FAQ

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

Because women deserve a seat at the table and the same opportunity to reach their full economic potential that men do. A Chamber of Commerce is in a unique position to advocate in an official capacity for the economic priorities of their members – which is what we do for women-identified business owners in Canada.

The Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC) believes that gender expression and identity is a fundamental right.

Our membership is open to all women and non-binary people and we are committed to inclusive and anti-discrimination practices to ensuring that all members’, volunteers’, Directors’, Officers’, and employees’ rights are respected and protected.

Gender identity or expression is not in any way related to one’s eligibility for participating as a volunteer or employee.

Not yet – but we’re working on it. We started in Ontario and have worked hard to establish a presence there first. In 2020 (and beyond), we’ll be working on a national expansion strategy, with plans to roll out chapters across Canada by 2023.

We are also working to connect our rural members through ‘Active Community Tables’ which are member-organized break-out groups that operate in specific regions with our guidance and support.

To join us as a member you must:

• 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 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.

No, but your business must be registered in Canada and you must be 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.

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.

No. Though we understand that Facebook is a convenient place for many people to connect, some people choose not to use it and – most importantly – information is not secure there. For this reason, all our online connection, interaction and conversation takes place at The Table, which is completely private and secure.

Yes! Not-for-profit leaders share many of the same goals (and challenges) as for-profit business owners and can benefit greatly from connections formed within this group. For this reason, we welcome leaders of not-for-profit organizations with a minimum of 50% women at the Board of Directors level.

We are working all the time to create new opportunities for our members to learn and connect in person. Our Events page is a great place to search for upcoming events (hosted by us and others) near you.

We are also in the process of introducing ‘Active Community Tables’ which are local, member-organized break-out groups that meet on a monthly basis.  We provide resources and discussion points on a particular topic for these meetings.  Afterwards, everyone is invited to continue the conversation and share their thoughts, perspectives and questions on The Table, our online community platform.

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 – and we are also in the process of introducing ‘Active Community Tables’ which are local, member-organized break-out groups that meet on a monthly basis.

We  provide resources and discussion points on a particular topic for these meetings. Afterwards, everyone is invited to continue the conversation and share their thoughts, perspectives and questions on the topic on The Table, our online community platform.

All to say: there are lots of ways to get involved and be engaged, even if you’re not in a big city. We hope you’ll join us!

(Click here for more information on joining us as a member.)

Though discounts are an easy and straightforward way of encouraging our members to work with you, we also accept appropriate exchanges in the form of resources that can be used by our members to start, grow, or scale their businesses.

Generally speaking, our partnership agreements remain in effect unless and until one of the parties wishes to terminate or re-negotiate. We are, however, open to partnerships with a defined expiration date in certain circumstances.

If you are eligible to join us as a member, we strongly suggest you join us that way – at least to start. Members can directly participate in our community platform, post member discounts, offers, and events, and build awareness of their products and services through a variety of methods that are not available to our partner network.  You will also receive access to all of our membership benefits.

(Click here for more information on our partner program.)