I happened across the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce on the Internet and wanted to take some time to explain how this (and typically other) “Chambers of Commerce” operate.
Essentially, in Ontario, “Chambers of Commerce” are typically organized as not-for-profit corporations. I’ve previously blogged about how to create an Ontario not-for-profit corporation and things that Ontario not-for-profit corporation members should know. In this blog, I’ll explain how Chambers of Commerce like the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce is organized.
According to its website, the Ottawa Chamber “is a voluntary, member-driven organization with over 750 members.” Elsewhere, they state: “The Ottawa Chamber of Commerce is the oldest and largest independent, most influential, not-for-profit business organization in the region”. So basically what they’re saying is that the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation with members instead of shareholders. Importantly, a not-for-profit corporation cannot distribute income in the form of dividends to its members.
The Chamber is only accountable to its members through the Board of Directors, who are elected by the members. The Directors themselves appoint an executive committee to manage the day-to-day affairs of the corporation. The corporation offers many perks to its members, including: lobbying on behalf of their members to promote their interests and protect their rights, networking and advertising opportunities within and to the membership, discounts from third parties, access to the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce facilities and amenities, etc.
Specifically, the Ottawa Chamber of commerce even offers discount services with respect to ESSO gasoline, TD Merchant Services, Group Insurance, Grand and Toy, TD insurance, etc.
Finally, the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce offers eLearning courses, which strive to address basic business skills such as desktop computing and management and IT specific programs.
The Ottawa Chamber of Commerce is just one way in which a group of individuals with common interests have, outside of the government, formed an organization to protect and promote self-interests and rights. The sharing of collective resources – done with an eye to accountability based on elections, appointments, and abiding by the Ontario Corporations Act – is all done through a legal structure known as an Ontario not-for-profit corporation.
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