Concerns of business cannot be ignored this election campaign.

The Owen Sound and Ontario Chambers of Commerce (OCC) are mobilizing this election to bring their recommendations in Vote Prosperity to political leaders and local candidates across the province. Over the course of the campaign, local chambers and boards of trade will be boldly pushing the Vote Prosperity message through local debates, events and stakeholder meetings.

The Owen Sound & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting an all-candidates meeting on Tuesday, May 15th, 7 – 9 pm, at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre. The moderator is Ross Kentner, recently retired from Bayshore Broadcasting, and a longstanding member of the Chamber and its Advocacy Committee. The meeting will also be broadcasted by Rogers TV.

"The Owen Sound & District Chamber of Commerce and 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 Peter Reesor, Owen Sound Chamber CEO. "During this election campaign, we will continue those efforts, calling on our local candidates political party leaders to adopt our economic plan that will help strengthen businesses competitiveness, foster job creation, build healthy communities and improve government accountability."
Since October, the OCC and the Owen Sound & District Chamber of Commerce have been meeting with elected officials at Queen's Park and senior public policy leaders, to advocate for the recommendations for a strong Ontario outlined in Vote Prosperity.

As leaders in their communities, during the campaign period local chambers and boards of trades will be hosting all-candidates debates and events, with a focus on the Vote Prosperity message.With industry feeling the impacts of the increasing cumulative burden, Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade have also warned that Ontario's next government must be committed to taking bold action in providing pro-growth policy solutions.
"Ontario has the foundation for sustainable and equitable growth. But, bold action and leadership will be required of the newly elected Government of Ontario, whether it is Liberal, PC or NDP," added Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

Vote Prosperity, the OCC's 2018 Election Platform, is based on four pillars for Ontario:

1. 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.

2. Foster Job Creation: A robust labour market consisting of good jobs is essential to prosperity for all Ontarians.

3. 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.

4. 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.
The full list of recommendations in Vote Prosperity can be found at: http://www.occ.ca/vote-prosperity2018/

source: media release, Owen Sound and District Chamber of Commerce