Chamber Awareness Archives - Page 2 of 7

Consumers get break as BC eliminating carbon tax April 1

March 26, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Chamber Awareness, Climate Change Solutions, Global Uncertainty, Government Federal, Government Provincial, Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

Energy costs are set to go down starting April 1 as the province announced yesterday it will make good on its promise to eliminate the consumer carbon tax after the federal government promised to do the same.

BC’s tax adds about 17 cents per litre at the gas pump, and 15 cents per cubic metre of natural gas.

“The Province will continue to act on the commitment to battle climate change by ensuring people in British Columbia have affordable options to make sustainable choices and by encouraging industry to innovate,” the BC Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

Eliminating the tax will help businesses and individuals facing increasing costs and economic uncertainty due to the threats of tariffs and tradewar with the US.

The latest news on the tradewar is a 25% tariff on the auto industry imposed today. The action is expected to increase the cost of vehicles and cause generational chaos to automakers on both sides of the border.

The national Chamber network continues to work on mitigating the threat of tariffs. This week, the Canadian Chamber released a report on US cities that are the most export-dependent on Canada.

Finalists announced for this year’s Business Awards!

March 19, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness/by Jim Zeeben

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the finalists for the 2025 Greater Victoria Business Awards. Tickets will be available at end of March.

The finalists have distinguished themselves in many categories and many ways, including excellent customer service, sustainable business practices, young entrepreneurship and business leadership.

The Chamber’s 2025 Business Awards showcase hard-working businesses, business people and community leaders in 14 categories. Finalists were chosen by an independent panel of prominent business leaders who served as judges.

“The finalists announced today all are shining examples of leadership and innovation,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “I hope you can join us for a truly inspirational night as we hear unique stories about business that have found a way to thrive in these uncertain times.”

The Chamber previously announced Josue Dubon as The Chamber’s 2025 Member of the Year.

See the 2025 Finalists

Chamber prepping for pro-business campaign

March 19, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Chamber Awareness, Government Federal/by Jim Zeeben

With a federal election expected to be called as soon as this Sunday, the Canadian Chamber is working on a toolkit that will make sure all political parties understand what businesses need.

The main message is that businesses are under threat. We need the next government to commit to going all-in on Canada. That means delivering on the promise of free trade between provinces, improving existing trade infrastructure and cutting red tape and taxes.

Canada could gain as much as 4% of our GDP by opening up east to west trade. We also require more investment in roads, rail, airports, pipelines and ports in order to grow our economy and fulfill our potential. And, perhaps most timely, there must be immediate relief from regulatory burdens and suffocating tax structures that constrict our private sector. We need to compete internationally and increase the size of our economy in order to sustainably fund the social programs that help improve everyone’s quality of life.

Whoa Premier! Proposed power grab needs a rethink

March 19, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Fair Rules, Global Uncertainty, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber takes pride in working well with any government, regardless of their political stripes. However, there are times when decisions are announced that leave us shaking our heads. The latest, or at least most egregious, was the surprise introduction of Bill 7 last Friday.

BC Premier David Eby claimed the legislation is needed in order for the province to respond to the tradewar with the US. The proposed law has been derided as the Henry VIII clause because it would give the Premier’s Office a vast overreach in its powers.

“Businesses are anxious enough without our own province introducing something that many see as autocratic,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We’ve reached out to partner organizations around the Province to figure out a response. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail and the province will step back from this legislation.”

Bill 7, if passed, would give Eby broad powers without the need to be accountable to the elected legislature.

March 11 marked COVID national day of Observance

March 12, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Global Uncertainty, Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

It seems like another lifetime. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared a global pandemic.

Our way of life, and, for many, way of doing business, was turned upside down. COVID-19 was an unknown and dangerous disease that would claim 6,600 people in BC and almost 60,000 across Canada despite unprecedented efforts to prevent the spread of infection. The experience changed the way we think about washing our hands, disinfecting our homes and workplaces and even how we greet others.

“I started with The Chamber in June of 2020 — as workers were being told to stay at home and many businesses faced huge losses because they had to shut down,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We saw some organizations go into a sort of hibernation, but the need for The Chamber was never more clear. We were asked to be an even louder voice of business and we helped shape many of the programs and policies that got our community through those dark times.”

The Chamber worked closely with federal, provincial and municipal governments to urge them to move quickly on everything from new rules for outdoor patios to low-interest loans to enabling online sales. We also introduced the Chamber Champions program, a new tier of membership for organizations that have the capacity to lift up smaller businesses during times of crisis.

Last year, the federal government declared March 11 as Pandemic Observance Day to “commemorate the efforts to get through the pandemic, to remember its effects and to reflect on ways to prepare for any future pandemics.”

BC Budget 2025 attempts to tackle trade war’s unknowns

March 5, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Global Uncertainty, Government Provincial, Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

The best news from yesterday’s BC Budget 2025 announcement was a promise from the provincial Finance Minister to work more closely with businesses going forward.

As is tradition, the minister met with the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce today to discuss the budget.

Brenda Bailey, a former tech sector entrepreneur, was elected to government in 2020 and appointed Finance Minister in November 2024. Her first budget day was overshadowed by news that the United States was moving ahead with a trade war on Canada.

Bailey acknowledged the curveball, noting that the budget was put together with tariffs in mind. There is also $4 billion in contingency funds set aside annually for three years to address unforeseen challenges. It’s a strategy that makes sense, but one business groups will be watching closely.

“We want to see policies that are looking at the horizon, that are investing in making our private sector bigger, growing our economy,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We’re fortunate to live in a region with a diverse economy that is relatively sheltered from a trade war. That said, we know we’re in for challenging times ahead as Canada will be impacted by tariffs.”

