Factors guiding our public responses

Factors guiding the Chamber’s public positions

In what areas does the Chamber take a position?

The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal acts on two fronts: representing the voice of the Montréal business community and offering specialized services to companies and their representatives. Always up to date, the Chamber engages with issues that are crucial to Montréal’s prosperity and at the heart of its members’ concerns.

The Chamber’s responses are aimed at establishing a business environment conducive to the growth of Montréal businesses, both locally and internationally. The Chamber deals with many subjects and directs its positions on the basis of six key factors:

1. Impact on the business environment

The Chamber advocates the creation of a business environment that promotes competition, growth and the capacity for innovation in business. Accordingly, every government measure and regulation is evaluated based on principles of competition, regulatory agility, simplicity and predictability for the city’s businesses.

2. Impact on the market and emerging business models

The Chamber engages in key sectors of economic development and takes a position when a situation affects the markets in which companies operate in a way that:

• Changes market conditions significantly;
• Leads to the creation or loss of business opportunities;
• Creates a new market or allows companies to exploit new opportunities in an existing market.

3. Impact on sectors

The Chamber intervenes when an issue has a significant impact on all companies in a sector. It may also take a position in favour of a company, particularly if it occupies a central and strategic position within an economic sector and the following criteria are met:

• The growth and sustainability of the sector are strongly associated with the presence of a stakeholder;
• The sector is considered a future source of growth and disruption with high economic potential for the city.

4. Setting a precedent

The Chamber takes a position when it considers that a decision or measure creates an important precedent that could have an impact on businesses.

5. Effect on the city’s influence or reputation

The Chamber is highly committed to strengthening the influence of the city and the globalization of its companies. It takes a position when a situation damages the image of Greater Montréal, its reputation or the image of its companies abroad.

6. Impact on investment and attractiveness

The Chamber intervenes when it considers that a situation may affect the attractiveness of the city, in particular its ability to attract investments and skilled workers. It may also provide visibility to a particular project if it is a major investment that will boost the economy.