TORONTO — May 13, 2022: Today, Rocco Rossi, president and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), released a statement calling on all parties to commit to making it easier to do business in Ontario.
“All parties vying to be the next government in this election should keep in mind that viewing business as a partner has never been more important. After all, Ontario’s business community will play a critical role in the province’s economic rebound.
“The economic backdrop — with high inflation and a potential recession in sight — makes attracting business investments into the province our best path to recovery. This means all parties need to commit to cutting red tape for business. It means untested policies introduced in party platforms that impact the business environment need to be informed by consultations, supported by evidence, focused on outcomes, and backed by cost-benefit analyses.
“By expanding digital offerings, investing in customer service, and streamlining regulations and compliance systems, Ontario can improve its competitiveness and help businesses prosper. We are calling on all parties to commit, if elected, to prioritize measures that will make it easier to do business in Ontario.”
As outlined in OCC’s election priorities document, Vote Prosperity, parties should be focused on policies that result in more prosperous communities, improved business confidence, high-quality jobs, and a more resilient economy. This requires:
- boosting confidence and predictability by modernizing regulation, committing to meaningful consultations, and developing a long-term plan to tackle Ontario’s debt without increasing taxes or cutting valuable programs and services;
- implementing pro-growth policies through helping businesses access the capital, markets, and talent they need to grow;
- building resilient communities by bolstering health care capacity, addressing climate change, and bridging our infrastructure gaps, including housing; and
- supporting entrepreneurship and innovation with targeted supports and a bold approach on technology adoption and data innovation.
The recommendations outlined in OCC’s Vote Prosperity were developed together with businesses, associations, post-secondary institutions, as well as chambers of commerce and boards of trade from across the province.
As the indispensable partner of business, we look forward to putting our members’ issues front and centre this election. To ensure the next provincial election addresses the most important issues, we have developed Vote Prosperity. Read the full plan.
About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce: For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.
