Statement from the WCC Board of Directors

We, the Whitby Chamber of Commerce, want to address some recent messages circulating online regarding our staff and volunteers.

Since its inception, the mission of the Chamber has been to empower, connect and advocate for the entire business community, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or other intersecting identities which make us unique.

As a commitment to our mission, Julie Armstrong Rennie has voluntarily resigned from of the Board of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce. A 3rd party review of the allegations will be executed.

We want to be transparent and acknowledge that creating safe spaces is an ongoing journey. Moving forward, we will be taking proactive measures, including implementing diversity and inclusion training with a focus on anti-Black racism for all our staff and volunteers. We believe it is important for us to listen, reflect and move forward together in a meaningful way. For us now, this means being intentionally inclusive and ensuring we employ an equitable lens when collaborating within Whitby’s diverse community.

In particular, we cannot build effective allyship until we acknowledge the historic and systemic barriers Black Canadians have endured and what this means for Black entrepreneurs in Whitby today. Finally, we stand together, in solidarity, with all marginalized groups within our community and unequivocally declare that all lives cannot matter until Black Lives Matter.