Chamberwise: Business Confidence Remains Strong

By Garry Douglas

Our Annual Business Confidence Index for 2026 recently showed continued positivity in our area business community with 57% expecting their business activity to be up this year and 25% expecting it to be steady for a total positive index of 82%. This is little changed from 87% in 2025, in spite of a disruptive landscape in our cross-border partnership.

There are a number of reasons why this makes sense, including actual steadiness, and even growth in cross-border trade activity locally through the past year — the historic replacement of Nova Bus by Micro Bird with an accelerated ramp-up; massive new contracts for Alstom with substantial new hiring; the welcoming of new companies like Vortex; current or planned growth by companies including Michelin and Schluter Systems; strong employment; growth in county sales tax revenues; growth in student numbers at our local colleges; and a small increase in hotel occupancy in 2025. 

The greatest cloud of uncertainly centers on the state and direction of relations with Canada. Restoration of positive business and people-to-people relations is far and away the top priority this year by a full 95% of respondents to our survey. Eighty-nine percent want to see the reversal and avoidance of tariffs on Canada and 84% want the U.S. Mexico Canada (USMCA) agreement, now under review, to be substantially extended.

Addressing the feelings of Canadians toward U.S. travel will remain important to our hospitality sector, even as we continue to see success in drawing people from areas south of the North Country.

A conclusion to trade rhetoric and tariffs can hopefully end the uncertainty which is pausing many investments, growth plans and business dealings that otherwise would be occurring.

In 2026 we will continue our special messaging and fact-based approach on the U.S.-Canada front and fully expect to foster and facilitate continued strong business interest from Quebec. We will continue our broadened tourism outreach both to the north and south. We will continue to bolster our diverse and growing cluster of transportation equipment producers. We will continue advocacy in Washington and Albany on behalf of region-specific needs. We will continue our commitment to workforce development and skills-building. And we will continue and grow our support for small business.