Central Walk, which also purchased Nanaimo’s Woodgrove Centre in 2020, is headed by Island resident Weihing Liu.
Liu says she hopes to enhance Mayfair’s sense of place as a social and commercial hub.
“We’ve been working with our national chamber network to help Greater Victoria tourism businesses,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says. “There is light ahead, and we’re feeling much more hopeful after today’s news, but we still have work to make sure all of our members can be part of the economic recovery.”
One of the initiatives underway is a digital vaccine certification that will be key to safely travelling over international borders. The Chamber urges the federal government to act quickly on this initiative, and to offer a strategy with clear metrics so the tourism sector can plan for a safe re-opening.
On Tuesday, the Canadian Chamber partnered with the US Chamber of Commerce and other business organizations on a letter calling for the border to re-open for fully vaccinated travellers.
The province’s film and digital media industry generates $3.2 billion annually, employing more than 71,000 British Columbians.
The Island’s film commissioner, Kathleen Gilbert, told the Victoria News that the commission has more than 800 crew in its South Island database.
“Anyone with experience would have been able to work full time since production resumed in July of last year,” Gilbert said.
The health of the film industry has been especially beneficial for tourism businesses hard hit by the pandemic.
“Certainly, given the impact on tourism that COVID has had, this is very welcome business and almost a lifeline for some of these hotels,” Bill Lewis, Chair of the Hotel Association of Greater Victoria, states in the film commission’s 2020 Annual Report.
Many businesses are facing a difficult road ahead, Chamber CEO Bruce Williams told the Times Colonist. “Ideally, the government would hold off on adding any extra costs to businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry until they have a chance to get back on their feet.”
The role of government right now needs to be focused on stripping away roadblocks and getting our economy back to its potential. The best way to help make our region affordable is to invest in innovations that will increase our housing supply, make child care accessible and encourage workers to stay in Greater Victoria.
“Employers continue to go above and beyond to find and keep workers, so wages already tend to be higher in Greater Victoria,” Williams says. “With the change, BC will have the highest minimum wage of any Canadian province. It’s time to stop the increases and let the rest of the country catch up.”
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A ferry connecting Royal Bay to Downtown Victoria and Esquimalt will help future proof our region, Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says.
The idea continues to gain momentum as preliminary studies show there is enough merit to the concept to explore it further. The proposal is supported by BC Ferries and the Capital Regional District. The City of Colwood recently produced a video to promote the idea and encourage the provincial government to conduct its own feasibility study. |
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Employers don’t want their staff to be faced with enforcing an order that isn’t clear. In the past, this has led to stressful confrontations between employees and members of the public who refuse to abide by the orders.
The Retail Council of Canada’s guidance says awareness and training are key. Before we get to Step 3, The Chamber is working with other business organizations to get clarity for businesses.
If you have questions or concerns about BC’s Restart Plan, let us know by emailing communications@victoriachamber.ca.
The Chamber applauds the efforts of the Vancouver Island Construction Association, which continues to make progress on its Tailgate Toolkit harm reduction initiative. This innovative program helps people working in the construction industry access harm reduction services.
The overdose crisis in British Columbia has killed 680 people in the first four months of 2021. In April alone, at least 176 lives were lost to toxic drugs. That’s 43% more than in April 2020. This is a crisis that affects all corners of society and all sectors of our economy.
To learn more about how the overdose crisis has had an impact on people in the construction industry, read VICA’s stakeholder engagement report.
This has been devastating news for First Nations. It is difficult for Canadians to learn about our shameful past and the burden all of us must bear today. The days ahead will be painful if we are to address this wound and begin to let it heal.
The Chamber encourages all of our members to learn more about the residential school system, and to listen with purpose to the stories of our Indigenous friends and neighbours.
We must also do more to ensure Indigenous businesses are included in all of our communities. Please consider connecting with a local Indigenous business that is doing great things in Greater Victoria.
The Chamber is working with our national chamber network to improve our connections and conversations with Indigenous businesses across Canada. It’s time to do better.
The Chamber is committed to carrying as much burden as we can to try and correct the mistakes of the past. It’s the right thing to do, and we encourage all Canadians to help lift the weight that has far too long been put on Indigenous people.
Millions of us have arrived on this land since 1867, escaping oppression or seeking a chance to build better a better life for our families. We can no longer ignore that part of the cost of those new opportunities came at the expense of the people who were already here.
This Canada Day, let’s again embrace the best of what it means to be Canadian. We can open our arms, our hearts and ears. Reconciliation will take time. We must be patient and we must build into our lives the changes necessary for a better, more inclusive future.
If you have a peeve or a bright idea on how tax forms can be digitized, consolidated or eliminated, let the Canadian Chamber know by filling out an online form.
What’s one small change that would make a big difference to you?
#100 – 852 Fort St., Victoria, BC V8W 1H8, Canada
(250) 383-7191
chamber@victoriachamber.ca
