Lived in Canada for 6 years or less
The Chamber’s New to Canada Program
The Chamber’s New to Canada Program aims to empower and support newcomer business owners as they grow their businesses in Greater Victoria.
The program will offer participants comprehensive support in the development of their business through the provision of two years of membership with the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce (The Chamber) and other community engagement opportunities. The program is designed to facilitate the successful integration of newcomers into the business community in Greater Victoria.
Please note membership is not guaranteed as it is dependent upon available program funding and review of the applicant’s eligibility.
This program is funded through sponsorship from Air Canada, the Victoria Airport Authority, the Victoria Foundation, and Vancity.
Benefits of Chamber Membership
Connecting & Networking: We host more than 50 events every year for our members, so there are numerous opportunities to network and meet people.
Advocacy Initiatives: The Chamber works to advocate on a variety of causes that impact local businesses in our community, including, but not limited to: transportation, immigration & integration, accessible childcare, food security and more.
Chamber Committees: Our committees advise Chamber leadership, while mentoring, welcoming and supporting a strong diverse business community. Learn about the Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Advancement (IDEA) Committee, the Emerge Committee, and more.
Community Building: Be part of a community who cares, works, and networks to make our community a better place for all.
Ads & Exposure: We have opportunities for extra exposure through our online member directory, an online community calendar, ads in our newsletter and website, and sponsorship opportunities.
We Celebrate Your Success: We want members to feel celebrated and informed. Through our member news, we make that happen by sharing stories from our members to our members on our social media channels and newsletter.
Discounts & Savings: Aside from member-to-member discounts that are promoted weekly in our BizNews, members also get amazing savings from several Chamber partnerships.
Are you ready to apply?
Before applying, make sure you fit the criteria for the program. Unsure if you meet our program criteria? Contact us or submit an expression of interest.
Must hold valid legal status
Business registered for 3 years or less
Business must be registered within Greater Victoria’s 13 municipalities or CRD Electoral Areas
I understand that applications are limited to one business per individual
Eligibility approval will be determined within 15 business days from the expression of interest application. Membership approval is dependent upon program available funding. Please email membership@victoriachamber.ca for any questions.
Understanding the need for this program
- There are over one million private sector businesses in Canada, and over 20% of them are owned by immigrants.
- There are more than 47,000 immigrants in senior management roles across the country.
- Close to one in three immigrant majority-owned businesses (32.3%) reported higher revenues in 2023 than in 2022.
- There are more than 600,000 self-employed immigrants across the country, and over 260,000 of them have paid employees.
- 1 in 3 business owners with paid staff is an immigrant.
- In 2023, among immigrant majority-owned businesses, 5.0% planned to expand their current location, 3.6% planned to expand operations internationally and 3.7% planned to expand into a new province or territory within Canada.
Source: Statistics Canada.