The Chamber hosted a successful Annual General Meeting yesterday. Members were able to make connections over lunch and hear directly from BC’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.
The Hon. Ravi Kahlon spoke about how the provincial government plans to work with business, and answered questions about our ongoing economic recovery. Much of the focus was on helping employers find and keep workers.

“Minister Kahlon is very accessible to The Chamber and I believe he truly wants to hear from our members about challenges facing business in Greater Victoria,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We’re looking forward to offering more in-person events for our members to build relationships with each other, and to speak directly with decision makers in government.”

The AGM also saw members unanimously approve a by-law change allowing the Board of Directors to extend the term of the board chair in dire circumstances, such as natural disaster, pandemic or an extreme financial situation.

Greater Victoria continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada. September’s numbers from Statistics Canada show our region has an unemployment rate of 4.2%. That’s the same as August, and second only to Quebec City’s rate of 4.1%. The national rate is 6.9% and BC’s rate is 5.9%.
 
“Women, who have been disproportionally impacted by this pandemic, led BC’s increase in employment for the month of September,” Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation said in a news release.
 
Kahlon, who will be the guest speaker at The Chamber’s AGM next week, noted that BC’s average hourly wage has risen to $30.74 an hour, a bigger increase in the past five years than any other province.

Thank you to all of our members who voted for The Chamber’s 2022 Board of Directors. It was a very competitive election this year, with 11 excellent candidates vying for four seats.
 
Jessica Stigant, Associate Director of Government Relations and Partnerships for Ocean Networks Canada, and James Gatsi, founder and CEO of CL Web Developers Inc., have been elected to two-year terms on The Chamber Board. Incumbent candidates Rose Arsenault, Agilus Work Solutions and Tom Plumb, Kinetic Construction were also re-elected.
 
The Chamber holds staggered elections every fall, so we can maintain continuity while ensuring fresh voices are able to join the table.
 
Jessica, James, Rose and Tom will join John Wilson, Kris Wirk, Christina Clarke, Moira Hauk, Judith Ethier, Pedro Marquez, Richard Michaels, Ann Squires Ferguson as well as past chair Dan Dagg as members of the 2022 board when its term begins on Jan. 1.
 
“The Chamber is also pleased to announce we will have two other new faces on the board,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We maintain a seat at the table for whoever is the current Base Commander of CFB Esquimalt. So, when Capt. (N) Sam Sader was re-assigned to a new post in Ottawa, we welcomed new Base Commander, Capt. (N) J. Jeffery Hutchinson to the table. As well, the incoming chair of The Chamber’s Prodigy committee, Paul van Koll, will join the board starting Jan. 1, 2022.”

News that the US will open its land borders to fully vaccinated Canadians within a few weeks is being welcomed by businesses who depend on the flow of goods and people between countries.
 
In Greater Victoria, the move helps create certainty for marine passenger services Clipper Navigation Ltd. and Black Ball Ferry Line and helps them plan for a successful return to service.
 
“We know COVID will remain a concern for some time but we also know how to safely reduce our risks,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “Businesses in Greater Victoria have had more than their share of challenges during the pandemic. They’re
poised and ready to help our region’s economy take flight. As the world begins to re-open and opportunities for economic growth return, we will continue to call on government to take measured steps based on science that allow us to welcome more of the world back to Greater Victoria.”

The provincial government has renewed the moratorium it’s had on liquor licensee retail stores since the 1990s. The move means no new stores will be approved for another decade. Existing LRS licences may still be transferred with approval of the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. The province says a moratorium gives certainty to current retailers and is in line with public health advocacy.
 
“While many British Columbians enjoy alcohol and use it in a low-risk way, when it’s more readily accessible, more injuries, incidents of alcohol poisoning, cancers and other diseases inevitably follow,” Tim Stockwell, a scientist with the University of Victoria‘s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research said in a news release. “Maintaining B.C.’s liquor retailer moratorium is a vital mitigation strategy that furthers public health and safety.”