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Government Must Take Bold Action in Federal Budget 2025 to Drive Productivity, Innovation, and Economic Competitiveness

Oct 28, 2025

By Pam Robertson

Government Must Take Bold Action in Federal Budget 2025 to Drive Productivity, Innovation, and Economic Competitiveness

Brockville– October 28, 2025) – As Canada faces persistent economic uncertainty and global competitiveness challenges, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce has released its 2025 Federal Budget Submission, calling on the Government of Canada to adopt a bold, forward-looking economic vision.

“Across Brockville and District, businesses are navigating a complex landscape shaped by rising operational costs, talent shortages in critical sectors, and uncertainty in global markets,” said Pamela Robertson, Executive Director of the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce. “Canada’s 2025 Budget must deliver strategic investments that enhance competitiveness, accelerate innovation, and provide stability for sectors most impacted by economic volatility.” 
 
The OCC’s 2025 Federal Budget Submission includes recommendations to: 

  • Driving inclusive economic growth and global competitiveness by scaling high-potential businesses, accelerating Canada’s clean energy transition, deepening Indigenous economic partnerships, and positioning Canada as a leader in AI, advanced manufacturing, and interprovincial trade. 
  • Advancing community health and innovation by tackling urgent healthcare workforce gaps, modernizing access to essential treatments and services, and deepening federal investment in Canada’s life sciences sector to drive medical innovation and improve health outcomes nationwide. 
  • Unlocking workforce potential across regions by aligning immigration and employment strategies with real-time labour market needs, expanding pathways for skilled newcomers in rural and remote areas, and modernizing Employment Insurance to better support today’s diverse and evolving workforce. 
  • Strengthening Canada’s infrastructure backbone by accelerating housing development through multi-sector collaboration, expanding access to affordable and purpose-built housing, and launching a coordinated national infrastructure strategy that prioritizes clean energy, digital connectivity, resilient supply chains, and modern transit systems. 

Read the OCC’s 2025 Federal Budget Submission here.

About the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce

The Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce is part of a network of Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade that exist in virtually every community across Ontario and Canada. The Chamber network consists of 65,000 businesses provincially and 170,000 businesses nationally. Locally, the Chamber has over 300 members and is recognized as this area’s official “Voice of Business.” This voice is an effective force in influencing issues and legislation affecting your business and our community. It is a membership based and not-for-profit association that is led by an elected volunteer Board of Directors.

About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce


The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) is the indispensable partner of business and Canada’s largest, most influential provincial chamber. It is an independent, not-for-profit advocacy and member services organization representing a diverse network of 60,000 members. The OCC’s mission is to convene, align and advance the interests of its members through principled policy work, value-added business services and broad engagement to drive competitiveness and economic growth in the province.


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Invitation to Participate in a Study on the Impact of Community Safety

Oct 17, 2025

By Pam Robertson

Over the past year, the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce has been actively involved with a number of other mid-sized communities like ours within the Ontario chamber network impacted by heightened community safety risks and challenges.  The input from this survey will help build a case for the Ontario Chamber to stand with other organizations and initiatives appealing to the provincial government to support initiatives around community safety issues we are struggling to manage.

Through our member network of all sizes and types of businesses, not-for-profits and charitable agencies, we see the spectrum of costs to a community like ours that might also be happening in other communities.  For this reason, we are working together to collect information that will identify both funded and unfunded activities/initiatives taking place in our community and have now launched a formal research project being conducted in collaboration with a select group of communities through other Chambers, aimed at informing advocacy and policy strategies to support community resilience through our advocacy work with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce at Queen’s Park. 

This formal research project is being supported by the Centre for Healthy Communities (CFHC) at Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario.  They are pleased to invite you to participate in this province-wide research study examining how community safety issues are impacting businesses, organizations, associations and individuals across Ontario.

Project Overview:

The purpose of this project is to identify and document how businesses, organizations, and associations in small to mid-sized cities across Ontario are responding to increasing community safety concerns. The project will explore efforts currently being undertaken by organizations and individuals to maintain/promote community safety that may or may not be documented or tracked through any formal program.

How to Participate:

If you are willing to participate in this study, please access the link to the secure survey below: https://forms.office.com/r/0VhuZrN12r

Upon accessing the link above you will be asked to review a digital information letter and Consent Form. To proceed with the study, you must click “yes/agree” to proceed to the data collection survey.

Please note that participation is entirely voluntary, and you can choose to withdraw at any time without any impact on your role or relationship with your Chamber of Commerce. All survey responses are received directly by the researchers at Loyalist College.

Why Participate?

This is a chance for you to help shape how your chamber advocates as the Voice of Business for communities navigating safety challenges at Queen’s Park through the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. Your insights will play an essential role in informing recommendations presented to the Ontario Chamber on behalf of your local chamber and the Social Action Working Group.

We truly appreciate your consideration of this opportunity and look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your time and support in this important initiative.

Best regards,
Pamela Robertson
Executive Director

On behalf of

Devon Howell, MSc, PhD(c)

Research Associate

Centre for Healthy Communities

Loyalist College


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Canada Summer Jobs 2026 – Launch Preparation / Emplois d’été Canada 2026 – Préparation au lancement

Oct 10, 2025

By Pam Robertson
The annual Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program Call for Applications will be launched on November 4, 2025, and will close on December 11, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Don’t risk missing the deadline and prepare now to apply for Canada Summer Jobs funding!

