Tomorrow, Oct 12 from 5-7 pm join Prodigy Group for their October Mingle at HeartPress PR. Sign up now for your chance to network with emerging professionals who reside in the Greater Victoria area!
Board Election Results!   

The election results are in! Thank you to all the members that voted and ran in the 2018-2019 Board Election. The elected individuals will help shape The Chamber in the years to come.

Elected and Appointed for 2018-2019:
Ian Batey - IPB Consulting Services 
Christina Clarke - Songhees Nation
Lise Gyorkos - Page One Publishing Inc.  
Patricia Jelinski - United Way Greater Victoria
Rahim Khudabux - Max Furniture
Julia Livingston - The Bay Centre (2018 Prodigy Group Chair)
Kris Wirk - Dickson Dusanj & Wirk

Continuing:
Al Hasham, Dan Dagg, John Wilson, Mark Mawhinney, Carmen Charette, Mark Smith, Captain (Navy) Jason Boyd    
 
The Executive and Committee Chairs will be announced in Jan 2018.
 
We also would like to thank our outgoing board members Natasha Reger (The Reger Group ), Gary Kinar (Kinar Curry Lawyers), Shaun Cerisano (BC Children's Hospital Foundation and 2017 Prodigy Group Chair) and Frank Bourree (past chair of the board and Chemistry Consulting Group Inc). 
 
Chamber News
Events
Small Business Month
Auction Tickets
2018 Business Awards Info Session
Business Mixers
Prodigy Group Mingles
Event Photos

Get ready to raise your paddles! This black tie evening includes cocktails, dinner as well as a silent and live auction. Bid on hundreds of items including travel and entertainment packages, electronics, beauty and fitness services, jewellery, and much more.  

 
   
Fri, Nov 24 | 6-10 pm     
The Union Club of British Columbia
805 Gordon St.
 
  
 
Decision Pending: Plastic Bags
The City of Victoria is considering new regulations to reduce single-use checkout bags. Victoria residents alone take home approximately 17 million plastic bags each year. But what about the other municipalities?
 
The Chamber is advocating for a regional effort to manage plastic bags and a transition period of at least a year so retailers can adjust accordingly.
 
In July, The Chamber and the Retail Council of BC hosted a joint round-table for local businesses at The Bay Centre. Suggestions included other measures such as London Drug's "just ask" program which has resulted in a 65% reduction in plastic bag use, just from cashiers asking each customer if a bag was needed and their bag return service. Concerns were voiced about the potential impact of increased costs and lack of an ideal alternative for both businesses and consumers. 
 
The City is hosting an Open House and Town Hall on Wed, Oct 18 from 6:30-8:30 pm so local businesses can talk directly with city staff and council.   
 
 
City of Victoria: member since 1962
 
The Bay Centre: member since 1990
 


MEMBER SNAPSHOT: 
Shelley Morris
Chief Executive Officer, The Cridge Centre for the Family 
  
The Cridge Centre for the Family is a place where people find hope and direction when they're the most vulnerable and in need. We have 144 years helping people to be overcomers and to reach their fullest potential.

What is the best perk of your job? Looking out my window at children at play (that and the amazing food prepared by our chef and his team!). Best team-building moment or program you've ever experienced? Honestly, the way our team came together to pull off the Royal Visit last year on the very same morning that we were hosting our major annual fundraiser Ride for Refuge involving hundreds of people and 18 charities. How are you involved with The Chamber? The Chamber has often been a valuable source of education for us as we navigate our organization through an ever changing landscape. What was your first job? McDonalds. What is the best advice you've ever received? The further up the ladder you go the more your a** is exposed. Learn to live with it and not take it personally. What's something people don't know about you? I jumped out of an airplane.

More about Shelley - and additional Member Snapshots - can be found in the September Business Matters.


The Cridge Centre for the Family: member since 1995
Nigel Valley Revitalization
The Nigel Valley Project is earmarked to take centre stage in the revitalization of Saanich's up and coming urban core.

BC Ho using, Broadmead Care, Island Community Mental Health, Garth Homer Society and Greater Victoria Housing Society are all working together on the Nigel Valley Project to redevelop and expand their current aging residential buildings in the area. Many of the Nigel Valley buildings were built in the mid-1970s and require significant investment and repair.

