WHAT IS ACCREDITATION?

Accreditation is the highest national standard of Chamber excellence in leadership, governance and operations. It demonstrates to your community, members, and Board of Directors that your Chamber has dependable governance policies and procedures and has built resilient core operations that align with hundreds of Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade across Canada. 

To become Accredited, submit the application and required documentation for review by the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada.

Accreditation is valid for 5 years and then must be renewed. Applications submitted throughout 2026 will be Accredited for 2027-2032.

 

WHAT IS THE CHAMBER ACCREDITATION COUNCIL OF CANADA?

The Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors comprised of provincial and territorial Chamber executives, a representative from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and a representative from the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Canada. 

The standards of Accreditation were first created in 2004 and are reviewed by the Board of Directors on an annual basis.

 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ACCREDITATION?

Achieving Accreditation comes with a range of practical benefits for your Chamber of Commerce or Board of Trade, including:

• Alignment with proven best practices across the Chamber Network;
• Verification that you are running a Chamber with a dependable governance model, and resilient core operations;
• Sharpening your Chamber’s strategic focus for long-term sustainability;
• Growing your Chamber’s competitive edge and encouraging member engagement;
• Showcasing your community as a great place to do business, backed by an exceptional Chamber;
• Strengthening your Chamber’s brand and credibility with corporate sponsors; and
• Providing assurance to funders that your Chamber has robust financial policies in place and can deliver impactful projects with reliable reporting.

 

HOW DO I BECOME ACCREDITED?

Compile the required documentation, ensuring the documents meet the standards of Accreditation.

When you are ready to submit your application, email ExecutiveDirector@CCEC.biz and you will be provided with a Google Drive link to upload your documents for review by the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada.

Once your application is reviewed, you will be notified whether your application is being recommended for approval during the next Board Meeting, or if there are deficiencies that must be addressed.

 

WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS OF ACCREDITATION?

You can view the 2026 Standards of Accreditation here.

You can view detailed information about Accreditation and the Accreditation process here.

 

2026 APPLICATION DEADLINES:

Round 1 Deadline: April 23, 2026 (for approval during the June 11, 2026 Board Meeting)

Round 2 Deadline: August 13, 2026 (for approval during the September 17, 2026 Board Meeting)

 

APPLICATION FEES:

Micro Chambers (<150 Members): $200

Small Chambers (150-349 Members): $300

Mid-sized Chambers (350-699 Members): $400

Large Chambers (700+ Members): $500