Supporting Canterbury for 163 years

The past two-three years have been enormously disruptive to the business environment in New Zealand.

We have slipped into a rut with the economy grinding to a halt and confidence levels akin to that of the Great Depression.

For the Canterbury region at least, it is not all doom and gloom. Our local economy has fared well compared to other regions, off the back of our strong primary and manufacturing sectors, and more so it is reflective of the sheer determination, innovation, and resilience of Cantabrians.

With the easing of restrictive measures and the reopening of the borders, there are exciting opportunities ahead for business and the Chamber will continue through our ongoing support and advocacy to help Canterbury businesses get back to business.

It is not without a thriving economy that we can have a thriving community – and that is the core principle that drives the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce.

We want the Canterbury region to continue to grow and prosper.

It is quite special here, and that is only possible when businesses are operating at their full potential, economic conditions are conducive to growth and employers have the confidence they need to grow; to invest in new staff, purchase new equipment, to innovate.

The dividends of a strong business community are ever present in the Canterbury region. Much of the rebuild following the earthquakes has been by the region, for the region.

Businesses are celebrated and recognised for the roles they play in our wider community – which is to provide jobs, with high wages, that contribute to the high quality of life that we all enjoy, and that is contributing to a larger proportion of domestic migration than ever before. Selwyn and the Waimakariri are topping the charts.

The Chamber has actively supported thousands of businesses throughout the last two-three years as we have all navigated the disruptions caused by Covid-19 restrictions.

Our business advisors have answered well over 10,000 enquiries on navigating alert levels and traffic lights, and deciphering employment and health and safety obligations throughout the constant changes businesses have faced.

Our advocacy team were instrumental in helping to shape the original Covid-19 wage subsidy and the subsequent iterations, and have continued to strongly advocate for ongoing financial support measures while the country has remained in restrictive-to-business settings.

Our events and training team have hosted hundreds of workshops, information sessions and webinars keeping the business community informed at every step with the changing rules, and requirements.

We are proud to have helped provide clarity at a time that was anything but clear.

The Chamber has supported our members for over 163 years and today we continue to help inform, inspire, connect, and advocate for business.

As the pace of this picks up, our support has never been more important for the development of our region.