This Christmas, The Chamber will be working to encourage local shopping by picking up the tab on deliveries in Greater Victoria made at retail outlets that are Chamber members.
 
Recent survey results from the Retail Council of Canada are showing that consumers are planning to spend about $100 more this year than last (~$792) during the holiday season. The resurgence in consumer confidence is encouraging but to benefit our local merchants that needs to be focused on local businesses rather than online empires.
 
If your business is interested in taking part in this initiative, please email members@victoriachamber.ca right away. The program begins this week.

As we honour members of the armed forces and their sacrifices this Remembrance Day, The Chamber is proud to have a long history of commemorating the soldiers who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

After the First World War, The Chamber was instrumental in helping create Memorial Avenue that still runs along Shelbourne Street. Shelbourne was chosen as it offered enough space to commemorate every soldier from the city who died in the war. Chamber members helped plan the project, and business owners rolled up their sleeves to dig holes for the trees.

This year, the Royal Canadian Legion marks the 100th anniversary of the poppy as a symbol for remembrance. Commemorative pins are also available, with sales going to support veterans nation-wide.

Many ceremonies across Greater Victoria have returned as in-person events, but virtual ceremonies are still being hosted. CHEK News is providing live coverage of the province’s official Remembrance Day Service from the BC legislature at 10:30 am.

The ceremony will be followed by a concert preformed by the Naden Band.
We hope you have a day of reflection and remembrance.

The Chamber will be closed today, Thursday, Nov. 11.

​Recent labour figures released by Statistics Canada have underscored what we at The Chamber have been hearing for months, there are insufficient workers to grow our economy. Based on October data, Greater Victoria has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, one of the lowest in Canada. An unemployment rate of 3% or lower is considered to be full employment. Quebec City’s rate is 3.8%.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation and our guest speaker at this year’s AGM had this to say about the numbers, “B.C. has the second-lowest unemployment rate in the country at 5.6%, and we continue to lead all provinces with a job recovery rate of 101.9%. Our job-recovery rate regionally continues to be strong,…notable job-recovery rates are Prince George at 107.1%, Vancouver Island at 105.8% – that’s a direct result of people, businesses and communities working together to get through these tough times.”

Through hard work and sheer determination, businesses have rebounded, but what the unemployment numbers don’t tell us, is how to fill the 900,000 job vacancies across Canada today.

The Capital Region Housing Authority (CRHA) has bold plans to increase the amount of affordable, accessible rental housing in Victoria. Their most recent project is located near Victoria High School. A small empty tract of land and 18 existing townhouses in need of heavy repair will be transformed into 158 units by fall 2024.

The plan provides for a mix of family-ready units ranging from 4 bedroom to basic studios. 50% of the units will be available at below-market rates or subsidized for those on income assistance. And at least 15 units will focus on accessibility. The project was recently approved by Victoria City Council and is scheduled to begin in 2022.

The Chamber is helping host a celebration in the Inner Harbour to mark the return of the MV Coho ferry linking Victoria with Port Angeles, WA.

A flotilla will greet Black Ball Ferry Line’s flagship vessel at 9:50 am, Nov. 8, as it arrives in Victoria with passengers and vehicles from the US. The Mwill then prepare for the return trip at 10:30 am — the first time Canadians have been able to take a ferry to Washington State since the start of the pandemic.

The MV Coho can carry up to 1,000 passengers and 115 vehicles, and has served the region for 60 years. Ferry service, suspended in March 2020, will resume with two sailings per day for the rest of the year.