Chamber pitches national delegates on Victoria 2026

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The Canadian Chamber of Commerce held its AGM last week in Mississauga, Ont. The event will be held in Victoria next year.

The gathering of chamber leaders from across the country is a chance to gain insights, build collaboration and celebrate successes. It’s also an opportunity to set the policy agenda for the upcoming year by voting on key priorities that shape the national chamber’s advocacy work.

“One of the highlights was a panel on tackling social disorder,” Greater Victoria Chamber CEO John Wilson said. “This is a pressing issue for Downtown Victoria, and we heard how other jurisdictions are addressing similar challenges in their communities.”

The keynote speaker in Mississauga was federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, who spoke about tariffs and supply chains as well as workforce development and innovation.

The Greater Victoria Chamber and Destination Greater Victoria attended the 2025 AGM, and were able to showcase Greater Victoria and encourage delegates to visit in 2026.

Chamber’s new advocacy focused on urgent action

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You might have noticed some changes to how The Chamber is using our position as the unapologetic Voice of Business.

The series of messages, shown below, will start appearing more on Chamber social channels and in other media. The focus is on action. Businesses have had too many years of uncertainty caused by societal shifts and the growing burden of red tape. Our members and our Board of Directors have been clear that we need to speak up and call for change.

Our first focus is downtown Victoria and other central areas being devastated by a permissive attitude toward disorder and crime. People need to feel safe. That means all levels of government need to do their part — and do it with urgency.

We know what’s needed: consistent police and bylaw presence and enforcement, immediate options for people needing mental health and addiction care and changes to a legal system that currently allows repeat offenders to harm our communities.

Our other current priorities are more responsible spending by governments, and reduction in regulatory roadblocks that make building homes and providing services for families too expensive.

Minister meets with Chamber to hear about business issues

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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 to address ongoing challenges in BC, and hear from businesses about the value of supporting local education as well as urgent issues facing Greater Victoria.

Members from the post-secondary sector as well as aviation, hospitality and transportation industries spoke candidly with the Minister about actions they would like to see happen.

“We spoke about investing in trades training, and we also spoke about the crisis happening in downtown Victoria, and the need to not damage businesses there,” Chamber CEO John Wilson said. “Yes, this is a complex problem that involves all levels of government, but that is precisely why we need all levels of government to listen to business.”

Policies like a Canada-wide restriction on foreign workers or allowing downtown Victoria public sector offices to remain vacant have ripple effects that hamper the ability of businesses to operate.

Without the vibrancy that businesses create everyday, there’s a real risk we’re hollowing out an invaluable economic engine for our region.

 

Historic night as Chamber welcomes 2024 inductees into Business Hall of Fame

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The Chamber Business Hall of Fame celebration at the Fairmont Empress was attended by close to 250 people who joyfully applauded stories of this year’s inductees and their life’s work.

Historic night as Chamber welcomes 2024 inductees into Business Hall of Fame
It was a night for the history books. With about 250 people in attendance in the Crystal Ballroom at the Fairmont Empress, the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce welcomed five new additions into the Business Hall of Fame, presented by RBC.

The Times Colonist, CHEK Media, Michael Williams, the Yuen family-Fairway Market and Alan Lowe were selected for their role in shaping our community’s quality of life and developing our region’s economy.

“It was great to have such a positive celebration of our Greater Victoria business community,” Chamber Chair Kris Wirk said. “This year’s inductees join an impressive group already in the Business Hall of Fame and serve as inspiration for everyone working together to build good business and great community for all.”

This year’s inductees have been instrumental in forming our sense of culture and understanding of place.

“It truly had the feel of a historic night and everyone who was there will be able to look back for years to come and say they were there to experience it,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “The Business Hall of Fame is an idea that many people believed in, especially our presenting sponsor RBC. With the 2024 inductees, we have a growing list of business leaders who have been fundamental to the growth and development of Greater Victoria.”
Read the Full Media Release

Saturday election will provide clarity about political future

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With BC’s general election set for Saturday, several Island electoral areas remain up in the air according to polling site 338canada.

Advance polls close tonight at 8 pm, and polls for final voting day will be open from 8 am to 8 pm on Oct. 19.

“Please, if you haven’t cast a ballot already, make time to get to the booth on Saturday,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “The better business participation, the better business representation in the next government.”

To learn more about candidates in your riding, the Times Colonist and CHEK Media have detailed webpages dedicated to Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island.

Both news organizations have earned the trust of local audiences through fair and comprehensive coverage over the decades. It’s no coincidence the media outlet are among the latest inductees into The Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame, along with Alan Lowe, Michael Williams and the Yuen family/Fairway Market.

Make sure to register now for this event, set for Oct. 29 at the Fairmont Empress. More details below.

