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.

The federal budget will be unveiled tomorrow at 1 pm and is expected to include plans for long-term economic growth. However, high inflation and uncertainty over the war in the Ukraine could see the government focus on new spending priorities, states an analysis by RBC Dominion Securities.

Housing affordability will be the cornerstone of the budget, according to media reports that suggest new rules will prohibit foreign buyers of real estate for the next two years. CTV also says the budget will include:

•  $4 billion for municipalities to update zoning and permit systems to speed up housing construction
•  $1 billion affordable housing construction
•  and $1.5 billion in loans and funding for co-op housing.

The budget is also expected to include a surtax on banks and insurance companies, and billions of dollars in new spending for the military.

The RBC analysis notes that Canada's economic recovery has been stronger than expected, allowing the feds to announce new spending and lower deficit projections. The analysis also points out that private capital will be required to grow the economy over the long term and to begin addressing chronic labour shortages facing all sectors.

How do you think the federal government can help Canada's economy remain robust and resilient in the years ahead?
 
Now is the time to engage with federal decision makers, who are looking to the business community for help understanding the private sector's challenges and opportunities. The Chamber is preparing a submission for pre-budget consultations. We're also working with the national chamber network to amplify the voice of business.
 
Let us know what you think by emailing communications@victoriachamber.ca before Feb. 18, or answering a questionnaire by Feb. 25.

The federal government delivered its Speech from the Throne yesterday. The speech touched on issues of concern for business, such as inflation and disrupted supply chains, but was light on details about how government will address these issues.

The Chamber applauds promises to fight climate change and ongoing support for sectors hardest hit by the pandemic. We'll continue to advocate through our national network for investment in business innovation as well as policies that address the labour shortage affecting employers.

The campaigning is over, the results are in, and now we need the federal government to renew its focus on investing in economic growth led by business.
 
"It's time for the federal government to take the steps needed to enable the private sector to create jobs and wealth that we need to move away from deficits and reduce public debt," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says.

The Chamber and our national network are calling on parliament to:

• work with business to ensure we have a 21st century workforce
• extend the wage and rent subsidy programs to ensure support for our hardest hit sectors
• accelerate the deployment of a harmonized system of digital health credentials and provide legal certainty for companies on their rights and obligations
• refocus efforts with the United States to defend Canada’s trade interests; and
• create a genuine partnership with businesses to reach Net Zero 2050.

 
If you want to see where Greater Victoria's newly re-elected MPs stand on these and other issues, check out our online sessions with candidates.

The federal election is Monday, and it's the last chance to vote for the candidate of your choice.

If you're still deciding on who to vote for, or want more information on the major candidates in your riding, make sure to check out The Chamber's candidate panels. Conducted this week for the four ridings in Greater Victoria, the panels are moderated by Chamber CEO Bruce Williams and focus on issues of importance to the region's business community.

Local interest is high in this election, with Victoria and Saanich-Gulf Island the top two ridings in Canada for applications for mail-in ballots. As well, more than 5.8 million Canadians have already voted in advanced polls held between Sept. 10-13.

On voting day, employers must ensure that employees who are eligible to vote have three consecutive hours to get to the polls, which are open from 7 am to 7 pm. Employers can decide which hours they allow staff to vote, but must pay employees if the time is within work hours.

With a federal election now set for Sept. 20, The Chamber has begun reaching out to candidates in the four ridings representing Greater Victoria.
 
"The Chamber is planning to host panels with the candidates before the election," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says. "We're looking at a format we've had success with that ensures candidates understand the challenges and advocacy priorities of our business community."
 
Full details about the candidate panels will be announced soon. The Chamber wants to hear from members about the issues important to you in this election.
 
Please send your questions for candidates to communications@victoriachamber.ca.