Closer to home, Beatty says our immediate focus needs to be on controlling the pandemic in Canada. We've had a "crazy quilt of approaches" to stopping the spread of the virus, Beatty says. A national approach is needed rather than regional restrictions. The biggest risk to business is the yo-yo effect of opening and closing, which disrupts operations and makes planning impossible.

"What worries me when I look at it today, the Team Canada approach (we had in the spring of 2020) is fraying. People are feeling victimized and powerless," Beatty said, saying it's within each of us to use the tools and knowledge we have to stop the spread. "We're not powerless."

Missed the live event? Register online to access the video recording.

The Chamber is hosting high-profile provincial ministers in the coming weeks, starting Feb. 18 with the Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.

Chamber CEO Bruce Williams and the Hon. Ravi Kahlon will discuss the government's plan to ensure all businesses have an opportunity torecover.

On Feb. 23, BC Attorney General David Eby will be The Chamber's guest for a discussion about the province's 10-year housing plan and actions being taken to house the homeless.

There's still time to tap into a provincial grant program that has been underutilized by BC businesses. The office of Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA Murray Rankin has sent out a reminder to local businesses that they can access the program until funds are fully allocated, or March 31 — whichever comes first

Grants of $10,000 to $30,000 are available, while an additional $5,000 to $15,000 grant is available to eligible tourism businesses.

The province lowered barriers to the program on Dec. 18, but it still has had less uptake than expected. Businesses that sent in applications before the change will be reevaluated under the new criteria.

If you haven't applied, find out if you're eligible and submit an application here.

The federal government is preparing to roll out new support for Canada's hard-hit tourism industry. Federal Economic Development Minister Melanie Joly told the Times Colonist that details will be unveiled imminently.

Many tourism-dependent companies such as hotels and attractions as well as organizations focused on moving people between communities — bus lines, ferries and airports — need urgent help to survive until travel can resume.

The Chamber continues to support our members in tourism and transportation, working both locally and through our national chamber network.

The Victoria Police Department is warning businesses about a disturbing spike in property crimes to start the new year. A little more than half-way through January, there have already been more break-and-enters reported (28) than in all of December (26). Three-quarters of the crimes have been in downtown Victoria and the Burnside Gorge neighbourhood.

The break-ins are predominately taking place at unoccupied businesses, police say. Some of the crimes involve the removal of glass panes using specialized tools.

VicPD urges businesses to take precautions and asks anyone with information about the crimes to call 1-800-222-8477.

The Chamber advocates for safe communities as a fundamental requirement for people to be successful at work and in life. In 2020, this advocacy priority became more urgent due to increases in crime and the number of people experiencing homelessness. We will continue to call for adequate resources for police, and will keep an eye on municipal budget deliberations currently underway.

Our Chamber Champions are: BigWheel Burger, CHEK News, CIBC, Kinetic Construction Ltd., Knappett Projects Inc., MNP, RBC, Seaspan Ship Management Ltd., TELUS and the University of Victoria

Learn more about how these organizations are championing the work of The Chamber.

Special thanks to CHEK for producing this video!

The Songhees Nation has received approval to open two retail cannabis stores in downtown Victoria. The Seed and Stone: Songhees Edition will be located at 901 Gordon St., with another outlet in The Bay Centre. The initiative will generate income for the Songhees but is an economic opportunity in other ways as well.

“Our members also have considerable interest in the jobs and training opportunities that will result from this project,” Songhees Chief Ron Sam said in a statement.

The City of Victoria approved the stores on Jan. 14, and the approval process has moved to the next step of provincial government review. The aim is to have the locations open by the spring.

The City of Langford has agreed to rename Westhills Stadium in a deal that creates new revenue for major tenant Pacific FC. Under the largest sponsorship deal in Langford's history, Toronto developers Starlight Investments will reportedly pay more than $500,000 over five years. The stadium will be known as Starlight Stadium.

“This is a big deal, for Langford and for Pacific FC,” Langford Mayor Stew Young told the Times Colonist.

Contact Thomas at [email protected] to submit a story for #ChamberLocalVicBC.

As a member of The Chamber, you and your organization are eligible for discounts and savings. Take advantage of these corporate discounts as part of The Chamber Benefits Program.

Need to improve your home office? Lenovo, Monk Office, and Grand & Toy offer a variety of discounts for hardware, furniture and more.

Ship your packages with ease, and get 50% off domestic and international shipping with UPS. Shipments can be easily tracked through UPS My Choice^® for Business. Learn more about shipping rates and tracking here.

Our Chamber Benefits Program has many valuable offers to utilize, from fuel discounts to certificates of origin. Chamber members can also find and post on the Member to Member Offers page, a constantly updated resource to showcase your product/service to fellow Chamber members.

For more information on how to take advantage of these savings, or to post a Member to Member offer, contact [email protected].

Save up to 30% off the everyday public web price of Lenovo’s entire product line. 

During these challenging times, The Chamber’s Job Board connects employers needing help with employees in need of work.

Whether you’re a CEO, small business owner, or a manager looking for talent, finding and retaining employees is crucial.

Learn more about how to post on the job board here. ​If you have any questions about posting, please email [email protected]

Program Manager – Leadership Victoria

Hard to believe there is just over a week left to apply for Canada Summer Jobs funding. Funding covers youth hires between the ages of 15 and 30 for six to 23 consecutive weeks. And, similar to the program in 2020, stretches from April 2021 to February 2022 — a very welcome degree of flexibility.

Hiring a co-op students through programs at Camosun and the University of Victoria is more than an investment in your business, it's an investment in a future staff person. With up to 75% of the wage potentially covered for most businesses, it is worth taking 20 to 30 minutes to apply.

"Over the years, we've been able to hire students each year thanks to the Canada Summer Jobs program. The new flexibility on dates has been incredibly helpful," says Cheryl Wirch-Ryckman, The Chamber's Director of Operations."One of the best parts of my day is hearing about the extraordinary things our previous co-op students are doing now. Always worth it!"

Not sure how to fill out a winning application? This Thursday (and next) Camosun is hosting a 9-9:30 am Zoom how-to session to give you a leg up on the process. In addition to Canada Summer Jobs funding the University of Victoria co-op department can provide additional funding options and ideas on how make sure a co-op student is making a difference at your business.

This is the final in our series of the 14 different award categories, with so many extraordinary businesses who went above and beyond in 2020, we encourage you to take two minutes and nominate today.

Sustainable Business Practices honours a business that:

Need some inspiration? Check out the videos of the 2020 Sustainable Business Practices finalists below. Thanks to Camosun College for sponsoring this award.

WINNER: TOPSOIL - Innovative Urban Agriculture INC.

FINALIST: Eluma Beauty Inc (Elate Cosmetics)