The plan is to build 2,850 homes in the Royal Beach area, ranging from single family to condos and townhouses. Over the estimated 15 years it will take to complete the project, which will begin this spring, more than 700 jobs will be created.

"Make no mistake, Colwood is on the map and that’s why notable organizations are making long-term commitments here,” Colwood Mayor Rob Martin said in a news release.

The Royal BC Museum is building a new archives and storage centre in Royal Bay, while Seaspan announced plans for an 85,000 square-foot facility in Colwood.

The Chamber applauds efforts to build new homes in Greater Victoria, as a lack of housing supply continues to be one of the biggest challenges in our region. We need enough homes to meet demand, and allow the market to serve middle income residents vital to our workforce.

An area near the heart of Greater Victoria is changing quickly as our region grows. To help guide development, the District of Saanich has unveiled its Uptown-Douglas Plan for the next 20 to 30 years.

“It really is an ambitious plan and future envisioning that addresses climate change, affordability and the quality of life,” Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes told CHEK News.

Some of the highlights of the plan include creating a central district and transportation hub for a fast-growing population that will be less reliant on cars. The area is currently the crossroads for a number of major routes in the region.

The plan goes to Public Hearing Feb. 15.

More housing, especially housing that is affordable for working individuals and families, is vital for our regional economy to reach its potential.

Dine Around, a popular initiative that helps local restaurants and hotels during a typically slow time of year, is officially underway.

The celebration of keeping it local is being organized by the Victoria Branch of the BC Restaurant & Foodservices Association and Destination Greater Victoria. This year, more than 40 restaurants are offering three-course menus with prices ranging between $20 and $60 per menu. Participating hotels are offering Stay in Town rates that range from $129 to $249.

The Chamber is a community partner in Dine Around and we're continuing to work in support of the hard hit hospitality sector.

The 2022 recipient of The Chamber’s Award of Distinction is Josh Handysides with the Malahat Nation. Handysides has been instrumental in building diverse partnerships between the private and public sectors and the Malahat Nation, where he serves as Chief Administrative Officer.

“Josh has been the steady hand behind a number of projects that have been game changers for our region,” says John Wilson, Chair of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors. “The Malahat Skywalk has been a boon for tourism, generating positive publicity on social media as a destination for visitors to Vancouver Island.”

The Chamber's Award of Distinction, sponsored by the Times Colonist, highlights a business person who has contributed to Greater Victoria through leadership and vision as a positive role model and a sustained commitment to a prosperous community.  

The Prodigy Group, in partnership with Quiz This, presents an online trivia game night!

The Arts and Entertainment industry gives energy and passion to life here in Greater Victoria. Throughout the pandemic, these organizations have continued to innovate and provide us with memorable experiences and unique performances during difficult times.

Join us to support and celebrate arts and entertainment! Connect with a diverse group of business leaders and make valuable connections from the comfort of your own home.

You choose who to meet and when to wander to the next table chatting with business professionals like yourself, establishing or renewing valuable business relationships. Let us help you stay connected.

After the success of our January Virtual Mixer on our new interactive platform, you won't want to miss the opportunity to connect with new and familiar faces at our February Virtual Business Mixer.

Questions or feedback about the new platform? We're here to help.

Contact Thomas at [email protected].

A survey of Greater Victoria businesses will gather data to help better understand challenges facing the region's economy in 2022. The survey, launched by the South Island Prosperity Partnership, is open until Feb. 11 and takes less than 10 minutes to fill out. Questions range from what your experiences have been with supply-chain disruptions to various affordability concerns, including housing supply.

The results of the survey will be used by industry and business associations, including The Chamber, to help our advocacy efforts with government.

The Bank of Canada held steady on rates today as inflation pressures and an uneven economic recovery had many expecting the central bank would move to increase the cost of borrowing.

Citing Omicron and inflation that remains well above target rates, the bank removed its forward guidance suggesting future rate hikes are coming. The bank also released its Monetary Policy Report, which forecasts the economy will grow by 4% in 2022.

The film and movie industry has been very robust in the Capital Region. We see crews shooting on our streets and in our neighbourhoods on a regular basis. Soon, we may also see the creation of studios and sound stages to take the industry and it’s economic input to the next level.

In this Chamber Chat, we speak about two pending possibilities to create our own Hollywood North in this region with Geoff Wilmshurt of Camosun College, Angela van den Hout of the Malahat Nation, and Beverley Dondale of Malahat Film Studios.

Members can post Coupons and Discounts free of charge here.