Welcome

The 2011 – 2012 theme is short and sweet “NEW”. We have a new website, a new brochure with a new look outlining the goals, objectives and benefits of the Chamber. We have a new office location that meets the new accessibility standards.
 
Our new web site offers up to date information on all of our programs and events while acknowledging the generous sponsorship of our sponsors. For those of you looking for new business contacts we encourage you to visit our on-line directory.  We strongly support “members supporting members”.

Kristi Cross, Membership Liaison is proudly using our new brochure while visiting potential new members. Our goals, objectives and benefits are outlined in this brochure. We encourage all members to: 
 

Connect:  be heard, be seen, be involved.

Communicate: network, influence, negotiate

Collaborate: share your brand, share your knowledge

Celebrate:  success and community  

The Woodstock District Chamber of Commerce relies on the support and commitment of our many volunteers from our board of directors to our event and advocacy committees. We invite comments and suggestions from all of our members. If you would like to become involved please let us know; we welcome your input. 

Drop by our new office at 476 Peel Street, 3rd floor. Many of you will know the building as the old YWCA. Martha will be pleased to show you around and help you with any inquiries you may have.

I invite you to contact me or any of our Board Members and I hope to see you at our events. Get involved and take advantage of the many Chamber benefits today! 

Sincerely,

Diane Langner
President

What We Do

The Woodstock District Chamberof Commerce is one of the largest business organizations in Oxford county. Our membership, diverse in nature, consists of 360 companies with some 6500 employees which provides the Chamber with a broad and varied base of community support. Eighty percent of our businesses are small business with 50 or less employees.

At the Woodstock District Chamber of Commerce, we like to build relationships, not just with you, but for you, because membership isn't just a one-time activity. Effective membership building results from ontinuously building better relationships as a member, we're committed to building our relationship with you by providing you with benefits.

Our Mission

Support businesses in their efforts to be successful and grow.  

Our Objectives

• Influence public policy
• Keep members informed
• Be responsive to our member's needs
• Help businesses grow
• Assist in building a stronger and more effective business base
• Build networks
• Be your information resource
          

The Woodstock District Chamber of Commerce is extremely proud that so many of the nearly 400 businesses we represent are prepared to invest their own time to help make the Chamber of Commerce a continuing success. Whether its our Business After Five or Spreaker Series events, or serving on our Board of Directors and Executive positions, members continue to make time in their busy calendars for a broad range of Chamber activities.

We strive to offer genuine value from a membership. Not only do we represent the voice of business in our area, we offer informative sessions and business networking events that you just cannot find anywhere else.

 Our Proud History

History of Woodstock Board of Trade / Chamber of Commerce

The Board of Trade Act, effective May 26, 1874 stated that "any number of persons, not less than 30, being merchants, traders, bankers, brokers mechanics, manufacturers, managers of banks or insurance agents, and being residents of any village, town or city, having a population of not less than 2,500, may associate themselves together as a Board of Trade, with all the privileges and powers conferred by and subject to all the restrictions of this Act."

On January 28, 1877, nearly 50 businessmen of the two were present at a meeting held above the YMCA rooms over the James Holmes Hardware Store, for the purpose of forming a Board of Trade in the town of Woodstock.  Of those 50 present, 36 citizens became certified members who sought certification of "the Woodstock Board of Trade".

The Woodstock Board of Trade was certified in Woodstock on February 2, 1877, sent to Ottawa and incorporated on February 19, 1877 under the federal governments Board of Trade Act.

The Woodstock Board of Trade was instrumental in establishing, along with the Agricultural Society, the first Cheese Fair for Woodstock, and cattle fairs held at the market building on Peel Street.    They actively encouraged council to pursue city status in 1901, secured all-night street lighting, enticed business to locate in Woodstock, participated in decisions about hydro power, and industrial tax incentives. A partial list of businesses who located in Woodstock included Woodstock Wagon Company, Canadian Furniture Manufacturers, Standard Wire Fence Company, and  Canadian Wire Fence Company to name only a few.  Negotiations took place to bring an automobile manufacturer to Woodstock in 1912 but ultimately were unsuccessful.  In the Spring of 1910, the Board of Trade enthusiastically endorsed that a industrial commissioner be appointed by the City of Woodstock.  It was stressed that it required an individual who was "intelligent and big enough to meet manufacturers on their own grounds and be able to show that Woodstock was THE place for a firm to locate.   Over the years the Board of Trade continued to promote indudstrial development and were successful during the 1920's in attracting Kirsch, Bickle-Seagrave and LaFrance to the community.

During the "Dirty Thirties" The Board of Trade experienced a temporary loss of membership with the onset of the depression, recording only 67 members in 1932.  One of the Board's chief concerns would be to help the growing list of the jobless in Woodstock.  The first proposal for a central heating system for Woodstock was made in 1933 by the Board of Trade, investigated and forwarded to the city council to make a recommendation to the Public Utility Commission.  Unfortunately, the project did not come to fruition.   Good news came to the city on March 3, 1933 as dairy farmer T.R. Dent's Holstein cow, Springbank Snow Countess was named the world champion of all breeds for lifetime production of milk.  She had raised the butter production record to 7.658 pounds!

The "Fighting Forties" proved to be busy times for the Board of Trade promoting war effort projects, new committees, and providing more land for new industries.

The name was changed in 1961 – to the Woodstock District Chamber of Commerce.  

Over the years the Woodstock District Chamber of Commerce has continued to pursue similar projects.  It is interesting to review the challenges that faced the Chamber in years past and compare to those at this time.  We continue to promote business and industrial development in the City of Woodstock.  The City has been successful in securing not one automotive manufacturing plant, but three afilliated parts and recycling plants.