“There’s some indication about what they intend to do but they don’t say how and when they intend to do it,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams told the Times Colonist.

The study made mention of improved transit service to First Nations, and about the need for better transportation options serving the West Shore. Chamber chair John Wilson also noted that there was no mention of improving transportation governance in Greater Victoria. The Chamber has long advocated that this is needed to ensure decisions are based on what’s best for the region rather than individual municipalities.

With a provincial election now underway, we’re still waiting for real solutions to transportation issues on the South Island. We don’t need to study what’s already been studied. We need decisions that actually benefit people on their everyday commute.

The strategy also offered little insight into the future of rail on Vancouver Island. Plenty of money has been spent on studies and assessments, but we still don’t know what will become of this transportation option. To better understand how Islanders feel about rail, the Island Corridor Foundation has released a survey aimed at anyone interested in transportation on the Island.

Take the Survey

Island Corridor Foundation: Member since 2020

Restrictions on the number of people who can gather in one place have eliminated concerts, galas and ceremonies and other in-person events as we’ve known them. Many organizations, including The Chamber, have shifted to virtual events but the business model is much different than the one that supported a $100 billion industry before the pandemic.

B.C.’s Economic Recovery Plan, announced last Thursday, offered little hope to the thousands of businesses and workers that earn a living from live events.

“Colwood is extremely proud to welcome RBCM’s collections and research building to our community, along with hundreds of jobs and significant construction investment,” Colwood mayor Rob Martin said of the new archives that will complement the main museum in Victoria.

Building construction is expected to begin in 2021 and finish in 2024. The project will generate more than 950 direct and indirect jobs. The finished facility will improve research activities and open access to many of the seven million objects in the museum’s collections.

That will help with the ongoing reconciliation process, Songhees First Nation chief Ron Sam said in the news release.

“Our Nation is looking forward to participating in the modernization of the Royal BC Museum. This project is an opportunity to tell the stories of our people, our history and our culture in the provincial museum in our territory.”

Royal BC Museum: member since 1994

City of Colwood: Member since 2020

Songhees Nation: Member since 2017

“Businesses need certainty that they will be supported as we all adjust to new ways of doing things or are able to return to currently restricted activities,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says. “Today’s Speech from the Throne says a lot of the right things but until we learn more details it’s too soon to be anything but cautiously optimistic.”

The speech included proposals to reform employment insurance and measures to retrain workers who were displaced by the pandemic. There was also a promise for federal funding for child care aimed at helping more women participate in the workforce. However, we share concerns about a lack of attention to economic fundamentals or rising debt levels. If the vote on the Throne Speech gets the required support from other parties to pass, we’ll want more details about plans to help the tourism and hospitality sectors.