The Canadian Chamber’s Response to Pre-Budget Consultation 2025

March 10, 2025
Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs
90 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G5
Sent by Email: Dominic.LeBlanc@fin.gc.ca and yourbudget-votrebudget@fin.gc.ca

Dear Minister LeBlanc:

We find ourselves in an unprecedented situation. Not since the original NAFTA debate many decades ago, has Canada’s economic prosperity been at such risk. In this election year, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is calling on the government to be bold, and to make the hard decisions required to position Canada for success now, and for generations to come.

President Trump’s trade war with Canada ought to serve as the wake-up call to finally address Canada’s productivity gap, take drastic steps to shore up Canadian business competitiveness, address internal trade irritants, and lower taxes.

We know many businesses did not come back after the 2008/2009 recession. We know investment and business flight to the United States and other jurisdictions is rapidly becoming a major public policy challenge. We don’t have time for incremental action. We need to be bold. We must go ‘All-In’.

On February 4th, 2025, our President and CEO, Candace Laing launched the Canadian Chamber of Commerce All-In Canada plan. This plan calls for addressing internal trade, lowering taxes, reducing red tape and improving our trade infrastructure. This plan forms the foundation for the Canadian Chamber’s 2025 pre-budget submission.

President Trump has united our country, and made it clear we cannot solely rely on the United States for our economic security. It’s time to return to our roots and forge new trading paths across the world with like-minded countries who are eager to buy our goods and resources.

While we must diversify our trading relationships abroad, we cannot give up on our relationship with the United States. Government and business must collaborate to foster a renewed trading relationship with the United States, built on the fundamental principle that both countries will succeed if we work together. While Canada’s immediate response to tariffs is crucially important, we must not lose focus on the importance of longer-term efforts to support the renewal of CUSMA.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is eager to partner with you and your government to identify and act on policies that will achieve the All-In Canada plan. Only a united front will effectively defend against the American trade threat.

Sincerely,
Matthew Holmes
Executive Vice President, International and Chief of Public Policy
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce

About the Canadian Chamber of Commerce — The Future of Business Success 

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is Canada’s largest and most activated business network — representing over 400 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and more than 200,000 business of all sizes, from all sectors of the economy and from every part of the country — working to create the conditions for our collective success. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the undisputed champion and catalyst for the future of business success. From working with government on economy-friendly policy to providing services that inform commerce and enable trade, we give each of our members more of what they need to succeed: insight into markets, competitors and trends, influence over the decisions and policies that drive business success, and impact on business and economic performance.   

Media Contact

Shane Mackenzie
Vice President, Media and Stakeholder Communications
613.302.7683
smackenzie@chamber.ca