Kingston Chamber of Commerce Mayor’s Breakfast: Advocating for Better Support for Small Business Owners

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the first-ever Mayor’s Breakfast hosted by the Kingston Chamber of Commerce — a sold-out event that brought our business community together for a direct, engaging conversation with Mayor Bryan Paterson.

Why This Matters to Me

As a refugee-turned-lawyer and an entrepreneur here in Kingston, I am deeply invested in the city’s growth — and particularly in how immigrant entrepreneurs can integrate and thrive within our local business landscape.

Kingston is home to remarkable small and family businesses, many of which are now at succession-planning inflection points. At the same time, a growing number of newcomers are arriving with business ideas, capital, or the drive to take over established operations. Bridging those two realities is one of the most practical economic-development opportunities in our city.

What I Asked City Hall

During the discussion, I asked the City to consider developing a comprehensive guide for small business owners — not only for immigrants, but for all entrepreneurs navigating local licensing, incorporation, employment standards, tax obligations, and available grants and supports.

A guide like this would be more than a PDF. It would be a signal — that Kingston sees its small businesses as partners in the city’s growth, and that the path from idea to operation is clear, accessible, and properly supported.

Encouraged by the Response

I was encouraged by Mayor Paterson’s positive response and look forward to seeing the City take concrete steps toward better supporting entrepreneurship in Kingston — particularly for newcomers, women, and first-generation business owners who often face disproportionate barriers.

Here’s to continued dialogue, and to meaningful action for Kingston’s future.

Adapted from a post originally published on LinkedIn. Read the original post on LinkedIn →