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.

The opioid crisis continues to impact the safety of all communities in BC. To try and prevent some of the damage created by toxic supplies of street drugs, BC has become the first province to seek decriminalization of illicit drugs for personal use.

More than 7,700 people have died from toxic drugs in BC since a public health emergency was declared in 2016. The crisis affects all corners of society and has had a devastating effect on many urban areas. BC recently announced a new plan to treat mental health and addictions called A Pathway to Hope.

Lessening dependence on illegal drugs is a step on the path to help people with addictions get treatment and access recovery supports.

Restaurants that successfully pivoted to takeout during the pandemic received another boost last week as the province announced unmixed drinks can now be sold with curbside or delivery orders. Starting last Friday, businesses with liquor and food primary liquor licenses can offer single servings of beer, cider, wine or unmixed ounce of a spirit to go.
 
The province made the change after consulting with business and industry groups. BC has about 2,000 liquor-primary and 6,000 food-primary licensees, which can already sell full bottles of wine and spirits as well as mixed drinks packaged in single servings for takeout and delivery with the purchase of a meal.

Starting Nov. 30, the Victoria Airport Authority can begin welcoming international flights. Transport Canada announced yesterday it was easing restrictions on where flights can arrive in order to allow more travellers to visit the country. Currently, only 10 airports are open to flights arriving from outside Canada.

The airports are working with the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada Border Services Agency and Transport Canada to implement safety measures ahead of Nov. 30.

“Increased vaccination levels have allowed us to safely re-open these additional Canadian airports to international passenger flights,” Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said. “This measure will help ensure that travellers are able to access more regional airports for their international travels this winter, while continuing to support the Government of Canada’s measured approach to re-opening our border.”