Chamber History

The Kingston and District Chamber of Commerce was incorporated in 1841 under the federal Boards of Trade Act. It is one of the oldest Chambers of Commerce in Canada and pre-dates the incorporation of the City of Kingston. It was renamed the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce in 1996 to reflect the area serviced and the current logo was adopted.

Our Logo

The Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce logo design incorporates many elements and symbols which represent different aspects of the Chamber. Although the logo was designed to include all these elements, everyone who looks at it sees different yet positive elements, the hallmark of an effective design. Some of these interpretations are as follows:

• silhouettes of buildings stretching across Greater Kingston (and circling around the globe). This represents forward thinking and a focus on a global economical and ecological environment;
  
  
• a large integrated community (i.e. not necessarily Kingston-centred);
  
  
• the base of the logo is a "C" representing how the Chamber supports business;
  
  
• the overall shape also suggests a gear in motion, representing the continuous efforts of a technology-driven chamber on behalf of businesses;
  
  
• the gradation of colour shows progression (outward expansion), symbolizing a progressive Chamber;
  
  
• The sun-rising effect represents warmth, security, hope and a new beginning for the Chamber. The skyline adds to the graphic "sun" by representing rays;
  
  
• the wavy line is a symbolic representation of the water surrounding the area;
  
  
• the trees represent the Chamber's concerns for the environment;
  
  
• the diversity in the size of buildings represent the Chamber's membership from small home-based businesses to larger corporate offices, as well as the fact that strong business benefits the entire community. It also symbolizes the growth of business;
  
  
• the white space in the centre of the "C", combined with the white space between the icon and the text is reminiscent of a person (head and shoulders) with outstretched arms which serves to include a warm human element to the design.