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.

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.

If you're flying out of Victoria International Airport, be prepared to get there early and have plenty of patience. The airport's website recently added a live update for the current wait time to get through security screening to help passengers plan ahead. The website currently suggests domestic travellers arrive 90 minutes before their flight, while international travellers give themselves two hours.

A pent-up demand to travel has resulted in long lines at airports across Canada. "This follows two tumultuous years that resulted in a significant number of layoffs throughout the aviation industry, including the security-screening workforce," states a news release from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.

Record-breaking gas prices are the latest challenge for businesses that need to transport goods across our region. The cost per litre of regular gas hit $2.219 this week. That compares to $1.526 in December. The rapid increase is partly linked to global shortages caused by sanctions on Russian energy supplies after the invasion of Ukraine. However, supply issues existed before the war began and are expected to become more of a concern as demand for gas increases in the summer.

The sudden jump in gas prices has led to spirited debate in BC's Legislature, and highlighted efforts to switch to alternative fuels.

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 cruise ship season is expected to begin Saturday with the arrival of Holland America's Koningsdam.

The season was initially set to kick off today, but, as we've come to expect over the last two years, the arrival of the Caribbean Princess has been delayed out of an abundance of precaution.

"We're learning to live with COVID-19, and that means we can expect occasional hiccups," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "We are in good place, with the vast majority of people protected through immunization against serious illness. However, The Chamber supports the work of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority to put safety first as it welcomes a new cruise ship season."

Last fall, The Chamber was part of a multi-organization effort to work with government to ensure cruise ships would be back in 2022. At the time, the GVHA estimated 759,000 passengers will visit our region aboard 350 ships from now until November.

For an up-to-date schedule of cruise ship arrivals at Ogden Point, go to gvha.ca.

“The start of cruise ship season is another sign that Greater Victoria is reconnecting with the world,” Williams said. “International visitors provide a significant boost to our region’s economic ecosystem, which truly flourishes when all sectors are able to achieve their potential. It’s exhilarating to once again show off our spectacular corner of the world to travellers. On behalf of all Chamber members, I’m thrilled to welcome the first passengers back to Greater Victoria.”

Transportation services such as commuter buses were hit hard by pandemic restrictions.

BC Transit is reporting ridership levels have recovered to about 70% of pre-pandemic levels. To ensure the service can carry on until it's fully recovered, the federal and provincial governments announced $28 million in relief. The governments are also providing $176 million to Translink on the Lower Mainland.

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.

A lack of crew has forced Washington State ferries to suspend its Sidney-to-Anacortes ferry until at least the end of summer. The service carried 135,000 people in 2019 before the border was closed to non-essential travel between the US and Canada at the start of the pandemic.
 
"International service to and from Sidney, BC remains suspended until further notice due to continued significant crewing and vessel availability challenges," reads a statement by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Cruise ships are being warmly welcomed to Canada by the federal government. On Monday, federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced the steps cruise passengers must take for Canadian ports to reopen to cruise passengers.
 
"We welcome cruise ships — an important part of our tourism sector — back to Canada, and we will continue working with partners to support this important industry,” Alghabra said in a news release.
 
Crew and passengers will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, symptom free, and:

• take a COVID-19 molecular test within 72-hours before boarding a cruise ship or an antigen test within one day of boarding a cruise ship; and
• passengers need to take a COVID-19 molecular test within 72-hours before arriving in Canada or taking an antigen test within one day of their scheduled arrival.

Last fall, at the urging of The Chamber and industry partners, the federal government lifted prohibitions against cruise ships and set a date for sailings to return.

“We want this plan to support downtown businesses for the long-term by building on the success of the Build Back Victoria program, create more accessible and welcoming public spaces, and work with the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations to tell a more complete history of this land through cultural interpretation and economic development opportunities,” Helps said.

The draft design includes a new gateway to a Lekwungen plaza at Humboldt and an intersection realignment to create a new plaza for Chinatown.

Area businesses can expect to receive an invitation to one of two virtual discussions on March 8. There is also an online survey at engage.victoria.ca.
City seeks to re-imagine Government Street
One of Greater Victoria's most iconic public spaces is getting a modern makeover. The City of Victoria announced today that a draft plan for redesigning the downtown street is ready for public feedback.

“Making Government Street a people-priority street is a key action of the City’s Strategic Plan and now it’s time to tell us what you think – what have we got right, what have we missed?” Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said in a news release.

