**TIMMINS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEDIA RELEASE**

The Timmins Chamber of Commerce has announced that Donna Dorrington-Black has taken a leave of absence from its Board of Directors in light of her candidacy for city councillor in the Oct. 22 municipal election.

This move is required by the Chamber’s by-laws, which are designed in part to protect its status as an independent, apolitical organization.

Per these by-laws, any Director who runs for public office shall take a leave of absence from their position for the duration of an election campaign. If they’re successfully elected, that person shall be considered resigned from the Chamber Board; otherwise, they may reclaim their position with the Chamber.

The Chamber wishes all candidates the very best in the Oct. 22 election, and looks forward to working with them to address the issues that matter most to its members, as identified in its recent report, A Timmins That Works: Business Priorities for the 2018 Municipal Election.

About the Timmins Chamber of Commerce

With over 600 members, the Timmins Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest accredited chambers of commerce with distinction in northeastern Ontario. As the “Voice of Business in Timmins” since 1949, our advocacy and policy initiatives focus on ensuring a positive business climate in the City of Timmins.