Are You Ready?

Not-for-profit employers can receive a wage subsidy of up to 100% of the current provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage. Public and private sector employers are eligible to receive a wage subsidy of up to 50% of the current provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage.

Are you ready to:
– Provide quality work experiences for youth?
– Provide opportunities for youth to develop and improve their skills?
– Respond to national and local priorities to improve access to the labour market for youth who face unique barriers?

If so, stay tuned for the launch of Canada Summer Jobs 2026 by visiting the CSJ website!

Prepare to Apply Read the Prepare to Apply section of the Applicant Guide and the Articles of Agreement in their entirety before you start your application. Consult the section 4 – How to apply to determine if you should submit more than one application.

How to Apply If you already have an existing Grants and Contributions Online Services (GCOS) account, you’ll be able to log in to your account and apply once the Call for Applications has opened.

If you do not have a GCOS account, register today and be ready to apply for CSJ 2026 this November!

Creating a GCOS account is a one-time process. If you are unsure whether you or someone in your organization created an account, please contact us and include your Canada Revenue Agency business number. Opening a second account could delay your registration.

Watch this GCOS video to learn to learn the benefits of creating and using a GCOS account, including how it helps you apply for ESDC programs like CSJ, save and resume applications, and track the status of submitted documents.

Lastly, Canada Post has announced that a postal service disruption has begun on September 25, 2025, across the country. As all applications must be received or date stamped by Service Canada or by a messenger service by December 11, 2025, we strongly encourage submitting your application through GCOS or the online fillable application form, by messenger services, or in person at a Service Canada Centre.

Have questions on a GCOS account? For more information or assistance with your GCOS account, please use the Contact Us button in your account or call us at 1-800-367-5693. Our business hours are Monday to Friday, from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Time. Have questions on the program? Consult the CSJ website CSJ website, or call us at 1-800-935-5555 (ATS: 1-800-926-9105).
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L’appel de demandes annuel pour Emplois d’été Canada (EEC) sera lancé le 4 novembre 2025 et se terminera le 11 décembre 2025 à 23 h 59 Heure du Pacifique. Évitez de manquer la date limite et préparez-vous dès maintenant à déposer votre demande de financement! Êtes-vous prêt ? Les organismes à but non lucratif peuvent recevoir une contribution salariale pouvant atteindre 100 % du salaire horaire minimum en vigueur dans la province ou le territoire. Tandis que les employeurs des secteurs public et privé seront admissibles à une contribution salariale pouvant aller jusqu’à 50 % du salaire horaire minimum en vigueur dans la province ou le territoire. Êtes-vous prêt à : Offrir des expériences de travail de qualité aux jeunes? Offrir aux jeunes des possibilités de développer et d’améliorer leurs compétences? Répondre aux priorités nationales et locales afin d’améliorer l’accès au marché du travail pour les jeunes qui font face à des obstacles particuliers? Si oui, restez à l’affut du lancement d’Emplois d’été Canada 2026 en visitant le site web EEC! Préparer votre demande Lisez attentivement la section Préparer votre demande du Guide du demandeur ainsi que les Modalités de l’entente avant de commencer votre demande. Consultez la section 4 – Présenter une demande pour déterminer si vous devez soumettre plus d’une demande. Comment soumettre une demande de financement Si vous avez déjà un compte des Services en ligne de subventions et contributions (SELSC), vous pourrez vous y connecter et l’utiliser pour soumettre votre demande de financement lorsque l’appel de demandes annuel sera lancé. Si vous n’avez pas de compte SELSC, créez-en un dès maintenant et soyez prêt à soumettre votre demande pour EEC 2026 dès novembre! La création d’un compte SELSC ne doit être effectuée qu’une seule fois. Si vous ne savez pas si vous ou quelqu’un de votre organisation a créé un compte, veuillez communiquer avec nous et incluez votre numéro d’entreprise de l’Agence de revenu du Canada.Ouvrir un deuxième compte pourrait retarder votre enregistrement. Visionnez cette vidéo sur les SELSC pour découvrir les avantages de créer et d’utiliser un compte SELSC, notamment comment cela facilite la soumission d’une demande pour des programmes d’EDSC comme EEC, permet d’enregistrer et de reprendre une demande, et de suivre l’état des documents soumis. En terminant, Postes Canada a annoncé qu’une interruption du service postal a commencé le 25 septembre 2025 à travers le pays. Comme toutes les demandes doivent être reçues ou estampillées par Service Canada ou par un service de messagerie avant le 11 décembre 2025, nous vous encourageons fortement à soumettre votre demande via SELSC ou le formulaire de demande en ligne, par un service de messagerie, ou en personne dans un Centre Service Canada. Vous avez des questions sur les comptes SELSC? Pour obtenir plus d’information ou de l’aide concernant votre compte SELSC, veuillez utiliser le bouton Contactez-nous dans votre compte ou appeler au 1-800-367-5693. Nos heures d’ouverture sont du lundi au vendredi, de 7 h à 20 h (heure de l’Est). Vous avez des questions sur le programme EEC? Consultez le site web d’EEC ou appelez nous au 1-800-935-5555 (ATS : 1-800-926-9105). This message has been approved by Service Canada. Ce message a été approuvé par Service Canada. Contact us if you wish to unsubscribe./ Contactez nous si vous souhaitez vous désabonner.

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