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Capital Bike is hoping to inspire more people to choose bikes to get where they need to go. Go By Bike Week runs May 30 to June 5, and anyone can participate as individuals or by registering as a team. The week-long event, previously known as Bike to Work Week, is a great chance for co-workers to boost their mental and physical health in a collaborative and fun way. Capital Bike is planning Celebration Stations along popular bike routes with more than $20,000 in prizes available.
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 Chamber CEO Bruce Williams, left, with BC Ferries President and CEO Mark Collins, Seaspan Victoria Shipyards VP and GM Tony Winter and Chamber Chair and President and CEO of the Wilson's Group of Companies John Wilson. The Chamber hosted BC Ferries President and CEO Mark Collins last week, with more than 60 business leaders at the Coast Victoria Hotel & Marina by APA.
“We had a highly engaged audience who learned about ongoing efforts to electrify the ferry fleet and reduce greenhouse gas and noise emissions," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said, adding that many employers in the room were also keenly interested in BC Ferries work to find and keep workers. The recent addition of 500 new employees helped the corporation add more than 100 extra sailings for the Victoria Day Weekend. City of Colwood Mayor Rob Martin, who attended the meeting, stood up to eloquently ask everyone in the room to call on the province to fund a formal study of a commuter ferry between Royal Bay and downtown Victoria. The concept is supported by BC Ferries and The Chamber, and now requires political will to become a reality. “The Chamber has a long history of working with BC Ferries to connect this vital Island link with leaders in Greater Victoria’s business community and it was great to hold another successful in person meeting,” Williams said of the May 12 Business Leaders Luncheon, sponsored by Seaspan Victoria Shipyards.  Innovation led by business is key to tackling climate change and The Chamber is committed to working with all levels of government to help them understand how the private sector is providing real solutions to meet public demand. The City of Victoria has designated staff to work on ensuring food service businesses are using the most sustainable materials available.
City staff have developed a Draft PDF of a Sustainable Takeout Guide that they hope will help businesses. Staff have also asked The Chamber for feedback on the city’s plan. The Chamber worked closely with the city on plastic bags regulations holding a roundtable of city staff and business owners to identify what was already working, what could be efficiently implemented and the tools needed to do so. As a result, the regulation was welcomed by most businesses and served as a model for municipalities across the region. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made several appearances in Greater Victoria on Monday, including a meeting with City of Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps to talk about housing affordability, climate change and the opioid crisis.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister was at Royal Roads University to speak about the federal government's effort to increase sales of electric vehicles and the number of charging stations. The PMO announced it wants 60% of all new vehicles sales to be electric by 2030, and 100% by 2035. To help British Columbians deal with high gas prices, ICBC announced last week it is providing drivers with a one-time $110 rebate ($160 for commercial drivers).
Rising fuel prices — caused by what Premier John Horgan called "Putin's illegal war in Ukraine" — have made life more expensive and led to calls for the province to reduce fuel taxes. And while consumers will welcome the rebate, there are concerns that the cash back from ICBC could increase demand for fuel. A better solution, some economists say, would be to focus relief on commercial vehicles facing higher costs — costs that will inevitably be added to the price of goods and services. The ICBC rebate will be directly deposited in customer's accounts or applied to their credit card, depending on how they pay for vehicle insurance. ICBC will not text or email information about the rebate and warns customers to be vigilant about fraud attempts. BC Minister of Finance Selina Robinson met with Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce members today to address your questions about the province's 2022 Budget, unveiled yesterday. Minister Robinson expects economic growth even as provincial debt increases. This year's $71 billion budget is forecast to have a deficit of $5.5 billion, followed by a $4.2 billion deficit in 2023/24. Robinson said the main reasons for the deficits are the anticipated costs of rebuilding damaged transportation infrastructure to withstand future climate events. Asked whether the province planned to ease the burdens of the EHT — which took $207 million more than anticipated from BC employers last year — or paid sick days, the minister defended the government's current policies. She also acknowledged concerns about linking the minimum wage to inflation and said she will work to make the change as smooth and predictable as possible for business. Budget Notes: Greater Victoria is getting two complex care facilities, though specific locations were not announced. The budget also includes $84 million over three years for planning and capital funding for upgrading the Belleville Terminal. The tourism sector has been allocated $25 million to help with recovery efforts, though a further $915 million was set aside for potential pandemic-related expenses, including health care costs or economic recovery funding. Greater Victoria is also in line for numerous “bus and shoulder” expansions to improve regional transit, and money has been earmarked for the transit hub at Uptown in Saanich. “The Chamber has long advocated for child care as an investment in our economy, and we applaud the province’s commitment to adding 40,000 new spaces within seven years. We also are encouraged by some of the steps to address our lack of housing supply,” Williams said.  A survey of Greater Victoria businesses will gather data to help better understand challenges facing the region's economy in 2022. The survey, launched by the South Island Prosperity Partnership, is open until Feb. 11 and takes less than 10 minutes to fill out. Questions range from what your experiences have been with supply-chain disruptions to various affordability concerns, including housing supply.
