Spring has returned to southern Vancouver Island!

The Chamber was proud to usher in the new season with the 48th annual Flower Count. This evolving tradition began as a fun way to market Greater Victoria to folks in Canada’s prairie cities. Over time, Flower Count has turned into a spirited contest between municipalities to earn the title of Bloomingest Community. This year, Sidney narrowly outpaced North Saanich to take the crown, while a Grade 4 class from Saanich won the elementary school challenge that runs concurrently.

Spring also means it’s time for The Chamber to review our own business and gather support from our board and members for the year ahead. The Chamber Annual General Meeting, sponsored by Fortis, is April 18. Our guest speaker is B.C.’s Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon, who was given a mandate in December to refresh the province’s housing strategy.

Many of the details in the mandate are also priorities for business, specifically the initiatives aimed at increasing the supply of accessible and affordable housing for people of all incomes. We know that the cost of paying rent or mortgage as well as the difficulty finding a suitable home are major deterrents for people who want to build careers and start families in our region. That’s a major concern for employers and the top advocacy priority for our chamber. The pressure is only going to build.

WorkBC’s 2022 Labour Market Outlook forecasts 176,700 new employees will be needed by 2033 to fill expected job openings on Vancouver Island. Some of those employees will find homes in existing housing stock as people move into different phases of life. However, with a current housing shortfall, we face a major challenge ensuring our region will have enough homes for every middle-income family and individual, including seniors.

Minister Kahlon is someone who knows Greater Victoria well having grown up here and attended UVic. I’m looking forward to hearing the government’s ideas for helping industry build more housing. We need more supply to meet demand for buyers and renters. I’m also interested in hearing more about the minister’s mandate to streamline housing approval processes. Talk to people who work  in construction or development and you’ll hear maddening stories about the various levels of municipal red tape that can bog down projects. The idea for a one-stop shop for getting all provincial permits is a great idea. Working with municipalities to fast-track permit approval and construction is another.

It's going to be an informative event, and I hope you can join us. Until then, get outside and enjoy the feeling of renewal that comes with the blooming of flowers and the end of winter.

Bruce Williams is CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce

This column was originally published in the March 2023 edition of the Business Examiner.

Valentine’s Day was an appropriate date to hear from Chamber partners hoping for a little something special as all levels of government announce their financial plans for the year ahead.

I’ve written in the past about the Royal BC Museum and Belleville Terminal, which should both gain a little clarity from provincial budget day on Feb. 28 and the federal budget sometime after (no date has been announced yet).

Another ongoing concern that impacts communities from Victoria to Courtenay is the fate of the Island Corridor.

On Feb. 14, I facilitated a discussion with Paul Robinson of the Vancouver Island Transportation Corridor Coalition and Larry Stevenson, CEO of the Island Corridor Foundation. The meeting was held over Zoom and we invited members of chambers from across Vancouver Island. This is something we’re trying to do more, as the largest business association on the Island. By joining together we have a stronger voice to speak to government on behalf of business. Our goal is to strengthen Island economies by working locally and as a community of chambers.

Transportation is a major issue for many communities and the idea of rail has been talked about for years. The Island has also seen an end to inter city bus service creating yet another barrier to safe travel between communities for those who do not own or have access to a vehicle. The Chamber has asked the Federal Government to subsidize a return of that service. There’s an urgency right now as the March 14 deadline approaches for the province to address the future of the Island Corridor.

No question — the infrastructure needs a lot of TLC. But it did support an active railway for more than 100 years, until service was suspended indefinitely in 2011. Since then, train enthusiasts as well as some environmentalists and transportation planners have been vocal in calling for the return of rail. They argue that a modern passenger train will reduce the number of cars and transport trucks on Island highways, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and offering an efficient and even pleasant alternative for commuters.

Others have been just as vocal against the return of rail, instead calling for the corridor to become a hiking trail or be used in other ways.

Meanwhile, more questions have been raised by the fact the corridor runs through the territories of 14 First Nations. A lawsuit by the Snaw-naw-as First Nation wants to reclaim the land that runs through its territory. They say the right-of-way granted by Canada to E&N Railway in 1912 is no longer being used as intended.

On Sept. 14, 2021, a BC Court of Appeals judge gave the federal and provincial governments 18 months to renew their commitment to improve the infrastructure required for rail. If no commitment is made, then an entirely new discussion will need to begin. As we heard Feb. 14, there are no simple solutions and the costs will be high whether rail service returns or the land is rehabilitated to be repurposed.

Now we wait for government to make difficult decisions with limited public funds to see which way the story will go.

Bruce Williams is CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce

This column was originally published in the February edition of the Business Examiner.

VICTORIA, BC – I still catch myself whenever I hear someone note that we are now in 2023. It seems like a year from the future and, I guess, in some ways it is. There has been so much anticipation for this year.

It’s the first January since 2020 that businesses aren’t facing major public health restrictions. A weird sense of normalcy is returning, though we know the world will forever be much different than it was before the pandemic.

At the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, 2023 also marks the 160th anniversary of the founding of our organization. That’s a long time to bear witness to history and a remarkable testament to the important role The Chamber continues to play supporting the business community. The secret to our successful longevity has been our willingness to adapt and grow with the times. And that can be directly accredited to the amazing board of directors who are elected each year by our members.

This year, we welcome Kris Wirk as our new board chair. Kris is a partner with Dusanj + Wirk Chartered Professional Accountants and takes over from John Wilson, of the Wilson’s Group of Companies.

John served stoically over the past three years, and I can’t thank him enough for his guidance and steady hand during turbulent times. There is no one who cares about our community more than John, who remains with the board in the role of past chair. I know he’s looking forward to passing the torch and Kris brings a vision that is laser focused after three years as an understudy. He is clear eyed about the challenges facing our regional economy, and, after three years as chair of The Chamber’s Public Policy and Advocacy committee, Kris is well-positioned to drive positive changes.

Christina Clark of the Indigenous Prosperity Centre steps into the role of vice-chair. Christina is a go-getter who understands the work and benefits of Indigenous reconciliation. The Chamber, on behalf of our members, is committed to working with First Nations to facilitate connections that will improve life for everyone in our region. Our forward-thinking approach is being adopted by chambers across Canada due to my active participation in the national chamber network. Our initiative to create an Indigenous Economic Reconciliation Table has resonated with Canadians who want to do better. We have embraced the value of diversity and inclusion — and our economy and society have benefited as a result. We’ve seen this firsthand as The Chamber’s board has become much more reflective of the community at large. The other members of our board are: James Gatsi, CEO, CL Web Developers Inc., (secretary); Moira Hauk, Regional Manager South Island, Coastal Community Credit Union (treasurer); Rose Arsenault, Branch Manager, Agilus Work Solutions; Judith Ethier, CAO, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority; Fallon Lindsay, Director of Finance and Administration, Kinetic Construction; Pedro Marquez, Vice President of Vice-President, Research and International, Royal Roads University; Richard Michaels, President, Maccrim Solutions; Ann Squires Ferguson, CEO, Western Interior Design Group; Jessica Stigant, Associate Director of Government Relations and Partnerships, Ocean Networks Canada; Capt. (N) Jeff Hutchinson, Base Commander, CFB Esquimalt and Josue Dubon, DesignWealth, Co-Founder and Chair of the Emerge Committee (ex-officio).

So, as we prepare to celebrate 16 decades of serving Greater Victoria’s business community, I look forward to working with our tremendous board to build connections with every energetic entrepreneur attracted to this amazing region we are grateful to call home.

Bruce Williams is CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce

This column was originally published in the January edition of the Business Examiner.