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

Published Op-Eds

Safe communities require collaborative approach

8/24/2020

1 Comment

 
It’s time for everyone who believes in the value of safe communities to put our differences aside and work together.

As we learn to live with COVID-19, we need to address the disruptions affecting the ability for all of us to feel safe in the places we work , live and enjoy. We are hearing from many Chamber members about the serious impact on businesses caused by temporary housing solutions. The pandemic forced the closure of shelters and required an emergency response to prevent the virus from spreading through our region’s homeless population and beyond. The City of Victoria stepped up by offering space in parks where tents could be set up with appropriate physical distancing. This moved people away from overcrowded encampments along Pandora Avenue and other areas. However, shuffling this population to different neighbourhoods forces those areas to deal with the accompanying concerns around crime, safety, mental health and addictions.

When BC Housing spent tens of millions to purchase Victoria hotels to provide homes, they thankfully included some support services. Clearly, more are needed.
We’ve heard many stories from people who live and work near these former hotels who were not given a chance to prepare for the change to their neighbourhood. They simply were not ready for the sudden increase in property crime, disturbances and medical emergencies that are hurting their efforts to restart their businesses — including some who are renowned for helping people in need.

Let’s work together on next steps in managing these challenges. It’s time for all levels of government to work together with businesses as well as residents to solve this problem before it gets worse.

First, we need to agree that, as a community, we can’t accept people living on our streets. Everyone deserves a home. We also need to agree that many people who are at risk of homelessness need more than housing. Their healthcare issues are often complex but we can’t ignore the fact that these individuals face specific challenges. They can be helped but we need the political will to acknowledge it will take time and resources. There are no quick or easy fixes but there are proven solutions that can work if we’re willing to invest in people over the long term.
And, of course, we also need to keep businesses and their property safe. We need to ensure police have the capacity to enforce the law, and to protect citizens — all citizens. Unfortunately, homeless populations are targeted by predators who try to capitalize on people with mental health issues or addictions.

I’ve had conversations with decision makers on all sides — from business owners to government, to social service agencies and the police. All of us want the same thing and we know we need to keep working together.

COVID-19 has created challenges, but we can do better when it comes to helping the homeless and vulnerable, and in protecting business to make sure all have a safe community in which to live and work.

This column was originally published in the August 2020 edition of Business Examiner.

Bruce Williams is CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
1 Comment
Inside Out Roofing link
7/26/2022 05:39:03 am

Keep it up. thank you

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    October 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018

    Categories

    All


    Policy & Wins for Business

    News for Members

    In the Media

    RSS Feed

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