Government Federal Archives - Victoria Chamber

Chamber network continues to call for red tape reduction

July 23, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Chamber Awareness, Government Federal, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber continues to call for reduced red tape across all levels of government.

According to the latest update from the Business Conditions Terminal for Greater Victoria, conditions remain challenging with the number of active businesses at 11,300, a slight increase (0.5%) from a year ago.

Businesses are encouraged to help shape Chamber advocacy efforts through tools such as the Red Tape Review. This survey seeks specific feedback on regulatory irritants. The results will be used in direct consultation with federal ministries as they work to streamline government.

Provincially, there was good news as BC signed agreements to ease interprovincial trade with Ontario, Manitoba and the Yukon. The Chamber has been calling for reduced restrictions for east-west trade for years. The move helps Canada’s economy overall and lessens the over-reliance on southern trade routes with American states.

The agreement will make it easier for regulated trades and professions to work in any of the jurisdictions. The deal with Ontario also improves the ability for alcohol producers to access either market.

The agreements were signed during a gathering of all 13 provincial and territorial premiers at the Council of the Federation meeting this week.

Save Our Streets meets with feds about public safety

July 17, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Government Federal, Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber is a founding member of the Save Our Streets coalition, which met this week with the entire BC federal Liberal caucus. SOS representatives asked what was being done to curb crime, violence and public disorder disrupting and threatening communities throughout the province.

“British Columbians are at a tipping point … and are demanding action,” SOS’s Clint Mahlman said. “People have lost faith in our justice system as a result of lack of bail efficiency and the revolving door that repeat offenders find so accommodating and that contributes to the degradation of safety on our streets.”

It’s time for all levels of government to stop blaming each other, and for senior governments to change the judicial system. The BC caucus was given a list of changes to bring back to Ottawa:

· effective bail reform targeting repeat theft and street disorder offenders

· federal dollars to provincial governments, with performance strings attached, for building out a full continuum of care for individuals suffering from addictions and mental illnesses

· a national bail repository so prosecutors can easily and quickly determine if an arrestee is out on bail with existing warrants in different jurisdictions across Canada and

· proper resourcing for the judiciary.

“Victoria council recently re-allocated $10.35m to combat these issues in Victoria and, unfortunately, many of the issues to be addressed are the realm of senior governments,” said Downtown Victoria Business Association CEO Jeff Bray, who also sits on the SOS Board.

Bray also urged the government caucus to not renew BC’s unique exemption from Health Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Our province is serving as guinea pig for a trial project that decriminalizes certain hard drug possession until Jan. 31, 2026. The experience here, and in Oregon where a similar pilot was attempted, has been a failure.

Chamber applauds move to keep trade talks on track

July 2, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Global Uncertainty, Government Federal/by Jim Zeeben

Businesses are looking forward to the economic certainty that should come out of a new trade deal between Canada and the US.

The two nations are at the table now and are aiming to strike a deal before the end of the month.

On Sunday, Canada played a bargaining chip that will help Canadian businesses and consumers while also giving the US administration something to share with its followers.

“As the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has argued since the beginning, the decision to eliminate the DST makes sense,” Canadian Chamber Vice President of Government Relations David Pierce said. “This tax would have fallen on Canadian consumers, businesses, and investors in the form of higher costs and hurt our economy at a critical time. And removing it moves us one step closer to a renewed, reliable trade deal … that will help to secure and grow the already incredible $3.6 billion of trade a day between our countries.”

C-5 aims to rebuild Canada’s economic momentum

June 25, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Chamber Awareness, Government Federal, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

An economic evolution that the national chamber network has been working on for years is one step closer to reality this week. On June 23, the federal government passed legislation to vastly improve free trade and labour mobility between provinces.

Without this legislation, large-scale energy and infrastructure projects have routinely been delayed by regulatory gridlock, rising costs and political indecision.

