Your weekly round up of BizNews from throughout Greater Victoria
|
|
Waitlist for Saturday's sold out Dinner Auction Gala
|
|
|
Commercial
vehicle licensing quagmire
|
The Chamber is calling for quick action to prevent an unfortunate
decision
by the Union of BC Municipalities from turning into a quagmire for commercial vehicle operators.
For more than three decades, the UBCM has offered parking permits through its
commercial vehicle licensing program
at a cost between $25 and $40 per year. Drivers receive a sticker allowing them to use commercial parking zones. However, administering the program was too costly so the UBCM stepped away.
That’s left local governments to pick up the slack, but the concern is that, in regions such as Greater Victoria, operators could be forced to take out permits in every municipality they serve. It's potentially even more complicated for Island businesses also operating on the Lower Mainland.
Al Hasham, owner of Maximum Courier,
told
CHEK news the implications could end up adding $40,000 in expenses per year — not to mention a windshield cluttered with permit stickers!
The City of Victoria has already adopted a staff recommendation to increase commercial parking permits from $100 to $300 per year, based on the size of the vehicle. Saanich is reviewing the situations and exploring a regional approach.
One permit for all of Greater Victoria would be better than different rules in different municipalities, though the best outcome is a return to a province-wide permit plan. Businesses operate fluidly and it’s inefficient to constrain their operations based on arbitrary borders.
|
|
Minister responds to Chamber's call to action
|
|
BC's Ministry of Municipal Affairs is
working
on a solution
proposed
by The Chamber to address an ongoing concern regarding property tax challenges faced by many small businesses across the province.
In July, The Chamber sent a letter to Minister Selina Robinson as part of an initiative of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. We asked the provincial government to moderate rapidly rising property taxes caused by basing values on "highest and best use" rather than current or actual use.
This has hurt small businesses and non-profit organizations that provide valuable services to their community and enrich their neighbourhood. Basing their property taxes on the potential value of a multi-storey luxury condominium results in a tax bill much higher than the actual value of a family-run, one-storey restaurant or service club that has existed in its location for decades.
Minister Robinson said her government is working on an interim solution for 2020, as "significant legislative amendments" would be needed to introduce a new commercial sub-class that splits "development potential" from "existing use" for eligible properties.
|
|
|
City of Victoria: Member since 1962
|
|
Royal Canadian Legion Branch #292
: Member since 2007
|
|
In need of a great employee?
|
|
For the remainder of 2019, Chamber members can post up to five jobs for free using the promo code: INTRO. Learn more about how to post
here
.
Chamber Member Tip of the Week
"Take a look at your current job requirements and see what can be altered in order to hire from an expanded pool of talent, such as retirees, and identify jobs where time shifts can happen to accommodate parental needs.”
|
|
|
Ride-sharing rollout facing regulatory roadblocks
|
|
As
Uber and
Lyft await the approval of their applications to bring ride sharing to BC for the first time, there’s an opportunity for Greater Victoria to take notes.
BC’s Passenger Transportation Board is expected to finish its reviews in time for people in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland to begin using ride-hailing services this Christmas. Uber and Lyft will limit
operation to BC’s most populated region for now as they gauge the viability of expanding to the South Island and elsewhere in the province.
The limited rollout is due to
concerns about restrictions that require drivers to have Class 4 licenses. As well, much like Greater Victoria, the Lower Mainland is a compilation of conjoined municipalities. Vancouver city council has
decided to charge drivers $100 per vehicle as well as a congestion fee within its borders. If neighbouring jurisdictions follow suit, the cost and complexity of ride sharing could make the service unviable for most people.
Learn more about what ride-sharing will mean for our region at The Chamber’s next
Business Leaders Luncheon, which is focused on the future of transportation.
Uber: Member since 2019
Lyft: Member since 2017
|
|
Business Leaders' Luncheon
|
|
What's ahead for regional transportation?
|
|
Getting there from here shouldn't be difficult, but without a comprehensive regional transportation plan no one is getting anywhere fast.
Join our
panel of experts as they discuss the future of how we travel and speak to specific projects planned for the region.
|
|
Thu, Nov 7 | 11:30 am - 1 pm
Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour
728 Humboldt St
.
|
|
New Roads achieves milestone anniversary
There's a new new name for the
Therapeutic Recovery Community being operated in View Royal by
Our Place Society. The facility, now known as New Roads, opened its doors one year ago, on Oct. 25, 2018. The Chamber
advocates for Safe Communities as the foundation all of us rely on. We need proven solutions to help rehabilitate people struggling with addiction, and therapeutic recovery communities have been shown to have the highest success rates.
The concept began in Europe but is being implemented around the world. During a recent visit to the View Royal facility, Chamber CEO Catherine Holt spoke to Our Place CEO Don Evans, who said his organization is looking for opportunities to implement the model in other locations in Greater Victoria.
