Chamber Committees and Volunteers
Get Involved in a Chamber Committee
Want to have your say, make a difference, and get involved? We are always looking for volunteers interested in strengthening Fredericton’s business community. The best way to do this is by joining one of the chamber’s many committees. Our committees are the primary mechanism that carries out the chamber’s various priorities and initiatives. They rely on volunteer members from all sectors bringing a breadth and depth of expertise and experience that gives each committee a well-rounded knowledge base.
Each year, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce distributes our annual membership survey and the results of this survey are used to create a roadmap for the directions our members would like us to take.
Government Affairs Committee
Members of the GAC develop an annual set of recommendations for the provincial budget to present to the Minister of Finance, with the chairs of the committee joining the chamber executive in a face-to-face meeting with the minister. Our 2023-24 brief focused on the chamber’s five policy priority areas and how they can help New Brunswick’s economy recovery process. This document, along with previous years’ are available on our website. Working at all three levels of government, the committee also helps shape the chamber’s official position on political news and events and meets with government officials or other stakeholders on the issues of the day. The committee is also responsible for our election activities for all levels of government.
Immigration Advocacy Committee
Working with our members and community partners such as Ignite Fredericton, the Multicultural Association of Fredericton, the City of Fredericton and others, the IAC helps to form the chamber’s position with issues related to immigration and population growth. The committee responds to immigration issues as they arise and proactively advocates to government for changes that will improve the immigration ecosystem locally and provincially.
Policy Committee
The Policy Committee works closely with the Policy Manager and the board of directors and serves four primary functions: (1) to articulate and consolidate the chamber’s policy positions that have been developed informally; (2) to produce new policy positions for the board of directors and the chamber’s advocacy committees to communicate to various levels of government; and (3) to produce nationally-focused policy resolutions for submission to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce; and (4) to review policy resolutions submitted to the Canadian chamber by other chambers of commerce.
Physician Recruitment and Retention Events Committee
Working with Horizon Health, the Department of Health and other stakeholders, the PRRC was formed to increase access to primary health care for our members and other citizens. The committee hosts welcoming and appreciation events, supports business training for medical residents and aids the recruitment process through making important connections.
Indigenous Partnership Committee
The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce’s Indigenous Partnership Committee is dedicated to building strong, collaborative relationships with Indigenous community members and their businesses through consultative inquiry and fostering respected partnerships. The committee works to identify areas of alignment and its activities may include events, education or advocacy and hosts an annual Indigenous Business Forum.
Events and Networking Committee
The Events and Networking Committee is responsible for supporting the Event Manager with the calendar of events for the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. The committee advises on networking opportunities and on topices for education sessions that matter to members. The committee also supports events through promotion and assistance in finding sponsors and prize donations.
New Member Welcome Committee
With a large and growing membership, we want to ensure that our newest members feel welcome and are familiar with all of the benefits of belonging to the chamber. Working closely with the chamber’s Membership Development and Marketing Manager, volunteers for this committee will make personal visits and telephone calls to new members, greet member attendees at networking events, and provide guidance on how to take full advantage of their membership. This committee is accountable to the chamber’s Board of Directors and the committee co-chairs report monthly to the Board.
Communications and Marketing Committee
Keeping our 1000+ members informed is one of our top priorities and with new technologies emerging, we are always working to improve how we communicate to the membership. Members of this committee advise us on how best to reach out members – via email, our website, social media, Insight Online, as well as contribute to special projects as they arise. The committee also advises on the chamber’s marketing initiatives and reports monthly to the board of directors.
Volunteering on an Ad Hoc Basis
From time–to-time the chamber requires volunteers for projects outside of the standing committees, which typically require less time commitment. We encourage members who cannot commit to a standing committee but are interested in being involved in some capacity to register for our “ad hoc” list. This option may also be appropriate for those members considering joining a committee at a future date. By registering for this list, you are under no obligation to agree to participate in any initiative for which you may be approached.
All committee volunteers are formally recognized in our annual magazine.