The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal: the voice of the business community for the past 190 years

MONTREAL, April 11, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - On April 11, 1822, 54 merchants from the English-speaking business community came together to found the Committee of Trade, which would go on to become the 7,000-member strong Board of Trade we know today. A few years later, in 1883, 135 Francophone businessmen established the Chambre de commerce du district de Montréal. In 1992, the two organizations merged to form the Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain/Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. The business community has therefore been mobilizing to contribute to Montréal's success for the past 190 years.

"This anniversary allows us to acknowledge the vision of our predecessors who believed in Montréal's potential almost two centuries ago. Since it was founded, the Board of Trade has had a mission to take action on important issues affecting the city's development and reach. Whether through the founding of the Port Warden's Office in 1863, the creation of the HEC Montréal in 1907, an active presence in the municipal restructuring of 1940, the publication of the A City That Lives Up To Our Aspirations report on issues of governance, or, more recently, strong mobilization for the competitive funding of our universities, the business community has always joined forces to help the city prosper," stated Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.

"The decisions made by the Board of Trade over the years have ensured that the metropolitan business community is represented with a strong voice. The positions we hold, the international leaders we welcome to our forum, and the more than 250 events we organize each year, are all tangible proof of our impact on the city and the course of its history," added Michel Leblanc.

"The 190^th anniversary of the Board of Trade will be celebrated throughout 2012 and, more specifically, at a Montréal Apéro taking place on April 23 in Redpath Hall at McGill University. For the occasion, we are inviting the Board of Trade's various collaborators and the business community's decision-makers, past and present, to come pay tribute to our city's builders and to those who continue this legacy," concluded Michel Leblanc.

The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.

Sylvie Paquette
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: [phone], extension 4015
[email protected]

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