Welcome to a brand-new year of growing, innovating, trying new things and celebrating change.

Our seventh annual Agents of Change Business Voice issue. Given all the excitement throughout our city this fall, it’s a natural fit to profile some of Halifax’s risk-takers and change-makers.

Our new strategic plan is an evolution more than a revoution. It builds on the previous five years of work in reducing red tape and the tax burden, increasing immigration and growing Halifax.

This year, our Fall Dinner is focused on a common topic through a new angle: innovation. This word is used so often that it can lose its actual meaning: the introduction of something new. It’s a critical time for new ideas in Nova Scotia.

International trade is not just a “Canada” issue. It affects each province and territory. You may be surprised to know that our list of exports is long and varied. This means many Halifax-based businesses will see the effects of trade wars.

Over my time at the Chamber, the sheer number of startups that I’ve come face-to-face with has surpassed my expectations. Each of them with their own mission and purpose and desire to grow their businesses.

I t’s a wonderful time to be in Halifax. Maybe I’m just saying that because, as I write this, summer seems to finally have made an appearance. But I swear, it goes deeper than that.

Historically, the May issue of Business Voice is when we proudly introduce our new Chair of the Board.

How far in the future do you have to look to see Halifax at its full potential? In my opinion, we’re nearly there.

At the end of January, the eight largest Chambers of Commerce in Canada, 11 American Chambers of Commerce and eight Mexican Chambers met in Montreal to ask their respective governments of the three member-states to renew NAFTA...

Change and momentum at the Chamber. With membership on the rise our network has steadily expanded. At the end of 2017 we were happy to welcome more than 300 new members to the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

Rejoicing in successes of all sizes. January is here and it’s time to start executing those plans you spent hours developing at the end of 2017.