Mission Statement

Exclusive to members of the Perth and District Chamber of Commerce

As a valued member of the Perth and District Chamber of Commerce you will receive exclusive rights to:

·             A business listing on the Chamber website www.PerthChamber.com, which can link directly to your business website.  In addition, there are plenty of advertising opportunities on the Chamber’s website, providing fantastic exposure for your business.

·             Display your promotional material at two locations; the Chamber of Commerce office and at the entrance to Hendriks Your Independent Grocer. 

·             Receive a 5% discount on advertising in the annual Perth & District Visitor Guide.  75,000 copies of the guide are printed and distributed locally and throughout North America.

·             Receive a 10% discount on any additional businesses registered alongside your initial membership with the Perth and District Chamber of Commerce

·             Obtain reduced Visa, MasterCard and direct debit transaction rates through TD Canada Trust / First Data (Brochure), affordable group health care plans through Doucett Insurance as well as discounted fuel rates through Esso.  

·             Attend information seminars and networking events offered throughout the year by the Perth and District Chamber of Commerce at discounted rates for Chamber members.  Past seminars have included; Work Safety, Alcohol and Gaming Legalities, Robbery and Shoplifting Prevention and Combating Counterfeit Money. 

·             Receive personal and knowledgeable referrals from Chamber staff.

·             Participate in the annual Tradeshow, offered at the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting in March.

·             Be featured as Business of the Month in the Chamber’s monthly newsletter which is printed, free of charge, in both the Perth Weekender and the EMC.

Networking

·             The Chamber of Commerce holds several networking events throughout the year including; the Annual General Meeting, the Dorothy Griffith Memorial Golf Tournament, Annual Dinner and Christmas Social.

·             The Chamber’s information seminars provide members with opportunities to learn best practices and share concerns and ideas about the workplace.

·             The Chamber of Commerce organizes the Annual Perth Festival of the Maples every year.  Chamber members are encouraged to participate as vendors, volunteer on the day of the Festival, sponsor or donate to the Festival.  This is a fantastic opportunity to get more involved with the Chamber, our community and meet other Chamber members.

·             The Chamber of Commerce has several other committees which, as a Chamber member you are welcome to sit on.  These committees include; the Golf Committee, Corporate Image Committee, Economic Development Committee, Tourism Committee and Membership Committee.  Sitting on any of these committees gives you the opportunity to build your network within the organization as well as contribute to the success of the Chamber.

What Happens Behind the Red Doors of the Chamber?

(We are conveniently located at 34 Herriott Street, Perth, beside the library.)             

·            The Chamber Office has access to a wide variety of information and data on business related topics and can offer assistance in many areas, including; providing contact information to government information centres, demographics, local information, access to funding etc. 

·            Certificate of Origins can be received through our office for companies wishing to export their products.

·            The Chamber office is the Tourism hub for the District.  The staff is extremely knowledgeable on the who, what, where and why’s of Tourism

·            The Chamber promotes community events to those interested in visiting Perth & District.

·            Chamber staff promote vacationing and relocation to Perth and area.

Partnerships

·            The Perth & District Chamber of Commerce actively partners with local municipal governments including; the Town of Perth, the Township of Lanark Highlands and Tay Valley Township.  These partnerships serve to promote our area as a true destination and permit us to achieve goals that would prove difficult if each partner acted alone.  

·            The Chamber has representation on a number of diverse and wide ranging County based committees and initiatives including The Rideau Heritage Route, the Lanark County Tourism Association and the Lanark County Municipal Tourism Stakeholders Group. 

Helping the Community Grow

·             By being a member of the Perth & District Chamber of Commerce, business members are showing that they care for their community.  The Chamber is involved in many local initiatives and works hard to promote Perth and area as a good place to live, visit and do business.  The Chamber is the main supplier of visitor, relocation, tourism and business information in the area.  The Chamber also acts as a focal point for many local events, by providing information and fielding enquiries.  The Chamber of Commerce, along with many volunteers, organizes the Festival of the Maples which is one of the major annual events for the area, and promotes the area in local and provincial publications. 

Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC)

·             The Perth & District Chamber of Commerce is a member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, www.chamber.ca.  The Canadian Chamber ensures that businesses of all sizes and in all regions are heard by governments, working to create an internationally competitive economy that grows, creates jobs and increases prosperity and quality of life for all Canadians 

·             The Canadian Chamber of Commerce frequently requests input from local chambers, especially for ‘hot’ topics such as fiscal policy, Canada – US relations, energy and environmental policy and international trade and investment. 

Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC)

·              The Perth & District Chamber of Commerce is a member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, www.occ.on.ca.  The OCC represents over 60,000 businesses through 160 local Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade, and has been an advocate for Ontario businesses since 1911.  Its advocacy and policy initiatives focus on six areas key to the economic well-being of the province: health; education; energy; finance & taxation; transportation & infrastructure; and border issues.

·               The Ontario Chamber lobbies provincially on matters of importance for business and provides frequent and consistent feedback to membership with regard to its activities.  It works hard to promote business and ‘protect’ its membership. 

·               Both the Canadian Chamber and Ontario Chamber frequently seek input from its membership and will consider getting involved in any issues relevant to their mandates.  Both have an open practice for policy development.  Policies are discussed at the annual general meetings of each organization.  The Perth & District Chamber has had suggestions for policy discussion adopted by the Canadian Chamber.  Currently the OCC is working to try and ensure equality of access to technology for rural communities.