BizNews

November 20, 2019

Your weekly round up of BizNews from throughout Greater Victoria

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Last mixer of the decade! Events

Join us tomorrow at Victoria Golf Club for November Business Mixer
our last Mixer before 2020! Bring your
Chair's Holiday Reception
business card to win amazing door
prizes. Register here. 2020 Business Awards
The Chamber is a great place to make the Information Session
very best of connections. Each year we
offer our members more than 60 Event Photos
opportunities to connect at our events.
Community Calendar
Take a look at some of the photos from
these great events.

Do you oppose a 50% pay hike for Victoria council?

Make sure to have your say tomorrow
As a strong advocate for good governance, The Chamber is concerned about a City of
Victoria motion that would greatly expand the scope of elected officials and give
councillors a 50% pay raise.

Our members have been vocal in their opposition to such a pay hike, and Chamber
CEO Catherine Holt spoke with the media to offer alternative solutions for council to
consider.

CHEK TV
Times Colonist
CTV Vancouver Island
C-FAX 1070

Make sure to have your say by filling out the City of Victoria’s online budget survey.
You can also participate in person or online in a Budget Town Hall tomorrow.

The issue came to light after the Times Colonist reported on a question embedded in
the survey seeking approval for a $25,700 increase in pay for councillors. The motion
does not include the mayor’s salary.

New solution needed for Victoria police

It’s clearly time to take a serious look at how police services
are delivered in Greater Victoria. For the second year in a
row, the provincial government’s Minister of Public Safety has
been asked to wade into funding decisions in the City of
Victoria to ensure police have enough resources to keep
citizens safe.

“It’s unfortunate it has to go to this,” Minister Mike

Farnworth told the Times Colonist, adding that the decision
ought to be resolved by Esquimalt and Victoria, who fund the
Victoria Police Department.

The Victoria Police Board is asking for money to cover four new positions that were
rejected during the budget process last year. Esquimalt was willing to pay for two of
the positions, but Victoria council refused to support any of the new roles.

With the mayors of Esquimalt and Victoria calling for a regional police force, The
Chamber agrees that it’s paramount that BC’s capital city remains a safe community.

The province could pay for a police force focused on the downtown and legislative
precinct, or work to encourage case loads and resources — as well as 911 calls — are
more efficiently shared by a regional police service.

See Chamber CEO Catherine Holt’s column:

Combined police forces the safest solution

Victoria Police Department: Member since 2008

Victoria 3.0 - Pivoting to a Higher Economy:

​Small Business and Finance Roundtable
Businesses have a chance to help guide the City of
Victoria’s economic plan for the next two decades.

A roundtable discussion tonight, from 6 to 8 pm at

city hall, will include small business and financial
institutions, with the goal of helping the city develop its next economic action plan,
Victoria 3.0 – Pivoting to a Higher Value Economy.

The roundtable, one of a series being presented by the city, is open to anyone running
a small business or financial institution in Victoria, especially those operating
downtown.

Small Business and Finance Roundtable

Wed, Nov 20 | 6-8 pm Register
Victoria City Hall, Antechamber
1 Centennial Square
BC MPs retain four seats in federal cabinet
Two of BC’s four federal ministers were given new
roles today as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled
his cabinet for the first time since winning a minority
government on Oct. 21.

Vancouver South MP Harjit Sajjan will continue as

Minister of National Defence.
Canada’s new high-profile Minister of Environment
and Climate Change is North Vancouver MP Jonathan
Wilkinson, who spoke to Chamber members in March
as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

Vancouver Quadra MP Joyce Murray continues as the Ministry of Digital Government.

Murray was also the President of Canada’s Treasury Board when she met with a small
group of Greater Victoria business leaders as a guest of The Chamber in March.

Delta MP Carla Qualtrough, formerly Public Services Minister, is now Minister of

Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.

Canadian Chamber calls for provinces to drop trade

barriers
Making it easier for businesses to trade
between provinces would increase Canada’s
GDP by 3% to 7%, adding as much as $130
billion to the economy, says a recent report.

“The sad truth is that, in many cases,

Canadian companies can trade more easily
with other countries than they can between
provinces,” the Canadian Chamber of
Commerce said in a news release.

The Canadian Chamber says the problem is political will, with only Alberta and
Manitoba removing exceptions to inter-provincial trade under the Canadian Free
Trade Agreement.

Find your next Current Job Listings

employee Senior Client Executive – IBM Canada

Whether you’re a CEO, small business
owner, or a manager looking for talent,
finding and retaining employees is
crucial. Recently, The Chamber
launched a job board to help.
Care Aide – Serenity Home Care
Investigator – British Columbia Lottery
Corporation
Seasonal Retail Positions – Best Buy

For the remainder of 2019, Chamber Facilitator – IMfit Health Innovations

members can post up to five jobs for
Assistant Manager – Silk Road Tea
free using the promo code: INTRO.
Learn more about how to post here. Client Relationship Manager – TELUS
 Communication

Delivery Driver – SPUD.ca

Chamber Member Tip of the Week
View more online here.
“Employers need to be flexible in
regards to retaining an employee as it
really depends on the employee's needs
and what motivates them. It might be a
specific amount of flex days instead of Job Board
sick days; it might be accommodating
start/end times if they have kids; it
might be giving them the occasional
option to work from home.” The Chamber comes with numerous
benefits, for your team including The
Rose Arsenault, Chamber’s Group Insurance Plans.
Branch Manager of Agilus Contact us for details.

Make Connections and Grow Your Network

Tomorrow - Last Business Mixer of the decade!
Thu, Nov 21 | 5 - 7 pm
Victoria Golf Club
1110 Beach Dr

Register

Don't miss our last mixer of the decade! The Victoria

Golf Club has generously donated a one-year social
membership valued at $2,000.

