News /

Open letter from Canadian businesses to our elected representatives

Open letter from Canadian businesses to our elected representatives

Our organizations call upon our elected representatives to expeditiously take the following actions.

February 11, 2022 – Canadian businesses have suffered under the strain of constant disruptions over the last two years. The challenges they have had to overcome have included COVID-19, extreme weather events, increasing inflationary pressures, labour shortages and supply chain disruptions. Now achieving a successful recovery is threatened by the ongoing blockades of the critical infrastructure that enables the livelihoods and well-being of all Canadians.

The harm is both immediate and severe. Each hour that these blockades continue does more serious damage to our economy and to our society. Manufacturers that depend on just-in-time delivery have been forced to cancel shifts for thousands of workers, shipments of livestock and of fresh produce face serious delays or waste that threaten food security, and deliveries of products that are greatly needed by Canadian families are being cancelled. These curtailments will only grow in scope and impact if the blockades continue.  

Allowing these illegal closures to continue will also have serious economic and reputational consequences for the years ahead. The blockades not only strike against the rule of law that protects our rights and freedoms, but also undermine Canada’s international reputation. We are already hearing calls to move investment, contracts, and production from Canada because of our inability to guarantee timely delivery to international customers.

Canadians expect our elected representatives at all levels of government and from all political parties to set aside partisanship and jurisdictional squabbling to bring this issue to a quick resolution.

Our organizations call upon our elected representatives to expeditiously take the following actions.

  • Deliver a strong and unified commitment from the Prime Minister, Premiers, Opposition Party Leaders, and Mayors that the rule of law will be upheld.
  • Urgently enact measures to protect critical infrastructure to ensure further closures do not take place elsewhere in the country in the days ahead.
  • Seek immediate injunctive measures through the courts to assert a clear message that lawlessness will not be tolerated.
  • Ensure law enforcement agencies have all the necessary political support and appropriate tools needed to restore public order and remove any physical blockades that are not dismantled voluntarily.

Along with the vast majority of Canadians, Canada’s business community looks to you to restore the rule of law and to bring a successful end to these illegal actions that are damaging our economy and the well-being of our citizens. As order is re-established, we pledge to do our best to restore the jobs, products and services so greatly needed by our fellow citizens.

1000 Islands Gananoque Chamber of Commerce
Aerospace Industries Association of Canada
Alberta Chambers of Commerce
Amherstburg Chamber of Commerce
Animal Nutrition Association of Canada
Associated Equipment Distributors
Association of Canadian Port Authorities
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Association québécoise de l’industrie du cannabis
Atlantic Chamber of Commerce
BC Chamber of Commerce
Beer Canada
Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce
Brampton Board of Trade
Brandon Chamber of Commerce
Burnaby Board of Trade
Business Council of Alberta
Business Council of Manitoba
Cambridge Chamber of Commerce
Campbell River & District Chamber of Commerce
Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums
Canada-U.S. Business Association
Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA)
Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters
Canadian Association of MoldMakers / AutomTe Canada
Canadian Association of Recycling Industries
Canadian Automobile Dealers Association
Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Canadian Construction Association
Canadian Federation of Independent Business
Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers
Canadian Food Exporters Association
Canadian Franchise Association
Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association Ltd
Canadian Horticulture Council
Canadian Home Builders’ Association
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
Canadian Meat Council
Canadian Pet Connection
Canadian Produce Marketing Association
Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association
Canadian Rental Association
Canadian Society of Customs Brokers
Canadian Steel Producers Association
Canadian Sugar Institute
Canadian Toy Association
Canola Council of Canada
Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce
Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce
Chaleur Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant
Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton
Chamber of Commerce Niagara Falls, Canada
Chamber of Commerce serving Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows
Chambre de Commerce et d’industrie de Sherbrooke
Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce
Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
Clarenville Area Chamber of Commerce
Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce
Conception Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce
CropLife Canada
Downtown Fredericton Inc.
East Gwillimbury Chamber of Commerce
East Hants and Districts Chamber of Commerce
Eastern PEI Chamber of Commerce
Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
Electro-Federation Canada
Fertilizer Canada
FETCO
Flamborough Chamber of Commerce
Food Health & Consumer Products of Canada.
Food Producers of Canada
Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)
Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce
Fredericton Chamber of Commerce
Freight Management Association
Frontier Duty Free Association
Gander and Area Chamber of Commerce
Georgina Chamber of Commerce
Global Automakers of Canada
Grain Growers of Canada
Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce
Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce
Greater Fort Erie Chamber of Commerce
Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce
Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce
Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce
Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce
Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Guelph Chamber of Commerce
Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association of Canada
HRAI:  Heating Refrigeration Air Conditioning Institute of Canada
Huntsville/Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce
Huron Chamber of Commerce – Goderich, Central and North Huron
Industrial Minerals Association – North America
Innovative Medicines Canada
Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA)
Kenora & District Chamber of Commerce
Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce
La Chambre de commerce de l’Ouest-de-l’Île de Montréal
Leamington District Chamber of Commerce
Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce
Lindsay + District Chamber of Commerce
London Chamber of Commerce
Lunenburg Board of Trade
Madoc & District Chamber of Commerce
Manitoba Chambers of Commerce
Meaford Chamber of Commerce
Medtech Canada
Milton Chamber of Commerce
Mining Association of Canada
Mississauga Board of Trade
Morinville & District Chamber of Commerce
Mount Pearl Paradise Chamber of Commerce
New Westminster Chamber of Commerce
Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce
North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce
North Vancouver Chamber
NWT Chamber of Commerce
Oakville Chamber of Commerce
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Orillia District Chamber of Commerce
Ottawa Board of Trade
Owen Sound & District Chamber of Commerce
Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce
Peachland Chamber of Commerce
Port aux Basques and Area Chamber of Commerce
Port Colborne-Wainfleet Chamber of Commerce
Pulse Canada
Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce
Quinte West Chamber of Commerce
Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada
Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce
Responsible Distribution Canada
Retail Council of Canada
RGA
Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce
Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce
Sherwood Park & District Chamber of Commerce
Shipping Federation of Canada
Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce
South Stormont Chamber of Commerce
South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce
St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce
St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce
Stratford & District Chamber of Commerce
Supply Chain Canada
Surrey Board of Trade
SWIFT CURRENT & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Business Council of Canada
The Canadian American Border Trade Alliance
The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitain Montreal
The Fort Saskatchewan & District Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce
The Prince Edward County Chamber of Commerce
The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce
Tillsonburg District Chamber of Commerce
Toronto Region Board of Trade
Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce
Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce
Vermilion & District Chamber of Commerce
Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce
Welland/Pelham Chamber of Commerce
West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce
Western Canadian Shippers’ Coalition
Whitby Chamber of Commerce
Whitchurch-Stouffville Chamber of Commerce
WindsorEssex Regional Chamber of Commerce
Wine Growers Canada
Woodstock District Chamber of Commerce
WRLA
Yarmouth & Area Chamber of Commerce
Yukon Chamber of Commerce
Share this

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Sign Up to receive the latest news from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce