Government Provincial Archives

Death of John Horgan a loss for all of Greater Victoria

November 13, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

Former BC Premier John Horgan at a Chamber Business Leaders Luncheon in 2018.

Greater Victoria lost a champion of our region this week. Former Premier John Horgan died on Tuesday at age 65, after several years of fighting cancer. He spent his final days surrounded by family and friends while receiving care at Royal Jubilee Hospital.

“The Chamber is saddened to hear of the death of former B.C. Premier John Horgan, the longtime Langford MLA, who brought remarkable stability to government. Horgan’s leadership was enormously beneficial for Greater Victoria as he understood the complexity of challenges faced by our region. We hope that John’s legacy will show a path forward for today’s leaders and help bridge the divide between British Columbians as we all seek to make the world a little better than we found it.”

Horgan was the first Premier from Vancouver Island since 1947. He stepped down in 2022 to focus on his health, and was appointed as Canada’s Ambassador to Germany in 2023.

BC’s political future remains uncertain after tight election

October 23, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

Clarity on BC’s political future will have to wait.

The provincial election remains mired in recounts that could take a week to determine who will form government.

“We knew this was going to be a close election and Greater Victoria’s business community is ready and eager to work with whichever party forms government,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “The Chamber hosted party leaders during their campaigns and, as an organization, we have nurtured meaningful connections with the provincial government for more than 160 years.”

Initial results of the election left the BC NDP with 46 seats, the Conservative Party of BC with 45 and the BC Green Party with two seats. However, because races were so close in many electoral areas, the initial results could change. As well as the recounts taking place, about 49,000 mail-in and absentee ballots are being counted.

In the Juan de Fuca-Malahat riding, NDP candidate Dana Lajeunesse had a 23-vote lead over BC Conservative Marina Sapozhnikov.

Elsewhere in our region, elected MLAs include:

Esquimalt-Colwood – NDP Darlene Rotchford.
Langford-Highlands – NDP Ravi Parmar.
Oak Bay-Gordon Head – NDP Diana Gibson.
Saanich North and the Islands – Green Rob Bottrell.
Saanich South – NDP Lana Popham.
Victoria-Beacon Hill – NDP Grace Lore.
Victoria-Swan Lake – NDP Nina Krieger.

Saturday election will provide clarity about political future

October 16, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Chamber News, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

With BC’s general election set for Saturday, several Island electoral areas remain up in the air according to polling site 338canada.

Advance polls close tonight at 8 pm, and polls for final voting day will be open from 8 am to 8 pm on Oct. 19.

“Please, if you haven’t cast a ballot already, make time to get to the booth on Saturday,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “The better business participation, the better business representation in the next government.”

To learn more about candidates in your riding, the Times Colonist and CHEK Media have detailed webpages dedicated to Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island.

Both news organizations have earned the trust of local audiences through fair and comprehensive coverage over the decades. It’s no coincidence the media outlet are among the latest inductees into The Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame, along with Alan Lowe, Michael Williams and the Yuen family/Fairway Market.

Make sure to register now for this event, set for Oct. 29 at the Fairmont Empress. More details below.

BC leaders exchange barbs on televised debate

October 10, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/p74SwrfQ

It’s too soon to tell whether Tuesday night’s leadership debate made a significant difference for voters. The televised discussion featured BC NDP leader David Eby, Conservative Party of BC leader John Rustad and BC Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau.

Across Greater Victoria and the province, all candidates are officially registered in their electoral areas with final voting day set for Oct. 19. Advance polls open this week, on Oct. 10, and you can check Elections BC for specific information about voting places near you and dates and times they will be open. Voting by mail is also an option.

The Chamber is non-partisan and hosted events with all three leaders throughout the year:

Chamber encourages voters to be heard in the BC election

October 2, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

Chambers of commerce have always been vocal supporters of healthy democracies.

With candidates officially registered in all electoral areas, voters have until Oct. 19 to decide who will earn their support on the ballot.

Advance polls open on Oct. 10, and you can check Elections BC for specific information about voting places near you and dates and times they will be open. Voting by mail is also an option.

The Chamber is non-partisan and we hosted events with leaders of every party with an elected representative:

Our partners over at the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce are hosting an Esquimalt-Colwood All Candidates Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at Esquimalt High School.

The Esquimalt chamber is accepting questions for candidates at the door or by emailing president@esquimaltchamber.ca.

Writ drops as provincial election formally underway

September 26, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

The official countdown has begun as the province prepares to head to the polls on Oct. 19. The writ was dropped last Saturday and candidates who haven’t declared have until next Saturday to get their names on the ballot.

Of course, most candidates are well into campaigning and Chamber members can expect the discourse to heat up in the coming weeks.

The Chamber is non-partisan and we pride ourselves on working effectively with all levels of government, regardless of their political stripes. We’re also not afraid to speak up on behalf of business as needed.

