​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.

Proof of vaccination required starting Sept. 13

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The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce looks forward to working with the provincial government to help ensure a smooth rollout of plans to require proof of vaccination for social and recreational settings starting Sept. 13.
 
“Keeping businesses open and ensuring the safety of staff and customers is the priority for every employer I’ve talked to,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “It’s frustrating that we’re still dealing with restrictions at this point, but I don’t think anyone is surprised to see yet another curveball from COVID-19. People in Greater Victoria have done a remarkable job in getting immunized and reducing the risk in our region, and from what I’m hearing there’s support for the province’s announcement for a vaccine passport.”

​As of Oct, 24, people will need to have been fully vaccinated for at least seven days to be allowed in specified settings. The measures will be re-assessed on Jan. 31, 2022, to determine if an extension is required.

“Right now, we’re working with government on behalf of a number of community partners on how vaccine passports and mask mandates are enforced,” Williams said. “It can’t fall to frontline staff to enforce these policies. Employers are already struggling to find and keep workers, and the prospect of dealing with aggressively opinionated anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers should not be part of the job description.”

​Mask mandate takes effect today for indoor spaces

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The provincial government also announced that, starting today, masks must be worn in all indoor public spaces.
 
“Until we can be sure that everyone we’re interacting with socially has done their part to reduce risk, it makes sense to require masks in situations where we don’t know the vaccination status of others,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “Immunization really is the way out of this and there’s little tolerance for people who don’t have legitimate medical reasons for not getting vaccinated.”

National Dog Day

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Thursday, Aug. 26 is National Dog Day — a chance to celebrate your furry friend while supporting Chamber members. Look no further for ways to show your dog how much you love them.

  • Treat your dog to a special treat from Bosley’s Pet Food Plus.
  • Introduce your pet to new friends with a pack-walk from Petiquette.
  • Let your dog enjoy a trip of a lifetime with Adventure Dog.
  • Pamper your pup with a reiki session from Woofability.
  • As always, spending time with your dog on a walk in local park or trail is a surefire way to show your appreciation to your pet and get some exercise.

Thinking that now is a great time to bring home a lovable pet? Take a look at adoptable animals from the BC SPCA Victoria. We hope you have a paw-sitively great National Dog Day!

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