Government Local Archives - Victoria Chamber

Have your say on buskers in downtown Victoria

July 17, 2024/in Government Local, Hospitality And Tourism Rescue And Recovery/by Jim Zeeben

Did you know that buskers who make downtown Victoria vibrant are regulated by the City of Victoria? Ensuring street performers are talented and entertaining is a great way to encourage people to go downtown, which benefits businesses in the area.

To make sure the plan is working as intended, the city is undergoing a review of its Street Entertainment Bylaw to improve the busking experience.

If you’ve been downtown this summer, you might have noticed buskers in several new locations. By taking part in an online survey, you can share your opinion on the “specific types of busking locations, sound-amplification at specific sites and strategies to enhance busking downtown, as well as the types of busking and related amenities buskers and the public would like to see, such as covered spaces with comfortable seating, accessible parking and food trucks nearby to create a dynamic downtown experience.”

The survey closes at noon on Aug. 31.

Belleville Terminal construction starts this week

July 3, 2024/in Business And Economic Strength, Chamber Awareness, Government Federal, Government Local, Government Provincial, Transportation Options/by Jim Zeeben

Work is getting underway on the redevelopment of Belleville Terminal, with Phase 1 Wharf Modifications starting at the Steamship Building’s water lot.

A barge with a crane derrick is on site, and work will take place from 7am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and potentially weekends depending on scheduling. However, no work will occur over long-weekends, and should be completed by the end of August.

“Potential impacts from this work include noise from the removal of existing pilings and installation of new pilings as well as the visual impact of the crane derrick within the inner harbour,” states a memo about the project from the BC Ministry of Transportation and Projects.

The Chamber advocated for two decades to gather support for the modernization of this important international gateway that greets thousands of travellers every year.

“It’s great to see the project finally underway and we know the temporary disruption will be worth having a 21st century facility in place,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said.

You can stay updated on the Belleville Terminal Redevelopment Project by visiting the project website.

Two tales emerging about downtown: DVBA report

June 12, 2024/in Business And Economic Strength, Fair Rules, Government Local, Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

There are two stories being told about downtown Victoria, says a new analysis released this morning by the Downtown Victoria Business Association.

With 5% more business licences issued, and tourism and industry thriving, the DVBA’s 2024 Annual Report says the numbers show the region’s downtown is enjoying economic growth. However, there is also a growing sense of unease — a survey found almost 20% of businesses believe downtown is failing.

“That is the highest percentage since we began surveying members,” the DVBA report states. “It is alarming.”

More than two thirds of all people who patronize downtown come from within Greater Victoria, which means that the entire region has a role to play in the narrative of this important neighbourhood.

“The Chamber strongly supports downtown and the work of the DVBA and the City of Victoria to make the area vibrant and safe,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We are a regional chamber but we will continue to call on all levels of government to invest in the infrastructure and services needed in downtown Victoria.”

Pack the park for HarbourCats home opener June 7

May 29, 2024/in Government Local, Hospitality And Tourism Rescue And Recovery/by Jim Zeeben

Few experiences top going to the ballpark to watch a game in-person.

Fans of the Victoria HarbourCats get their first chance to cheer on the home team next week at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park. The H’Cats play the Wenatchee Applesox at 6:30 pm and the early forecast calls for sunny skies and a warm evening.

The team is hoping supporters take advantage of every opportunity to enjoy the home stadium as a scheduling issue will prevent the HarbourCats from playing in Victoria if they make the playoffs.

“As you may be aware, the City of Victoria and the Canadian Football League have agreed to host a regular season football game at Royal Athletic Park on Aug. 31, featuring the BC Lions,” stated an email from the HarbourCats this morning. “Due to the apparent requirements for the stadium set-up (e.g., adding additional bleachers and grassing over the baseball infield), the HarbourCats have been advised we must end our use of Royal Athletic Park this summer following our final regular season game on Aug.7.”

This timing means no home playoff games later this summer.

The HarbourCats, who support the CFL playing in Victoria, said they are disappointed with the timing and hope to rally the community to sellout the stadium during the regular season.

For more information, go to harbourcats.com.

The Chamber is hosting an Emerge Connector at Wilson’s Group Stadium on June 27, as part of the HarbourCats game against the Port Angeles Lefties.

Victoria council discusses future of downtown traffic

May 22, 2024/in Business And Economic Strength, Government Local/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber is working to engage with members and our partner organizations to make sure the voice of business is heard on proposals that will impact traffic in downtown Victoria.

The City of Victoria is looking at extending dedicated bus lanes along Douglas Street, potentially reworking the busy corridor to focus on transit. The idea would take more than a year of study before returning to council.

