The Kelowna Chamber has been advocating for some time that our economic and trading landscape must not only adapt but transform. We were pleased to see this advocacy position is reflected in the Prime Minister’s new measures to “protect, build and transform Canada’s strategic industries” announced on Friday September 5.
The significant moves being made to replace our reliance on specific major trading partners to multiple international and interprovincial partners in order to strengthen our economy and our resilience to global shocks to our economy, and to protect our present and future workers and industries are of critical importance. We are fully in support.
The core changes being made by the federal government affect our workforce, our industries through the $5 billion Strategic Response Fund, new policies for the government around “Buy Canadian”, immediate loans and liquidity relief for small and medium sized businesses, aid for Canada’s canola and agricultural producers, and regional tariff response initiatives being expanded to $1 billion in relief – all are timely, and will help Canada’s businesses survive and grow as we move forward into a new international trade landscape.
Looking ahead, robust Canadian demand, diverse trade partnerships, and the new Major Projects Office which will fast track nation-building projects will develop alongside Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy and Build Canada Homes.
The Kelowna Chamber will introduce two new policies of its own in October at the Canadian Chamber policy AGM: one, Growing Canada’s Aerospace Sector Through Strategic Investment, Regional Expansion and Defence Procurement; and a second, Addressing Food Sovereignty Through Support of Young Farmers. Both align with the federal government’s transformational strategies.
We are also pleased that the new Major Projects Office will be based in Calgary, which sends strong national signals, and allows Canada to move forward with better, more collaborative relationships in the pursuit of Reconciliation with Indigenous communities.
Many of our local Chamber members are already hard at work on these changes: modernizing, electrifying, retraining employees, seeking new export markets, and becoming more efficient in order to create more competitive products that local and international customers are looking for.
These initiatives give Canadian businesses a fighting chance, and we look forward to working with the government to drive investment and growth in Kelowna, in B.C. and in Canada.