Ontario’s $6.4 billion post-secondary funding package signals a major shift in education policy, lifting the tuition freeze and expanding in-demand seats. But sweeping changes to OSAP, including reduced grants and higher reliance on loans, raise deeper questions about affordability, productivity, and the long-term civic and economic costs of narrowing access to higher education....
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 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 MoreAt the Brampton Board of Trade, we hear that access to skilled labour is the most critical need for businesses not just in Brampton but across the province, so you can imagine my confusion when I heard that thousands of skilled, job-ready newcomers were effectively rendered unable to work. Ontario made a sudden and...
Read MoreThe federal government’s 2025 budget, the first under Prime Minister Mark Carney, is being billed as a generational investment in Canada’s future. It’s a budget framed around growth, resilience, and fiscal balance, all at once; a challenging mix to get right. From a Brampton perspective, there’s much to be encouraged by: long-term commitments to infrastructure,...
Read MoreThe Bank of Canada (BoC) has lowered its policy rate to 2.25% on October 29th, marking its second consecutive cut in 2025. This decision comes amid a challenging economic backdrop filled with trade uncertainty, a soft labour market, and weakening business investment. While rate cuts are traditionally aimed at stimulating growth, their effectiveness in the...
Read MoreLast week, our Policy & Government Relations (PGR) Committee brought months of preparation to life with a full-day gathering focused on Brampton’s housing and transportation priorities. On Tuesday, September 23rd, more than 130 advocates, business leaders, and community builders joined us for a day of ideas, solutions, and vision for the future. The day also...
Read MoreFor any questions, reach out to vsingh@bramptonbot.com The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne Minister of Finance and National RevenueDepartment of FinanceGovernment of Canada Re: Pre-Budget Consultation Dear Minister Champagne, On behalf of the Brampton Board of Trade, I am pleased to submit our recommendations for the upcoming federal budget. The Brampton Board of Trade is a non-partisan...
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