The Brampton Board of Trade is a business organization founded in Brampton, Ontario, in 1887.[1] It engages in government lobbying, member discounts, and networking. It previously organized the Brampton Santa Claus Parade (1985-2017).[2][3]
Joe Spina served as an Ontario MPP from 1999 to 2003, after his time as BBOT President.[4]
1887 - founded and lapsed shortly after election of officers
1890 - founded
1897 - ceases operations
1903 - founded
1921, 1923–1947 - dormant
1947 - revived as Brampton Chamber of Commerce
1964 - amends name to Brampton and District Chamber of Commerce
1974 - The Regional Government was formed and re-incorporated as The Brampton Board of Trade. Operated the motor vehicle licensing bureau from 1974-2015.
1985 - Revived the Santa Claus Parade as a nationally acclaimed night parade.
1997 - Won Ontario Chamber of Commerce award for communications.
1997 - Welcomed Maria Britto as the first female president.
2000 - Assisted with the recruitment of Chrysler, Brampton’s largest employer at the time.
2004 - Successfully advocated for the extension of Highway 410 through Brampton.
2004 - Launched the “Save Our Hospital” campaign and continued healthcare advocacy for Peel Memorial.
2014 - International trade advocacy and market development are supported by the mission to Turkey.
2015 - Launched the Prosperity Roundtable and agenda to boost key economic drivers.
2015 - Became a founding member of Canadian Global Cities Council, a coalition of business communities in Canada’s nine largest markets.
2016 - Recognized as #1 business association and networking organization in Brampton.
2016 - Became a founding member of Canada’s Innovation Corridor Business Council.
2017 - Joined World Trade Centre – Toronto’s first mission to the United Arab Emirates.
2017 - Established Top 40 Under 40 initiative to showcase Brampton’s talented workforce.
2018 - Successfully advocated for reducing city property tax increases (frozen 2018-2020).
2019 - Re-accredited with the standard of excellence by the national accreditation council (with distinction).
2019 - Hosted Chamber Executives of Ontario Conference.
2019 - CEO Todd Letts was named to Governing Council, World Chambers Federation of the International Chamber of Commerce.
2020 - Collaborated with Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Recovery to provide essential business guidance through global pandemic.
2020 - Advocated for Two-Way, All-Day GO train service which led to our CEO’s appointment to the Minister of Transportation’s Business Advisory Council on Transit in the Innovation Corridor.
2021 - The Brampton Board of Trade held the 4th Annual Canada's Innovation Corridor Summit, exploring key issues associated with the theme of Disruption.
2022 - The Brampton Board of Trade was selected to host the Ontario Chamber of Commerce's 2022 AGM & Convention. This event represents one of the most significant opportunities for business leaders from across the province to network with peers, debate Ontario business policy issues, and shape our future advocacy agenda.
The organization has hosted many notable speakers, most recently hosting Party leaders prior to the 2022 Provincial election: Steven Del Duca (Ontario Liberals), Mike Schreiner (Green Party of Ontario) and Andrea Horwath (Ontario NDP). Each February, the Board of Trade hosts the State of the City, where the Mayor of Brampton and Chair of the Board share their priorities for the year ahead. As part of the View from the Top series, Brampton Board of Trade CEO Todd Letts spoke with Dr. Mohamed Lachemi Professor, President and Vice-Chancellor at Ryerson University on October 21, 2021. In April 2021, Todd Letts and Chair Michelle McCollum hosted Joe Jackman and Bob Peacock of Almag Aluminum to speak about succession planning and overcoming adversity and business challenges. The Board also hosts Minister visits, hosting the Honourable Steve Clark Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, who was joined by the Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria and MPP Amarjot Sandhu, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure on October 27. 2021, prior to that they hosted the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport on April 29, 2021. They have previously hosted federal Small Business Minister Tony Abbott,[6] Chrysler Canada CEO Reid Bigland,[7] Ontario Premier Bill Davis,[8][9][10]Canadian Alliance party leader Stockwell Day (who announced a timetable for merging with Progressive Conservative party),[11] Prime Minister Stephen Harper,[12] Ontario Premier Mike Harris,[13] Chrysler Canada president Yves Landry,[14] Reform Party leader Preston Manning,[15] Ontario Minister of Agriculture William "Bill" Newman,[16] Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion Mary Ng,[17] Ontario Premier David Peterson,[18][19][20] federal Agriculture Minister Eugene Whelan,[21] and Minister of Finance Michael Wilson.[22]
The Brampton Board of Trade supports regional public transit infrastructure, including extending the Hazel McCallion (formerly Hurontario) Line north onto Main Street in Brampton and the full implementation of Two-Way, All Day GO (TWADG) Train service.[24]
The Brampton Board of Trade supports building the GTA West Transportation Corridor, better known as Highway 413.[25]
