At its AGM last week, the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce voted to change its name to the Muskoka Chamber of Commerce in an effort to create a region-wide entity. Thus far, it and the Port Sydney/Utterson Chamber of Commerce are the only two Muskoka chambers on board with the change.
“The Muskoka Chamber merger concept was presented to the board, and we entered into discussions with an open mind,” said Doug Campbell, President of the Huntsville Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce (HLOBCC), in a letter to members. “However, after months of consultations the board felt that the structure that was presented was not in our best interest, and was not sustainable. Further to that, the structure presented would also require that our existing Chamber dissolve, eliminating autonomy for Huntsville and Lake of Bays in Muskoka.”
Local area chambers began discussing the idea of a Muskoka-wide chamber last year, said Kelly Haywood, HLOBCC Executive Director, but last week’s name change came “as a huge surprise to all of us.”
“It was led by Bracebridge. Initially the concept was, could we save money by amalgamating just from an operations perspective, but also would it benefit businesses to be members of a chamber that is broader in scope. On paper that has some merit, but each chamber has a duty to represent their own communities. The uniqueness of every community in Muskoka, let alone the geography and the distance between each, proves that each community needs its own autonomy to promote themselves within the context of the Muskoka brand.”
HLOBCC understands the importance of the Muskoka brand and takes advantage of it for Huntsville-centric events like the Muskoka Maple Festival and the Muskoka Sound Music Festival, said Haywood.
We intend to continue collaborating on Muskoka-wide initiatives and continuing to brand our own events as Muskoka, but it isn’t our intention nor the intention of our board to dissolve our Chamber in the process. Being in the community is critical to forming and building relationships with our business community.
Kelly Haywood, HLOBCC Executive Director
Haywood said that in area-wide discussions, Gravenhurst and Muskoka Lakes opposed the idea. HLOBCC was open to discussing further collaboration. It had been in previous discussions with the Port Sydney Chamber of Commerce about a possible merger, said Haywood, but then the Muskoka Chamber discussions arose and Port Sydney has since expressed interest in partnering with Bracebridge.
“We are in the process of discussing a partnership which will benefit our members,” said Gord Haig, a director on the Port Sydney Chamber’s board. “(We are) trying to think in a larger picture but acting locally within our own community so it brings a proper balance in doing what’s right for our members. We believe the Muskoka brand is our strength.”
Haig said it’s important that they “not lose the autonomy for our community and our organization. We will still have an office in Port Sydney which will be staffed. We will have individuals who will continue to help run our community events.”
We are trying to make a model that will be good for the businesses in the community. I’m satisfied that a partnership would be a win-win for Port Sydney. It will provide a larger network to advertise to for our members and for businesses.
Gord Haig, Port Sydney/utterson & area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
He said he realizes that the other area chambers are not on board, but hopes that one day they will come together. For now, Port Sydney businesses are excited about the move. “People want to see this one Muskoka entity.”
That sentiment isn’t shared by the Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce which said in a release that it wants the Bracebridge Chamber to cease and desist in using the new name, calling the move a power play focused on growing the Bracebridge Chamber at the expense of localized business interests.
“The chambers of Muskoka have spent a great deal of time this past year in thorough exploration of the potential benefits and drawbacks of amalgamating,” said MLCC president Matt French, adding that they’ve elected to remain independent. “There is a great deal to be gained from collaboration between the Chambers of Muskoka, however this unfortunately is not what has been presented to us. Instead, we have an unnecessary headache which will continue to sap energy, time, and ultimately money.”
As for Haywood, she said she personally would be in favour of a Muskoka Chamber that would function more like an overarching business organization to pull together all of the groups in Muskoka that advocate for Muskoka businesses.
“Could there be a Muskoka-wide organization that encompasses groups like Muskoka Futures, Muskoka Community Network, and Muskoka Tourism to form a Muskoka business collaboration that houses all of the Muskoka agencies that are really benefiting businesses? That was my vision (for this), because right now no one is advocating for Muskoka businesses outside of Muskoka.”
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Sandra – I think you have missed a very important point. Not all Chamber members feel the need to advertise District wide. For many, giving their money to a larger entity that covers a wider area isn’t necessarily in their best interests. As well, many Chamber members do not count tourists as their target market.
Like many things the question really boils down to money. To maintain local offices and have only local members (numbers now deluded because of the exodus to the “Muskoka Chamber”) to decide on community events in their local events costs money. I don’t think that this is the model that’s been imagined with this move. I read this as a move to ultimately dissolve the local Chambers in favour of the new entity. As you point out nothing is stopping members from belonging to more than one Chamber should they feel that is the best model to represent their business.
Bigger is not always better. In this case I believe the local Chamber better serves the community in which I live and operate my business.
Chamber Members often belong to multiple Chambers to be sure that they are represented to consumers in all areas. A single Muskoka Chamber would give Members one Chamber Membersip and a listing that reaches all areas involved. It is very advantageous to Members and it may make it easier for tourists as well as locals to find the businesses they need. Having one website and one businesss directory could streamline things for everyone.
My understanding is that offices are to be maintained in all areas and that it would be up to local area Members to decide what community events to host in their own areas.
I really hope that the Members in the other Chambers will see that the benefits outweigh the risks and join in. Being under one umbrella should be better for everyone. Yes some things will be different going forward, but we usually have to let go of some things in order to embrace new things.
The optics of the name change may give the impression that Bracebridge is now Muskoka and all others would really be joining Bracebridge. The reality is that Bracebridge is the first one to ‘join’ the new entity and Port Sydney/Utterson will follow soon. Process-wise the name change was likely the easiest way to move forward and I think it is unfortunate that the Bracebridge folks are getting flack over it. Hopefully talks will continue and all Chambers will end up together for the good of all. 🙂
Terry is right, it is premature. One should not change the name and hang out a shingle saying that your organization represents “Muskoka” unless one actually has members from ALL AREAS Of MUSKOKA. To do otherwise is essentially false advertising as you are telling the public you are a Muskoka wide Chamber when you actually are not.
I think a little more work needs to be done, membership sorted out and things like this before the name is changed.
I believe this is premature. Each area of Muskoka has a lot of work to do to be in a positive growth environment…..once that happens…. then work as a growth catalyst for the District of Muskoka. For now there is a lot of creative insight and future visions for each area to adopt and embed in their growth of the future…. then the Muskoka Chamber of Commerce