The Role of Chambers

Chambers of Commerce are integral institutions in their communities. What exactly do they do and how are they changing and adapting with their member businesses?

In 1891, 46 Calgary business owners looking to strengthen the growing business community came together on common ground to build something new and collective.

“The Calgary Chamber was established to build a network of business leaders who could collaborate to strengthen the business community and advocate to government on how to make Calgary the best place to do business,” says Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. “Calgary would officially become a city three years later – so the business community has always been one step ahead,” she jokes. These community leaders determined that a collective organization needed to be founded to better ensure the success of all businesses in the area, as well as to advance progressive goals of the business community including pay equity, integrity and good faith, and mitigating controversy. So, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce was born. Across the country, hundreds of towns, cities, regions and provinces have similar stories of business leaders and community builders coming together to help the communities they believe in become better places for businesses to grow and thrive.

“Local Chambers do so much to support their communities,” says Shauna Feth, president and CEO of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce. She and her team support the more than 115 Chambers across the province, identifying the immense value local Chambers bring to their members.

“They’re the ones hosting the major events for the betterment of the community,” she says. “They’re the ones advocating on behalf of their businesses to their municipalities.

And then, with the broader network of Chambers, they’re also the ones developing policy for provincial and federal levels that will impact change for their local regions.”

More than anything – with engaged, diverse member bases –Chambers have extensive networks, to help bring people of all backgrounds together.

“The Chamber helps connects businesses with each other and with government, to build community, accelerate the success of businesses and make Calgary the best place to start and scale a business,” says Yedlin. Every year, the Calgary Chamber hosts over 60 events with leaders from all circles, including corporate CEOs, small business owners, government leaders and impassioned citizens wanting to learn more and make a difference.

Keeping Up With The Evolution Of Canadian Business

As businesses change and industries shift, so do the needs of members. The way Chambers help businesses changes year after year, much different than the founding days of 1891 when the area had not yet reached a population of even 10,000. Calgary now has a population of over 1.3 million, with a greater diversification of sectors, people, skill sets and infrastructure, so the Calgary Chamber, like so many across the country, must keep its finger on the pulse of the business community and adapt quickly.

Seeing that many small Chambers across the province have limited staff or are volunteer-run, the Alberta Chambers will soon be launching a new Chamber online dashboard, offering a plethora of tools including