Government Provincial Archives

Century Celebration of Cup victory begins this week

March 26, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Government Provincial, Hospitality And Tourism Rescue And Recovery/by Jim Zeeben

The Century Celebration of the Victoria Cougars’ historic victory over the Montreal Canadians begins March 27. Three musical finalists — selected from 31 entries to a songwriting contest honouring the 1925 Stanley Cup win — kick things off by performing their original songs at the Bard and Banker.

Festivities continue on March 29-30, with family friendly events, including the highly anticipated return of the Cup for public viewing on Sunday at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre.

Century Celebration festivities centre around the old location of Patrick Arena — a former stadium in the District of Oak Bay where the 1925 Cougars clinched the cup championship. There is no parking onsite for this event. A park-and-ride shuttle, courtesy of Wilson’s Transportation, will run every 30 minutes between Oak Bay Marina and the festival site from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The events are being put on by the Victoria Hockey Legacy Society, which hosted Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in January 2024. The Chamber helped make that event a success, providing a direct boost to business and priceless promotion of our region. Hockey Day was also co-winner of Event of the Year at the Greater Victoria Sports Awards, announced last month.

For the latest on events and activities happening for the Century Celebration, go to vhls.ca.

Consumers get break as BC eliminating carbon tax April 1

March 26, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Business And Economic Strength, Chamber Awareness, Climate Change Solutions, Global Uncertainty, Government Federal, Government Provincial, Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

Energy costs are set to go down starting April 1 as the province announced yesterday it will make good on its promise to eliminate the consumer carbon tax after the federal government promised to do the same.

BC’s tax adds about 17 cents per litre at the gas pump, and 15 cents per cubic metre of natural gas.

“The Province will continue to act on the commitment to battle climate change by ensuring people in British Columbia have affordable options to make sustainable choices and by encouraging industry to innovate,” the BC Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

Eliminating the tax will help businesses and individuals facing increasing costs and economic uncertainty due to the threats of tariffs and tradewar with the US.

The latest news on the tradewar is a 25% tariff on the auto industry imposed today. The action is expected to increase the cost of vehicles and cause generational chaos to automakers on both sides of the border.

The national Chamber network continues to work on mitigating the threat of tariffs. This week, the Canadian Chamber released a report on US cities that are the most export-dependent on Canada.

Whoa Premier! Proposed power grab needs a rethink

March 19, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Fair Rules, Global Uncertainty, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

The Chamber takes pride in working well with any government, regardless of their political stripes. However, there are times when decisions are announced that leave us shaking our heads. The latest, or at least most egregious, was the surprise introduction of Bill 7 last Friday.

BC Premier David Eby claimed the legislation is needed in order for the province to respond to the tradewar with the US. The proposed law has been derided as the Henry VIII clause because it would give the Premier’s Office a vast overreach in its powers.

“Businesses are anxious enough without our own province introducing something that many see as autocratic,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We’ve reached out to partner organizations around the Province to figure out a response. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail and the province will step back from this legislation.”

Bill 7, if passed, would give Eby broad powers without the need to be accountable to the elected legislature.

Province recruiting doctors and nurses amid US chaos

March 12, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Government Provincial, Safe Communities, Training And Microcredentials/by Jim Zeeben

The provincial government is seeing opportunity in the political divide currently impacting the United States. BC has begun a recruitment campaign targeting doctors and nurses from the US and fast-tracking credential recognition.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC is being consulted on a direct process for doctors who hold certification from the American Board of Medical Specialties to become fully licensed in BC without the need for further assessment, examination or training. Similar changes were recently adopted by Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

The changes are expected to be implemented in the next few months, following consultations already underway.

The BC College of Nurses and Midwives has also been asked to allow US-registered nurses to apply directly to the college, allowing it to review candidates education, registration, exam completion and regulatory history through the US’s national nurse-licensure and disciplinary database.

The provincial government said 2024 set a record as nearly 250,000 people were able to find a primary care provider, an increase from 186,000 people in 2023 and 131,000 people in 2022.

BC Budget 2025 attempts to tackle trade war’s unknowns

March 5, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Global Uncertainty, Government Provincial, Inflation And Rising Costs/by Jim Zeeben

The best news from yesterday’s BC Budget 2025 announcement was a promise from the provincial Finance Minister to work more closely with businesses going forward.

As is tradition, the minister met with the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce today to discuss the budget.

Brenda Bailey, a former tech sector entrepreneur, was elected to government in 2020 and appointed Finance Minister in November 2024. Her first budget day was overshadowed by news that the United States was moving ahead with a trade war on Canada.

