“Just hire domestically.” It’s the standard retort to anyone suggesting recent federal immigration shifts are placing unprecedented strain on workers and employers alike. At the Brampton Board of Trade (BBOT), our members tell us clearly that the local labour pool needed to meet operational demands simply isn’t there. Yet skeptics like Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern feel that labour shortages are overstated. Who has it right? ...
Read MoreWhen most people think about child care, they frame it through a strictly personal lens. At best, it’s viewed as a necessary expenditure to keep a career going—a sunk cost that families must absorb on their own. And unless you have a young child, it’s an issue that rarely polls as a top priority. I recently made a video about why we need immigration to build our workforce....
Read MoreOn the latest episode of Never Bored of Trade, Jaipaul and I dove headfirst into the federal government’s controversial new plan to bulk-buy unsold Vancouver condos. At first glance, it screams “developer bailout”, but we acknowledged that it comes down to implementation. Because details were scant when we recorded, we mapped out the thin line between a good public policy and a total disaster: Good Policy: The government capitalizes on...
Read MoreThe 2026 municipal budgets in Brampton and Vaughan tell two very different stories about growth, risk, and fiscal strategy. On the surface, both cities are touting restraint. Vaughan is proposing a 0% property tax increase on their portion of the tax bill. Brampton has also adopted a 0% increase on their portion, notwithstanding the dedicated 1% levy increase for a second hospital. But beneath those headlines lie fundamentally different assumptions...
Read MoreBlack History Month is often described as a time to reflect, but this year carries added weight. It marks thirty years of official recognition in Canada, an opportunity to honour Black brilliance across generations, from early nation builders to those shaping what comes next. In Brampton, it is also a chance to pause and acknowledge...
Read MorePrime Minister Mark Carney’s recent speech is the clearest acknowledgements yet from a senior Canadian figure that the post–Cold War world is over. Not fading, not evolving, but ruptured. In his speech at The World Economic Forum in Davos, the Prime Minister rejects the comforting language of “transition” and instead describes a global system that has broken under the weight...
Read MoreCouncil released Brampton’s 2026 budget late last week and began celebrating a headline figure: a 1.5% increase in the City’s portion of the property tax bill. We’re told this is among the lowest in the GTHA and below inflation, which is hovering around 2%. On its face, that sounds like a remarkable achievement, especially at a time when municipalities across Ontario are grappling with cost...
Read MoreAre your employees using Brampton Transit to get to work? We want to hear from you! The Brampton Board of Trade is gathering insights on how Brampton workers commute. If you rely on Brampton Transit to get to work — or if you’re an employer with staff who depend on it — we want to...
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