On September 5, business leaders and entrepreneurs from across Sudbury gathered for the Chamber of Commerce's 124th annual general meeting.
Bryan Welsh of Sudbury Chamber of Commerce said that night was "all about transparency, making sure everybody knows what's going on… It's a wonderful night to celebrate the accomplishments of the chamber."
Some of the accomplishments highlighted include work on making highway 69 four lanes, the repeal of bill 148 and introduction of bill 47 which saw a number of changes to workplace standards.
But the challenges ahead were also at the forefront.
"What we are hearing from businesses is red tape and regulation is very burdensome, and it's halting a lot of projects, or really slowing a lot of projects down. So, we've said to them, our ministry, we've now created a ministry of small business and red tape. That's a first ever," said Ontario Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli.
Fedeli, who was the night's key note speaker, says the new ministry will table two major bills every year.
After spending the day in Sudbury, Fedeli also heard concerns of a labour shortage in the north.
"We know that we will grow through immigration, especially here in Northern Ontario. So we want to make sure that we have programs and training that are aligned with the companies that need employees, because right now, they aren't really aligned. We need to encourage the parents to let their kids get into the skilled trades because that's where the jobs are," said Fedeli.
But with a federal election just around the corner, many are feeling uncertain.
"Over the next years, it's going to be a lot of work for us, just making sure everybody understands what the future holds, making sure everybody is aware of what's happening, all the parties and what their platforms are so people can make an informed decision," said Welsh.
Chamber says it will continue its work on attracting skilled workers, and continue working alongside the city on its core services review and 2020 budget.
