2021
ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
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LEADERS’ MESSAGE CURIOSITY, COURAGE AND CONNECTION At last year’s AGM, Brampton’s business community set curiosity, courage and connection as the essential three themes for our Board of Trade in 2021. These themes helped business people from every sector meet challenges posed by the global pandemic head-on. Our collective curiosity brought transformational change to many businesses, including the Board of Trade. While maintaining a laser focus on member services and engagement, the Board of Trade added three new manager-level staff members to better support our events, account development and advocacy. Digital transformation of expert interviews, forums and networks have positioned the Board of Trade as a future-ready association. From a fiscal point of view, our Board of Trade experienced its best year in a decade. Maintaining customer focus meant memberships, sponsorships and participation in Board activities remained strong. The uncertain and constantly evolving pandemic situation required prudent decision-making. Workplace safety and healthy protocols were the priority. As such, the Board redesigned services to virtual delivery through to the end of 2021. Members responded well as we successfully delivered a full slate of signature programming. This included the Business Excellence Awards, a robust calendar of network and committee meetings, plus forums with political and economic leaders representing all levels of government and sectors of the economy. Since 2018, successive boards have demonstrated courage to try new initiatives. The establishment of our value-pack membership strategies has proven popular with Brampton’s business community. Our unique value propositions remain strong, reflected by high levels of member satisfaction and retention. At a time of increasingly complex regulations, government support measures and public health requirements, we have helped Brampton businesses cut through the noise and protect themselves, their employees and customers. We advocated tirelessly to keep businesses open, from proposing a Responsible Business Protocol, to being one of the first major business associations to call for proof-of-vaccination requirements as measures to avoid further lock downs. We pushed for the extension of emergency pandemic supports and a common-sense approach to support the business community. And throughout 2021, our focus on economic development and pro-growth policies has remained a core activity. Important connections have been made among members, suppliers and customers. Members of the Board of Trade have met regularly with leaders from the municipal, provincial and federal governments and advocated for the priorities of Brampton’s business community. Our second annual Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey shows we are on the right track. We heard overwhelmingly that urgent action is needed on transit and transportation infrastructure, bringing a third hospital to Brampton and restoring confidence in local government. As we end this year, the Board of Trade remains Brampton’s largest, most representative and bestrespected business organization. In the year ahead, we look forward to working even harder to bring value to members and to advocate for conditions that will lead to better enterprise productivity and community prosperity.
Michelle McCollum Chair 2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Todd Letts Chief Executive Officer BRAMPTON BOARD OF TRADE bramptonbot.com
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MEMBER FEEDBACK
Each year Board of Trade members provide feedback on their confidence of economic conditions and the key drivers of our local economy.
“The Board of Trade has helped us to elevate our profile, make meaningful connections, and provided supportive networks as we all, collectively, navigate the pandemic.” - Board of Trade Member
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BRAMPTON BOARD OF TRADE
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
MEMBER FEEDBACK
“I trust the staff and businesses that make up the Board of Trade. They are always positive, encouraging and thoughtful. They also hold politicians to account. I get great value from my membership.” - Board of Trade Member
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
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BUSINESS LEADERSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ADVOCACY & REPRESENTATION Representing you and helping governments understand the needs of business. CONNECTIONS & SOLUTIONS Introducing you to the people, suppliers, customers, and experts that can accelerate your success journey. VISION & GROWTH We attract the visionaries, creatives and the smartest businesses in Brampton. LEADERSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY Together, we will build the best business association in the world. “Constant source of information, insight, and guidance ... checking in with peers to see how things are going, where to access resources and get reassurance about the positive things happening amidst all the uncertainty and bad news. Todd and the team worked tirelessly to ensure those businesses most at risk had access and insight to weather the terrible storm.” - Board of Trade Member
Thank You to Retiring Board Members
Shauna McMillan CN
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Shauna-Kay Jones Motify BRAMPTON BOARD OF TRADE
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
2022 Board of Directors
Michelle McCollum 2021 BBOT Chair Sheridan College
Donna Fagon-Pascal 2022 BBOT Chair Dynacare
Vanessa White 2021 BBOT VP Finance Maple Lodge Farms
Joe Jackman Almag Aluminum
Keith Reardon CN
Louis Vouloukos Lawrence, Lawrence, Stevenson LLP
Steve Stevens RioCan
Kanwar Dhanjal Just Instruments Inc.
Daniel Lewis iAM Daniel
Kath Saldanha Prouse, Dash & Crouch
Johanne Rappoccio BMP Metals Inc.