The Brampton Board of Trade supports increasing the footprint of the post-secondary sector in Brampton. This includes augmenting current offerings (such as those of Algoma University, Sheridan College and Toronto Metropolitan University) as well as pursuing new opportunities (such as the relocation of the University of Guelph-Humber campus).[26]
The Brampton Board of Trade supports efforts to increase uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, including on-site vaccination clinics at major industrial employers at the height of the pandemic.[27]
The Brampton Board of Trade supports the implementation of affordable childcare.[24]
The Brampton Board of Trade supports urgent solutions to the crisis in the housing market, including interventions such as ending exclusionary zoning to build the “missing middle” by increasing the supply of multi-unit complexes in areas not zoned for them.[24]
The Brampton Board of Trade supports an engaging municipal budget process that includes proactive stakeholder consultation, as well as disclosure of relevant documents related to capital expenditures and capital planning well in advance. The Board has also taken the position that longer-range capital forecasting will strengthen the city’s hand in competing for capital funding from senior orders of government.[28]
The Brampton Board of Trade supports the investment necessary to complete and fully unlock the potential of Riverwalk.[29]
The Brampton Board of Trade supports increasing the number of immigrants admitted under given categories based on workforce needs, and has called on government to work together to more quickly recognize international credentials in fields experiencing labour shortages in Ontario.[30]
The Brampton Board of Trade has called on the federal and provincial governments to work together to break down barriers to interprovincial trade, and has called on the federal government to redouble efforts to secure free trade agreements with emerging economies such as India. [30]
Brampton's Santa Claus parade stopped in the mid-1970s. In 1985, the Brampton Board of Trade started planning a Santa Claus parade for 1986; simultaneously, the Jaycees were intending to start a parade in 1987. With City co-operation, the Board's parade launched in 1986, with Jaycee assistance in marshalling.[31] That year's program was announced to include forty community entrants, sponsored by companies,[31] but ended up with 52 units.[32] In recent years, it has included over 100 units.[33] The parade moved to a "night parade" format in 1995.[34]
The parade route has expanded from Vodden to south of Wellington Street (1986)[31] to Sproule to south of Elgin Street. Temporarily it is on Bramalea Road because of construction in downtown Brampton.
The parade is always on the Third Saturday in November
The Board claims an in-person attendance of 160,000 (2012).[33] It claims to be the largest single-day event in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and the largest night parade in Canada.[33] The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has named the parade as the Best Community Lighted Parade in Canada.[33]
The program was broadcast on Rogers TV Brampton, which claimed viewership of over 250,000 between live and repeat broadcasts.[34]
The Board of Trade stopped hosting the parade in 2017, and it is now run by The Brampton Santa Claus Parade Committee Inc.
^Urquhart, Ian (4 December 2000). "Tories revive 'family values'". The Record. Kitchener ON. p. A07. An arch right-winger and a former president of the Brampton Board of Trade, Spina got eight to 10 calls from businessmen, including his own chief fund-raiser, demanding to know what he was up to. Spina told them he was quoted out of context. As a pre-emptive move, he faxed the full text of his remarks from Hansard to several hundred people on his mailing list.
^[Russell Mills, editor] (16 February 1978). "Paperburden? Garbageburden?"(Newspapers.com). The Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa ON. p. 6. Retrieved 29 May 2020. {{cite news}}: |author1= has generic name (help)
^"Chrysler looking good". The Brampton Guardian. Brampton ON: Metroland Media Group. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
^Speirs, Rosemary (30 January 1982). "Economic summit must generate a 'new momentum,' Davis states". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. p. 11.
^Speirs, Rosemary (21 October 1983). "Ontario's spending lowest, economy better, Davis says". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. p. P8.
^"The Diary". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. 1 November 1984. p. M2. Premier William Davis will address the Brampton Board of Trade at the Holiday Inn in Brampton at 8 a.m.
^Fife, Robert (30 May 2001). "Clark plans to go it alone: Right-wing unity fades: 'Going to try not to get mixed up in the Alliance problems'". The National Post. Don Mills ON. p. A1.
^"Harper hits Brampton for first recession speech". The Guelph Mercury. Guelph ON. 10 March 2009. p. A6. His 3,000-word address to the Brampton Board of Trade will be the most elaborate speech he has delivered this year on the state of the economy.
^Urquhart, Ian (26 September 2001). "Province reclaiming control of GO Transit, say sources". Daily Mercury. Guelph ON. p. A01.