“The Canadian Chamber of Commerce applauds the federal government for urgently introducing and passing Bill C-5 in the House of Commons,” Canadian Chamber Executive Vice President and Chief of Public Policy Matthew Holmes said, adding the ongoing tradewar with the US administration drove home the need to diversify. “We cannot have all our eggs in the United States economic basket any longer.”

Projects where fast-tracking has the broad support of impacted First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities should be the first to be considered.

“Canada’s business community firmly believes we can end project paralysis while working in collaboration with Indigenous rights holders and communities while maintaining world-class environmental standards,” Holmes said. “We know respect and partnership for shared prosperity are the path forward. The Canadian Chamber does not believe a major project is viable in the absence of clear community level support and expects Canada to meet its legal obligations to consult and cooperate with Indigenous peoples, per the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act adopted in 2021.”

Bill C-5 is just the first step. The onus is now on the federal government to deliver so that we can build economic momentum in Canada and show the world we’re serious about growth, energy and getting big things done.

Report calls for changes to ease port labour disputes

June 18, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Food Security, Global Uncertainty, Government Federal, Transportation Options/by Jim Zeeben

The federal government has released a report on Canada’s West Coast ports, including recommendations to protect critical supply chains.

The Industrial Inquiry Commission on West Coast Ports found that changes need to be made to reflect the increasing importance of global supply chains on our economy.

“The strain on Canada’s supply chains has been compounded over recent years by repeated labour disruptions, resulting in 2023 holding the unfortunate record of most working days lost since 1986,” Canadian Chamber Vice-President Pascal Chan said. “As our economy contends with a productivity crisis, Canadian businesses cannot afford these continual major trade infrastructure shutdowns that prevent them from reliably delivering the goods.”

The impact of recent labour disputes has had serious implications on Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island, as we are dependent on the flow of goods for our food security as well as many of our livelihoods.

Work continues on reducing internal trade barriers

June 18, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Government Federal, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

With less than two weeks to go for Canada’s new Prime Minister to meet his promise of reducing barriers to inter-provincial trade, the national chamber network is encouraging lawmakers to move quickly.

On Monday, the Canadian Chamber appeared before a Senate committee to highlight the urgent need to reduce internal trade barriers and accelerate the development of critical infrastructure across Canada. The delegation also reiterated Canada’s role in ensuring energy security, supporting Indigenous partnerships and restoring investor confidence through regulatory reform.

The government has said that removing internal trade barriers would reduce prices by up to 15% and add up to $200 billion to Canada’s economy. According to Scotiabank, there is a lot to understand the impact removing inter-provincial trade barriers could have on our economy.

“The (barriers) are basically a lot of these small differences in regulatory standards that just make it that much more difficult to trade internally. When we think about trade barriers, often we think about them as anything that makes trading more difficult,” Scotiabank’s Senior Policy Advisor John McNall said. “They can be these little unintentional frictions that add up over time. For example, think of a nurse or an electrician who’s working in a particular province, they’re licensed to work in one province. But if they want to move over to another one, their licence doesn’t necessarily carry over. These sorts of little technical standards or regulatory changes create extra costs for businesses. None of these laws are created maliciously, the province is implementing what it feels is best for business in that jurisdiction, but they become an issue when regulations are different between provinces.”

Armed Forces funding good news for Greater Victoria

June 18, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Finding And Keeping Workers, Global Uncertainty, Government Federal/by Jim Zeeben

Last week, the Canadian Chamber took part in the federal government’s announcement that Canada is investing in rebuilding our Armed Forces. The move is expected to help the economy, especially in communities such as Greater Victoria that are home to significant Armed Forces infrastructure.

“Canada has a long and proud history of remarkable military and peacekeeping achievements around the world. From NORAD to Operation UNIFIER in Ukraine, to defeating forest fires here at home, Canada’s military personnel have stepped up and defended Canada and Canadian interests in extremely difficult and dangerous conditions,” Canadian Chamber CEO Candace Laing said. “The inclusion of cyber security and year-round Canadian presence in the Arctic as key features reflects the global reality we live in.”

