The end of Flower Count is a good sign that patio season is right around the corner. Last week, the hard work of business and industry associations was rewarded when the provincial government announced it was giving businesses more time to make outdoor seating permanent. The deadline has been extended to Dec. 31, 2024.

During the early days of the pandemic, many restaurants, pubs, bars and breweries found innovative solutions to create safe spaces for customers. These outdoor areas were well received by the public and helped economic activity thrive. To support the efforts of business, the province provided temporary expanded service area (TESA) authorizations to thousands of liquor-licensed businesses.

“Many licensees have not applied to make their TESA permanent due to the stress and pressure as a result of the effects of the pandemic and the unprecedented labour shortage," BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association president and CEO Ian Tostenson said. "We would like to thank government for being conscious of this and providing the much-needed extension.”

Meanwhile, the CIty of Victoria will have to decide tomorrow, March 16, how it will proceed with its new Patio Regulation Bylaw. The bylaw updates the emergency measures implemented during the pandemic to provide more municipal oversight. City staff have been engaging with businesses and neighbourhood groups to develop its rules before the provincial TESA program was originally supposed to end. Now that an extension has been granted, the City should have more time to ensure its changes are workable for businesses.

The Provincial Budget for 2023 was only recently announced but consultation for the 2024 is already underway. The Chamber has asked to meet in-person with the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, as we do every year.
 
Public hearings are anticipated to take place in late May and June. Chamber members with questions or comments on next year's budget are encouraged to share with our team at communications@victoriachamber.ca.

Seeing tiny buds turn to bright blossoms is a sure sign of spring. Another, at least in Greater Victoria, is the growing buzz around the region's real estate. Sales in February were up 65.5% from the month before — though still down from February 2022.
 
"The market is seeing some positive growth as we move into springtime, which is traditionally the busiest market for home sales," Victoria Real Estate Board Chair Graden Sol said in a media release. "Inventory levels are starting to increase, a welcome trend when compared to the record lows of last year. We're also seeing a stabilization at some price points and properties that are priced in accordance with current market conditions are selling at a good pace."
 
There were 1,809 active MLS listings for sale in Greater Victoria at the end of February. That's up from 849 for the same period in 2022. The benchmark value of a single family home was $1.25 million in February, down from $1.32 million in February 2022. Benchmark value for a condo dropped from $580,900 to $568,200.

As expected, the Bank of Canada held off on changing its target interest rate. The move signals that efforts to curb inflation are working. The forecast is for inflation to keep falling and reach 3% by summer. Statistics Canada will provided its next update on the Consumer Price Index on March 21.

Yesterday, the 2023 budget was released with a focus on addressing many of the symptoms of unaffordability affecting British Columbians. However, there was a lack of new investment aimed at improving the province’s business climate.
 
The Chamber is traditionally the first business association to host the finance minister after the unveiling of the province's annual budget and BC Finance Minister Katrine Conroy addressed more than 100 business and community leaders today at the Hotel Grand Pacific.
 
Among the highlights of BC Budget 2023 are $1 billion in new money for mental health and addiction services, new funding to improve food security and the $480 million Future Ready Plan, which will help employees gain the skills needed by employers.
 
The province is forecasting deficits for the next three years but has chosen to increase spending this year.

Minister Conroy said global inflation and the lingering effects of the pandemic are contributing to systemic challenges that make life less affordable for British Columbians.
 
In the next 30 days, the $3.6 billion surplus left over from last year needs to be spent and will be used for a number of projects currently in the works. Details of that spending will be made available in the coming weeks.
 
“The Chamber has heard from our members that they need help finding and keeping workers, and they want more done to ensure safe communities for all,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said, noting there are also annual increases to the Carbon Tax, which will add to the cost of doing business. “This budget will help by addressing symptoms of unaffordability through the renter’s tax credit, school food programs and a significant increase to healthcare funding. It’s a start but we would have liked to see BC Budget 2023 give a higher profile to the role business plays in improving the quality of life for all British Columbians. Businesses are the ones who make the investments needed to build resilience and create real solutions to affordability.”

A $204.8-million contract has been awarded for a major project that will see the Royal BC Museum build an important new facility in the City of Colwood.
 
Construction is expected to begin this summer on the museum's Collections and Research Building as part of a long-term plan to protect the Province’s collections, including more than seven million artifacts and the BC Archives. Total capital project costs for the building are valued at more than $270 million. The project is being undertaken in consultation with the Songhees Nation and Esquimalt Nation.
 
The state-of-the-art facility will be 163,611 square feet and use mass timber construction to safely house the Province’s collections, BC Archives and research departments. There will also be dedicated research labs and learning spaces.
 
“Alongside the safe and modern storage of the collections and provincial records, the (Collections and Research Building) will be a dynamic and welcoming community space,” RBCM CEO said Alicia Dubois said. “We hope to inspire future paleontologists, entomologists, botanists and historians through greater learning opportunities by enhancing public access to our work.”
 
The new building will provide a secure location for a number of items that had been at risk, such as: archival books and manuscripts; rare and priceless artworks, including watercolours from the 1700s; several paintings by Emily Carr; and early provincial maps.

The Chamber takes its role as the voice of business seriously. When our members ask us to speak up on their behalf, we listen.
 
The power of that unified voice was on display last week as Chamber CEO Bruce Williams collaborated with the Downtown Victoria Business Association, Destination Greater Victoria, the Hotel Association of Greater Victoria and the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association to call on the province to keep government jobs in Greater Victoria.
 
A letter sent to the Deputy Minister to the Premier, Shannon Salter, expressed the concerns of Greater Victoria's business community about a directive taking effect April 1. The BC Public Service, like almost every employer, is struggling to find and keep staff. A proposal to hire workers who would report to offices in other BC communities and connect with co-workers virtually was being touted as a modern solution.
 
The Chamber celebrates change — specifically those "pivot pilots" who quickly found new ways of serving customers and showed the way forward during the pandemic. However, we also can't stand by and watch good jobs be removed from regional economy — particularly our regional downtown that drives a significant share of that economy.
 
Public sector workers are protected from recessionary pressures that face most private sector workers. Having that as a foundation is one of the keys to allowing a relatively small city like Victoria develop an internationally envied tourist economy and high tech sector.
 
"The Deputy Minister wrote back to us four days later to reassure Chamber members that government has heard our concerns," Williams said. "All we want is government to consider the impact of any directive on business before the harm is done."

It's Budget Season for all levels of government. After the province reveals BC Budget 2023 on Feb. 28, the federal government will announce its own budget at some point in the following weeks. Municipalities in BC don't have the same flexibility, with legislation requiring financial plans be adopted by March 31 and tax rate bylaws before May 15.
 
The Chamber is working to remind Greater Victoria municipalities that they need to support their community's businesses through fair taxation. We encourage Chamber members to get involved with their local government through however they can. In the City of Victoria, for example, Council is asking The Chamber for member feedback on a 6.96% increase to residential property taxes that's largely the result of inflation. While that's down from the almost 9% increase initially proposed in January, there might be more opportunities to find efficiencies.
 
Businesses that pay property taxes in Victoria are urged to voice their formal feedback by:

• Participating in a public meeting on Thursday, Feb, 23 at 6:30 pm at Victoria City Hall in person, by calling in or sending a written or video submission and tuning in to the live webcast.
• Completing a short online survey by 11:59 pm, Sunday, March 5.
• Emailing engage@victoria.ca with “City Budget” in the subject line by 11:59 pm on Sunday, March 5.

 
If you have questions or concerns about municipalities outside Victoria, please let us know by emailing communications@victoriachamber.ca. And watch for more coverage on The Chamber's budget advocacy on social media and in upcoming editions of BizNews.

The planned RapidBus route between the West Shore and downtown Victoria will be a game changer for commuters when it launches April 10.
 
The service will run every 15 minutes, making the ride more convenient. That's key for convincing people to leave their cars at home. Buses will run between 7am and 10pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 10pm on Sundays. There will be additional buses during peak times on weekdays to improve customer experience, BC Transit said.
 
"Smart regional transportation is important for businesses that depend on staff being able to get to the workplace," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "Taking the bus instead of a car is much better environmentally, especially with BC Transit's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its fleet."