For the provincial election, The Chamber hosted events with leaders of every party with an elected representative. The Leading to Election series was well attended and gave Chamber members a chance to hold all parties accountable on the issues that matter to our region’s business community.

For businesses and individuals in Victoria-Beacon Hill, one of our region’s highest-profile electoral areas, the Downtown Victoria Business Association is hosting an all-candidates meeting on Oct. 1, 6:30 – 9 pm at the Victoria Conference Centre.

The discussion will allow Tim Thielmann, Grace Lore, and Sonia Furstenau to share their platforms. This event is open to all residents of the Victoria-Beacon Hill riding, and you need to register in advance to attend.

Province to begin helping those who can’t help themselves

September 18, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Chamber News, Government Provincial, Safe Communities/by Jim Zeeben

Safe communities are fundamental to all of us. We need to feel safe if we’re going to reach our potential at work and at home. However, the ongoing opioid crisis continues to impact every neighbourhood and has become especially visible in pockets of larger cities. We’re seeing more people struggling with addiction and mental health who are unable to secure immediate access to treatment options.

This week’s news that the provincial government is stepping up to provide care for people unable to care for themselves is overdue.

“Yes, people need to have agency over their lives but people also need to be kept safe from predators and people should not have to live in dangerous environments,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We believe there are times when the healthcare system needs to intervene in a person’s life so that person has a chance to recover before it’s too late.”

The province’s shift to enabling involuntary care will start on the Lower Mainland and use correctional facilities to provide care under the Mental Health Act. The aim is to help people with addiction challenges, brain injuries and mental-health issues stabilize and rebuild their lives. Facilities on the Island and across BC are being planned.

“The toxic-drug crisis of today is not what it was 10 or even five years ago,” BC’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions said in a media release. “We are now facing a rising number of people who are living with the lasting effects of multiple overdoses and complex mental-health challenges, tied to social factors like poverty and trauma.”

The province also called on the federal government to step up border enforcement around screening shipping containers arriving in Canada to curb the smuggling of chemical precursors used to make illicit fentanyl.

Chamber hosts final election event with Green Party leader

September 11, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau stands with Chamber CEO Bruce Williams before yesterday’s fourth and final Leading to Election event.

The Chamber hosted the fourth and final Leading to Election event yesterday, with about 30 people enjoying breakfast and a lively Q&A with BC Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau.

Furstenau spoke about her entrepreneurial history as a university student operating a food stand at the Moss Street Market, which led to a catering enterprise. She also worked as a bookkeeper and says the experiences helped her understand the hard work and risk of running a small business. She’s taken that understanding with her into politics, noting that the private sector generates the revenue that the public sector spends.

And the way that the government spends needs to change, she said, pointing out that BC has the same budget as Denmark but delivers a lot less to its citizens.

“If we’re going to spend $89 billion, I want all the nice things,” she said, adding that Denmark has better healthcare and social security programs.

Questions raised by Chamber members included how the BC Greens would address transportation challenges and how they would support a minority government if given the opportunity.

Fursetenau said the party would learn from its past mistakes and focus on reframing the narrative of government so that British Columbians have faith it can work for them and drive innovation to support the private sector economy.

Pre-approved housing designs available for download

September 4, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Government Provincial, Housing/by Jim Zeeben

The province has introduced a plan to speed up housing construction by allowing cookie cutter designs. The concept relies on “building blocks” that allow for adding elements such as a garage or bedroom. Homes can be up to three storeys.

“They include concepts for duplex, triplex, quadplex and townhouse designs. Also included are a variety of roof shapes and exterior finishes, so all the designs can blend in seamlessly with existing neighbourhoods, keeping with the intent of small-scale, multi-unit housing to add density,” the province’s media release said. “There are also designs for accessory dwelling units, such as laneway homes, and a fully adaptable cottage suitable for aging in place.”

The designs comply with the 2024 BC Building Code and can be customized for different lot sizes and specific site conditions. Designs can be downloaded at no cost.

The hope is that local governments and builders will quickly become familiar with the plans, leading to quicker approvals and construction.

Province’s political landscape shifts as BC United Party folds

August 28, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

A scenario discussed earlier this year during The Chamber’s Leading to Election series has now become reality.

The BC United Party’s leader Kevin Falcon announced today he is stepping aside and will work to have his party’s candidates merge with the Conservative Party of BC.

In a joint media release, Falcon stated he suspended his party’s campaign because he thinks staying in the race would split the vote and allow the incumbent BC NDP Party to easily win the Oct. 19 provincial election.

The move was applauded by Conservative party leader John Rustad, who told a full-house of Chamber guests in June that he was committed to staying in the race.

“As a Chamber that represents all sides of Greater Victoria’s business community, we are firmly non-partisan,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We will continue to work to provide our members with opportunities to speak directly with people in power, and those looking to be, so that we can proactively build a better community for all.”