Campaigning heats up ahead of election day on Monday

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The federal election is Monday, and it’s the last chance to vote for the candidate of your choice.

If you’re still deciding on who to vote for, or want more information on the major candidates in your riding, make sure to check out The Chamber’s candidate panels. Conducted this week for the four ridings in Greater Victoria, the panels are moderated by Chamber CEO Bruce Williams and focus on issues of importance to the region’s business community.

Local interest is high in this election, with Victoria and Saanich-Gulf Island the top two ridings in Canada for applications for mail-in ballots. As well, more than 5.8 million Canadians have already voted in advanced polls held between Sept. 10-13.

On voting day, employers must ensure that employees who are eligible to vote have three consecutive hours to get to the polls, which are open from 7 am to 7 pm. Employers can decide which hours they allow staff to vote, but must pay employees if the time is within work hours.

Provincial budget numbers better than forecast

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The provincial government’s financial picture was better than expected in the first quarter, with the year-end deficit projected to be $4.8 billion — about half of what was initially forecast five months ago in the 2021 budget.

The Chamber recently presented to BC’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services to advocate for policies that will help grow the economy and allow the province to return to budget surpluses.

The updated numbers show that BC’s economy is rebounding, and that the province has the capacity to continue helping hard hit sectors, such as tourism and transportation, until they can fully participate in the recovery.

Proof of vaccine card now available from province

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​Starting Sept. 13, anyone over the age of 12 will need to show they’ve had at least one dose (rising to two doses on Oct. 24) to enter what the province is calling “higher risk social and recreational settings and events.”
 
These include dine-in restaurants, gyms, indoor ticketed events, pubs, bars, casinos and movie theatres. As well, indoor wedding receptions, conferences and events with 50 or more people will require proof of vaccination. No proof will be required for “grab-and-go” fast food or take-out.
 
On Monday, the province also soft-launched a website that can be used to access a QR code indicating vaccination status. However, the app that businesses will need to scan QR codes won’t be available until Sept. 13.
 
The Chamber called on government to ensure the vaccine card did not increase the burden on business. There remain concerns about the cost of screening customers, and The Chamber wants to hear from members who encounter any challenges with the program.

​A transition period will run until Sept. 26, during which the cards received from vaccine clinics will suffice as proof.
 
“All of us want to avoid further restrictions on business, and the data shows COVID is much less of a risk when people are fully vaccinated,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says. “We all want to put the pandemic behind us, and immunization continues to be our way forward.”
 
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, the current surge in cases is primarily occurring in people who are unvaccinated. One of the goals of requiring proof of vaccination is to prompt those who are not vaccinated to get their shots.

​Border re-opens for international travellers

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On Monday, Canada opened its borders to international visitors. The move will give another boost to the tourism sector trying to make the most of the last few weeks of summer.
 
Visitors don’t need to quarantine but do need to meet criteria set out by government. International travellers must show proof they are fully vaccinated at least 14 days before entering Canada. They also need to supply the negative results of an approved COVID test within 72 hours of arriving in Canada.
 
The opening of the border has attracted attention of travel media, such as Men’s Journal which recently included Victoria among its suggested places to visit.

Building permits up 56% from one year ago

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Greater Victoria had $202 million in building permits for July, according to Statistics Canada. The number represents a 56.4% increase over July 2020, and 26.6% jump from June 2021.
 
In July, Greater Victoria recorded 617 housing starts for a year-to-date total of 2,500. Of that number, 2,182 have been completed.
 
Across Canada, the value of building permits was $7.5 billion — up 19.6% from a year earlier but down 6.5% from June 2021.

CHEK launches new streaming, on-demand app

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There’s a new way to watch programming on CHEK, after the employee-owned broadcaster launched the CHEK+ app today. This marks the first dedicated streaming and on-demand service for the local media company.
 
“We are excited about the launch of CHEK+,” CHEK Media Group’s GM Rob Germain said in a news release. “CHEK+ marks the evolution of CHEK, to a truly multi-media
company serving Vancouver Island and beyond.”
 