While there was no specific mention of bases such as CFB Esquimalt, the government did promise to improve pay for Armed Forces personnel. More than 4,000 currently are based out of CFB Esquimalt.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will achieve NATO’s 2% this year — half a decade ahead of schedule – promising more than $9 billion invested in 2025-26.

“In addition to making Canadians and Canada safer amidst rising geopolitical uncertainty, these investments signify that we are serious about securing and protecting our trade relationships and the global supply chains that we play a pivotal role in,” Laing said. “As global threats evolve, so must we. The Canadian business community stands ready to support achieving this vital national mission.”

Panel releases plan to make Victoria safer for business

June 18, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Government Federal, Government Local, Government Provincial, Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

How can we make our communities safer? It’s a fundamental question that speaks to the very foundation of our region’s economy.

On June 19, the City of Victoria will consider the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan that was created through the input of a 10-person panel that began meeting 18-months ago.

“We know Chamber members want more done to protect businesses, as well as helping those who are facing mental health and addiction challenges,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We’re happy that the panel included people who were able to provide an important perspective from the business community.”

The plan focuses on the need to invest in prevention rather than chasing problems after they manifest. This approach requires support from higher levels of government, even though the municipality is often on the frontline.

“Underpinning many of the recommendations is the knowledge that local government is the closest to the issues and the most attuned to the needs of its own community,” the plan states. “Local governments are highly adaptable in addressing emerging issues, and responding quickly and efficiently. Additionally, key resources for community safety and wellbeing such as parks, public works, protective services, urban planning, and business development are already part of the City’s municipal framework and can adapt to emerging community needs.”

Feds expand summer job subsidy for students

June 12, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Finding And Keeping Workers, Government Federal, Training And Microcredentials/by Jim Zeeben

The latest job numbers show that Greater Victoria, at 3.7%, continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada. The average rate across the country for May was 7%. However, the rate for students ages 15 to 24 was 20.1%. It’s increased steadily each year from a low of 11.4% in May 2022.

To help, the federal government is reallocating $25 million from internal funds to subsidize an additional 6,000 summer jobs on top of the 70,000 already supported by the Canada Summer Jobs program.

“From now until July 21, young job seekers between the ages of 15 and 30 can find local job opportunities on the Job Bank website and mobile app,” a media release from Employment and Social Development Canada stated. “Youth can apply for summer jobs in fields that interest them, such as the recreation sector, the food industry and marketing and tourism. Jobs are also available in a variety of high-demand and growing fields, including housing construction and environmental protection.”

Chamber advocacy efforts underway with feds

May 29, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Government Federal/by Jim Zeeben

Tuesday’s historic Speech from the Throne read by King Charles III included some promising policy shifts to address Canada’s housing supply.

Acting as the current embodiment of Canada’s sovereignty, the King read a script prepared by the governing Liberal Party. The ritual was a not too subtle reminder to the US administration that Canadians are fed up with annexation rhetoric.

For business, the start of a new government session is a chance to see how campaign promises will be delivered. Housing is a major concern in Greater Victoria, and the Speech from the Throne included a promise to cut the GST for home valued at $1 million or less, saving buyers up to $50,000. The speech also promised to lower the GST on homes between $1 million and $1.5 million — a sweet spot for single family homes in the region.

“As a Chamber, we advocate for housing solutions to address fundamental challenges in Greater Victoria,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We need housing supply to help attract people who contribute in all sectors of the economy, but specifically for folks who are required to staff our hospitality and retail industries. And we need homes for people struggling to stay housed. Simply put, housing is at the core of allowing employers to operate at their full potential and helping keep our communities safe for everyone.”

To encourage the new government to stay focused on business needs, the Canadian Chamber has sent the new cabinet “Mandate Letters.” Getting these to new ministers early in their terms is part of the strategic advocacy done to build good relationships that allow the business community to have its voice heard by government.