^"Chrysler Canada gloats as sales surge in '92". Kitchener-Waterloo Record. Kitchener ON. 12 February 1993. p. B9.
^O'Connor, Tim (22 January 1992). "Give students $3,000 vouchers to pay tuition, Manning urges". The Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa ON. p. D12.
^"Food ministries 'not needed'". The Windsor Star. Windsor ON. Canadian Press. 26 February 1976. p. 16. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
^"Minister Ng meets with Brampton Board of Trade to discuss export opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses (press release)". U.S. Newswire. Washington DC. 12 November 2018.
^"Government would negotiate on extra-billing, Elston says". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. 18 February 1986. p. A1. Speaking to a luncheon meeting of the Brampton Board of Trade, Mr. Peterson received a spontaneous round of applause when he responded to a question with a strong defence of his Government's plan.
^Walker, Bill (18 February 1986). "Forget rhetoric develop consensus on free trade Peterson urges". The Toronto Star. Toronto ON. p. A3. In a speech yesterday to the Brampton Board of Trade, Peterson urged Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's government to stop playing politics with the free trade issue and use a more substantive approach, in order to build a national consensus among the provinces.
^Amiel, Barbara (1 March 1986). "Peterson threatening fine medical system". The Citizen. Ottawa ON.
^"Food crisis feared"(Newspapers.com). The Vancouver Sun. Canadian Press. 17 April 1975. Retrieved 29 May 2020.. The article also appeared in The Windsor Star, The Calgary Herald, The Ottawa Journal, and Regina's The Leader Post.
^Fox, Bill (6 September 1987). "Tory MPs not spreading the good news". The Toronto Star [SU2 Edition]. Toronto ON. p. B3. In a recent speech to the Brampton Board of Trade, Finance Minister Michael Wilson reiterated the Mulroney government's economic achievements only to conclude somewhat wistfully: "These efforts and our national progress are not the stuff of headlines or television clips."
^Frank Calleja; Mike Funston (29 October 1992). "Flaws sunk accord, says Brampton executive". The Toronto Star. Toronto ON. p. BR1.
^ abcBirks, Mary Louise (18 November 1986). "Brampton celebrates season with first Santa Claus parade". Toronto Star, West Edition. Toronto ON. p. W6.
^"Brampton Board of Trade plans Santa Claus parade now". Toronto Star West Edition. Toronto ON. 30 June 1987. p. W18.
^ abcdGoodfellow, Ashley (16 November 2013). "Santa Claus parade tonight". The Brampton Guardian. Brampton ON. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
^ ab"Parade History". Brampton Santa Claus Parade. Brampton ON: Brampton Board of Trade. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.
^ abThompson, Allan (2 February 1988). "Winning Citizen of Year runs in the Dickson family". The Toronto Star [West Edition]. Toronto ON. p. W8.
^"Brampton Citizen of Year winner still can't believe her good fortune". The Toronto Star [West Edition]. Toronto ON. 3 January 1991. p. W7.
^ ab"Board of Trade selects president". The Toronto Star. Toronto ON. 30 July 1992. p. BR1.
^"Kiwanis Club of Brampton will fete volunteers". The Brampton Guardian. Brampton ON: Metroland Media Group. 9 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2020. He was the Brampton Business Person of the year in 1983.
^"Business leader dies". The Brampton Guardian. Brampton ON: Metroland Media Group. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
^"Brampton volunteers wins board of trade award". The Toronto Star. Toronto ON. 6 February 1992. p. BR3.
^Stewart, John (18 June 2019). "Brampton hospital ranked first in Ruth Sharpe's volunteering missions". The Brampton Guardian. Mississauga ON. Retrieved 31 May 2020. The longtime Peel Village resident was 1991's Brampton Business Person of the Year and Brampton's Citizen of the Year in 2001.
^"[Victorian Order of Nurses are now able to personally help ...]". The Toronto Star. Toronto ON. 25 March 1993. p. BR1.
^"Charity fundraiser planned for former captain of Jake's Boathouse". The Brampton Guardian. Brampton ON: Metroland Media Group. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2020. Cuttle is well known for his support of minor sports teams and for organizing the annual Brampton Board of Trade (BBOT) golf tournament. In 2001, BBOT declared him Business Person of the Year.
^Douglas, Pam (10 February 2014). "Sanderson challenging Fennell for mayor's job". The Brampton Guardian. Brampton ON. Retrieved 31 May 2020. A former businessman, he was the Brampton Board of Trade's Business Person of the Year in 2003, and the Brampton Citizen of the Year in 2006.