FAQ

A Chamber of Commerce is an organization with a goal to further the interests of the businesses they serve and to advocate at all levels of government for the interests of their members.

CanWCC is the first – and only – Chamber of Commerce for women-identified and non-binary business owners in Canada. (Before 2017, we didn’t exist, so there’s a lot of catching up to do). As a chamber of commerce, we represent your needs with the government. Our position and title as a chamber gives us access to people who impact change. We’re working hard to make the change you deserve now- not in 100 years.

Women and non-binary entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs deserve the same opportunity to reach their full economic potential as men and people who traditionally hold power do. While there is a Canadian Chamber of Commerce, we know not everyone feels welcome, seen, or heard there. CanWCC is here to prioritize the needs of women and non-binary entrepreneurs. Not make them an afterthought.

It’s on the way! We are headquartered in Toronto, Ontario and are actively hiring regional managers in Alberta and Atlantic Canada. You can connect with CanWCC members cross-country today through our monthly networking sessions called CanACT. Register for the next one here.

We believe gender expression and identity is a fundamental right. Our membership is open to all women-identified and non-binary people. We are committed to inclusive and anti-discrimination practices in our organization and membership offerings.

We welcome you if you:

• Identify as a woman or a non-binary individual AND
• Represent a Canadian resident business entity (sole proprietor, corporation, OR partnership) that is at least 50% woman-owned – and has a woman or non-binary identified leader/CEO OR
• Represent a Canadian not-for-profit corporation with a minimum of 50% women at the Board of Directors level

Click here for full details about becoming a member – including pricing, what’s included and how to join.

Yes you can, if your business is registered in Canada and you are a Canadian resident for tax purposes (i.e. the net income is reported to the Canada Revenue Agency). For sole proprietorships and partnerships, this means that revenue and expenses for the business are reported on your Canadian personal tax return. For incorporated businesses, this means that an annual corporate tax return is filed with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Given the digital and experiential nature of membership, we are unable to offer a refund or credit on membership fees. More information on refunds can be found here. For event tickets, courses, workshops and seminars, we offer a full refund of the ticket purchase price, including taxes and applicable fees, up to seven (7) days before the event.

We take American Express, Mastercard, and Visa. All cards are processed securely through Stripe or PayPal.

Most of the CanWCC magic happens on our online platform called The Table. You will receive immediate access once you sign up – and regular prompts and updates (via email) when there’s new info there or something we think you won’t want to miss.

We also communicate fairly regularly via email, and you can always check our events calendar  for live events coming up near you.

Yes! Not-for-profit leaders share many of the same goals (and challenges) as for-profit business owners and can benefit greatly from connections with women and non-binary entrepreneurs and founders in CanWCC. We welcome leaders of not-for-profit organizations with a minimum of 50% women at the Board of Directors level.

Through our private member community called The Table where you can message other members 1:1 and stay up to date on events and conversations. We also host monthly networking events called CanACT, and more events are released all the time. Check our events calendar for events coming up near you.

Yes! In fact, this group is one of the best ways to build connections if in-person learning and networking opportunities are difficult for you to access. Much of our conversation and learning happens online in our CanACT monthly networking sessions.
By joining CanWCC, you have the opportunity to share your business and life struggles with us and we’ll take that information and advocate on your behalf with the government. Joining us gives you a voice. We hope you’ll become a member so we can elevate your unique perspective.