Halifax Chamber of Commerce: Building a Network for Businesses

In Canada, October is recognized as Small Business Month, with the third week of the month specifically dedicated as Small Business Week.  It’s a great time to recognize the businesses that support our regional economy, as well as the organizations and service providers that enable their success. CUA is proud to partner with The Halifax Chamber of Commerce to help Halifax-based businesses connect, grow and thrive.

With more than 2,000 members representing over 96,000 full-time employees, the Halifax Chamber of Commerce prides itself on being the voice for businesses in the region.

Mandi Bowser, Member Service Specialist at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, shares that the Chamber collaborates with all levels of government.

“We advocate directly with municipal, provincial and federal governments on issues Halifax businesses are facing,” explains Mandi. “When you’re a Chamber member, you are amplifying your voice as a business owner.”

“We are listening to trends and members to meet the needs of the business community,” says Mandi. “We have upcoming programs focused on AI and sales; these topics change regularly as we gather feedback from members and their needs change.”

The Chamber shares information with their members through their Business Voice magazine. “Members are also encouraged to submit content to Business Voice; it’s a great place to promote an achievement in your business,” describes Mandi.

With the ever-growing complexity of the current economic landscape, the Halifax Chamber is also working with members who might be impacted by tariffs.

“Our policy team is working to ensure that members have access to tariff supports. We recently launched our Tariff Resource Centre,” shares Mandi. “This gives members an opportunity to highlight relevant services, resources and solutions they offer that could support other businesses in our community during this time as well as stay up to date on broader changes happening.”

CUA is an Affinity Partner with the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, which gives Chamber members access to flexible banking solutions and preferred interest rates. If you’re considering joining the Chamber, the benefits of membership can be right-sized to a business’s needs.

Some examples of their benefits are discounts on car insurance, vehicle rental discounts and a member-to-member marketplace. The Chamber also offers training programs and education sessions for business owners and their employees.

Each year, the Chamber hosts 100 events, which includes lunch and learns, guest speakers and educational workshops. Throughout the fall months, they have events that are rolling out weekly.

“We strive to ensure there is an education and networking opportunity at every event,” explains Mandi. “One of the biggest benefits of being a Chamber member is that businesses get the chance to have their voice heard while building their community. We can help connect businesses through our events.”

This year’s Fall Dinner will feature a keynote address from Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) Canada’s President and CEO, Rick Gerbrecht. TKMS was recently selected as the preferred supplier for the Federal Government’s investment in a new fleet of 12 submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy.

The evening will bring together leaders from business, government, the military, and the broader community to explore what this historic investment could mean for Halifax and how the region can best prepare to make the most of it. Attendees will hear from the leaders and companies directly involved in the investment in our national defence.

“We are excited for how this will build the business community,” explains Mandi. “It’s not just people working in shipyards, it’s people moving here, interacting with businesses in Halifax and being community members.”
For Mandi, one of the best parts of the job is hearing about the buzz and happenings around Halifax.

“I constantly get to hear about the achievements and celebrations of the business community. We want to be part of amplifying those voices as well as sharing the challenges they might be navigating.”