The tradition of a throne speech is a chance to embrace the pomp and ceremony of our form of government as well a chance to hear about the priorities are for legislators as they get back to work.

The speech, delivered by Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin, promised help for British Columbians struggling with higher costs as well as plans to increase housing supply, improve health care and make communities safer.

"I was at the speech and it was good to hear directly from our elected officials about how their priorities align with chamber members," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "We'll keep working to make sure the voice of business is heard, and I'm looking forward to seeing the provincial budget when it comes out on Feb. 28."

A few of the throne speech highlights included:

• increasing homes and services near transit hubs
• investing in new hospitals, a new medical school, better cancer care, substance treatment and recovery services
• getting violent offenders off the streets
• expanding low-cost clean-energy solutions.

The Chamber's top advocacy priority for at least the last five years has focused on helping employers find and keep workers. It's a complex problem that affects many layers of our economy. Housing, child care and affordability are key and real progress is being made to find solutions.

However, everyone who cares about our region's long-term prosperity should be concerned about a proposal that could upend a cornerstone of Greater Victoria's economy. The province is being pitched a plan that could mean fewer public sector workers downtown, and potentially see jobs shipped out of our region.

“The fact that people living anywhere in B.C. can apply for these jobs means that yes they can stay home and work that would create some prosperity in other places but it doesn’t help the circumstance here when the economy has largely been framed around government workers working downtown in office buildings,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams told CHEK News.

The Chamber is urging the province to consider the full implications the proposal would have on the stability of BC's capital city. Speaking to the Times Colonist, Williams said "there is a long-standing synergy" between many family-supporting businesses that have been built to service government workers.
“The public sector is a ­cornerstone of our economy and communities depend on that ­stability,” Williams said in in the article.

The Chamber is listening to our members about how their business could be impacted by this plan, which contrasts with federal government efforts to increase productivity in its workforce by having employees back in office more often.

Share your thoughts with The Chamber at communications@victoriachamber.ca.

Canada's economy continued to grow in November, although at an almost negligible rate of 0.1%, according to the latest report from Statistics Canada.
 
Many economists are calling for a brief recession this year as higher borrowing costs are starting to impact consumer spending and business investment. The Bank of Canada said that it expects inflation, currently about 6.3%, to return to its target rate of 2% later in 2023. That will enable the bank to lower interest rates and stimulate the economy with less risk of overheating.
 
"Greater Victoria has traditionally fared better than many regions during recessions due to our large public sector." said Chamber CEO Bruce Williams, who also spoke to CHEK News about the need to consider broad implications before making quick decisions on future of public sector work. "Those workers are very important customers to many local businesses. They've created a synergy over many decades that can't take be taken granted. We need decision makers in government to understand how important it is to keep workers in Greater Victoria for the stability of BC's capital city."

Cruise ship season is tentatively set to begin April 11 with the arrival of 2,600 passengers aboard the Sapphire Princess. The year is shaping up well as the industry appears to have fully bounced back after the pandemic.
 
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority anticipates 330 ship calls at the Victoria Cruise Terminal between April and October, with about 850,000 cruise passengers getting a taste of our destination. According to a survey, 53% of people who stopped in Victoria aboard a cruise ship said they would be back for another visit within five years.
 
“GVHA is focused on sustainable growth that benefits the region. We understand that, along with many economic benefits to the community, cruise also presents some challenges. We want to make sure we address those challenges,” GVHA CEO Ian Robertson said in a news release. “Shore power is top priority, and we continue to work with the federal government to get that funding piece in place. It’s a modest investment to realize huge potential and impact, and time to finalize the funding and move this ahead.”

Greater Victoria municipalities are currently sorting through their wish-lists of wants and "nice-to-haves" ahead of approving a final budget in the spring.
 
The Chamber is working to remind local governments in our region that it's never a sensible plan to burden businesses by unfairly raising taxes.
 
"I speak with mayors around the region quite regularly, and they all understand the importance of supporting sustainable business growth," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "However, there are always competing pressures to spend limited tax-dollars so it's important we use our voice to talk about the fundamental role that healthy businesses play in creating vital jobs and providing services that make our communities great places to live, work and play."
 
