Its primary contemporary focus is to advocate for policy change that drives the growth and competitiveness of the Toronto region on members' behalf.
It offers business services, educational programing, facilities, and events to its members, and policy advices and analysis to the governments of the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, and Canada, and various public organizations and agencies.
The Board was founded 10 February 1845 by an act of the legislature of Canada: To promote and/or support such measures as, upon due consideration, are deemed calculated to advance and render prosperous the lawful trade and commerce and to foster the economic and social welfare of the City of Toronto... To advance in all lawful ways the commercial interests of the members of the Corporation generally and to secure the advantages to be obtained by mutual co-operation.
...each and every person carrying on trade and commerce of any kind, or being a Cashier, Manager or Director of any Financial Institution, Railway or Insurance Company, shall be eligible to become a member of the said Corporation.Its first president was George Percival Ridout, who served in that position until 1852 when he was elected to the legislature.
[3] The controversy subsided after current president Jan De Silva created, with her counterparts in sister organizations in the region, the Canada Innovation Corridor Business Council as a forum for collaboration and cooperation.