For immediate release March 14, 2024
Ontario Chamber Advocacy Day: A Call to Action to Boost Productivity
The Mississauga Board of Trade and Ontario Chamber Releases 2024 Provincial Budget Recommendations
(TORONTO– March 14, 2024) – Ontario’s economic prosperity is threatened by inflation, infrastructure backlogs, regulatory barriers, skills gaps, and fears of a slowing economy. To address these challenges, the Mississauga Board of Trade and Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s (OCC) 2024 Provincial Budget Submission provides recommendations focused on closing Ontario’s productivity gap through a principled growth strategy.
“Businesses across Mississauga are continuing to feel the effect of the pandemic,” said Trevor McPherson, President and CEO of the Mississauga Board of Trade. “Budget 2024 must lay the groundwork for strong economic growth, building the infrastructure and workforce of the future, and modernizing regulation to ensure Ontario can attract investment and nurture entrepreneurship.”
Some key recommendations include:
- Empowering Ontario’s workforce and addressing labour shortages by supporting a financially sustainable post-secondary education sector, advancing upskilling and reskilling initiatives, and scaling evidence-based interventions to support the participation of equity-deserving groups in the labour market.
- Cultivating business competitiveness and sustainable growth by improving access to private capital and credit for small businesses, removing barriers to interprovincial and international trade, and supporting key sectors such as clean energy, cannabis, and tourism.
- Investing in resilient, healthy communities by tackling primary care and broader health human resource crises, combating growing rates of mental health and addiction challenges, and expediting the implementation of Ontario’s life sciences strategy.
- Building strong foundations through infrastructure by leveraging partnerships to build and preserve affordable housing along the continuum, investing in energy generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure, and continuing to accelerate broadband rollout across the province.
“In 2024 and beyond, productivity must be Ontario’s priority,” said Daniel Tisch, President and CEO of the OCC. “Capital will flow where productive capacity is highest, and we want it to flow to Ontario. That’s why the budget must focus on policies that support immediate growth while investing in an educated workforce, long-term infrastructure, and healthy, sustainable communities.”
Recommendations outlined in the OCC’s budget submission were developed in consultation with businesses of all sizes, labour unions, postsecondary institutions, non-profit organizations, industry associations and close to 150 chambers of commerce and boards of trade.
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About the Mississauga Board of Trade
Since being established in 1961, MBOT has played an important leadership role serving and representing the interests of business of all sizes and sectors in our community.
Mississauga is Canada’s sixth largest city and third largest in Ontario – with a population of over 700,000 residents and more than 50,000 businesses employing over 440,000 people, including 60 Fortune 500 Canadian headquarters. Mississauga is where successful companies choose to do business. MBOT’s large, diverse and active membership has made us one of the most vibrant business associations in Canada.
As the “Voice of Business” we advocate on policy issues that impact local business at all levels of government and are influential in helping to shape policy decisions. MBOT also offers a wide variety of valuable business services and professional development programs, networking events and marketing opportunities, to help business grow, prosper, and get connected.
For more information, please contact:
Anthony Ferreria, Public Affairs Specialist
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.
