Chamber of Commerce resolutions adopted at Canadian AGM

The Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce saw both of its policy resolutions at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s virtual AGM pass with strong support across the country earlier this week.

“COVID-19 is top of mind for everyone, but we have not lost focus on the policy issues that will help build strong economies and more resilient communities,” said Cyndi Vos, CEO, Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce, in a news release. “We were pleased to get support for the policy positions we put forward, both of which were identified by our members.”

Both policies that Lethbridge advanced addressed local business concerns.

“Digital Broadband the Key to Economic Prosperity” which the chamber has lobbied for in partnership with the City of Lethbridge for several years, pressed the government for widespread broadband coverage. Although the federal government committed to accelerating the timelines of the Universal Broadband Fund in the most recent throne speech, they have not committed to any firm targets or dates that suggest this process is imminent.

The recommendations that were adopted address the inequities in the current landscape by calling for expedited timelines to facilitate action to address the present gaps in accessibility that continue to constrain our economy, the chamber said in its release.

The chamber’s other policy, “Reuse of Greywater to Help Address Unsustainable Water Resource Demand,” evaluated the recovery and reuse of municipal wastewater for noncontact commercial and institutional, household and landscape purposes as a way to increase the amount of net water available without affecting current consumption patterns, volumes, or lifestyle.

The Chamber asked that the Government of Canada adopt national guidelines for reclaimed water standards that can be applied to both residential and nonresidential scenarios in terms of use and requirements and provide incentives in the form of infrastructure support to ensure Canadian business makes strides in the development and implementation of water reuse management practices.

Policies that were adopted move to discussions with the relevant federal ministries, and action items created to take the resolutions forward.

“The process is a long one,” says Vos, who in the past has attended both provincial and national chamber policy sessions. “Our members indicate issues of importance to us that they would like to see us advance at the national level. Researching, writing and presenting takes three or more months. The annual AGM is the culmination of that process. We are very pleased that our chamber colleagues from around the nation validated our work.”

This year, with all delegates attending virtually, saw 50 policies pass and more than 250 delegates taking part in the policy sessions.

Final versions of the policies, including any adopted amendments, will be available on both the Lethbridge Chamber and the Canadian Chamber websites by mid-November.