In response to the US’s tariff announcement, the Canadian Chamber issued a statement saying the trade war will hurt Americans and have disastrous impacts on people in many US cities.

“Canada is resource and talent rich. Our economic future is ours to determine — it’s time to join our economic strategy with concrete action to not only minimize the short-term damage but to chart a more prosperous path long-term,” Canadian Chamber president and CEO Candace Laing said.

Read the Full Media Release

First cruise ship of the season arrives March 6

March 5, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Transportation Options/by Jim Zeeben

This year’s cruise ship season begins March 6, when the Disney Wonder is scheduled to arrive at 8 am before departing at 5 pm from Pier B at The Breakwater District at Ogden Point.

“As we embark on the 2025 cruise season, we are thrilled to welcome visitors from around the world to our vibrant city,” Greater Victoria Harbour Authority CEO Robert Lewis-Manning said in a media release. “We look forward to providing a warm, authentic welcome that showcases the rich culture and hospitality of our community.”

The Disney Wonder carries up to 2,700 passengers and 950 crew, and its arrival marks an early start to the season, as cruise ships deployed in other parts of the world typically return to the West Coast in April to prepare for their voyages to Alaska.

Cruise ship season gets fully underway April 4 with the arrival of Holland America’s Koningsdam. In total, 320 cruise ship visits are currently scheduled this year.

Last week, The Chamber reported on a big win for businesses downtown as our advocacy efforts helped relocate the shuttle stop for cruise ships ahead of the season

Shifting cruise shuttle stop will help area businesses

February 26, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Fair Rules, Government Local, Hospitality And Tourism Rescue And Recovery/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber helped advocate for a small change that will have a big benefit for many downtown businesses. After explaining the concerns of having cruise ship shuttles stop short of Government Street’s retail core, the party’s involved agreed to shift to the 900 block.

The change takes place April 4. It required the approval of City of Victoria staff, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority and Pacific Northwest Transportation Services.

“We heard concerns from merchants that the buses were letting cruise ship passengers off before they could discover Government Street to its fullest,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “Instead of enjoying the area’s shops, cafes and restaurants, it seems passengers were staying in the area they were dropped off. We worked alongside Destination Greater Victoria and the Downtown Victoria Business Association to address this challenge.”

The new stop was chosen for safety and logistics, as well as its benefit to downtown businesses. About 160,000 cruise passengers used the shuttle service last year, while other passengers chose organized tours or other methods to get into the city.

Trying times are nothing new, working together will get us through

February 19, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Global Uncertainty/by Jim Zeeben

I want to take a minute to address all of our Chamber members and let you know we are here for you. These are uncertain times, for sure. But we have faced uncertainty for a while now, and we understand what it takes to thrive in less than perfect conditions.

Our fundamentals are strong — as a region, as a business community and as an organization. The key is remembering what we can control and what we can’t. Around the world, there are multiple situations that want our attention. The term polycrisis has become popular to explain this state of affairs as we experience sweeping political and social change, rapid technological advancements and ongoing climate emergencies.

Right now, the elephant in the room is the threat of economic action against Canada by the new government in the United States. We still don’t know what this will look like, but we are hearing about potential responses and repercussions every day. This week, the provincial government’s Throne Speech seemed to put BC on a war footing. And, federally, we’re hearing similar rhetoric from leadership candidates seeking to be our next Prime Minister.

The barrage of headlines can feel overwhelming.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I can tell you that I continue to work with our Chamber team to improve business conditions in Greater Victoria. This includes meeting with decision makers in all levels of government, creating connections for members of our region’s business community and supporting members however needed.

Our mission holds. We will work together to build good business and great community for all.

We can take heart in the report from the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab that found Greater Victoria’s economy is among the best protected in the country.

Our regional economy is resilient. We have always been leaders in championing diversity.

Our tourism, tech and civil society sectors are powerful. Our public sector has evolved in symbiosis with a thriving private sector. More recently, we have seen how championing inclusion has fortified our labour force and added creativity to our enterprises. These are pragmatic solutions representing the reality of who we are as a community. Let’s not forget that.

Taken together, our commitment to building a sustainable and resilient economy has helped us through every crisis we’ve faced in the past. And I know — when the present eventually becomes the past — we will be grateful for the strong foundation that all of us have helped build.

Let’s carry on doing our best work, stay focused on what we can accomplish and hold on to the values that make our community the envy of the world.

Region ranked 36th among cities facing tariff impacts

February 12, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Global Uncertainty/by Jim Zeeben

Another day, another market-shaking remark from the economic elephant south of the border. After giving Canada a 30-day reprieve from his initial 25% tariff threat, US President Donald Trump surprised everyone by announcing a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum.

The seemingly random rhetoric has created uncertainty in the business world — a world that places a high value on planning for the future.

To help us better understand what a trade war might mean for Canadian communities, the national chamber network’s Business Data Lab has taken a deep dive into the potential impact on 41 Canadian cities.

The good news for Greater Victoria is we are low on the list at 36.

“Near the bottom of the list are cities that are less exposed to the tariffs because they trade less intensively with the US and/or have more diversified trade patterns. Several of these cities are located on Canada’s coasts, exporting more to Asia from the West Coast, or more to Europe from the East Coast,” the report said. “In British Columbia this includes Victoria, Nanaimo and Kamloops. On the East Coast it’s Halifax, Nova Scotia. And it appears that Sudbury’s exports of nickel and copper are reaching other international markets beyond the United States.”