The Voice of Business Since 1909

The Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce is the VOICE of Business for the Fort Frances area. We are excited about what the Chamber has accomplished in the past and will continue to grow and serve the community in the future. We continue to seize opportunities for the area and stay ahead of the curve in promoting economic vitality and quality of life through business and community development.

We are focused on a prosperous future, while remembering and maintaining the best from the past.

WHAT IS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE?

The official description is A Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary organization established to promote civic, commercial, industrial and agricultural progress of the community and district which it serves and to work for sound legislation and efficient administration at the community and all levels of government.

The simple version says so much more.  The Chamber exists to make any community a better place to live.  Period.  A Chamber of Commerce provides an avenue for the business people in a community to create a positive business environment.  It also provides the local business community with a vehicle to promote their region to the outside world – either for tourism or business investment.   It then serves to help people find their way when they arrive.

The Chamber provides an opportunity for those people who create local jobs and drive the local economy to work with the government and the public to build a better community.  The local Chamber speaks for the business community at public hearings, to the media, and work closely with the municipal and regional governments.  They are the voice of local business while the provincial Chamber acts as an umbrella organization to lobby the provincial government on issues of mutual concern to all Chambers. The Canadian Chamber serves a similar role at the national level.

When a business joins the Chamber they can learn about rising government issues that affect business, and add their voice to the Chambers efforts to address them.  Equally important is that the Chamber can then support them on the issues that concern their business.  The Chamber help make our community – and their business – healthy and prosperous.

Because Chambers are business organizations, there are less altruistic benefits to membership.  For instance, there are excellent networking opportunities at regular meetings and other special events.  A Chamber provides businesspeople the opportunity to get to know their peers in the local community.  They can interact with them, make contacts, and give their business greater exposure to those who are its likely clientele.

Chambers also provide key services such as training.  They work in partnerships to provide learning opportunities and seminars that help small business to operate more efficiently.  Whether its computers or accounting (or both) the Chamber can, at the very least, point a business in the right direction to get the information they need.

These are not the only benefits.  Chambers also feature various other services and benefits.  Chambers are service organizations so they are always looking for better ways to serve their membership, and their collective numbers allow them to obtain group rates for programs such as our insurance, banking, and fuel programs.

Chambers are stewards of growth and prosperity in the communities they serve.