Take a photo of your team or business and tag @VictoriaChamber to be featured on our social media platforms. Don't forget to tag #SmallBusinessMonthYYJ

The Chamber is setting up Election Panels to help our members get information on candidates running in Greater Victoria for the provincial election on Oct. 24.

We'll be collaborating with community chambers so make sure to save the following dates and plan to watch via Facebook Live!

As for the election itself, it will, of course, look a little different this fall. Voters will have a number of options to safely mark their ballot, including by mail, and physically distanced voting stations. The important thing is to make sure you vote!

Each week, The Chamber will profile one of the 14 different award categories, encouraging members to nominate a deserving Chamber member.

New Business honours a new business (3 years or less from the date of incorporation) that:

Need some inspiration? Check out the videos of the 2020 New Business finalists below. Thanks to Community Futures – Entrepreneurs with Disabilities for sponsoring this award.

KWENCH (Winner)

 Fettle + Food (Finalist)

Mental health is at the root of the front-facing issues we see manifested on our streets every day.

Drug and alcohol addiction, homelessness and crime related to both are the result of untreated mental health issues.

So, what can we do to ensure everyone feels safe in their homes, in their workplaces and in public spaces? How do we solve homelessness in our region, and the corresponding increase in property crimes, overdose deaths and anxiety? Manage the mental health crisis, that’s how. And do it now.

The Chamber has written a letter to Victoria Council urging an extension of the Build Back Victoria plan until next spring.

"The City’s leadership and investment in innovations led by business are making a difference," states the letter, which is included in a staff report outlining experiences with the program so far. "Many of our restaurants, cafes and pubs were able to sustain their operations because of the opportunity they were given to expand their spaces."

Council will consider extending the program tomorrow, as well as a suggestion to allow for vehicle access to businesses on the section of Government Street closed to traffic.

The Chamber supports efforts to protect the environment from harmful single-use plastics, and we call on governments to work with businesses to support innovations that address these concerns.

Today's announcement from federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson to eliminate waste plastic by 2030 is welcome news. The plan is to target single-use plastics, specifically plastic checkout bags, straws, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery and hard-to-recycle food containers.

Having a national strategy will help ensure the rules are standardized so that businesses understand their requirements. The public has, for many years, supported businesses that provided alternatives to plastic waste. Going forward, governments need to ensure they are following the lead of the public and businesses in order to get the best response to this new initiative.

Even after 157 years, The Chamber still marvels at this exceptional gem of a region we're lucky to call home. So, we're not surprised Victoria has once again been named one of the Best Small Cities in the World by Conde Nast Traveller.

Visitors can't get enough of our region, and we can't either. The tourism sector might be down right now due to the pandemic, but we know it will be back. And we can't wait to welcome the world.

Make sure to get out this long-weekend and see our city and our remarkable Island with the fresh eyes of a world traveller. There is a reason outsiders say we stand alongside world cities such as Florence, Edinburgh and Monte Carlo.

One of our region's most famous landmarks is taking the winter off to freshen up and modernize its heating system. The storied 112-year-old Fairmont Empress Hotel announced this week that it will be closed from January to April. The $3 million upgrade will make the building more energy efficient — always worth the effort. The work is timed for what is traditionally the slowest season for tourism in the region.

Real estate sales in Greater Victoria continue to set records as pent-up demand from the spring has made conditions hot in the fall. The Victoria Real Estate Board's latest statistical package shows 989 properties sold in September, roughly accounting for the loss of expected sales in the spring.

“I don’t think that anyone who was trying to predict market outcomes in our area over the course of the pandemic expected that the pent up demand from dampened sales in April and May would result in this level of market activity. There’s no doubt that buyers are extremely motivated and this increased demand, coupled with limited inventory, fueled the September market.” VREB President Sandi-Jo Ayers said in a statement.

The District of Saanich is taking the next step in the gradual re-opening of its recreation offerings. The largest municipality in Greater Victoria is a hub of parks and active living. Over the last few months, Saanich staff have fine-tuned their safety protocols around COVID-19.

The City of Victoria by-election has been officially rescheduled for Dec. 12. The by-election was originally scheduled for April but was postponed by the pandemic.

Municipal by-elections also provide an opportunity to vote for people who own a commercial property within the city. You can learn more about the rules for non-resident property electors, and whether you qualify, at Victoria.ca.

If you're an employer looking for your next great hire, make sure to post your career opportunities on the Chamber job board.

The job board is an exclusive benefit of Chamber membership.

If you have any difficulty posting, email members@victoriachamber.ca.

We will get back to you within one business day. We know how important hiring the right person can be.

All jobs posted to our job board have been vetted by a member of The Chamber team.

The Chamber has a number of active and engaged committees that report to our Board of Directors. A key reason for the success of our board committees is the involvement of our Chamber members as volunteer committee members.

Each year, there are a few openings on our committees for new members. We are recruiting now for members who will be available starting Jan. 1, 2021 for at least a two-year term. Here are our committees:

The opportunity to apply for any of the above committees is open until Oct. 11. At the end of the application period, the chair of the committee will review your application and you will be contacted by email or phone.

Let us know at members@victoriachamber.ca