Province to begin helping those who can’t help themselves

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Safe communities are fundamental to all of us. We need to feel safe if we’re going to reach our potential at work and at home. However, the ongoing opioid crisis continues to impact every neighbourhood and has become especially visible in pockets of larger cities. We’re seeing more people struggling with addiction and mental health who are unable to secure immediate access to treatment options.

This week’s news that the provincial government is stepping up to provide care for people unable to care for themselves is overdue.

“Yes, people need to have agency over their lives but people also need to be kept safe from predators and people should not have to live in dangerous environments,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We believe there are times when the healthcare system needs to intervene in a person’s life so that person has a chance to recover before it’s too late.”

The province’s shift to enabling involuntary care will start on the Lower Mainland and use correctional facilities to provide care under the Mental Health Act. The aim is to help people with addiction challenges, brain injuries and mental-health issues stabilize and rebuild their lives. Facilities on the Island and across BC are being planned.

“The toxic-drug crisis of today is not what it was 10 or even five years ago,” BC’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions said in a media release. “We are now facing a rising number of people who are living with the lasting effects of multiple overdoses and complex mental-health challenges, tied to social factors like poverty and trauma.”

The province also called on the federal government to step up border enforcement around screening shipping containers arriving in Canada to curb the smuggling of chemical precursors used to make illicit fentanyl.

Take action on reconciliation with Small Business Pledge

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Businesses strongly support the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, but, for some, closing up shop isn’t the best way to take action.

To help honour the intent of Sept. 30, the Victoria Native Friendship Centre is encouraging organizations to take the Small Business Pledge.

The initiative is a way to actively participate in the reconciliation process by either making a donation or contributing a portion of sales to support VNFC’s work.

“In 2021, we were the first Chamber in Canada to acknowledge the impact that businesspeople had on Indigenous culture and the economy that existed before their arrival,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “As an organization founded in 1863, The Chamber is part of the history of our community. We need to share responsibility for the suppression of Indigenous peoples, and we need to take action now to support reconciliation.”

Given that 80% of Indigenous Canadians reside in urban areas, Friendship Centres like VNFC play a pivotal role in the well-being of the urban Indigenous population in our region.

To take the Small Business Pledge, all you need to do is complete the pledge form.

Take the Pledge

Seminar at Chamber aims to help ‘get out the vote’

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The Chamber is teaming up with the Democratic Engagement Exchange and Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria to offer a free elections readiness workshop on Aug. 29.
This training session will help people support a healthy democracy by providing best practices for non-partisan voter engagement. The workshop is being held in The Chamber’s seminar room and run independently by the Democratic Engagement Exchange, funded in part by Elections BC.

  • Aug. 29
  • Time: 1-4 pm
  • Seminar Room, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, #100-852 Fort St.

“Community-based organizations and local leaders are the backbone of our democracy,” states the Democratic Engagement Exchange. “By addressing community concerns, providing essential voting information, and fostering a culture of engagement, you can make a real impact.”

Register for the Workshop

Chamber’s call for military housing being heard

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The Chamber’s effort to advocate for investment in military housing is proving timely, as the federal government has already begun taking action.

Last week, Canada’s Minister of National Defence announced the construction of a new 480-room accommodation facility for Canadian Armed Forces members at CFB Esquimalt. The investment is a win for The Chamber’s resolution, which called for “2,000 units on or adjacent to military bases per year from 2025 until 2030.”

The Minister also noted that the government is reviewing the entire federal lands portfolio to identify more lands that are not fully utilized and could be unlocked to build more homes for Canadian Armed Forces members and civilians.

This week, the federal government announced more than $6.7 million to support two projects as part of the new Veteran Homelessness Program. This program shows the relevance of The Chamber’s resolution, which also called on the federal government to “develop diverse housing options to accommodate the varied needs of military personnel at different stages of their careers.”

The Chamber policy resolution will go to the membership of the Canadian Chamber in October for formal approval.

Island athletes find success at Summer Olympics in Paris

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There are several Island connections to the 2024 Summer Olympics, happening now in Paris, France.

Among the 337 athletes representing Canada, 11 hail from Vancouver Island, including Rugby Sevens player Caroline Crossley. The team, which trains out of Starlight Stadium in the City of Langford, won Olympic Silver this week.

Crossley was able to enjoy the moment with her family, who were in the stands for the game.

“I hugged them and put my medal around their necks because it’s as much their medal as it is mine,” Crossley told the Times Colonist.

The University of Victoria also has a close connection to the Summer Games with a list of student athletes competing. Over the years, the Vikes have been represented by 211 athletes, coaches or staff at Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Game’s last event is the Women’s Marathon on Aug. 10, with Closing Ceremonies scheduled for the following day.

For a full list of Events and more on Canada’s athletes, go to olympic.ca.

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