CHEK+ can be downloaded on Apple TV, iOS, Android Mobile and some Android TV devices. No cable connection or subscription fee is required.

Grants aim to help with safe return of events

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Grants of up to $250,000 are now available to help sports, arts and cultural events get back up and running safely. The provincial government opened the application process last Friday for the Fairs, Festivals and Events Recovery Fund.
 
A total of $12.9 million is available in one-time grants for up to 20% of an event’s budget. Funds can be used for “operational costs, health and safety measures, venue rental, marketing, wages and promotion.” Applications are being accepted until Oct. 1 for events that occurred after July 1, or which will take place before Sept. 30 of next year.
 
“Eligible events include sport, arts and culture events, community celebrations, agricultural fairs, rodeos and exhibitions,” states the news release from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culutre and Sports. “Applications submitted by organizations will be required to demonstrate local or regional support and show the economic and social benefits for the community.”

Chamber working to ensure business has a voice in BC’s vaccine card rollout

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With less than two weeks to go before BC introduces a proof of vaccination requirement on Sept. 13, The Chamber continues to work with our partner organizations to ensure the program does not unduly burden staff and businesses while protecting our community.
 
The Chamber has been a vocal supporter of BC’s immunization campaign, including through our #ChamberChangemaker initiative.
 
“We recognize that vaccines are the path forward and we continue to encourage full vaccinations as the best way to keep ourselves and each other safe,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says. “What we want from government is assurance that the proof of vaccination requirement will be rolled out in a way that doesn’t penalize businesses whose staff are already working at capacity.”
 
The BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, for example, supports the plan but says it is vital there be a “clear implementation plan, simple rules,
hands-on training and industry support.”

​Quebec was the first province to launch a vaccine passport, with its app going live today. Quebecers will have a two-week leniency period before penalties of up to $6,000 for vaccine passport fraud will be enforced. Ontario also announced today its plan to introduce proof of vaccination requirements by Sept. 22, with an app available Oct. 22.
 
In BC, people will need to have at least one dose by Sept. 13 to be allowed in specified settings. That requirement will shift to fully vaccinated for at least seven days as of Oct. 24. The measures will be re-assessed on Jan. 31, 2022, to determine if an extension is required.

The province has not disclosed exactly how penalties will be enforced. We expect businesses will be subject to inspections as with the current mask mandate.
 
Members Only
The Chamber adheres to the direction and advice of BC’s Provincial Health Officer. We also recognize that many people are struggling with the uncertainty of the pandemic and specifically the Delta variant. We’d like to hear from Chamber members about your questions and concerns regarding BC’s Proof of Vaccination proposal. Please keep your commentary civil. We will share productive feedback anonymously with decision makers. Email communications@victoriachamber.ca.

Shoppers reminded to BYOBags in Saanich

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Don’t forget to pack your reusable bags when going shopping in the District of Saanich. The municipality’s bylaw regulating single-use plastic bags came into effect Aug. 20. Saanich has created posters, till toppers and other printable resources for businesses to help with the transition.
 
The Chamber continues to work with Greater Victoria municipalities to ensure checkout bag bylaws align and support initiatives implemented by retailers in response to public demand.

Chamber presents to provincial budget committee

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On Monday morning, Chamber CEO Bruce Williams brought concerns raised by our members and Chamber Champions to BC’s Select Standing Committee on Fiance and Government Services.
 
The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce was asked to present to the committee along with the Burnaby Board of Trade, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and Surrey Board of Trade. These organizations are leading advocates for business in BC and help government set priorities ahead of next year’s BC budget. Among the many issues raised were finding and keeping workers, fair taxation and fiscal prudence.
 
“We thank the province for including the voice of Greater Victoria businesses and we look forward to continuing to working closely on programs and policies that will be key to growing our region’s private sector,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said.
 
You can listen to Bruce’s comments to the committee, starting after the 9:28 mark.

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