MEDIA RELEASE – May 4, 2018
CHAMBER ASKS HOW CANDIDATES WILL SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS IN RURAL ONTARIO
Trent Hills, Ontario – The community of Trent Hills will have an opportunity to hear from the candidates in the upcoming provincial election on Tuesday, May 15 at Campbellford District High School, 119 Ranney St. N., Campbellford. The Evening with the Candidates is hosted by the Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce (THCC) and takes place from 6 pm to 9 pm.
“At the Trent Hills Chamber 94% of our businesses have 19 employees or less. In Ontario, more than 1/3 of all businesses have 19 employees or less. It is these small businesses that are vital to rural communities like Trent Hills and across Ontario,” said Lori Schuett, Chair of the Board. “In lieu of opening remarks, we have asked each candidate to share how they will ensure that small businesses in Trent Hills will thrive and succeed.”
The format for the evening begins with a Candidate Meet and Greet from 6 pm to 6:30 pm. Candidates will then take the stage for a moderated question and answer forum. The first half of the evening will focus on written questions submitted to the moderator’s panel. At the midway point the audience will have their chance to ask questions from the floor. The Chamber has added a twist to the traditional format. Each candidate will have one opportunity to change any question into a debate format, complete with rebuttals.
The THCC is an advocate for the business community and is a member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC). The OCC recently launched their 2018 Vote Prosperity Election Platform.
“Local chambers and boards of trade across the province have been advocating tirelessly with local candidates and elected officials, highlighting business priorities for this election,” said Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “During this election campaign, the Ontario Chamber Network will continue those efforts, calling on political party leaders to adopt our economic plan that will help strengthen businesses competitiveness, foster job creation, build healthy communities and improve government accountability.”
Vote Prosperity is based on four pillars for Ontario:
Strengthen business competitiveness: Rising input costs, especially those costs deriving from government regulation and policy, are the most common and acute concern of the business community in Ontario.
Foster Job Creation: A robust labour market consisting of good jobs is essential to prosperity for all Ontarians.
Build Healthy Communities: Building strong communities through adequate and affordable housing, sustainable health care, and good infrastructure also supports business prosperity and growth, which supports those communities.
Improve Government Accountability: Poor implementation of government initiatives can result in resource waste, political frustration and disruption for ordinary citizens, as demonstrated by a series of policy failures under governments of all political stripes.
The platform provides eighteen unique recommendations that will help bolster Ontario’s long-term economic future, while also addressing the pressing issues the province currently faces. A copy of the full report is available at: http://www.occ.ca/vote-prosperity2018/
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Contact: Nancy Allanson, Executive Director, Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce
T: 705-653-1551 E: nancy@trenthillschamber.ca