Scott Thomson Rogers Communications
Jeremy MacBean IT Weapons
Todd Letts Brampton Board of Trade
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
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BUSINESS LEADERSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE The Prosperity Agenda is a road map designed to help business leaders become more aware of the key drivers of our economy and their role in moving Brampton forward. Focus is on these six pillars:
• The Brampton Board of Trade advocates for Brampton’s business community ensuring that governments make strategic investments that encourage and complement private sector innovation. • Brampton Board of Trade is a founding member of Canada’s Innovation Corridor Business Council, and serves on its executive committee. Canadasinnovationcorridor.com
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BRAMPTON BOARD OF TRADE
• Board staff, and volunteers are active in business retention and expansion initiatives and in supporting Brampton’s foreign direct investment activities. • In order to encourage the development of more commercial space, plans are underway for flood mitigation and creation of a Riverwalk in downtown Brampton. • Another notable development is at Brampton’s southern gateway along highway 10. RioCan has an ambitious proposal underway to convert Shoppers’ World into a multi-use commercial/residential neighbourhood.
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
• The Prosperity Network has been established for Board of Trade members to discuss actions to enhance the community’s prosperity. • The Board of Trade takes special effort to recognize leadership in our community. Its annual Business Excellence Awards recognizes a Business Person of the Year and celebrates business success through a variety of award categories.
• The Board of Trade hosts a Talent Network – a quarterly forum for human resource professionals and other employers to discuss strategies to retain and recruit employees. • Each month, the Board facilitates conversations on culture, motivation, hiring, on-boarding, return to work trends and vaccination policies.
• The Board of Trade is engaged on all current transit projects in and around Brampton. • This year, the Brampton Board of Trade was successful in encouraging the Provincial Government to invest in significant GO Train expansion through Brampton.
• The Brampton Board of Trade has a robust Trade Network. The network meets bimonthly and profiles international markets and shares tips and practical lessons from Brampton’s export community. • The Brampton Board of Trade has encouraged the federal government to reactivate stalled negotiations between Canada and India to achieve a mutually beneficial trade agreement.
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
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OUR PURPOSE Through facilitating strategic relationships, advocating on behalf of businesses, and developing cost savings programs, we fulfill our mission in helping members find solutions to the toughest problems that businesses face every day including overcoming barriers to growth, attracting, and retaining talent, and making the right connections.
BY THE NUMBERS Facebook Followers 2,541, 27% increase
Instagram Followers 2,442, 34% increase
LinkedIn Followers 1,366, 24% increase
Twitter Followers 4,800, 2% increase
Members Employ 61,000
Network Meetings Held 50+
Website Page Views 12,972 per month
Newsletter Open Rate 20%
Social Media Impressions 5,718 per month
“The Brampton Board of Trade is smart, tactful, thoughtful and accessible. I am encouraged to engage and learn from the many amazing and dynamic members – everyone is so nice! This team delivers excellence by way of posting business news and updates online, moderating rich discussions and seminars as it relates to local (and beyond) business trends, opportunities, change…. all the while keeping us grounded and community-minded in Brampton!” - Board of Trade Member 8
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2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
ADVOCACY SUCCESS Municipal Wins: • Performed critical review and analysis of the Main St LRT Extension options, a vital piece of infrastructure for Brampton’s downtown and businesses throughout Brampton • Advocated for acceleration of streetscaping improvement plans to beautify the downtown for the benefit of businesses and residents • Successfully pushed for investment in Riverwalk, resulting in a $58.2 million commitment from the City of Brampton and Federal Government • Called for timely utility replacements and upgrades to better serve businesses and residents • Facilitated business community engagement with the City’s Official Plan process, including shaping the terms of discussion to ensure direct consideration of factors relevant to Brampton businesses • Strong advocacy for development of Heritage Heights including realistic transportation options throughout the entire community • Won bid to host the Ontario Chamber of Commerce 2022 Annual General Meeting, a signature in-person event to be held in Brampton in April • Hosted the 4th annual Canada’s Innovation Corridor Summit with over 275 registrants • Implemented ReadyBrampton.com, a comprehensive, multimedia shop local campaign that highlights Brampton businesses and helps to instill consumer confidence post-pandemic • Board of Trade CEO and volunteers served on the City’s Economic Recovery Task Force and Brampton’s Transit Committee • Board of Trade’s advocacy and digital trade services form important part of Brampton’s Innovation District • Provided close oversight and critical review of the municipal budget process, including briefing members of council on business community priorities and concerns • Offered strong advocacy at Queen’s Park and on Parliament Hill for increased investment in Brampton’s municipal infrastructure priority projects • Actively engaging international site locators to attract new business to Brampton
