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Breaking news for Greater Victoria businesses

Published weekly, BizNews offers information to help Greater Victoria’s business community make sense of our shifting economic and political landscape. The Chamber’s flagship newsletter is distributed to more than 5,000 subscribers who are highly engaged and active in our region’s business community. Scroll down to read the latest.

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Two tales emerging about downtown: DVBA report

June 12, 2024/in Business And Economic Strength, Fair Rules, Government Local, Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

There are two stories being told about downtown Victoria, says a new analysis released this morning by the Downtown Victoria Business Association. With 5% more business licences issued, and tourism and industry thriving, the DVBA’s 2024 Annual Report says the numbers show the region’s downtown is enjoying economic growth. However, there is also a growing […]

Send us your questions ahead of next week’s Election Lunch

June 12, 2024/in Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

There has been no shortage of intrigue on the campaign trail leading up to the October provincial election. Last week, The Chamber hosted Kevin Falcon — the leader of the Official Opposition and leader of the BC United Party. About 80 Chamber members were treated to a firsthand account from Falcon about his plan to […]

Measuring gender pay rates helping close the gap

June 12, 2024/in Fair Rules, Finding And Keeping Workers/by Jim Zeeben

Pay equity is one of the keys to unlocking productivity in our workforce, and vital for helping employers find and keep workers. In 2023, British Columbia introduced the Pay Transparency Act to formalize a system for employers to ensure employee compensation was not being influenced by gender. Women in BC earn 17% less than men, […]

Fund helps municipalities cope with changing climate

June 5, 2024/in Climate Change Solutions, Government Federal/by Jim Zeeben

On Monday, the federal government announced $530 million to help Canadian municipalities adapt to the changing climate. The money will help cities and towns prepare for flooding, heat domes and other impacts on residents and infrastruture caused by weather events. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities will administer the fund, which is a fraction of the […]

Bank of Canada drops interest rate for first time in four years

June 5, 2024/in Business And Economic Strength, Housing, Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

Finally. The weather forecast calls for clear skies and warm days this weekend, the HarbourCats have fireworks planned for Saturday night, after their homeopener on Friday — and the Bank of Canada has taken the initial step to reduce the pain of high interest rates. For the first time since March 2020, the bank lowered […]

Real estate market showing signs of spring thaw

June 5, 2024/in Business And Economic Strength, Housing/by Jim Zeeben

The Victoria Real Estate Board released its latest take on the region’s market this week, before the change in interest rates was announced. “A lot of folks who have been watching the market over recent years may find that now is a good time to sell and buy as market conditions have changed for the […]

Building Permit Hub going live in Saanich, Victoria

May 29, 2024/in Finding And Keeping Workers, Housing/by Jim Zeeben

More homes. That’s the simple answer to so many of the complex challenges affecting our economy — from attracting and keeping workers to providing shelter for people camping on city streets. The Chamber consistently advocates for policy changes and investment that will boost our housing supply. And we applaud the latest announcement this week that […]

Pack the park for HarbourCats home opener June 7

May 29, 2024/in Government Local, Hospitality And Tourism Rescue And Recovery/by Jim Zeeben

Few experiences top going to the ballpark to watch a game in-person. Fans of the Victoria HarbourCats get their first chance to cheer on the home team next week at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park. The H’Cats play the Wenatchee Applesox at 6:30 pm and the early forecast calls for sunny skies and […]

VicPD warns of payroll frauds making the rounds

May 22, 2024/in Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

The Victoria Police Department is warning area businesses to be wary of “direct deposit diversion” or “payroll” frauds after a reported loss of more than $50,000 in wages. “These frauds typically involve a ‘phishing’ type fraud where an employer or HR department receives an email that appears to be from an employee who is asking […]

Inflation slows again in April, raising hope for rate cut

May 22, 2024/in Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

Make sure to circle June 5 on your calendar after Statistics Canada’s latest figures show inflation continues to slow down. The Consumer Price Index for April rose by 2.7%, compared to 2.9% in March. If you take gas prices out of the equation, the CPI was actually down to 2.5% in April. “April’s CPI report […]

Victoria council discusses future of downtown traffic

May 22, 2024/in Business And Economic Strength, Government Local/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber is working to engage with members and our partner organizations to make sure the voice of business is heard on proposals that will impact traffic in downtown Victoria. The City of Victoria is looking at extending dedicated bus lanes along Douglas Street, potentially reworking the busy corridor to focus on transit. The idea […]

Canucks lift spirits, boost BC’s hospitality industry

May 16, 2024/in Business And Economic Strength, Hospitality And Tourism Rescue And Recovery/by Jim Zeeben

There’s still plenty of room for diehard fans as well as those new to the bandwagon. The Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup playoff run has been a pleasant experience for many of the province’s pubs and restaurants. In Greater Victoria, a number of Chamber members are supporting fans by showing games on their big screens. The […]