Wins and Challenges
Since 1863, The Chamber has served as the official voice of Greater Victoria’s business community. What that means is we listen to what our members tell us — their concerns, their questions and their vision.
We then determine what needs to happen to create a successful outcome, gather the right people to talk to the appropriate level of government and make sure decision makers have the information they need to make the right choices. But our work doesn’t end there. We follow the process through to completion and make sure the interests of our business community are always top of mind. Wins for Business: Child Care The issues facing Greater Victoria’s workforce are interrelated and require a holistic approach if we are to fix the problem. The vocal efforts of The Chamber are starting to pay off, as the provincial and federal governments continue to make substantial investments in child care and in getting parents back in the workforce. “Parents delayed from entering or returning to the workforce impact our economy’s productivity,” BC's former Finance Minister Carole James said in her 2018 Budget Speech. James credited the advocacy done by Chambers of Commerce for helping make the case that child care is a vital economic issue. “(It will) expand the pool of workers available to employers, and also create jobs and provide a lift to BC’s economy.” The Chamber continues to be a vocal advocate for employers in Greater Victoria facing challenges finding and keeping workers due to our region’s high cost of living. |
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Wins for Business: Housing
The Chamber takes a similar approach to Greater Victoria's housing shortage. We’ve worked to change the conversation around “affordable housing” to more specific language.
The term affordable housing has been a catchall for homelessness, non-market housing, workforce housing and real estate development. As a Chamber, we speak to each of these and advocate for specific solutions.
- Homelessness is an ongoing crisis affecting our ability to maintain a safe community. Solutions include housing that is connected to mental health services. Individuals in different stages of homelessness have different needs for support to transition from camping outside to being sheltered to living in subsidized housing with access to services that enable them to integrate into the community and workforce.
- Non-market housing is a solution that has been successful in other jurisdictions, notably Vienna. In Greater Victoria, a number of new developments contain a mix of market and non-market units. The concept works because non-market units make living in the city affordable for families and individuals, who vital to our community but who tend to be priced out of Greater Victoria’s international real estate market.
- Workforce housing is about creating options for workers who need housing that fits with their income. Solutions include allowing basement suites, carriage homes and freeing up apartments by building more dorm rooms on campus at our universities.
- Real estate development. Greater Victoria needs more housing supply. Reducing red tape and speeding up permitting and inspections helps. Land is at a premium in our region, and real estate continues to be an attractive investment for buyers from across Canada and around the world. Tied to this is the need for better transportation planning so new homes built outside the city are within a convenient distance for commuters.
Wins for Business: Transportation
The Chamber has also identified a growing concern over workforce transportation in Greater Victoria. We continue to call for a regional approach to transit, and a proactive plan for parking in the downtown core.
Wins for Business: Effective Local Governance
The Chamber serves as a watchdog for the best interests of our regional economy and we have long supported better integration between municipalities. While amalgamating 13 municipalities has proven a Sisyphean task, we believe a better, realistic outcome is the merger of Greater Victoria’s two largest municipalities.
The Chamber applauds Saanich and Victoria for starting down the road to a single city, and we are working to ensure this process includes a Citizens’ Assembly. It’s vital that the decision be taken out of the hands of elected officials or bureaucrats who have a vested interest in keeping the status quo.
We believe this is the best possible first step to improving the delivery of local government services in our region.
Wins for Business: Fair Regulations
in 2017, The Chamber added its voice to a national outcry over proposed changes to the federal small business taxes. The advocacy worked, successfully sending the plan back to the drawing board.
We are concerned when we see municipalities set the tax rate for business many times higher than for residents. We continue to speak out about the need for balance in municipal tax ratios charged for commercial and residential properties.
Wins for Business: Climate Change Solutions
Another advocacy priority that requires a long-range approach is our work to slow climate change. We support innovative approaches by businesses that lead by example.
Wins for Business: The Chamber in your corner
The Chamber will continue to listen and speak as a unified voice for business in Greater Victoria. Knowing our priorities will keep us focused on practical solutions that deliver real results.
The Chamber has also identified a growing concern over workforce transportation in Greater Victoria. We continue to call for a regional approach to transit, and a proactive plan for parking in the downtown core.
Wins for Business: Effective Local Governance
The Chamber serves as a watchdog for the best interests of our regional economy and we have long supported better integration between municipalities. While amalgamating 13 municipalities has proven a Sisyphean task, we believe a better, realistic outcome is the merger of Greater Victoria’s two largest municipalities.
The Chamber applauds Saanich and Victoria for starting down the road to a single city, and we are working to ensure this process includes a Citizens’ Assembly. It’s vital that the decision be taken out of the hands of elected officials or bureaucrats who have a vested interest in keeping the status quo.
We believe this is the best possible first step to improving the delivery of local government services in our region.
Wins for Business: Fair Regulations
in 2017, The Chamber added its voice to a national outcry over proposed changes to the federal small business taxes. The advocacy worked, successfully sending the plan back to the drawing board.
We are concerned when we see municipalities set the tax rate for business many times higher than for residents. We continue to speak out about the need for balance in municipal tax ratios charged for commercial and residential properties.
Wins for Business: Climate Change Solutions
Another advocacy priority that requires a long-range approach is our work to slow climate change. We support innovative approaches by businesses that lead by example.
Wins for Business: The Chamber in your corner
The Chamber will continue to listen and speak as a unified voice for business in Greater Victoria. Knowing our priorities will keep us focused on practical solutions that deliver real results.