Bailey acknowledged the curveball, noting that the budget was put together with tariffs in mind. There is also $4 billion in contingency funds set aside annually for three years to address unforeseen challenges. It’s a strategy that makes sense, but one business groups will be watching closely.

“We want to see policies that are looking at the horizon, that are investing in making our private sector bigger, growing our economy,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We’re fortunate to live in a region with a diverse economy that is relatively sheltered from a trade war. That said, we know we’re in for challenging times ahead as Canada will be impacted by tariffs.”

In response to the US’s tariff announcement, the Canadian Chamber issued a statement saying the trade war will hurt Americans and have disastrous impacts on people in many US cities.

“Canada is resource and talent rich. Our economic future is ours to determine — it’s time to join our economic strategy with concrete action to not only minimize the short-term damage but to chart a more prosperous path long-term,” Canadian Chamber president and CEO Candace Laing said.

Read the Full Media Release

Throne speech promises to drop gloves on tariffs

February 19, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

The provincial government is back in Victoria for the first session of the 43rd Parliament of British Columbia. As is tradition, BC’s Lt. Gov. delivered the speech from the throne. The theme of the speech, which reflects the government’s intent for the year ahead, focused on a strong defence against the threat of tariffs being imposed by the United States.

“We have everything we need to protect ourselves from the economic impacts of the Trump presidency and come out stronger,” BC Premier Eby said in a media release.

Among the speech’s highlights were promises of new laws to build infrastructure faster, and better management of the province’s finances. BC will look to diversify its export markets through trade missions and eliminating barriers to interprovincial trade.

The 2025 BC Budget will be announced March 4, and the Chamber hosts the BC Finance Minister the following day in a sold-out event at Hotel Grand Pacific.

Eby names ‘war-room’ to protect BC against US tariffs

January 29, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Global Uncertainty, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

With US President Donald Trump threatening to impose tariffs as early as Saturday, BC Premier David Eby has assembled a cabinet committee to fight back.

Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon will chair the committee, which will act as a day-to-day war room.

“This threat isn’t going away anytime soon – not while this president is in power,” Eby said, noting that the committee will work to protect BC businesses, families and workers.

Part of the strategy is to strengthen ties to markets other than the US.

“We didn’t ask for this fight, but BC will not be bullied,” Kahlon said.

Members of the new cabinet committee are:

Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs
Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance
Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions
Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food
Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
Rick Glumac, Minister of State for Trade
Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests
Jagrup Brar, Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals
Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks

New: post-budget breakfast with BC Finance Minister

January 29, 2025/in BizNews This Week, Chamber Awareness, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

With businesses facing ongoing uncertainty, it’s good to know that at least one economic tradition will continue this year.

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce will once again host the provincial Finance Minister, at a breakfast event presented by Coastal Community Credit Union & Insurance Services, the morning after BC Budget 2025 is unveiled.

This is an unparalleled opportunity to hear directly about how the provincial government plans to address ongoing social challenges and invest in the economy in the year ahead.

“We are grateful to host the Hon. Brenda Bailey on March 5, and I look forward to discussing questions and concerns that Chamber members have expressed to us,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said.

Hon. Brenda Bailey, BC Minister of Finance
Wednesday, March 5, from 8 – 9:30 am
Hotel Grand Pacific – Vancouver Island Ballroom, 463 Belleville St.

Register Now

Tickets needed to attend former BC Premier’s funeral

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

The state funeral for former BC Premier John Horgan on Dec. 15 is expected to be so popular that tickets will be needed to attend. Horgan died Nov. 12 at the age of 65 after several years of fighting cancer.

The service for Horgan is at The Q Centre in the City of Colwood. Tickets are limited to two per person, and must be obtained in advance at tickets.victoriashamrocks.com.

The ceremony will be livestreamed and an online book of condolences is available to sign until Dec. 16.

Horgan served as MLA for the electoral area now known as Langford-Juan de Fuca from 2005 until 2023.

State funeral planned for former BC Premier Horgan

December 5, 2024/in BizNews This Week, Government Provincial/by Jim Zeeben

A state funeral is planned for former BC Premier John Horgan, who died Nov. 12 at the age of 65 after several years of fighting cancer.

The ceremony is on Dec. 15, starting at 1 pm, at the Q Centre in the City of Colwood.

Horgan served as MLA for the electoral area now known as Langford-Juan de Fuca from 2005 until 2023.

The funeral service will include religious components by Rev. Dr. Keith Howard, musical interludes and words of remembrance. Lt. Gov. Janet Austin, Premier David Eby and other dignitaries will be in attendance.

The public is welcome to attend.