Feedback wanted on sustainable takeout plan

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Innovation led by business is key to tackling climate change and The Chamber is committed to working with all levels of government to help them understand how the private sector is providing real solutions to meet public demand. The City of Victoria has designated staff to work on ensuring food service businesses are using the most sustainable materials available.

City staff have developed a Draft PDF of a Sustainable Takeout Guide that they hope will help businesses. Staff have also asked The Chamber for feedback on the city’s plan. The Chamber worked closely with the city on plastic bags regulations holding a roundtable of city staff and business owners to identify what was already working, what could be efficiently implemented and the tools needed to do so. As a result, the regulation was welcomed by most businesses and served as a model for municipalities across the region.

Housing supply slips further: CMHC

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The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is forecasting Greater Victoria housing starts to “decline in 2022, strapped by capacity constraints, before moderating in 2024.”

CMHC’s Senior Analyst of Market Insights, Pershing Sun, said 2022 will be a moderating year in Greater Victoria’s housing market.

“Rising borrowing cost, affordability erosion, and constraints in construction will anchor sales and slow down price growth,” Sun said in a recent report. “Improved job market and migration inflow will drive rental demand over the next few years.”
The CMHC report said the market is expected to slow down after breaking records last year, with prices rising slower than the “frenzied pace in 2021.”

The Chamber has been calling on all levels of government to address obstacles hindering the construction of more homes. With builders operating at their slowest pace in the past 10 years, the industry needs more workers, improved supply chains and streamlined regulations to meet demand.

Make every day Earth Day

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April 22 is Earth Day — a time to reflect on the environmental impact we have on the world, and how we can mitigate climate change together.

The Chamber is proud to be recognized as Green Certified by the Vancouver Island Green Business Collective, as well as an Ocean Friendly Business by the Surfrider Foundation. We continue to work to help businesses take the lead on climate solutions that will benefit us all.

We have many amazing members that are dedicated to sustainability, including our two finalists for the Sustainable Practices Award at the 2022 Greater Victoria Business Awards: Eagle Wing Whale & Wildlife Watching Tours and Oak Bay Marine Group.

Cascadia Seaweed and TOPSOIL – Innovative Urban Agriculture Inc won the Sustainable Practices Award in 2021 and 2020, and continue to create positive impact. Visit our Member Directory to find more of our members who are committed to sustainable business.

Being green is good for everyone: people, planet, and profit. Let’s try to make every day Earth Day!

New childcare spaces help parents pursue careers

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Investing in child care allows more working parents to stay in the labour force and helps our region achieve its economic potential. The addition of 395 new licensed child care spaces in Greater Victoria, announced April 19, will help parents continue careers or pursue employment while knowing their children are being looked after.
 
“The Chamber has led the way in encouraging investment in child care as a way to boost our economy and help our region remain an attractive destination for working families,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We’ll continue to advocate for good policies that build good business and great community for all.”

Reduced supply and increased demand drive CPI up

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Inflation crept higher in March as Canada’s Consumer Price Index was 6.7% higher than March last year. All eight categories that are tracked by Statistics Canada increased in cost as the CPI recorded its largest increase since 1991, the year the Goods and Services Tax was introduced.
 
The cost of filling up at the pump was one of the key factors, as was higher hotel rates and the cost of housing in general. Fuel is a factor in shipping and transportation costs so the jump in gas prices results in higher bills for food, furniture and other goods.
 
The war in the Ukraine has significantly reduced the supply of oil and gas driving up prices. However, the lifting of pandemic restrictions has also increased demand for many services as people seek out in-person experiences.

Victoria streamlines affordable housing process

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The City of Victoria is the first BC municipality to approve fast tracking affordable housing — and the District of Saanich could soon follow suit.
 
Last week, Victoria council unanimously approved a motion to speed up the development process for housing proposed by non-profit, government or co-op organizations. The proposals need to fit with the Official Community Plan but would not be required to go through rezoning or public hearings.
 
“The change we made tonight will get more affordable homes built more quickly for families, workers and people who need it the most,” Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said in a media release.
 
Victoria’s effort has inspired a Saanich councillor to try to have the same motion adopted in her municipality.
 
“I think if Victoria has a process which Saanich council can approve, and I hope they do that, that will make things more streamlined as agencies move between the municipalities, they’re not going to have to figure out the differences just because of the boundaries,” Saanich Coun. Susan Brice told CHEK News.
 
The Chamber applauds Victoria for taking action to increase housing supply that is affordable for workers. This is one of the keys to helping employers find and keep staff. The Chamber also encourages Saanich Council to adopt the motion when it comes to them. It’s more efficient to have the same rules within our region as the need for more housing affects everyone in Greater Victoria.

Hoppy Easter from The Chamber!

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Not sure what to do for the Easter long-weekend? Enjoy these egg-cellent ideas to make this Easter relaxing and memorable.
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  • Plan a brunch with family or friends
  • Buy a spring bouquet from a local florist
  • Make an Easter basket filled with delicious treats
  • Host an Easter Egg hunt in a local park
  • Make a fun snack — Devilled Eggs and Carrot Cake Muffins perhaps?

Whatever your Easter traditions may be, we hope you have a hoppy day while buying Easter supplies locally and sustainably!

The Chamber will be closed on Good Friday, April 15, and Easter Monday, April 18.

Prime Minister makes EV announcement in Victoria

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made several appearances in Greater Victoria on Monday, including a meeting with City of Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps to talk about housing affordability, climate change and the opioid crisis.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister was at Royal Roads University to speak about the federal government’s effort to increase sales of electric vehicles and the number of charging stations.

The PMO announced it wants 60% of all new vehicles sales to be electric by 2030, and 100% by 2035.

Cruise ships return kicks off summer tourist season

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The arrival of Holland America’s 1,200 passenger Koningsdam last Saturday was a welcome sight for Greater Victoria’s business community. It was the first time in more than 900 days that a cruise ship had sailed into Ogden Point.

Chamber CEO Bruce Williams was on hand to emcee a welcoming celebration, hosted by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.

“Normal isn’t quite a word we can use yet,” Williams said to Global News. “But by seeing things recovering in the sense that we can now gather like we are, and see things coming back like this ship, means we are indeed on the way to recovery, and getting ourselves back to the way were were before, so it’s a great feeling of pride.”

The 2022 cruise ship season will see 364 ship calls from now until early November with an anticipated 780,000 passengers.

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Kevin Light photos courtesy of Greater Victoria Harbour Authority

Langford plan would boost region’s film industry

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The City of Langford is looking at plans for two 20,000-square-foot sound stages at the former Western Speedway property, reports the Times Colonist. The project would be a boon to Greater Victoria’s burgeoning film industry, which is also anticipating three sound stages at Camosun College‘s Interurban campus and a potential film studio on Malahat Nation land.

“We need these investments in infrastructure to take the industry to a new level,” says Chamber CEO Bruce Williams, who recently hosted a Chamber Chat with Camosun’s Geoff Wilmshurst about their plans.

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