OUR HISTORY

The first official meeting of the Lyttelton Chamber of Commerce, which would later become the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, occurred on Friday, 19 August 1859. On the agenda was a request from the Melbourne Chamber (via the Wellington Chamber) to sell all types of grain by 100lbs instead of by the bushel, so there would be uniformity in both countries. 

After years of difficult work cutting through the mountain of volcanic rock that separates Christchurch and Lyttelton, tunnellers from both sides finally met in May of 1867. Members of The Chamber, who had been instrumental in ensuring that the project remained a priority, were among the first to be invited to walk through the tunnel. This feat of engineering was a New Zealand first, and a vital piece of railroad infrastructure between Christchurch city and the South Island's largest port.

Following the 1890 Maritime Strike which wreaked havoc on Lyttelton port and across New Zealand, The Chamber fostered the establishment of the Canterbury Employers' Association to assist Canterbury businesses in navigating an ongoing raft of employment legislation and the growing strength of unions in Canterbury.

Completion of the Otira Tunnel had been a key focus of The Chamber since the project's inception in 1901. Fourteen years after construction began, the Otira Tunnel was finally completed in 1921, opening a significant and vital pathway for commerce between Canterbury and the West Coast. 

The advent of the tunnel created new opportunities for Chamber members. The coal and timber from the West Coast needed to fuel industrial boilers could now be transported at less cost and more reliably than via Nelson by sea.

The Chamber's role during the Canterbury earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, and again for Kaikōura in 2016 was crucial not only for business, but also for the recovery of the wider community and the survival of the local economy.

The Chamber played a pivotal role in working with central government to establish a wage subsidy programme which provided businesses with the financial support they needed to keep paying their employees until they could get their business operations going again.

The programme was a first for New Zealand and had a significant impact on the ability for Canterbury businesses to get back on their feet following the quakes. The programme established a model for government to support businesses during a crisis, and served as the foundation for a similar programme that was initiated country-wide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just as it did during the Canterbury earthquakes, The Chamber provided members and the wider business community with unwavering support during the COVID-19 pandemic. With its trusted reputation, government officials welcomed The Chamber's involvement in the government's COVID-19 response. 

The Chamber provided valuable insight and recommendations to government on how to support businesses during this unprecedented time. In addition to influencing government decision-making, The Chamber also provided invaluable assistance and reassurance to businesses, helping them to navigate uncertainty and change throughout the pandemic.

Following an extensive programme of engagement with Chamber members and the wider business community, and an examination of current trends and best practices for member associations around the world, The Chamber transitioned to a new fit-for-purpose membership model.

The new model offers members a more tailored customer experience and the ability to choose the level of investment and support from The Chamber that best suits their business needs.