The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Hill Day, held on December 1 and 2 in Ottawa, once again brought together business leaders, local chambers, and associations from across the country for two days of focused engagement with parliamentarians and senior officials.

With a full roster of distinguished speakers, insightful panels, and targeted advocacy meetings, this year’s Hill Day underscored a central theme: Canada’s competitiveness is at a critical turning point. Strategic investments, regulatory modernization, and stronger alignment across government and industry will determine whether Canada can keep pace in a rapidly evolving global economy.

Day 1 Highlights:

Lunch with the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc

Hill Day opened with remarks from the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade, and the One Canadian Economy initiative.

Minister LeBlanc addressed Canada’s competitiveness in a shifting geopolitical environment, emphasizing the importance of North American cooperation and the need to modernize regulatory and permitting systems. He highlighted federal efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience and improve internal trade—critical components of Canada’s economic and national security strategy.

A Conversation with Ambassador Kirsten Hillman

Canada’s Ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, offered a timely analysis of the Canada–U.S. relationship leading into the 2026 CUSMA review. She underscored the need for a coordinated “Team Canada” approach to navigate rising U.S. protectionism and ensure long-term stability for exporters, manufacturers, and investors.

The Pundits Panel

A Hill Day tradition, this year’s pundits panel featured Fred De Lorey (North Star Public Affairs), Garry Keller (StrategyCorp), Melanie Richer (Earnscliffe Strategies) and Tyler Meredith (Meredith Boessenkool Policy Advisors). Moderated by Matthew Holmes, Executive Vice-President, International and Chief of Public Policy, the panel offered candid insights into the political climate, Budget 2025, and the issues businesses should be preparing for in the year ahead.

Day 2 Highlights:

Fireside Chat with Jason Kenney

Former Alberta Premier and Senior Advisor at BMO and Bennett Jones, Jason Kenney, provided a frank and forward-looking assessment of Canada’s competitiveness challenges. He spoke to the global competition for capital, the urgency of regulatory modernization, and the strategic importance of natural resources, LNG, and critical minerals in Canada’s economic future.

Advocacy Meetings

Structured around eight key themes, advocacy meetings explored crucial dimensions of Canada’s economy—including international policy and trade, supply chains, energy and natural resources, innovation, industry competitiveness, life sciences, talent and immigration, and agriculture and agri-food.

Across every discussion, the message was clear: Canada must move faster—on permitting, digital infrastructure, innovation, and building the conditions that attract investment.

In total, the Chamber held 39 meetings, engaging with leaders including Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald, Senator Duncan Wilson, MP Karim Bardeesy (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry), and MP Ryan Williams (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance). Members also met with officials from 12 government departments, underscoring the importance of cross-government collaboration.

Below is a snapshot of each stream.

Agriculture & Agri-Food

The Agriculture & Agri-Food group met with Minister Heath MacDonald, Deputy Minister Lawrence Hanson, and senior officials across Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Energy & Natural Resources

The Energy & Natural Resources group met with Michael Vandergrift (Deputy Minister, Natural Resources Canada), Samir Kassam (Deputy Chief of Staff & Director of Policy to the Minister of Energy & Natural Resources), John Casola (Chief Investment Officer, Canada Infrastructure Bank), and senior officials from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Industry Competitiveness

The Industry Competitiveness group met with Deputy Ministers from Finance and ISED, MP Ryan Williams (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance), Aaron Wudrick (Director of Policy to the Leader of the Official Opposition), MP Raquel Dancho (Shadow Minister for Industry), senior Privy Council Office officials, and senior political staff from the Prime Minister’s Office, Office of the Minister of Industry, and Treasury Board.

Innovative Economy

The Innovative Economy group met with Deputy Minister and G7 Sherpa Cynthia Termorshuizen, Deputy Minister of Public Safety Tricia Geddes, The Chief of Canadian Security Establishment Caroline Xavier, MP Taleeb Noormohamed (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation), MP Ben Lobb (Shadow Minister for Digital Government and Artificial Intelligence), and senior Chief Information Officials from Treasury Board.

International Policy & Trade

The International Policy & Trade group met with Miro Froelich (Director of Policy to Minister LeBlanc), Nasser Haider and Galen Richardson, Senator Peter Boehm, Associate ADM Martin Moen, senior officials at Global Affairs Canada, and geopolitical advisors.

Life Sciences

The Life Sciences group met with Ritu Banerjee (Interim Head, Health Emergency Readiness Canada), Deputy Minister of Health Greg Orencsak, MP Karim Bardeesy (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry), senior officials at Health Canada, and political staff from the Office of the Minister of Health and the President of the Treasury Board.

Reliable Supply Chains

The Reliable Supply Chains group met with Arun Thangaraj (Deputy Minister of Transport), Erin O’Gorman (President of the Canada Border Services Agency – CBSA), Senator Duncan Wilson, and senior Transport Canada and CBSA officials.

Talent & Immigration

The Talent & Immigration group met with Dr. Harpreet Kochhar (Deputy Minister, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada), Nancy Healey (Commissioner of Employers, MP Garnett Genuis (Conservative Party of Canada Shadow Minister for Employment) and Leslie Church (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Jobs and Families and Secretaries of State for Labour, for Seniors, and for Children and Youth), senior officials at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), and senior political staff from the Office of the Minister of Jobs and Families.

Hill Day: A Continued Commitment to Canada’s Economic Future

Hill Day remains one of the Canadian Chamber’s most anticipated events of the year — and a vital platform for meaningful, solutions-focused dialogue between Canada’s private and public sectors.

The insights gathered over these two days will directly shape our advocacy in 2025 and beyond, helping build a more competitive, productive, and prosperous Canada.

Thank you to our sponsors for making Hill Day 2025 possible

Thank You to Our Excellence Level Partners