Our Place Society: Member since 2010
|
|
Where will we be in 2030? - CEO column
|
|
This column originally appeared in the
October edition
of the Business Examiner. The online edition is now exclusively available to Chamber members.
Message from Chamber CEO Catherine Holt
There are many things that demand our immediate attention, but it’s always important to keep an eye on the path ahead. So, when the Victoria Foundation asked the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce to contribute to this year’s Vital Signs Report, I readily agreed. The theme of the 2019 publication is Vision 2030 — taking action today to build a better tomorrow.
The challenge was to look beyond the obstacles we face today and in the months ahead, and imagine where we want to be in a decade. To do this, I turned to The Chamber’s current advocacy priorities.
Read the entire column by Chamber CEO Catherine Holt
here
|
|
Mixed-use project shows ‘art of the possible’
|
|
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps deserves kudos for making a poignant observation in her recent blog
post
regarding the public hearing for the
Jawl Residential
development
proposal
at Yates, Johnson and Cook streets.
The ambitious and well-considered plan will see the city get a new fire hall as well as 130 units of affordable housing run by
Pacifica Housing
for people with low or moderate incomes. The project also calls for three condo buildings with 370 units at market prices.
This development came together through dialogue and negotiation. The result is a viable project that creates vitally needed workforce housing, and an upgraded space for firefighters
As Mayor Helps noted in her blog, the project earned wide praise because it will meet the needs of many people — from employers to students to neighbours to social housing advocates. The development is the result of what Coun. Marianne Alto once
referred
to as the “art of the possible.”
Notably, this project predates Victoria council’s controversial
decision
in June to effectively infringe on developers’ ability to negotiate financing.
The Chamber hopes council has seen what is possible when politicians choose to work with the private sector and non-profits.
Jawl Residential: Member since 2019
Pacifica Housing: Member since 2019
|
|
City of Victoria: Member since 1962
|
|
|
|
Sold out!
Contact us at 250-383-7191 or
email us to be placed on the waitlist.
Sat, Nov. 2 | 6-10:30 pm
Fairmont Empress, 721 Government St
.
|
|
Greater Victoria celebrates Halloween
|
Tomorrow night, kids will fill the sidewalks on the hunt for sugary treats.
Greater Victoria is known as one of the most haunted places in Canada, and this spooky season is the perfect time to experience something new — if you dare!
Visit a local
pub
or nightclub to show off your great costume skills, or have a Halloween meal at a
great restaurant
before handing out handfuls of candy to trick-or-treaters.
Whatever you may be up too this Halloween, The Chamber hopes you have a fun (and frightening) time!
|
|
|
|
Let's spread kindness throughout Greater Victoria! Watch for Kindness Cards at retailers and other locations around the community!
Be sure to take a photo of your kind act and
email it
or share it on social media tagging us and adding
#RAKdayYYJ
for a chance to win one of two $500 prizes for a registered charity of your choice! For more information, visit
victoriafoundation.ca
|
|
The
Business of the Year (40 plus Employees)
award recognizes a business that:
- demonstrates continual business excellence through positive business growth
- demonstrates a commitment to the community
- exemplifies superior customer service
- and embraces an outstanding commitment to quality.
|
|
Need inspiration? Check out the videos of our
Business of the Year finalists from 2019.
|
|
RBCM hosts Polar Express Pajama Fundraiser
The Royal BC Museum is the place to be as 300 kids descend on the IMAX Theatre for the annual
Polar Express/Pajama Party on Dec. 8.
All funds raised will go towards covering the cost of admission and our school breakfast programs, to help feed our community’s children.
|
Royal BC Museum: member since 1994
|
IMAX Victoria: Member since 1998
|
|
BC Ferries serving bevvies
You can now enjoy a glass of beer or wine with your meal the next time you travel between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen.
BC Ferries recently implemented alcohol
sales on select sailings between Victoria and Vancouver, available in the Pacific Buffet. During this one-year trial, alcohol is sold only during the first hour of the voyage, and there is a limit of one
serving of alcohol per customer.
B.C. Ferries expects that alcohol sales could mean a $500,000 boost to its bottom line.
|
BC Ferries: member since 1983
|
Talentcor rebrands as Agilus
Earlier last week, The Chamber member
Agilus (formerly known as Talentcor) underwent a successful rebranding campaign.
As the largest Canadian owned staffing organization, Agilus is founded based on the desire to offer an ethical, transparent, and effective recruitment solution
.
|
Aligus (formerly Talentcor): member since 1997
|
|
|
Need to get one of our snazzy Chamber name tags?
|
|
|
|
|
|
250-383-7191
victoriachamber.ca
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
