The chief executive officer of the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce says if she were to pick one word to describe 2025, it's adjustment.
Carrie McEachran said businesses have been operating in a more complex environment, with higher costs and tighter margins.
"But at the same time, we've see a shift toward resilience, especially here locally," McEachran told Sarnia News Today. "Companies, businesses are being more strategic, they're being more collaborative, there's more focus on long term stability... rather than the short term wins. So, definitely a year of adjustment."
McEachran said the adjustments were the result of economic uncertainty.
"Tariffs, the supply chains, and the overall costs of doing business right now. Tariffs have put pressure on the pricing, the planning -- especially for manufacturers and exporters -- and then on top of that, inflation and workforce challenges have added that extra layer of complexity," McEachran said.
She said local businesses coped well "for the most part."
"It has been really encouraging to see the community leaning on each other. We've seen that a lot more over the past year. Chamber members are sharing more information, they're exploring more partnerships, they're using the chamber as a hub for advocacy and support more than they did in the past," McEachran.
Instead of pulling back, McEachran said businesses are staying engaged.
"They're attending events, they're collaborating, finding creative ways to adapt and they're just being much more creative in the way they're doing business," she said. "There's always that sense of community here and we're seeing it really strong."
McEachran hopes to see more stability in 2026.
"Not necessarily fewer challenges, but greater clarity. Businesses are learning how to operate in this new norm and I expect, hopefully, continued investment in efficiency, technology and workforce development that will certainly help businesses thrive in the upcoming year," she said.
"I'd love to see clearer policies, more confidence in the economy, opportunities for growth at the local level and I really also hope we continue to see strong collaboration between businesses, government and the community. As always, when collaboration happens, it creates a business environment where everyone can thrive and not just survive," McEachran added.
