COVID-19

JOB BOARD

Chamber statement on evolving PHO regulations

The Chamber prioritizes the health and safety of our members and their families, our staff and our community. We continue to monitor official information about COVID-19 and variants of concern and we follow the regulations and public health advice issued by BC’s Provincial Health Officer. As the situation evolves and we learn more about the Omicron variant of concern, we will work to inform our members and community about changes to Chamber operations and Chamber events.

“We’ve faced uncertainty many times over the course of the pandemic and we will once again get through this together,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said.

For up-to-date information on provincial health regulations, please check COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)

Chamber's ongoing coverage of pandemic programs and regulations affecting business

Standing with our Businesses

The past 18 months have been full of challenges, but we’ve made it through together. And we know that the temporary proof of vaccination requirement is a new challenge for many businesses with staff already at capacity.

“We want businesses to know that we are working for you to make sure the burden of enforcing this requirement is not placed solely on your shoulders,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams says. “We’re also working with our community partners to raise awareness about the new rules, so members of the public understand how they can help.”

The Chamber and our community partners have developed two posters that you can post in your business or on your doors that remind our community to Be Kind. They provide a well-designed message, crafted to remind customers to have patience.

The campaign is a partnership between the Hotel Association of Greater Victoria, Downtown Victoria Business Association, the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, the City of Victoria, Destination Greater Victoria and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

We’re working with our community partners to amplify this message. Victoria is a kind and compassionate community. Let’s all take a deep breath and remember to be patient.

Businesses and staff must comply with the new provincial order, and are the wrong targets for people who disagree with the rules. We all want the pandemic to be over, and the best way to get there is through immunization and keeping each other safe.

"The proof of vaccination requirement is a relatively simple process that allows businesses to stay open and let's all of us get back to the things we enjoy,” Williams says. “We’ve gotten this far together, and we know our business community has the resilience to overcome whatever challenge comes next.”

Please continue to let us know if you have any feedback on how we can best help and support you as a Chamber Member. Simply email communications@victoriachamber.ca with your thoughts.

Thank you to our community partners:

Download THIS BE Kind Poster

Resources for Businesses

You can download the BC Vaccine Card Verifier app from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The app is free to download and works on smartphones and tablets.

Download the BC Vaccine Card Verifier app

Resources for Customers

You can save the digital version to your phone or tablet or print a paper copy to carry in your wallet. Both options are accepted everywhere.

Get my BC Vaccine Card

How to: Create a Shortcut on iPhone to Show your BC Vaccine Card

BC's Restart Plan: May 25

B.C.’s Restart: A Plan to Bring us Back Together, released May 25, outlines four stages leading to a complete reopening of the province by September. The plan is contingent on COVID-19 case counts and hospitalization remaining low and vaccination rates increasing.