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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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New transit plan can help with region’s affordability

September 24, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Government Local, Transportation Options/by Jim Zeeben

Affordability is at the root of many challenges facing Greater Victoria. Chamber members continue to tell us they’re struggling to find and keep staff who can’t find housing. It’s either too costly or too far away from their workplace. One solution is improved transit. Making the commute more convenient to affordable areas of our region […]

New SIPP report says Greater Victoria at a crossroads

September 24, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Fair Rules, Finding And Keeping Workers, Global Uncertainty, Housing/by Jim Zeeben

A report released this week offers a path forward for a regional economy that is spinning its wheels in some sectors. The South Island Prosperity Partnership offers a series of recommendations to overcome stagnation and reach our potential in Igniting Momentum, a 105-page report that came out of its Rising Economy Taskforce. “The stakes are […]

Consumer confidence teeters, raising CUSMA stakes

September 24, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Chamber Awareness, Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

There’s a growing sense that Canada’s economy will dodge the recession that many feared when US tariffs were announced. Economists are now saying recovery is already underway with opportunities for accelerated growth in 2026. Statistics Canada will release the latest GDP numbers on Friday. Regardless, many businesses are still feeling fragile due to the uncertainty […]

‘Safe communities now!’ demand BC mayors in Victoria

September 24, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Government Federal, Government Local, Government Provincial, Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber’s call for all levels of government to take urgent action to address social disorder has resonated across the province. This week, the Union of BC Municipalities annual conference is underway in Victoria, and the loudest concern is the demand to make our communities safer. On Monday, Our Place CEO Julian Daly drew thunderous […]

Provincial deficit looms as Premier seeks fed funding

September 17, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Government Provincial, Inflation And Rising Costs, New And Established Businesses, Safe Communities, Streamlined Regional Regulations/by Jim Zeeben

A day after admitting the provincial books are deeper in the red than initially forecast, BC’s Premier is in Ottawa seeking more cash from the federal government. On Tuesday, BC Finance Minister Brenda Bailey updated the budget forecast to show a deficit of $11.6 billion for 2025. That’s $665 million more than expected. The deficit […]

IDEA committee hears how equity helps employers

September 17, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Fair Rules, Training And Microcredentials/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber’s IDEA committee met this week after taking a break over summer, and heard a great presentation from the team at the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria. Paulina Grainger, Billie Tess and Parker Johnson provided an overview of ICA’s Tools for Equity program. It was an enlightening and informative conversation about the benefits that […]

Borrowing costs drop as Bank of Canada cuts rate

September 17, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Global Uncertainty, Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

As expected, the Bank of Canada lowered its policy interest rate by 25 basis points, bringing it to 2.5%. The news follows yesterday’s report from Statistics Canada showing inflation remains stable, coming in at 1.9% in August. The Conference Board of Canada said a weakening economy makes the cuts appropriate, especially as we have so […]

Work begins on amalgamation question for voters

September 17, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Government Local, Streamlined Regional Regulations/by Jim Zeeben

In July, a Citizens’ Assembly announced that its research showed that residents in the City of Victoria and District of Saanich would be better served by an amalgamated municipality. Victoria was quick to begin working on the wording of the question that will go to voters next October. And, on Monday, Saanich followed suit with […]

Minister meets with Chamber to hear about business issues

September 17, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Chamber News, Global Uncertainty, Government Provincial, Hospitality And Tourism Rescue And Recovery, Safe Communities, Training And Microcredentials, Transportation Options/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber would like to thank BC’s Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, Jessie Sunner, for meeting with members of Greater Victoria’s business community today. The Minister had lunch with Chamber members and staff after a tour of Camosun College‘s Interurban Campus. The meeting was a welcome opportunity to hear about the province’s plans […]

Government decisions must consider downtown

September 10, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

Let’s be clear about an issue that’s sparking plenty of conversations. Downtown Victoria is facing a crisis. That’s not to deny the natural beauty or economic power of downtown, which remains a gem for our region. Anyone who visits our destination can see how special this area is among the world’s small cities. But most […]

Timely data to make sense of business environment

September 10, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Chamber Awareness/by Jim Zeeben

In an age of economic uncertainty, having access to real-time data can help businesses make sense of shifting conditions. That’s how a new tool from the Canadian Chamber can provide insight between gaps in official reporting. BDLNow adjusts its estimate based on recently released high-frequency economic indicators. The tool generates an estimate of Canada’s GDP growth rate […]

Hospitality businesses urged to stock up on liquor

September 10, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Finding And Keeping Workers, Hospitality And Tourism Rescue And Recovery, Immigration And Integration/by Jim Zeeben

The BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association is advising its members to stock up on liquor inventories in the event the BCGEU strike targets BC Liquor Distribution Branch warehouses and stores. “We advise you to immediately stock up on your liquor inventories. Based on multiple conversations and reliable intel, it’s very likely that the BCGEU strike action will target […]