Business voice will be heard: Calgary Chamber

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce has a new mission: ensure the business voice is heard in the upcoming municipal election.

The Chamber cites an underrepresentation of business issues and voter apathy in previous elections as the primary reason for the new campaign.

From now until election day, Oct. 16, 2017, the Chamber will engage with declared candidates for mayor and council.

“There seems to be an attitude and culture of complacency where government just seems to think that businesses will always be there,” Director of Policy with the Chamber Zoe Addington said.

“The truth is that business issues really are citizen issues. We often hear the saying that ‘businesses don’t vote,’ but businesses are people: they’re owners, they’re employers, they’re employees, they’re customers and really a vital part of our community and our economy.”

Over the next few months, the Chamber is encouraging business owners to connect with candidates and will hold various events to allow relationships to develop.

“It’s time for government, at all levels, to recognize the role of business in job creation and economic development,” Addington explained, noting “we see the government is making business uncompetitive through time, cost delays, unnecessary red tape, and at a time when [the businesses] are all affected by a tough economy.”

Advance polls for the 2017 Municipal Election are open October 4 – 11.

Find out more with Vote Elections Calgary.

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