Government Street hasn’t changed in more than 50 years.

Replacements are needed for ageing street furniture, trees, traffic signals and other infrastructure.Chamber Events

“We want this plan to support downtown businesses for the long-term by building on the success of the Build Back Victoria program, create more accessible and welcoming public spaces, and work with the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations to tell a more complete history of this land through cultural interpretation and economic development opportunities,” Helps said.

The draft design includes a new gateway to a Lekwungen plaza at Humboldt and an intersection realignment to create a new plaza for Chinatown.

Area businesses can expect to receive an invitation to one of two virtual discussions on March 8. There is also an online survey at engage.victoria.ca.

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.

Some big changes are coming to the auto insurance industry in BC. On Monday, ICBC announced that customers with policies expiring on or after May 1, can renew online. The system will actually be available March 17 for people who want to renew early.
 
Also starting May 1, drivers will no longer need to display an updated insurance decal on their licence plate. BC is expanding the Automated Licence Plate Recognition program, which helps law enforcement detect unlawful, unlicensed and uninsured drivers.

Transportation planning is vital to making Greater Victoria more affordable for business in our region. Options such as transit need to be convenient and worthwhile, which is why The Chamber applauds plans to speed up bus trips along the Pat Bay Highway.
 
Last week, the provincial government announced new bus lanes for Highway 17 at Mount Newton Cross Road. Faster commute times will encourage more people to use BC Transit to get to work, reducing overall traffic congestion and harmful emissions.

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.

A proposal that could add $1.2 billion to the region's economy was announced by the City of Colwood this week.

The plan is to build 2,850 homes in the Royal Beach area, ranging from single family to condos and townhouses. Over the estimated 15 years it will take to complete the project, which will begin this spring, more than 700 jobs will be created.

"Make no mistake, Colwood is on the map and that’s why notable organizations are making long-term commitments here,” Colwood Mayor Rob Martin said in a news release.

The Royal BC Museum is building a new archives and storage centre in Royal Bay, while Seaspan announced plans for an 85,000 square-foot facility in Colwood.

The Chamber applauds efforts to build new homes in Greater Victoria, as a lack of housing supply continues to be one of the biggest challenges in our region. We need enough homes to meet demand, and allow the market to serve middle income residents vital to our workforce.

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.

It's clear that housing supply will be key to address affordability issues that are making it difficult for people to start families and grow their careers. Employers in Greater Victoria and across Canada have been calling for solutions to address a skills shortage keeping many organizations from realizing their potential.

On that note, The Chamber applauds recent news that Chard Development is working with BC Housing on a project that will add more than 400 units of affordable housing to the City of Victoria.

The proposal to redevelop the site of the former White Spot and Capital City Centre Hotel on Douglas Street is a great example of innovation led by business. If approved, the project will help people who work in the city afford to live there. It will also include day care — vital for helping parents stay in the workforce — and 90 units of supportive housing to help people overcome challenges that put them at risk of homelessness. Other amenities include a 9,000 square foot plaza, retail and office space and a grocery store.

Greater Victoria has a front-row seat to one of the many challenges facing global supply chains. The SM Busan is currently docked at Ogden Point for emergency repairs. The South Korean-flagged ship is roughly the length of five NHL-sized hockey rinks. About 80% of the containers on the vessel are empty.

The SM Busan left Portland, Oregon, bound for South Korea but began to drift in the Pacific Ocean on New Year's Eve. A tug boat eventually brought the container ship to Ogden Point on Sunday, where it's expected to remain for about a month.

The SM Busan is the first ship to use Ogden Point's Pier B dolphin extension. Completed in 2020, it's one of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority's largest infrastructure projects ever.

The return of Black Ball Ferry Line's MV Coho was big news in Greater Victoria when the iconic ship returned to service. Across the strait, the community of Port Angeles also cheered the return of sailings between countries. The connection boosts the economy on both sides of the border and helps bring together families as well as vacationers.
The Chamber looks forward to renewing Greater Victoria's relationship with businesses and visitors from Washington State. Check out Black Ball's website for up-to-date information on travelling on the MV Coho.

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.

When a flight from Seattle touches down next Tuesday at Victoria International Airport, it will mark another milestone in our economic recovery. The plane will be the first with international passengers since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

For the latest requirements for travellers, make sure to check for current updates from the federal government.

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.