Abbotsford – The Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce announce that two of its policy resolutions were officially adopted at the 2025 Canadian Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting and Policy Convention held last week in Mississauga, Ontario.
The two policies addressed the Abbotsford Chamber’s longstanding advocacy in support of farmers and businesses. They will now become part of the Canadian Chamber’s advocacy agenda, guiding its work with federal decision-makers in Ottawa over the coming months and years and the Abbotsford Chamber’s ongoing work nationally.
“In challenging economic times, advocacy matters more than ever,” said Paul Penner, President of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce. “These resolutions reflect Abbotsford’s leadership in shaping the national conversation on issues that matter not only to our region, but to the entire country.”
About the Policies:
- Elevating Food Security to National Security Status
This policy calls on the federal government to formally recognize food security as a national security issue and to establish a coordinated National Food Security Strategy. The resolution emphasizes the need for resilience across Canada’s food system, recognizing that disruptions from climate change, supply chain breakdowns, and global instability directly affect economic and social stability.
As the agricultural capital of Canada, generating over $3.8 billion in annual agricultural activity, Abbotsford is uniquely positioned to advocate for a stronger, more resilient national food framework that supports domestic production and emergency preparedness.
- Floods – An Economic Threat Requiring Action
Drawing on the Fraser Valley’s firsthand experience during the 2021 atmospheric river floods, this policy calls for a comprehensive national approach to flood management. It urges the federal government to coordinate investments in infrastructure, insurance, and emergency planning to mitigate economic risks associated with increasingly severe weather events.
With the adoption of these two resolutions, the Abbotsford Chamber’s work will help shape national advocacy through the Canadian Chamber network — representing over 400 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and more than 200,000 businesses across Canada.