Municipalities have until May 15 to adopt their annual tax rate bylaws.
 
Share your thoughts on budget priorities for your local government by emailing communications@victoriachamber.ca.

Before the pandemic, The Chamber was a leading voice calling for changes to the province's Employer Health Tax. A lot has happened since then, but the EHT remains a concern for businesses throughout BC.
 
And while The Chamber is a non-partisan organization, we welcome the announcement Jan. 25 by the BC Green Party proposing an increase to the EHT exemption threshold. The change would benefit businesses with payrolls between $500,000 and $1.5 million. It would also remove the disincentive for businesses that are growing or paying employers more and face being burdened by the EHT if they surpass $500,000.
 
It's an idea that the chamber network has supported in the past, and one that deserves to be back in the conversation in 2023.

A plan for the Bateman Foundation Gallery and the Maritime Museum of BC to swap spaces makes sense for both organizations. The idea is for the Bateman Gallery to set up a temporary exhibition space at 744 Douglas St., where the Maritime Museum currently resides.
 
The board chair of the Bateman Foundation, David Schneider, said the move will allow their organization to "re-imagine how we can connect people to nature through the power of art in a community-focused interactive space.
 
It would also achieve a major goal of the Maritime Museum, which has had its eye on setting up in the CPR Steamship building.
 
“We do want to get a toehold in the building,” Maritime Museum chair Jamie Webb told the Times Colonist. Webb added that he's hopeful BC's Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, which manages the Steamship Building, will agree to the plan and provide a "favourable lease" that lets the museum establish itself in the new location. Webb received good news yesterday when the estate of Cora Shaw donated $1 million to help secure the museum's long-term viability.

Inflation makes the cost of doing business more expensive and inhibits investment, which is why the recent data from Statistics Canada is welcome news.

The Consumer Price Index rose 6.3% year over year in December, down from a 6.8% increase in November. Excluding food and energy, prices rose 5.3% on a yearly basis in December, compared to 5.4% in November.

Canadian Chamber Economist Mahmoud Khairy said the drop might not be enough to keep the Bank of Canada from one more increase to interest rates later this month. Khairy expects rates to rise by a quarter point, to 4.5%, and end the tightening cycle which began last March.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada released its latest Business Outlook Survey on Monday. It found that the rise in interest has dampened sales forecasts as customers have less spending money available after paying for necessities. The Bank also released its survey of Consumer Expectations on Monday, showing that many people still fear a recession despite stronger than expected job numbers.

The provincial government appears to be sharpening their scissors as they look to cut through red tape slowing new homes from being built in BC.

On Monday, Premier David Eby announced a "one-stop-shop" for provincial permitting to make it easier for more housing to be created. The Permitting Strategy for Housing co-ordinates housing-related permits across ministries. This eliminates the need for multiple applications to get permits for "riparian area approvals, water licences, transportation approvals, road rezonings, contaminated sites, and requirements for heritage inspection."

Having fewer bureaucrats shuffling paper on projects is a positive sign that the province is serious about adding urgency to promises to increase housing supply.

"From finding and keeping workers to helping people without homes and making sure Greater Victoria remains attractive for people looking to start their careers and raise families, the biggest challenge is the lack of accessible housing," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "We have had great conversations with local governments about adding to our region's housing supply. Speeding up the provincial process is a signal to municipalities that housing is critical, and they need to lead the way to get more homes built to meet demand."

The increase in assessed value of properties doesn't only apply to residential real estate. There is ongoing demand for industrial and commercial properties as well, reports the Times Colonist.
 
With industrial vacancy at a record low of 0.2%, the demand for working properties will continue to be strong, even as high interest rates make it more challenging to attract investment.

It's a tough time to be an economist. The jump in inflation experienced last year spurred the Bank of Canada to spike interest rates with the goal of cooling the economy and perhaps triggering a recession. However, Statistics Canada shows that 104,000 jobs were added in December — much higher than most experts had forecast.
 