The results of the survey will be used by industry and business associations, including The Chamber, to help our advocacy efforts with government. An area near the heart of Greater Victoria is changing quickly as our region grows. To help guide development, the District of Saanich has unveiled its Uptown-Douglas Plan for the next 20 to 30 years. “It really is an ambitious plan and future envisioning that addresses climate change, affordability and the quality of life,” Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes told CHEK News. Some of the highlights of the plan include creating a central district and transportation hub for a fast-growing population that will be less reliant on cars. The area is currently the crossroads for a number of major routes in the region. The plan goes to Public Hearing Feb. 15. More housing, especially housing that is affordable for working individuals and families, is vital for our regional economy to reach its potential.  Applications open Jan. 26 for the third intake of the CleanBC Communities Fund, which has $134 million in federal and provincial money for initiatives that address climate change.
Projects are eligible for funding if they manage renewable energy, improve access to clean-energy transportation, improve energy efficiency of buildings or generate clean energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Businesses, non-profits, municipalities and Indigenous communities can apply. To date, more than $240 million has been invested in local projects that increase clean energy and energy efficiency in buildings, transportation and other community-owned infrastructure. As we head into the heart of the holiday season, the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has put together a wish list for a few of the things we want in 2022:
"Good business builds great community, and we look forward to helping our members connect and grow in 2022," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says. "We'll continue working on our advocacy efforts to ensure business can get the investments they need to continue leading the way on sustainability, inclusion and resilience." Let us know what your wish is for the business community in 2022, and how we can help you achieve success in the year ahead. Email communications@victoriachamber.ca Areas of Greater Victoria are experiencing their wettest fall on record, with the Gonzales weather station reporting almost 300 times the rainfall of a typical year.
The parade of storms caused substantial damage to infrastructure in BC. And while the current forecast suggests the worst is over, the coming winter is expected to be wetter and colder than most years. Meteorologists at the Weather Network have released their winter forecast and say we can expect "tumultuous temperature patterns." The prediction is based on a La Niña weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean that will bring frigid weather that could extend ski season well into March. "This will bring an abundance of snow to the alpine regions, and, at times, we expect significant snowfall across lower elevations, including Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, Victoria and the Okanagan Valley," the network's report says. As November's heavy rains continue to cause disruptions on BC highways, a group of Island transportation advocates are renewing calls to bring back rail service as an alternative route over the Malahat.
Highway 1 was closed after the Nov. 15 atmospheric river brought record rainfall that caused mudslides on the Malahat. The highway closure contributed to supply shortages in Greater Victoria. The recent South Island Transportation Study found that bringing back rail service would be too expensive, but their numbers are contested by the Island Corridor Foundation. The Chamber has long advocated for better transportation planning in Greater Victoria. If a rail service is feasible, it's worth investing in the Island's infrastructure so we can avoid future disruptions to the supply chain. The province has extended fuel rationing requirements for non-essential vehicles until Dec. 14. The limit does not apply to essential vehicles, which include commercial transport trucks, home care workers and refrigerated trucks.
Rationing is required due to the shutdown of the Trans Mountain pipeline because of intense flooding in southern BC. The pipeline, which supplies most of the fuel used on Vancouver Island, is expected to be restarted later this week. The City of Langford has adopted a policy to help reduce the carbon footprint of new construction in the municipality. The low-carbon concrete policy takes affect June 1, 2022 and will require all city-owned or solicited projects to use concrete produced with carbon dioxide mineralization technologies. The policy also applies to private projects greater than 50 cubic meters.
The Chamber applauds this innovation led by business as real solution for climate challenges affecting us locally and globally. Harbour Air is showing how innovation led by business is critical to making changes needed due to the climate crisis. Clean BC's Go Electric ARC program is investing $1.5 million to help Harbour Air convert to fully electric aircraft.
“This funding is imperative to help us do that and show other companies across all sectors how investing in innovation can result in commercial success,” Harbour Air president Randy Wright told the Times Colonist. Harbour Air made history in December 2019 when its fully electric aircraft flew for the first time, ushering in the Electric Age of Aviation. The project is now working on improving engine design and battery systems, and will support 21 full-time jobs. The movement away from single-use plastics is being addressed by new initiatives announced this week for BC and Victoria.
