Quinte West Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Suzanne Andrews expects the issues of 2025 to continue in 2026.
She says disruptions related to tariffs, trade and other issues will continue and their role will be to continue support businesses and help them find balance.
“Businesses need to, you know, balance their business between growth and sustainability, looking at the adoption of technology, finding new suppliers, finding new customers.”
She says while the trade war has created many challenges, especially in the manufacturing sector, it’s also presented opportunities for some businesses.
Andrews adds that technology and the adoption of artificial intelligence is something they need to become more involved in.
“And, you know, really help small businesses find ways to use that a little bit more in their workplace. You know some have really gone full in on their AI adoption and others are a little slow to find ways to bring that to their organization.”
She believes a large number of businesses will adopt AI technology to take some routine tasks off their workload.
