“The most powerful moments for me are when you see that shift happen—when a woman realizes she’s not alone anymore, and that someone truly believes in her ability to rebuild,” says Karen Ramchuk.

As President and CEO of Calgary’s Women in Need Society (WINS), she’s witnessed this transformation countless times, because WINS focuses on meeting women where they are in their lives and provides practical support for those navigating challenging circumstances.

Yet it wasn’t until WINS was gifted access to Calgary’s Chamber of Commerce that Ramchuk realized just how much further the organization could reach.

“Becoming a member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce opened doors that simply wouldn’t have been accessible to us otherwise,” says Ramchuk. “It connected WINS to a broader business and leadership community, increased our credibility as a social enterprise and gave us opportunities to build relationships with organizations that could champion our work.”

WINS’s story is part of a bigger picture. Through chamber sponsorships across Canada, RBC is opening doors for organizations transforming communities—one membership, one connection at a time.

“We see the chamber as a catalyst for connection and growth, and currently support them as an inclusion pillar partner,” says Jerilynn Daniels, regional director, community marketing and citizenship at RBC for Alberta and the Territories. “WINS is an organization that changes lives every day, and we appreciated the opportunity to help open a door that could expand their impact.”

In the fall of 2025, WINS was awarded the CPA Alberta Social Entrepreneurship Award, part of the Calgary Chamber’s annual recognition event. The award recognizes small businesses in Calgary that blend entrepreneurship with social impact.

“When I received the news, some of the first people I reached out to were collaborators who had supported us along the way, including Jerilynn Daniels from RBC,” says Ramchuk. “Their belief in our work played an important role in helping us get to this moment.”

Across Canada, chambers of commerce serve as convenors and catalysts for inclusive and prosperous business communities. They promote economic policies, host events that foster meaningful networking opportunities and shine a spotlight on local organizations like WINS.

“At their core, the chambers help profile their members and encourage networking,” says Erin Closs, RBC vice-president in Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. “Through this collaboration, RBC has been able to help profile some of our clients, identify new opportunities and create meaningful connections that generate business.”

Some collaborations run especially deep. In Hamilton, Ontario, RBC is nearing its 50th year of collaboration with the local chamber—a relationship that includes board participation and active involvement in events, panels and initiatives like the Bay Area Economic Summit hosted in collaboration with the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.

“For me, a few things really stand out given the RBC–chamber collaboration, and there are many moments to choose from,” says Maria Artuso, past vice-president, commercial financial services, RBC in Hamilton. “Strengthening communities and building a more inclusive business landscape are at the core of what we believe in at RBC. Collaborations with local chambers of commerce help us achieve these goals.

It’s a pattern playing out coast to coast: Chambers profile members, RBC helps to open doors, and organizations like WINS discover their full potential. The impact compounds—one membership, one connection, one transformed life at a time.

Ramchuk didn’t expect that a networking membership would lead to a boost toward helping Calgary women and their families thrive. But as she’s learned countless times in her work, the most powerful transformations often begin with someone simply believing you belong at the table.