Chamber CEO Bruce Williams told the Times Colonist that making transit more convenient is a good thing. Giving commuters an option other than single occupancy vehicles will help with congestion and emissions.

However, changing downtown streetscapes will require consultation with businesses that could be impacted by changes to traffic patterns and potential loss of parking spaces.

“We don’t want to deter people from going downtown to shop, enjoy a meal or have some fun in the city,” Williams said, noting that any transportation plan for the city needs to consider how convenient it is for people travelling from neighbourhoods outside downtown Victoria.

One proposal — also in the early stages — is to look at developing a new parkade near north Douglas to allow people to park close to downtown and then walk into the compact central core.

Secondary suite program aims to add 3,000 homes

May 8, 2024/in Government Local, Government Provincial, Housing/by Jim Zeeben

Business and industry groups have been calling for policy changes to address the housing shortage facing Greater Victoria. And while many regions in the world are facing a similar challenge, we need solutions that work for Canada and BC.

Last week, the province revealed its three-year pilot to encourage homeowners to add secondary suites to their properties.

BC Housing will administer the program, which offers forgivable loans of as much as 50% of the total cost of renovations — up to a maximum of $40,000 — to add a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit such as a garden suite, laneway house or carriage home. If the new unit is rented at below market rates for at least five years, the loan will be forgiven.

The province estimates the program will add 3,000 new rental units at below-market rates.

To be eligible, homeowners must also:

obtain a building and occupancy permit from their local government;
have a combined gross annual income of homeowners on title of less than $209,420; and
have a BC Assessment value on their property below the homeowner grant threshold ($2.15 million in 2024).

New rules for short-term rentals effective May 1

May 1, 2024/in Fair Rules, Government Local, Government Provincial, Housing/by Jim Zeeben

The Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act took effect today. Among the changes, according to the province, are:

Short-term rentals can only be offered in the principal residence of a host, plus one additional unit, secondary suite or laneway home/garden suite on the property.
Strata hotels and motels that have been operating in a manner similar to a hotel or motel before Dec. 8, 2023, and that meet select criteria moving forward, will be exempt from the Principal Residence Requirement.
Non-conforming use of property will no longer apply to short-term rentals.
Short-term rental hosts will be required to display a valid business licence number on their listing.
Short-term rental platforms will be required to share data with the Province.

If the new rules aren’t followed, fines can be levied ranging from $500 to $10,000 per day, depending on who is operating the rental.

BC Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon told the Times Colonist that short-term rentals will be available on a smaller scale as the new rules aim to stop people from taking away large numbers of housing units that could serve as homes for people.

New Rules for STRs

Transportation crossroads getting major overhaul

April 24, 2024/in Government Local, Transportation Options/by Jim Zeeben

As part of the plan for transforming the Uptown corridor, the province is proposing changes to Ravine Way to accommodate new bus stops and expanded trails in the area.

An information session is scheduled for May 1, from 3-7 pm at Cedar Hill Golf Course, to review design concepts, get feedback and discuss how to improve the area for people travelling by bus, foot, bicycle, wheelchair or scooter.

Have your say on Victoria’s official community plan

April 24, 2024/in Government Local/by Jim Zeeben

The City of Victoria is updating its Official Community Plan this year. The province requires all BC municipalities to update their OCP every five years with a vision for the next 20 years. Victoria — facing a changing climate, growing population and a profound shortage of housing — is looking for input from the public and business community to help shape the next plan.

“Decisions on where housing, businesses and parks should go, how we move around the city and ways Victoria can respond to the climate crisis are all determined by the OCP,” states the city’s website. “If the City was a train, the OCP would be its conductor leading the way.”

Community engagement will continue until September and plans currently include an open house, a survey, pop-up events in the city and an online information session.

Learn more at engage.victoria.ca/ocp.

Saanich moving forward on plans for Uptown ‘downtown’

April 24, 2024/in Government Local, Immigration And Integration, Streamlined Regional Regulations/by Jim Zeeben

A new hub close to the “heart of Saanich” was given a key stamp of approval on Monday.

The District of Saanich has an extensive plan for the Uptown-Douglas area, which is at the crossroads of Greater Victoria’s core municipalities.

The area will be zoned to shape new development designed to grow the neighbourhood as a major hub north of downtown Victoria and between the West Shore and Saanich Peninsula.

The plan includes turning Oak Street into a vibrant commercial district that creates a walkable boulevard between Uptown Mall and Mayfair Shopping Centre.
Read the Uptown-Douglas Plan