Finding and keeping workers continues to be a major challenge facing employers. The restaurant and hospitality sector estimates it’s heading into a new year without 20% of the staff needed.
 
To try and help ease the crunch, the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association has asked the Provincial government to exempt BC employers from requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment for the next two years. The Chamber supports this move as well as a request that the federal government speed up the process to allow foreign workers to come to BC.

Areas of Greater Victoria are experiencing their wettest fall on record, with the Gonzales weather station reporting almost 300 times the rainfall of a typical year.
 
The parade of storms caused substantial damage to infrastructure in BC. And while the current forecast suggests the worst is over, the coming winter is expected to be wetter and colder than most years. Meteorologists at the Weather Network have released their winter forecast and say we can expect “tumultuous temperature patterns.”
 
The prediction is based on a La Niña weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean that will bring frigid weather that could extend ski season well into March.
 
“This will bring an abundance of snow to the alpine regions, and, at times, we expect significant snowfall across lower elevations, including Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, Victoria and the Okanagan Valley,” the network’s report says.

A major project that promises to boost Greater Victoria’s tech sector and bring hundreds of good jobs to the region is going to public hearing this Thursday.
 
TELUS Ocean, a 12-storey office tower with a striking design, is planned for what’s known as the Apex site across from the Victoria Conference Centre in the City of Victoria. TELUS Business plans to use the office as its regional headquarters and an innovation hub showcasing advanced communications and information technology.
 
The project is being led by Aryze Developments, who have crafted a proposal that promises to add new, vibrant public spaces to the area along with the world-class iconic architecture.

The City of Langford has adopted a policy to help reduce the carbon footprint of new construction in the municipality. The low-carbon concrete policy takes affect June 1, 2022 and will require all city-owned or solicited projects to use concrete produced with carbon dioxide mineralization technologies. The policy also applies to private projects greater than 50 cubic meters.
 
The Chamber applauds this innovation led by business as real solution for climate challenges affecting us locally and globally.

The provincial government has settled on mandating five paid sick days for workers in BC, starting Jan. 1. The announcement was made today after several rounds of consultation were held this year.

“Chamber members have been clear that no one wants sick employees in the workplace,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says. “We think five days is much more acceptable than 10 days, and that five days fits with what many businesses are already offering.”

The new regulations apply to workers covered by BC’s Employment Standards Act, including part-time employees. The permanent rules replace temporary measures introduced in May.