What Would You Tell the Province?
The provincial government recognizes the importance of business and the role that chambers play in ensuring the voice of business is represented and - more importantly - heard.
What would you like us to tell the province about your business operations? How is the province doing in meeting your needs? What do you need to succeed today? What do you envision needing for your future success?
The survey is being conducted independently by Abacus on behalf of the BC Chamber and all the chambers across the province. Please take 15 minutes between now and Friday to help inform the debate next week.
Next week, BC chamber executives - including Chamber CEO Catherine Holt - will be meeting with provincial Deputy Ministers to present your thoughts.
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Know a Business that has Excelled
this Year?
Do you know a business with over 40 employees that demonstrates continual business excellence through positive business growth, demonstrates a commitment to the community, exemplifies superior customer service and embraces an outstanding commitment to quality? If you do,
nominate them for the 2017 Business of the Year (40+ Employees) Award!
Need some inspiration? Check out the videos of the 2016 Business of the Year (40+ Employees) finalists below.
Thanks to
Times Colonist for sponsoring this award!
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Regional Focus First & Foremost!
Langford Mayor Stew
Young says he is pursuing a 10-year tax holiday for any provincial or tech office that moves to Langford, with the aim to move more people closer to where they work, reducing commute times and traffic congestion.
"Focusing efforts on attracting new businesses to Langford is a sound idea that will benefit that municipality and the region as a whole," said Chamber CEO Catherine Holt. "The outer rings of major centres can be better incubators of new businesses because there is more room to grow, lower relative costs and reasonably good access to large markets."
"We are already in strong competition with jurisdictions outside of Greater Victoria, so to have our local municipalities competing with each other for businesses doesn't make sense, both in terms of effort and outcome," added Catherine. "The Chamber's position is that we need to focus our resources on regional approaches in all things, from transportation to economic development."
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Welcome Whole Foods!
Whole Foods Market opened their
40,000-sq ft store located in the Uptown Shopping Centre this week - the company's 12th location in Canada. Saanich Mayor Richard Atwell and Chamber Chair Al Hasham joined Whole Foods Market leaders, local suppliers and community partners to welcome shoppers when the doors opened Wednesday at 9 am.
"We've long believed that Victoria would be a wonderful home for a new store because of our shared values," said Angela Lorenzen, president of Whole Foods Market's Pacific Northwest Region. "Like us, this community is a champion for strong, local food systems and believes in environmental stewardship."
Whole Foods Market: member since 2016
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Right Regional Governance
Hear BC Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, Peter Fassbender, discuss the findings of the Capital Integrated Services and Governance Initiative report at a Chamber Business Leaders' Luncheon on Dec 1. The report recommends ways local governments in Greater Victoria can integrate and improve services and governance. This report will include input from local stakeholder organizations - including The Chamber - on their perceptions of issues and opportunities facing business, citizens and local governments in the Capital Regional District.
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Singing from the Same Song Sheet
A regional approach to marketing Greater Victoria to the world is another key component of The Chamber's three-year Trade and Investment Program.
Similar to Education Victoria, this regional collaboration saw The Chamber partner with VIATEC and Tourism Victoria, producing dynamic, high-quality marketing material and trade missions that sent a strong message that Greater Victoria is the place to be.
Although the program's various successes are expected to continue well into the future, The Chamber's Trade and Investment Program ends March 31, 2017.
The Chamber Trade & Investment Program is funded in part by
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Greater Victoria Increasingly Business-friendly!
Greater Victoria also scored within the top ten in two of the study's three categories: 6th in "entrepreneurial presence", a representation of the scale and growth of businessmen ownership, and 8th in "entrepreneurial perspective", which includes indicators such as optimism and growth plans.
For the third, "entrepreneurial policy", which includes indicators associated with local governments' business taxation and regulation, Greater Victoria is middle of the pack, scoring only 24.8 out of a possible 40 points.
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New Music Director
The
Victoria Symphony has appointed
Christian Kluxen as the new Music Director 2017/18.
"After a thorough search, we're thrilled to have someone of his talent lead the orchestra. His musicality, vitality and charismatic energy are a huge asset to the Symphony and to Victoria," said Brian Butler, President of the Victoria Symphony Board of Directors. "I look forward to watching the orchestra continue to flourish under his leadership. We're in good hands."
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Victoria Symphony: member since 1984
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Welcome to Our Newest Members!
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Member to Member Deals
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