Chamber Updates & Local News

Ontario’s rent increase guideline for 2023 is 2.5 per cent, below current rates of inflation. The rent increase guideline is the maximum amount a landlord can increase rent during the year for most tenants without the approval of the Landlord and Tenant Board. The guideline is based on Ontario’s Consumer Price Index, a measure of…

For many of us, life is finally starting to feel more “normal.” But sadly, the latest CSBC reveals that the recovery remains incomplete for one third of businesses, representing over 361,000 companies. For many of us, life is finally starting to feel more “normal.” But sadly, the latest CSBC reveals that the recovery remains incomplete…

Whether you came downtown to see cars, the Pride Parade, Theodore Tugboat, or any one of our lovely local businesses in June, we hope you had a good time. Amidst all the sights and signs, you may have seen a new, but very common, display this year: Help Wanted. The causes are many, but the…

Interested in learning about how your business can benefit from the TFW? This article outlines five key changes to the program and resources you can refer to for more information. The Government of Canada recently announced a Workforce Solutions Road Map that included changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW) to address labour shortages…

Join the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce and Spearhead Brewing Company in raising a toast to local small businesses. As an extension of the Love Kingston shop local campaign, the Chamber, in partnership with Spearhead Brewing Company, is launching a small batch limited release light lager which will be available through their Spearhead retail store…

An introduction to population growth and why it is advantageous for Kingston Ever wonder why every city/town/village/hamlet in North America posts their population count on signs that lead into their city? It’s part of their brand. If you are big and growing, you attract more capital, talent, and immigrants. If you are small, staying the…

Over the past two years, global eCommerce shopping has surged, now with 54 percent of all adult consumers shopping online more frequently than they did before the pandemic.1 This increase in eCommerce transactions has also led to a 39 percent increase in chargebacks according to a recent study featured in PYMNTS.com on Tackling the Chargeback…

Hope is what you have left when you cannot take action. Hope can sustain us as individuals, but within organizations, we can’t rely on hope. Yet how often have you heard some senior official lament that “we can only hope things get better”? We can say that managing through the challenges in our operation involves leadership, effective operations…

Despite women being the leaders of the pandemic, they have been largely left out of the discussion surrounding pandemic recovery. Now is the moment to add women’s voices back and leading a “she-covery” In March of 2020 the world came to a standstill due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ontario government called a state of…

As businesses continue to struggle with recruitment and job retainment, the Discover Ability Network is here to support you. Learn more about the network and the benefits of hiring PWD. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a stand-still. In Ontario, this resulted in numerous lock downs and restrictive measures that heavily impacted businesses. The…