised in Mitchell, Ontario on a family-run dairy farm, Art’s roots in agriculture and rural Ontario informed his lifelong appreciation for hard work, collaboration, and pragmatic decision-making. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Guelph. He is also a long-standing member of the Waterloo Rotary Club, further reflecting his commitment to service and community leadership.
On a personal level, Art is truly one of a kind. Known for his commanding presence, encyclopedic memory, and uncanny ability to connect people within “seven degrees” (often fewer), he is a walking repository of institutional knowledge and local history. His passions (including football and public policy) are as unmistakable as his voice in any room. For Art, the Chamber has always been more than a workplace; it has been his extended family.
As Art enters this next chapter, we extend our immense gratitude for the leadership, integrity, and impact he brought to the Chamber and to the community we serve. His work has helped position the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce as a trusted advocate for business and a constructive partner in shaping our region’s future.
On behalf of the Board, staff, volunteers, and members… thank you, Art. Your legacy will continue to inform our work for years to come.
A casual reception will be held on Tuesday, February 24th from 4:30PM-6:00PM at the CentreStage Lounge (at Centre in the Square). Pre-registration is required on our website by Monday, February 23rd. Please join us in congratulating, and celebrating, Art Sinclair.