In Greater Victoria, the numbers also offer a mixed message as the unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% in December. However, the region's available labour force was down from November while overall population increased.
 
Perhaps we'll have more clarity when the consumer price index for December is announced on Jan. 17. The Bank of Canada will make an announcement on its interest rate on Jan. 25.

The start of a new year is an opportunity to reflect back and look ahead. Chamber CEO Bruce Williams has been speaking to media about some of the experiences, challenges and opportunities facing business right now.
 
For example, the winter weather that blitzed Greater Victoria right before the holidays caused havoc for travellers but shoppers still found a way to get their gift buying done in time. Retailers reported a better than expected experience at their cash registers, though part of that seems to be an ongoing shift in consumer habits.
 
“They’re spending a little bit more but buying less. In other words, going for quality over quantity,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams told CHEK News.
 
As well, news that Canada set a record for immigration numbers was welcomed by businesses that continue to face challenges finding and keeping workers.
 
Black Press highlighted The Chamber's efforts to encourage more new Canadians to settle in Greater Victoria, as well as faster approvals for skilled workers.
 
“They bring their skills but another really important element is they bring their culture,” Williams told the Victoria News. “The more opportunities we have to learn more about other cultures, the better we are.”
 
Doctors, tradespeople and hospitality workers are needed and our economy will immediately benefit from approving people with internationally obtained skills to work in their areas of expertise.
 
“The lack of recognition of those credentials is kind of counterproductive to bringing someone here (because of) those credentials if they can’t work,” Williams said.

How can business help solve complex challenges regarding addiction and toxic drugs in our communities? The opioid crisis has caused immeasurable distress in many people's lives, affecting families, colleagues and others close to us at an unprecedented scale.
 
Island Health hopes that innovation, which the private sector is renowned for, can make a difference. The health authority is is seeking Expressions of Interest from not-for-profit organizations, local governments, Indigenous Nations and local businesses. A $1 million fund has been set up to provide grants of up to $50,000 for projects and initiatives that:

• Improve workplace resilience and individual safety related to toxic drugs
• Improve youth resilience.

 
Details on the grants, including how to apply are available at: New Resilience and Safety Grants - Island Health

Finding and keeping workers has been an ongoing challenge facing every sector and almost all employers in Greater Victoria and across the country. We need a larger workforce to enable organizations to reach their economic potential. One of the key solutions is to welcome more new Canadians to our region. Last year, Canada set a record for immigration as 431,645 people became new permanent residents — the most since 1913. The target for 2023 is 465,000.
 
Canada's labour force growth is almost 100% dependent on immigration. The Chamber has been working with community partners and our national network to advocate for immigration that prioritizes workers with skills needed by employers. We're also working to ensure Greater Victoria receives its fair share of immigration, which typically gravitates to Canada's larger cities.

Could this be the end of interest rate increases? The Bank of Canada increased its rate today to 4¼%, but softened the language it uses around future increases.
 
A statement from the bank said the bottlenecks that had been affecting global supply chains are loosening.
 
The Consumer Price Index was at 6.9% in October, though core inflation was 5% — much closer to the bank's target of 2%.
 
"Three-month rates of change in core inflation have come down, an early indicator that price pressures may be losing momentum," the bank stated. "However, inflation is still too high. The longer consumers and businesses expect inflation to be above the target, the greater the risk that elevated inflation becomes entrenched."
 
Make sure to consult with your preferred financial and mortgage advisors —The Chamber's Member Directory is a great place to find experts who can help you make your business thrive.

Greater Victoria continues to have one of the tightest labour markets in Canada. The latest numbers from November show our unemployment rate is back to 3.5%, according to Statistics Canada. That's down from 4.3% in October and closer to where the region typically was before the pandemic.
 
"We know there is work in our region and that makes us attractive to ambitious people who want to move here and build their careers," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "Our regional economy benefits from having the stability of BC government jobs as well as CFB Esquimalt. However, we still need to address housing supply in Greater Victoria to make sure we can retain people who want to work here and contribute to our community."
 
There is some good news on that front as new construction jobs appear to be driving the lower rate. There were 18,400 people employed in construction this November compared to 13,500 in November 2021.