Full clubhouse privileges (Macan’s, pro shop, Sponsored by:

lesson)
Use of clubhouse lounges and facilities with a
wide range of social and special events year
round
Unlimited dining year round
Exclusive ability to host events at the club (e.g.
wedding receptions, business meetings)

Bring your business card to enter to win!

Chair's Holiday Reception 2020 Business Awards

Tues, Dec 3 | 4-6 pm Information Session
The Commons Thu, Jan 9 | 12-1 pm
614 Humboldt St. Greater Victoria Chamber of
Commerce
100 - 852 Fort St.
Register

Register
Sponsored by:

ICBC ‘profits’ should go to drivers, Eby say

BC’s attorney general plans to introduce a law that will prohibit government from
using ICBC profits as general revenue.

BC AG David Eby says any ICBC surplus needs to be used to reduce insurance rates for
drivers. He noted that, from 2010 to 2016, the previous government padded
provincial budgets with $1.2 billion in ICBC profits.

However, the new law will be meaningless unless ICBC returns to profitability. In the
past two years, ICBC lost $2.5 billion due to increased legal fees and a rise in claims.

Wear a bow tie to honour our departing chair, Dan

Dagg!

Holiday Health Tips

With so much to do during the holiday season,
it’s important to keep your immune system
strong. Avoid those colds and flus that take
down so many people this time of year by
following these tips!

1. Stay Active. Visit a local gym/ fitness

facility to keep your immune system in
fighting shape.
2. Drink water. Staying hydrated flushes out harmful germs and bacteria
from your body.
3. Wash your hands. Experts say handwashing can kill 99.9% of germs on
your hands!
4. Eat Healthier foods. Have great ingredients delivered to your door or
pick them up at a grocery store.
5. Pick up some immune boosting supplements such as Vitamin C and
Zinc.
6. Visit a health & wellness counsellor to learn how to manage stress of
the holidays.
7. Get your flu shot at a local pharmacy.
8. Take advantage of your Chamber Plan health benefits, which includes
access to Teladoc — the ability to connect with a licensed doctor by
phone and receive advice and prescriptions when necessary.
 Above all, it is important to take care of yourself during this holiday season.
Your colleagues will thank you for not getting them sick, and you’ll recover
faster if you give yourself the time to rest.

Hosting a Holiday event? We want to hear

from you!
Submit your event to members@victoriachamber.ca to have it added
to our Community Events calendar. *Members Only*

Nominations open for 2020 Business Awards

Need inspiration? Check out the videos
of our 2019 finalists for Outstanding
Customer Service.

Thanks to the Innvo8 Digital Solutions

Inc. for sponsoring this award.

Each week, The Chamber will profile

one of the 14 different award
categories, encouraging members to
nominate a deserving Chamber
member.

The Outstanding Customer Service

award honours a business that:
Demonstrates exceptional
customer service
Serves as a role model, mentor Winner: Wallace Driving School
or example of excellence to
other businesses
Exhibits a commitment to the
community.

Can provide up to 10 testimonials from

customers dated within the last 2
years.

Nominate

Finalist: Connect Hearing

Members Around Town


Festival of Trees underway
On Nov. 21, the Festival of Trees will
once again be showcased throughout
the Bay Centre.
The event, which has been Victoria’s
unofficial kick-off to the holiday
season, has been an annual
celebration for the last 27 years.
The Festival of Trees is a fundraiser
for the BC Children’s Hospital
Foundation, and, last year, $387,659
was raised to support children’s
healthcare across the province.
Entry is by donation, and visitors are
asked to vote on their favorite trees,
sponsored by local businesses.
Bay Centre: member since
1990
BC Children’s Hospital Foundation:
member since 2016
All booked up for Guinness
Russell Books has recently earned the
Guinness world record for the largest
tower made of books.
The six-metre tower was built at the
opening of Russell's new location at
747 Fort St.
Without the use of glue, adhesive, or
other structural support, the
remarkable tower used 1,000 books.
All were donated editions of the
Guinness Book of World Record,
including some dating back to 1962.
Russell Books: member
since 1999
Prince of Whales acquires
North Island Kayak
Prince of Whales has recently
purchased North Island Kayak, a
kayak rental and tour company
operating out of Telegraph Cove.
Adding to their regular fleet, they
will now also have 130 kayaks.
Prince of Whales: member
since 2002
Islander earns international
acclaim
The founder of Flytographer was
featured in Forbes Women recently.
Victoria's Nicole Smith has qualified
for the 2019 EY Entrepreneurial
Winning Women Program. To qualify,
a business must be owned by a
woman and generate a minimum of
$2 million in revenue for the past two
years.
A rare accomplishment, according to
American Express' 2019 report on
the State of Women-Owned
Businesses. Only 1.7% of all women-
owned businesses pass the the $1
million mark. Fewer yet maintain the
year-over-year growth. Congrats
Nicole!
Flytographer: member since 2015
American Express: member since
2019
Canada’s first non-alc gin
Sheringham Distillery has recently
unveiled Canada’s first non-alcoholic
gin. “Lumette!” contains a variety of
botanicals including mint and rose,
and provides complex flavours similar
to a regular spirit.
This “bright, light alt-gin” will be
available for purchase later this
month, and will be a great addition
to any seasonal cocktail party.
Sheringham Distillery: member
since 2018
 Welcome to our newest members!

Need to get one of our snazzy

Chamber name tags?

Shop Now

250-383-7191
victoriachamber.ca
chamber@victoriachamber.ca

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