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
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ADVOCACY SUCCESS Provincial Wins: • Advocated for implementation of on-site vaccination clinics at Brampton’s largest employers, a measure that reduced barriers to vaccination for front-line workers • Successfully called for the introduction of temporary paid sick leave through the provincial government, so that workers who are experiencing symptoms can stay home without additional cost to their employer • Pushed for prioritization of COVID-19 vaccine second dose allocation and delivery to Peel, recognizing our large share of front-line workers and that our region has been a hot spot with COVID caseloads disproportionately large for our population • First mover on calls for implementing a proof-of-vaccination requirement for many higherrisk settings, a critical step for boosting consumer confidence, keeping workplaces safe for employees and allowing businesses to remain open and avoid widespread closures • Scored key wins in advocacy outlined in the 2021 provincial budget: 1) Allocations to increase capacity along the Innovation Corridor route from Waterloo Region Toronto, right through Brampton, as part of a $61.6 billion public transit commitment over 10 years; 2) Commitment to a new in-patient wing at Peel Memorial Hospital; 3) Financial support for Ryerson University in planning towards opening a new institute of medical education in Brampton
“BBOT’s relentless pursuit of bringing vaccine pop-ups to manufacturing resulted in us hosting 2 clinics and over 450+ shots in arms.” - Board of Trade Member
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BRAMPTON BOARD OF TRADE
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
ADVOCACY SUCCESS Federal Wins • Pushed for an extension of COVID-19 business supports such as emergency wage and rent subsidies for the hardest-hit sectors and small businesses. • Advocated for the creation of the Canada Recovery Hiring Program to help the hardest hit businesses hire staff when they are ready for recovery. • Showed national leadership on reducing inter-provincial trade barriers by collecting data, identifying barriers, and implementing a nation-wide awareness campaign to address these issues. • Saw a nearly $500 million investment towards supporting high-frequency rail along the VIA route to better move people and goods along key travel corridors • Supported a contribution of $1.4 billion to help Main Street businesses in offsetting the costs of implementing digital/e-commerce and taking advantage of electronic opportunities
RECENT RECOGNITIONS & COLLABORATIONS • Won the bid for the 2022 Ontario Chamber of Commerce AGM and Policy Conference (Spring 2022) • Hosted the 2021 Canada’s Innovation Corridor Summit (Fall 2021) • Elected to the World Chamber Federation Governing Council • Appointed to CCE Commission (Certified Chamber Executive professional development designation) • Collaborated with City of Brampton Economic Development and Mayor’s office, in the development of the Economic Recovery Strategy • Appointed to Ontario Minister of Transportation’s Business Advisory Council on Transit in the Innovation Corridor • Appointed to the City of Brampton’s Transit Committee
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
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THANK YOU COMMUNITY BUILDERS
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2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
2021 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Advanced Manufacturing Zochem ULC
Arts & Cultre Ravinzangel
Business Services Razor Creative
Community Impact (For Profit) Clorox Company of Canada
Community Impact (Not for Profit) Regeneration Outreach
Food & Beverage Social Eats Media
Healthy Workplace Sheridan College
Innovation Hopin Microtransit
International Trade / Investment Almag Aluminum
Life Sciences William Osler Health System
Logistics eShipper
Retail The Scented L’Air
2021 Business Person of the Year Vito Ciciretto, President & CEO Dynacare
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MEMBERSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Smart businesses are Board of Trade members. Make a referral? What can you contribute?
Make change happen Knock-down barriers to growth at all 4 levels of government. Stand together to encourage economic growth and pro-business policies that make it easier for your business to thrive
Attract new clients Find potential new clients and customers through our online member directory or at our many business development opportunities
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Build partnerships Take advantage of our local, national, and global connections to stay informed and help you to find new partners to reach your business aspirations.
Grow your network Meet fellow members, local community leaders, and decisionmakers at monthly events. Connect directly with Brampton’s business leaders.
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
2022 KEY DATES InspiHER State of the City February 8, 2022
In Celebration of International Women’s Day March 2, 2022
Business Excellence Awards
Annual General Meeting
May 5, 2022
November 16, 2022
“Simply put…phenomenal. Roster of speakers and the topics were top notch. Engaging, informative and inspiring.” - Board of Trade Event Attendee
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
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MEET THE TEAM
Todd Letts CEO
Kristi MacGibbon VP, Operations
Jennifer Oppermann Account Development Manager
Justyna Toeppner Marketing & Communications Manager 16
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Jennifer Oldham Community Operations Manager
Kevin Draper Manager, Government Relations & Communications Strategy
Wendy-Ann Johnson Office Administrator
2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
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BRAMPTON BOARD OF TRADE 36 Queen Street East, Suite 101 Brampton, ON L6V 1A2 www.bramptonbot.com | 905.451.1122