The project will also integrate market rental housing, commercial ventures, greenspace, daycare, eateries and other urban amenities to make the Nigel Valley a go-to destination.
 

Garth Homer Society: member since 2000
Broadmead Care: member since 2017
Greater Victoria Housing Society: member since 2012



A Vibrant Working Harbour Economy    
Jobs For Today and Future Generations
 
Ralmax Group of Companies, owners of Point Hope Maritime, is proposing to construct a graving dock that would be largely contained within the existing footprint of the shipyard. Introducing a graving dock means that the shipyard can accommodate and work on larger vessels up to 560 feet/170 metres. Operating at capacity for the majority of the year, Point Hope is ready to invest in new infrastructure that will create more than 200 additional union jobs with wages that sustain families today and into the future.  
 
Point Hope hosted an Industry Tour for Chamber members this past Sept and is now opening their doors to the public this Sun, Oct 15. 
 
Click here to see photos from The Chamber's Tour
Point Hope Maritime Open House 
Sun, Oct 15 | Noon to 3:00 pm
Entrance to the shipyard across from 360 Harbour Rd.
Limited parking available at Dockside Green . Please wear appropriate footwear. No heels and no sandals.

The Chamber is also profiling Ralmax Group owner, Ian Maxwell and Point Hope Maritime in the upcoming November issue of Business Matters. Watch for its announcement in Biznews!
 
 Ralmax Group of Companies: member since 2011 
Winner! Best Irish Pub in North America
Irish Times Pub had the luck of the Irish on their side when they won the Best Irish Pub in North America award at the  2017 Irish Pubs Global Awards in Dublin, Ireland.

The award is given to the Irish Pub that epitomises the very essence of what makes an Irish Pub the best in its class, including authenticity, atmosphere, food and beverage offering, design and customer service.

We definitely think you fit the bill, Irish Times. Congrats!


Irish Times Pub: member since 2003


TP the Town is Back!
On Sat, Oct 14 - for the 3rd year in a
 
Find out more by watching the video!
row - the Prodigy Group is organizing TP the Town Victoria. This unique
charitable event, organized by the Prodigy Group, aims to collect thousands of rolls of toilet paper for families in need. The collected rolls are donated to the Mustard Seed, which  ensures they are distributed throughout the year to people in need.   
 
"TP the Town is very special to me, it's an event that gives people dignity and brings the community together," says Shaun Cerisano, Chair, the Prodigy Group and Co-Founder, TP the Town.  
 
Since its inception, the Prodigy Group has raised 65,000 rolls of toilet paper and are hoping to add to that total this Sat. You can still sign-up to be a volunteer and check out these drop-off locations where you can buy discounted toilet paper.  


The Mustard Seed: member since 1999
Nominate Now for The Chamber's 2018 Greater Victoria Business Awards
Each week The Chamber will be profiling a different award category, encouraging members to nominate a deserving Chamber member for our 2018 Business Awards.

Business of the Year (11-39 Employees) honours 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.
Know a business that deserves this award? Nominate them today!

Need some inspiration? Check out the videos of the 2017 Business of the Year finalists below. Thanks to CHEK News for sponsoring this award last year.

Winner: Orca Spirit Adventures
Finalist: Proline Management Ltd.

Members Around Town
Hillside Shopping Centre won gold for their "What's on Your Bucket List" in the Sales and Promotion category at the Canadian Shopping Centre Awards. The opportunity to win a dream vacation or $10,000 cash prize, generated 38,750 contest entries. The 13-week campaign boosted foot traffic by 5%, centre sales by 6% and database subscribers by 375%.

Hillside Shopping Center: member since 1970

Bosa Development, which bought the Empress Hotel three years ago, has bought Dockside Green in Vic West from Vancity Credit Union. It plans to build out Dockside Green's current master-plan which was approved by city hall earlier this year.

The Empress Hotel: member since 1962

Dockside Green: member since 2007

Vancity Credit Union: member since 1989
Welcome to Our Newest Members! 

Chamber Name Tags
Need to get one of the snazzy new Chamber Name tags? Email Reception to order yours today.

250-383-7191  

victoriachamber.ca
chamber@victoriachamber.ca
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