GREATER VICTORIA CHAMBER
Join Now
Member Login
  • Membership
    • Why Join?
    • Job Board
    • Member to Member Offers
    • Benefits, Discounts & Savings >
      • Chamber Store
    • Chamber Local
    • 1863 Impact Award
    • Questions & Answers
    • Join Now
    • Member Login
  • Member Directory
  • Events
    • Signature Events >
      • Annual Auction
      • Business Awards
      • Business Hall of Fame
      • Business Leaders Series
    • Event Calendar >
      • Chamber Events
      • Community Events
    • Event Photos 2023
    • Sponsorship
  • News & Advocacy
    • Weekly BizNews >
      • BizNews Articles
    • Advocacy / Wins for Business >
      • Advocacy Wins
      • Business Property Taxes
      • Advocacy Priorities
    • Chamber Chats
    • In the News >
      • Published Op-Eds
      • Media Releases
    • Non-market housing
    • Find and keep workers
    • Business Matters Magazine
    • COVID-19
  • The Chamber 1863
    • 1863-Indigenous
    • 1863-Early Chamber
    • 1863-History Events
    • 1863-Booms and Busts
    • 1863-Members & Communities
    • 1863-Women, people and organizations
    • 1863-Committees
    • 1863-Chairs and Chair Businesses
  • About Us
    • Emerge >
      • Emerge Events
      • Emerge Mentorship
      • Emerge Connect
    • Staff Directory
    • Board & Governance >
      • Governors
      • By-Laws, Plans & Reports
      • Committees
    • Chamber History
    • Partners & Sponsors
    • About Victoria >
      • Starting a Business
      • Moving Here
      • Visiting Victoria, BC
    • Contact Us

BizNews Advocacy

Subscribe to BizNews
BizNews email Archive

Message from the CEO: Chamber launching program to include more Indigenous-owned businesses

6/30/2021

0 Comments

 
On the cusp of Canada Day, I would like to share news with you. As of our Board Meeting yesterday, The Chamber has a plan in place to craft next steps in Economic Reconciliation. There was an acknowledgement that our mission of "working together to build good business and great community" isn’t possible until it is true for all.

One of the roles of The Chamber is building relationships between businesses, between communities and across governments. First Nations have not had full access to the economic prosperity we have created in their traditional territories. It is beyond time for this to change.

We have a multi-pronged approach to provide Indigenous-owned businesses with a voice and support through The Chamber. Over the next several months we plan to:
  • strike a Task Force with a focus on Indigenous inclusion and participation in The Chamber community. We are fortunate to have a strong Indigenous leader already on our Board and Executive in Christina Clarke, but we need a diversity of voices and guidance to direct us on what is most needed to assist business in the Nations; 
  • work with the Canadian Chamber on issues that create an unfair regulatory environment, such as barriers to access working capital; and,
  • provide a five-year program of reduced rates – beginning with a free first year – to make it easier for any business with 51% Indigenous ownership to be a part of The Chamber. The program will be fully rolling out in September.

As an organization founded in 1863, we are part of the history of our community. Regrettably, we need to acknowledge that means we share responsibility for the suppression of Indigenous peoples. Our next steps are to move forward together in a positive direction.

We will be putting together the Task Force in the next month or so. If you are interested or would like to recommend someone, please reach out to me.

We thank you for being part of The Chamber and for being part of a change for the better.

Sincerely,

Bruce Williams, Chief Executive Officer
Read the media release
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Business And Economic Strength
    Chamber Awareness
    Climate Change Solutions
    COVID
    Fair Rules
    Finding And Keeping Workers
    Food Security
    Global Uncertainty
    Government Federal
    Government Local
    Government-Local
    Government Provincial
    Government-Provincial
    Hospitality And Tourism Rescue And Recovery
    Immigration And Integration
    Indigenous Business Support And Reconciliation
    Inflation And Rising Costs
    New And Established Businesses
    Safe Communities
    Streamlined Regional Regulations
    Training And Microcredentials
    Transportation Options

Picture
​Copyright © 2021 Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.  All rights reserved. 
​#100 – 852 Fort St., Victoria, BC V8W 1H8, Canada   |   Phone: (250) 383-7191 

chamber@victoriachamber.ca   |  Site Map
Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Notice a typo or broken link? Please let us know so we can fix it ASAP. Email communications@victoriachamber.ca
  • Membership
    • Why Join?
    • Job Board
    • Member to Member Offers
    • Benefits, Discounts & Savings >
      • Chamber Store
    • Chamber Local
    • 1863 Impact Award
    • Questions & Answers
    • Join Now
    • Member Login
  • Member Directory
  • Events
    • Signature Events >
      • Annual Auction
      • Business Awards
      • Business Hall of Fame
      • Business Leaders Series
    • Event Calendar >
      • Chamber Events
      • Community Events
    • Event Photos 2023
    • Sponsorship
  • News & Advocacy
    • Weekly BizNews >
      • BizNews Articles
    • Advocacy / Wins for Business >
      • Advocacy Wins
      • Business Property Taxes
      • Advocacy Priorities
    • Chamber Chats
    • In the News >
      • Published Op-Eds
      • Media Releases
    • Non-market housing
    • Find and keep workers
    • Business Matters Magazine
    • COVID-19
  • The Chamber 1863
    • 1863-Indigenous
    • 1863-Early Chamber
    • 1863-History Events
    • 1863-Booms and Busts
    • 1863-Members & Communities
    • 1863-Women, people and organizations
    • 1863-Committees
    • 1863-Chairs and Chair Businesses
  • About Us
    • Emerge >
      • Emerge Events
      • Emerge Mentorship
      • Emerge Connect
    • Staff Directory
    • Board & Governance >
      • Governors
      • By-Laws, Plans & Reports
      • Committees
    • Chamber History
    • Partners & Sponsors
    • About Victoria >
      • Starting a Business
      • Moving Here
      • Visiting Victoria, BC
    • Contact Us