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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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Bank cuts interest rates again as uncertainty remains

January 29, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Global Uncertainty, Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

This morning, the Bank of Canada reduced its target for the overnight rate to 3%. The Bank also said it was ending quantitative tightening, starting gradually in early March. Economic projections are more fuzzy now than they typically are because of the shifting political landscape, particularly the threat of US tariffs. “With inflation around 2% […]

New: post-budget breakfast with BC Finance Minister

January 29, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

With businesses facing ongoing uncertainty, it’s good to know that at least one economic tradition will continue this year. The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce will once again host the provincial Finance Minister, at a breakfast event presented by Coastal Community Credit Union & Insurance Services, the morning after BC Budget 2025 is unveiled. This […]

Inflation falls lower in December: Statistics Canada

January 22, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

There was good news from Statistics Canada this week as the agency reported inflation continued to slow in December. The Consumer Price Index was 1.8% on a year-over-year basis in December, down from 1.9% in November. Restaurant meals and alcohol were directly connected to the deceleration. A temporary GST break on some items took effect in […]

Seabed carbon worth study: Ocean Networks Canada

January 22, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Climate Change Solutions/by Jim Zeeben

A proposal to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and bury it safely in the seabed is one of the incredible examples of climate action leadership in Greater Victoria. The Solid Carbon project is being studied by Ocean Networks Canada and other world-renowned institutions. The work was recently highlighted by the Times Colonist in a story […]

Chamber network working behind scenes to help Canada

January 22, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Global Uncertainty, Immigration And Integration/by Jim Zeeben

It’s said that no one wins a tariff war, and with so much uncertainty about what newly anointed US President Donald Trump might do to pressure Canadians economically, the Chamber’s national network is proactively working to build allies where it counts. This week, the Canadian Chamber was in Washington, DC, during the US inauguration. The […]

Save Our Streets hosting expert panel at 8 am, Jan. 23

January 22, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

A provincial initiative backed by the Chamber is hosting a panel discussion in Vancouver tomorrow at 8am about what is currently being done to make communities safer. The Save Our Streets initiative was formed by a coalition of businesses and representative associations to address growing distress over homeless encampments, addiction and mental health challenges that […]

Esquimalt seeks feedback on transportation work

January 15, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Government Local, Transportation Options/by Jim Zeeben

Improvements to help smooth the flow of traffic through the Township of Esquimalt continue to be made. The municipality wants to hear from people and businesses who use Esquimalt Road to make sure work continues on the right path. Esquimalt’s Active Transportation Network Plan was endorsed by council in 2022, outlining several key priorities for […]

Construction underway on Uptown transit hub

January 15, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Climate Change Solutions, Finding And Keeping Workers, Housing, Transportation Options/by Jim Zeeben

A contract has been awarded to a Nanaimo firm to build out the Uptown Mobility Hub in the District of Saanich. Major improvements to the Saanich neighbourhood are planned to make it easier for people to take the bus to get around the region. This transit hub will become the region’s principal RapidBus exchange and […]

Eight predictions for Canada’s economy in 2025

January 15, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Fair Rules, Finding And Keeping Workers, Global Uncertainty, Government Federal, Housing, Immigration And Integration, Inflation And Rising Costs, New And Established Businesses/by Jim Zeeben

No one knows what the future holds, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a shot at forecasting what’s to come. Here, with the help of the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab, are Chief Economist Stephen Tapp’s eight predictions for the economy. Note that the following list is edited and condensed for space. Read the […]

Beyond the news headlines, $3.6B in Canada/US trade

January 15, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Global Uncertainty, Government Federal/by Jim Zeeben

It’s hard to have a conversation these days that doesn’t veer into Canada/US relations. Looking past the political chirps, here are some of the numbers behind what’s at stake for business. The Chamber’s national network has introduced the Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker — to illustrate the ties between our two economies. “The stakes couldn’t be higher,” […]

New year, new Board of Directors for Chamber

January 8, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness/by Jim Zeeben

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce its 2025 Board of Directors. Joining the board for their first term, effective Jan. 1, are Ashka Wirk, Principal of Wirk Consulting; Corey Gillon, CEO of Peninsula Co-op; Elizabeth M. Brown, President and CEO of the Victoria Airport Authority; Mary Lou Newbold, Chief Eyewear Officer […]

New era set to begin as Trudeau says he’ll step down

January 8, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Global Uncertainty, Government Federal/by Jim Zeeben

There has been a seismic shift in the political landscape to start the new year. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he will step down as soon as his successor is in place. Canadian Chamber President and CEO Candace Laing issued a statement saying it was the right move, and Canada must now […]