Niagara Board of Trade established

By MARYANNE FIRTH/Tribune Staff Posted March 27 2011

WELLAND — Though it hasn't spoken up yet, one voice for Niagara businesses has already been created.

Niagara chambers of commerce have been working in unity to create the Niagara Board of Trade, an organization that will address regional issues, said Dolores Fabiano.

The executive director of Welland-Pelham Chamber of Commerce said that while Niagara's chambers have long been discussing regional issues, the board of trade offers a more "structured form to provide that one voice."

News of the Niagara Board of Trade broke shortly after it was announced a business advocacy group had gained approval from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to incorporate as the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce. The new chamber will focus on issues that affect businesses across Niagara, while operating in concert with local municipal chambers.

The municipal chambers "have been meeting and will continue meeting" to develop the board of trade, Fabiano said.

The next meeting between Niagara chambers to discuss moving forward with the initiative will take place on April 5, she added.

Though she's met members of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, Fabiano said she knows little detail about how the newly formed group will operate.

"From what I've read it does seem like a duplication of services," she said.

"Certainly we don't need two."

When it comes to the need to address regional issues in Niagara, there's a "sense that all chambers in the region are on the same page," she said.

"Moving forward with one voice is good, in fact it's great … We're thrilled we're at the point where we can provide structure and form to that."

No representatives from Port Colborne-Wainfleet Chamber of Commerce could be reached for comment on Friday.

mfirth@wellandtribune.ca