Sage LaCerte from Sage Initiative, left, enjoys a warm summer night with fellow Chamber members Nick Van Buren and Emily Deslaurier from HAVN Saunas. Make sure to make the most of your Chamber membership and connect with colleagues at an upcoming Chamber event. Spots fill up fast so reserve now!

The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority is preparing to welcome the nine millionth passenger to the Victoria Cruise Ship Terminal at Ogden Point. The lucky passenger arrives Friday afternoon.

"Many businesses in Greater Victoria provide services for cruise ships and their passengers, and welcoming the ninth million unique visitor shows how much the work of these businesses has made our region appealing to travellers," Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce CEO Bruce Williams said. "As travel opens up around the world, we are proud to see Greater Victoria has earned its place as a preferred destination for cruise ships."

Fueled by surging gas prices, Canada's inflation rate rose again last month to 8.1%. If the cost of gas is taken out, the rate would be 6.5%.

Other factors contributing to our higher cost of living include jumps in grocery bills, accommodation and ticket prices for sports and concert events. If there is a silver lining it is that the increase was less than expected. Whether this signals peak inflation is unclear. Many experts are forecasting inflation to begin falling in the next few months.

A report by the Chartered Professional Accountants of BC has confirmed expectations that people are moving to Greater Victoria faster than homes can be built for them. Our region added 5,941 residents in 2021 bringing our regional population to 432,062. Going back five years, Greater Victoria has added 31,500 people. And, although 16,942 housing units have been completed in that time, they have not met the demands of the market.

“Across the region, there has been strong housing construction activity. However, developments have typically been smaller attached units replacing older stock, with limited mid-sized units,” said Chamber Governor Lindalee Brougham, President of LL Brougham Inc. “The strongest demand has been for larger units, which has put significant pressure on housing prices for family homes.”

All of the region's growth is coming from migration as people move here from other parts of Canada. Greater Victoria's natural growth remains negative as fewer babies are being born here compared to the number of residents dying.

In the coming weeks, The Chamber will be highlighting our inaugural Business Hall of Fame inductees starting with previous Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

John Chew was an innovator and a ground breaker. Chew brought the first backhoe to the Island in 1951 and grew the business into one of the Island’s largest excavating and civil construction firms.

Chew, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 87, is remembered fondly as a natural entrepreneur as well as a generous philanthropist.

A firm believer that a strong community was key for business and quality of life, Chew was a founding member of the Island Equipment Owner’s Association, Western Pacific Bank and the Victoria Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Learn about Chew's impact and legacy at the 2022 Business Hall of Fame gala.

Changes are coming to one of downtown Victoria's most celebrated boulevards. The City of Victoria has been working on a redesign of Government Street, which has retained much of its streetscape for 50 years.

Last week, Victoria's Committee of the Whole set a date to vote on approving the redesign for July 28. The Chamber worked with members and partner organizations to provide input on the proposal.

"Government Street is an attraction for residents from around our region and visitors to our destination," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "Investing in a refresh helps build economic resilience, but we'd like to see the businesses that have made Government Street so attractive steer this project to make sure it has the best chance of success."

Members can post Coupons and Discounts free of charge here.

Want to know what events are happening in the community? Check out The Chamber's Community Calendar to stay up to date with plays, seminars, grand openings and more.