LaSalle Business Connect Event - An Evening of Collaboration and Networking

The Town of LaSalle is hosting the first Business Connect meeting on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Event Centre at LaSalle Landing, 970 Front Road. The meeting will give the business community the opportunity to network with one another, and with community partners that provide programs and services for businesses. It is free for representatives of businesses to attend. Registration is required in advance by Tuesday, June 10, 2025. 

Over the last year, the Town has been working with the business community to investigate the options for starting a business organization in LaSalle. Throughout the process, it was determined that there was interest in starting a Chamber of Commerce.

As the Town continued the research into the introduction of a Chamber of Commerce, it was determined that LaSalle would likely not receive approval to start a Chamber. In 2008, under the Boards of Trade Act, the Windsor Chamber of Commerce changed their name to the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce (WERCC) and changed their boundaries to include the towns of LaSalle, Essex, Kingsville, Tecumseh and Lakeshore. The towns of Amherstburg and Leamington were not included as a Chamber of Commerce was already established in each community.

Both the WERCC and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) support the concept of a regional chamber as having multiple Chambers in one region makes them less effective overall. In addition, larger chambers typically operate better and have longevity, while smaller chambers often dissolve as there are not enough volunteers to fill and retain Board Member positions.

Based on this, it is not in the best interest of the Town or the business community to pursue the introduction of a Chamber of Commerce. Businesses in LaSalle are always welcome to join the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce to take advantage of member programs, regional networking and advocacy. In the future, there could be an opportunity to consider a LaSalle Business Improvement Area (BIA), business association or ambassador program should there be interest in pursuing one of these options.

Through the meetings hosted, it was evident that there is a need to provide networking opportunities for LaSalle businesses. LaSalle Council is supporting this initiative, and the LaSalle Business Connect Event is the first in a series of events that will be held for local businesses.

Community partners attending include: BDC Canada, Community Futures Essex County, FedDev, Invest Windsor Essex, Ministry and Economic Development Job Creation and Trade, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Centre, St. Clair College Research and Innovation, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island, University of Windsor Research Partnerships, WEtech Alliance, Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce, Windsor Regional Employment Network.