The loosening of restrictions has been met with a collective sigh of relief for many businesses. However, some ambiguous wording in BC's Restart Plan could be problematic. Businesses are expressing concern about what will happen if masks are no longer mandatory after July 1. The plan states that once we get to Step 3, masks will only be a recommendation in public indoor settings.

Employers don't want their staff to be faced with enforcing an order that isn't clear. In the past, this has led to stressful confrontations between employees and members of the public who refuse to abide by the orders.

The Retail Council of Canada's guidance says awareness and training are key. Before we get to Step 3, The Chamber is working with other business organizations to get clarity for businesses.

If you have questions or concerns about BC's Restart Plan, let us know by emailing [email protected].

The provincial government pressed ahead with its plan to raise the minimum wage, implementing the final bump yesterday to $15.20/hour across the board. The four-year plan did allow businesses to budget for the increase, but the pandemic has made many employers vulnerable to any extra expenditures.

Many businesses are facing a difficult road ahead, Chamber CEO Bruce Williams told the Times Colonist. "Ideally, the government would hold off on adding any extra costs to businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry until they have a chance to get back on their feet.”

The role of government right now needs to be focused on stripping away roadblocks and getting our economy back to its potential. The best way to help make our region affordable is to invest in innovations that will increase our housing supply, make child care accessible and encourage workers to stay in Greater Victoria.

“Employers continue to go above and beyond to find and keep workers, so wages already tend to be higher in Greater Victoria,” Williams says. “With the change, BC will have the highest minimum wage of any Canadian province. It’s time to stop the increases and let the rest of the country catch up.”

A ferry connecting Royal Bay to Downtown Victoria and Esquimalt will help future proof our region, Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says.

The idea continues to gain momentum as preliminary studies show there is enough merit to the concept to explore it further. The proposal is supported by BC Ferries and the Capital Regional District.

The City of Colwood recently produced a video to promote the idea and encourage the provincial government to conduct its own feasibility study.

Greater Victoria's film industry had a banner year in 2020, despite physical productions closing down for a portion of the year. The Vancouver Island South Film & Media Commission reports that a rush of new productions resulted in $55 million in direct spending — almost triple the previous record of $20 million.

The province's film and digital media industry generates $3.2 billion annually, employing more than 71,000 British Columbians.

The Island's film commissioner, Kathleen Gilbert, told the Victoria News that the commission has more than 800 crew in its South Island database.

“Anyone with experience would have been able to work full time since production resumed in July of last year,” Gilbert said.

The health of the film industry has been especially beneficial for tourism businesses hard hit by the pandemic.

“Certainly, given the impact on tourism that COVID has had, this is very welcome business and almost a lifeline for some of these hotels,” Bill Lewis, Chair of the Hotel Association of Greater Victoria, states in the film commission's 2020 Annual Report.

A fundamental priority for good business is having safe communities. Feeling safe at home and at work is vital to achieving our potential as individuals and as a community.

The Chamber applauds the efforts of the Vancouver Island Construction Association, which continues to make progress on its Tailgate Toolkit harm reduction initiative. This innovative program helps people working in the construction industry access harm reduction services.

To learn more about how the overdose crisis has had an impact on people in the construction industry, read VICA's stakeholder engagement report.

How has the COVID pandemic impacted small, niche specialty food producers?

In the latest Chamber Chat, we find out from three of them: Autumn Maxwell with Cold Comfort Ice Cream, Tara Black with Origin Bakery and Lindsay Dault with Country Bee Honey Farm.

Special thanks to our series sponsor: Island Savings

Our #ChamberLocalVicBC campaign aims to highlight and help people understand what local means on a social, economic, and community level.

From buying gift cards to leaving reviews of your favourite local businesses online, we can continue to support our friends, family, and our #ChamberLocalVicBC community.

How does your organization define being local? Let us know to be featured in the campaign. Contact Thomas at [email protected] to share your story.