2025 Special General Meeting

The Board of Directors is calling a Special General Meeting (SGM) at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13th, at the offices of Brella Community Services (15008 26 Avenue, Surrey). 

Last year, members voted to merge with the Surrey Board of Trade, to become the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade. At our AGM, members approved a required motion to dissolve the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber as soon as Corporations Canada approved the merger. Although the Chamber and the Board of Trade have submitted all required documents, we have not yet received approval through an Order in Council, likely delayed by the federal election and tariff situation.

This presents challenges for the Chamber. Our bylaws state that audited financial statements must be presented to our membership yearly. As nearly a year has passed since the membership voted for dissolution; no one expected another set of audited financials would need to be prepared. The cost of an audit is up to $20,000 and, if the Order in Council is not approved by July 1st, another year's audited financials would also be required. That means the unnecessary expenditure of up to $40,000, funds which otherwise could be spent to strengthen the organization and provide improved services to the membership.

In the last 5 months, a number of operational efficiencies have been enacted to bring the organization into a positive financial situation, and align the two organizations for a post-merger reality. The Chamber's former office has closed, our staff are now working alongside SBOT staff, and the two entities are under one management team. At the Board level, the nomination and selection process for the inaugural Board of Directors for what will be the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade is almost complete. Approximately five directors from the Chamber will be on the new Board, including at least one Director representing White Rock. Directors from both organizations have been involved in the nomination process, which has been conducted in a collegial and collaborative manner to ensure both the spirit and the language of the merger agreement are honoured.

All is going very well - the numerous positive comments we receive are evidence of that. But we're at a crossroads and are proposing a resolution, containing two motions, that would enable us to follow good governance practices, avoid unnecessary expenses and give our members what they want – a merged organization.

The resolution and motions are as follows:

Whereas the South Surrey White Rock Chamber of Commerce membership approved dissolution of the organization once Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade merger documents were approved by the Federal Government;
and whereas the South Surrey White Rock Chamber of Commerce and the Surrey Board of Trade staff are working together and are acting when possible as a single entity to provide good-faith service to the membership;
and whereas Corporations Canada has received and reviewed the documents but has not yet provided the required Order in Council;
and whereas audited financial statements, costing up to $20,000, need to be provided at the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce's next annual general meeting (AGM) no later than June 26, 2025; 
therefore be it resolved that the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce membership moves:

MOTION 1 - that the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce members waive the requirement for a 2024 and 2025 audit and AGM, and approve the unaudited financial statements provided today; 
and 

MOTION 2 – that the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce members give the Board of Directors the authority to functionally dissolve when practical, prior to the formal dissolution, including the transfer of assets, staff and members to the Surrey Board of Trade, using good governance models.
This approach is one followed by other entities who have merged. This does not change our commitment to you, our members, that the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade will have a physical office in the South Surrey/White Rock area, once a feasible location can be sourced.

We hope you will attend to support this resolution. Please register using the button to the right if you can join us. 

SGM Meeting Package