Chamber staff took part in the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting this week, helping adopt a number of policy resolutions that address important issues for our members.
 
"By joining with our Chamber network, we can amplify our calls for government to better serve Canadians by focusing on helping the business community," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says. "Greater Victoria shares many of the concerns of other regions in Canada, such as ensuring indigenous communities are included in conversations about local economies and advocating for investment in marine industries in Canada."
 
The Chamber also heard from a panel of experts on what to expect after next Tuesday's elections in the US.
 
“I just hope that everybody doesn’t retreat into their corner of the sandbox and play by themselves because this will cause both health risks and economic collapse,” said panelist David MacNaughton, Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. from 2016 to 2019.

Chamber CEO Bruce Williams spreads the word about the importance of shopping locally — especially during Small Business Month. Williams joined City of Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and Downtown Victoria Business Association executive director Jeff Bray on Government Street for a media event yesterday.
 
"It's never been more important for us to support each other, and The Chamber celebrates the many businesses that are working so hard to get through this time together," Williams says. "By sharing the story of Small Business Month, we want to encourage everyone in our region to pitch in and support local businesses."

Are you ready to rumble? You should be! Tomorrow at 10:15 am is the Great British Columbia Shake Out, and a number of organizations across Greater Victoria are helping raise awareness about earthquake preparation.
 
To learn more about what steps you can take to make your workplace, classroom and home safer, go to shakeoutbc.ca.

Election Panels a chance to hear from local candidates

The Chamber is proud to bring you a series of Election Panels featuring candidates running for the three major parties in five of Greater Victoria's electoral districts.
 
On Tuesday, Chamber CEO Bruce Williams moderated a panel for Victoria-Beacon Hill.
 
Earlier today, we featured Oak Bay-Gordon Head. Tomorrow, we host candidates in Saanich South. On Friday, it's Esquimalt-Metchosin and, next Tuesday, we have candidates from Victoria-Swan Lake.
 
"We're asking questions that reflect regional concerns, such as child care and transportation, as well as topics that are more specific to each electoral district," says Williams, who spoke to CFAX yesterday about The Chamber's efforts to host the 2020 Election Panels.

The City of Colwood is enjoying time in the spotlight as the West Shore municipality undergoes an impressive uptick in popularity. So much more than a source of commuters, Colwood is becoming a hub for new jobs being created in the region.
 
Recently announced projects include a new home for the Royal BC Museum's archives, collections and research as well as a $26 million complex for Seaspan Victoria Shipyards. There's also a massive mixed-use development in the works from Omicron.
 
“Colwood is at a really pivotal time right now where we’re shifting from a bedroom community to something very dynamic and I think dynamic is good,” Colwood Mayor Rob Martin told the Times Colonist.

City of Colwood: Member since 2020

Omicron Canada Inc: Member since 2015

Seaspan Victoria Shipyards: Member since 2002

Royal BC Museum: Member since 1994

From start-ups to local legends, The Chamber’s 2020 Greater Victoria Business Awards showcase hard-working entrepreneurs, business people and community leaders in 14 categories worth celebrating.

CHEK broadcast: 31,000 viewers
Facebook: 16,000 viewers
YouTube: 665 viewers

Winners were chosen by an independent panel of prominent business leaders who served as judges. This marks the first year the event has been held as a televised broadcast.

Missed the livestream? Watch the 2020 Business Awards on YouTube or Facebook.