Following feedback from the public, the province is updating laws that allow for regulation and prohibition of packaging materials that are harmful to the environment. Businesses have led the way on sustainable packaging with innovative solutions that meet the demands of customers. The City of Victoria is also looking to cut waste disposal in the municipality in half by 2040. This week, the city announced a new engagement process to hear from businesses and residents. A survey for businesses has 13 questions to help inform its plan. Questions include:
The survey will be open until Nov. 22. The province announced its latest iteration of its efforts to reduce climate pollution. The focus of the plan is to shift away from fossil fuel use with initiatives such as increasing the number of public charging stations for electric vehicles.
The plan features eight pathways that will affect the cost of energy and increase regulation for some industries:
A program to get more people out of their cars and onto e-bikes is proving popular for the District of Saanich.
The Community E-bike Incentive Pilot Program launched Oct. 12. It's aim is to provide 300 people with between $1,600 and $350 toward the purchase of an e-bike. As expected, the $200,000 allocated for the program is being claimed quickly. After the funds run out, the municipality will review the program to see how it fits with future climate programs. Don't forget to pack your reusable bags when going shopping in the District of Saanich. The municipality's bylaw regulating single-use plastic bags came into effect Aug. 20. Saanich has created posters, till toppers and other printable resources for businesses to help with the transition.
The Chamber continues to work with Greater Victoria municipalities to ensure checkout bag bylaws align and support initiatives implemented by retailers in response to public demand. An 115,000 square-foot Amazon distribution centre will be built on Victoria Airport Authority lands. Construction on the centre will begin in September and is expected to be completed by fall of next year, according to a news release issued this morning. Amazon will use the facility as a "last mile" station to speed up delivery to customers.  The Chamber is part of a national network helping businesses build a more sustainable future. The Net-Zero Strategy includes innovations in supply chains and renewable energy as well as other actions.
"To ensure Canada’s pathway to net-zero is competitive, enhances investment, creates jobs for Canadians and promotes innovation, how we get there matters," states the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. "Investments that support business-led transitions, offset market development, and a predictable business environment are crucial to meeting these goals. Canada’s business community is eager to collaborate with government to develop the framework to enable the greatest economic opportunity for the next generation." The Canadian Chamber is also playing a key role in advocating for a National Climate Adaption Strategy to protect people from increasing episodes of heat, wildfire and flooding. Work done by The Chamber along with Greater Victoria municipalities helped pave the way for a change to provincial rules around banning single-use plastics and plastic bags. On Tuesday, the province announced it was amending BC's Community Charter to allow local governments to ban plastics without first getting approval from BC's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
The City of Victoria has been at the forefront of the move to ban single-use plastics, and worked closely with The Chamber to ensure its regulation aligned with ongoing business practices. Consumers have asked for alternatives to plastics for years, and it was vital that regulations match the innovations businesses already had in place. The Chamber also worked with the District of Saanich, the Township of Esquimalt, and the City of Colwood to ensure regulations are the same for businesses and consumers throughout Greater Victoria. The future of transportation will include a blend of public and private options, with more convenient transit and car-sharing playing roles. A recently formed citizens' group, Better Mobility Saanich, has reached out to the District of Saanich to encourage adoption of services such as Evo, which currently has a fleet available in the City of Victoria. With Evo, members are able find cars parked within a "home zone" and pay a small fee that lets you drive as needed. When you're done, you park the car back in the home zone.
Financial support is available for First Nations and Indigenous entrepreneurs looking to produce or process food, or other associated activities. The BC Indigenous Agriculture Development Program provides up to $8,000 for specialized planning and coaching services to help develop food and agricultural businesses.
Food security is a priority for our region, and tapping into Indigenous knowledge about sustainable production on their traditional territories can only help as we continue to face challenges due to climate events. The program is first-come first-serve and will be available until all of the ascribed funding is allocated.  A ferry between the City of Colwood and downtown Victoria continues to break waves. The Capital Regional District's Transportation Committee looked at the concept last week and decided the idea is worth a feasibility study. The CRD's board will now vote on May 12 to decide whether to work with the province and other partners to pursue the study.
"In a region surrounded by water, it would be irresponsible not to fully explore the feasibility of marine travel as one approach to addressing traffic congestion and achieving our active transportation and clean energy goals," Colwood mayor Rob Martin said in a news release. Last year, BC Ferries CEO Mark Collins told a Chamber Business Restart Series that a ferry from Royal Bay to Victoria could make a profit. The route would connect to Ship Point and, potentially, Esquimalt and service commuters working downtown or at the naval base. |
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