February marks Black History Month and The Chamber strongly encourages everyone to learn more about the stories, struggles and accomplishments of Black Canadians.

There have been Black communities in BC since 1858. In that year, Nancy and Charles Alexander were one of the first Black families in Greater Victoria. The Alexanders settled on the corner of what is now Douglas and Fisgard streets before relocating to the District of Saanich, where they farmed for 33 years and raised 10 children. Charles built the first school house in the area and served as a school trustee.

Transportation planning is vital to making Greater Victoria more affordable for business in our region. Options such as transit need to be convenient and worthwhile, which is why The Chamber applauds plans to speed up bus trips along the Pat Bay Highway.

Last week, the provincial government announced new bus lanes for Highway 17 at Mount Newton Cross Road. Faster commute times will encourage more people to use BC Transit to get to work, reducing overall traffic congestion and harmful emissions.

A new state-of-the-art Royal BC Museum is being planned to replace the existing facility. The news was announced by BC's Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Melanie Mark.

The museum began operations 135 years ago and is a major attraction in our region. Minister Mark said the current facility doesn't meet modern safety or accessibility standards.

"A new and modern museum is long overdue, for the safety of all visitors, to remove barriers so everyone can access it and to keep our irreplaceable ­collections safe," Mark states. "Continuing on without a major redevelopment is not an option for anyone serious about the stewardship of BC’s history and culture. Our goal is to build a state-of-the-art facility that provides an educational and cultural legacy for the province while at the same time brings significant economic and social benefits to the region."

Don’t miss your chance to form a team and compete against others at this light-hearted, after hours event — or sign up individually and we'll connect you with other Chamber members — where you'll laugh, you'll debate answers and best of all simply relax and have fun for an hour-long game that promises to entertain.

Don't forget to have fun coming up with a creative team name when registering. Puns are always welcome. The Prodigy Group, in partnership with Quiz This, is excited to be able provide you with an evening of entertainment and connections.

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.

For table host enquiries, please email Thomas Zeran: members@victoriachamber.ca

The numbers for December show the tourism industry was returning to pre-pandemic levels before Omicron caused a spike in COVID-19 cases. The Victoria Tourism Bulletin, released this week by Chemistry Consulting, shows the accommodation sector in particular had improved significantly from the year before. Average daily room rates were up $47.21 in December compared to December 2020.

With restrictions brought in because of Omicron expected to ease in the next few weeks, the industry is optimistic for improving business in 2022.

The Chamber is committed to taking action to advance the process of reconciliation, as well as investment in the growth of Greater Victoria's economy.

On Monday, City of Victoria council made an unprecedented recommendation to provide a $200,000 annual grant for the next five years to the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. This year, funds will come from the city's 2021 surplus. In subsequent years, the grant will come out of revenue created by new builds on city land. The recommendation needs to be approved at a regular council meeting before it is formally added to the budget.

"I think this is supportable in the fact that I think the work that will be done will benefit the city overall, so not only the nations, but the city,” Victoria Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe says in the Times Colonist.

Our local tourism sector has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been a catastrophic disruption to our local economy.

In this Chamber Chat, we talk with Destination Greater Victoria CEO Paul Nursey about our journey together the past many months, where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going.

Stand out during Chamber Week: Feb. 14 -18, 2021 

With Chamber Week quickly approaching, make sure you're putting your best self forward by updating your online directory listing! Through strong SEO practices, thousands of users are viewing The Chamber’s member directory every month. So, we made an easy checklist to ensure your listing is getting the views it deserves. 

It's easy to make changes to your listing — simply login here. To update your logo or photos, scroll to the Upload Media section at the bottom of your Membership Portal. To update your listing description, keywords and social media channels, select the “Edit this profile” tab at the top of the page.

As always, you can email us the changes you would like to see and we can update your listing on your behalf.

As always, you can email us the changes you would like to see and we can update your listing on your behalf. 

Chamber Week is Feb. 14 – 18.  

Members can post Coupons and Discounts free of charge here.