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Late-night bus service boon to students, workers
Seven routes will be extended by an hour, including the No. 4 to the University of Victoria and 50 to Langford. BC Transit is also increasing the frequency of buses on the 26, 32 and 39.
"The addition of the late night service will give customers in the Victoria Regional Transit System a safe and reliable transportation option when heading home after work or a night out," says BC Transit's President and CEO Erinn Pinkerton.
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BC Transit: member since 1999
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BC opioid lawsuit boosted by US ruling
A lawsuit
launched one year ago by the BC government against pharmaceutical companies might be a little
closer to reaching a settlement after a court in Oklahoma
ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $572 million. That's twice what Purdue Pharma, maker of OxyContin, settled for after also being sued by Oklahoma for falsely marketing opioids as less addictive than other pain killers. And yesterday, Purdue Pharma
offered up to $12 billion US to settle more than 2,000 ongoing lawsuits.
BC's lawsuit has been joined by Ontario and New Brunswick and names dozens of manufacturers and distributors.
"The concern about pharmaceutical companies and the roles that they have played is a concern that goes beyond the boundary of a single jurisdiction," Simon Fraser University criminology professor Neil Boyd told the Canadian Press. "The precedent of a finding that a pharmaceutical company contributed to the problem that we have seen across North America, I'm very sure that ruling has the attention of a number of pharmaceutical companies."
The Chamber has identified Safe Communities as an
advocacy priorities, noting that all of us rely on a safe community in order to function in our daily lives and businesses. The opioid crisis has killed thousands of Canadians, including many in Greater Victoria.
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All-Candidates Listening Session: Educating our federal candidates
As summer begins to wind down, it's time to get back to business ahead of the Oct. 21 federal election.
The Chamber is once again partnering with the City of Victoria, the Downtown Victoria Business Association, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority and Destination Greater Victoria to outline key regional priorities for local candidates who hope to represent our region in Ottawa. The priorities are:
- Labour, Immigration & Work Force Development - presented by Paul Nursey, CEO, Destination Greater Victoria
- Child Care & Transportation - presented by Catherine Holt, CEO, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
- Housing - presented by Councillor Jeremy Loveday, City of Victoria; and Jeff Bray, CEO, Downtown Victoria Business Association
- Climate Change & Reconciliation - presented by Mayor Lisa Helps, City of Victoria
There will be opportunities following the session to engage with the panel and candidates.
Wed, Sept 11 | 5:30-7:30 pm
Lecture Theatre, Victoria Conference Centre
720 Douglas St.
No need to pre-register for this free event. Please just mark you calendars and we'll see you there!
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Members Around Town
'New' radio station in town
Rogers Media has rebranded KiSS 103.1 to Jack 103.1, with an Adult Hits format featuring artists such as
Queen, Prince, Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and Duran Duran. The station also announced its new morning show will feature
David Larsen, who is also the station's program director, and Heather Backman.
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Rogers Media: member since 1962
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Hatley Castle's international accolades
Royal Roads University's
Hatley Castle has been named by vacation and tourism website The Travel as one of the "10 best movie locations worth travelling to." Hatley castle has been used as a shooting location in more than 45 feature films, including the X-Men film series, Disney's Descendants and Deadpool. The latest film shot at Hatley Castle is an upcoming release starring Johnny Depp.
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Royal Roads University: member since 1996
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Vancouver Island's longest zipline opens on Mt. Washington
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Mount Washington Alpine Resort: member since 2017
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Ogden Point rebranded as the Breakwater District
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Greater Victoria Harbour Authority: member since 2003
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Chamber Committees Help Shape Our Region's History
Message from Chamber CEO Catherine Holt
This article originally appeared in the August Business Examiner. The online edition is now exclusively available to Chamber members
Have you ever wanted to be part of history? Do you have what it takes to make your community great by focusing on good business?
Did you know that committees started by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce helped get the University of Victoria established, and were instrumental in getting the Canadian Pacific Railway to build the Empress Hotel?
The Chamber and its committees are continuing with this long history as the voice of business in Greater Victoria. Our members have the expertise and influence to identify what needs to be done, and get those wheels in motion.
Every fall, the Chamber holds elections in order to ensure our board of directors and our committees are made up of the right mix of business leaders from Greater Victoria.
Read Catherine's full column here. Inquire about joining a Chamber committee here.
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A limited number of early bird tickets are now on sale for the 37th Annual Dinner Auction Gala. This black tie evening includes cocktails, chef stations, a silent and live auction and entertainment, including dancing and an interactive photo booth.
Sat, Nov 2 | 6-10:30 pm
Fairmont Empress, 721 Government St.
Here's a sneak peek at a few auction items:
- Got printer problems? Innov8 Digital Solutions has you covered with an FMAudit that takes real time printer data to draw usage reports and inefficiencies that may be costing your company.
- Protect yourself and your ideas with a trademark protection service done by Thompson Cooper LLP
- Stressed out? Get a massage at Thetis Massage Therapy
- Let's face it, you're not a professional photographer. But you can hire one! And with Flytographer you can hire one anywhere in the world!
Want to see your item showcased at the auction? Contact [email protected].
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Overpass project will improve safety for Pat Bay drivers
A $44.3 million project to improve a
dangerous intersection of the Pat Bay Highway received a
pre-election gift this week. On Monday, the federal government
announced it would chip in $16 million for the project, which will build an overpass onto Keating Cross Road for northbound traffic.
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson made the
announcement, standing in for Infrastructure Minister François-Philippe Champagne. The federal election is Oct. 21. On Sept. 11, The Chamber is co-hosting an all-candidates listening session to share issues of concern to our region with candidates looking to represent Greater Victoria ridings.
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Pat Bay gets skid-resist surfaces
Four high-collision intersections of the Pat Bay Highway have been treated with a
special surface designed to reduce skids and prevent crashes. ICBC and the BC Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure expect the $3.9 million surfaces to last seven years.
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BREAK into new global markets online!
New trade agreements and a competitive Canadian dollar make it an ideal time to extend your company's reach through the export of goods and services online. Discover online marketing strategies to best achieve your international e-commerce sales goals.
Wed, Sept 25 | 7:30 am-3 pm
Victoria Conference Centre
720 Douglas St.
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Victoria named finalist for Invictus Games 2022
Greater Victoria and Dusseldorf, Germany, are
competing for the right to host the 2022
Invictus Games. The Invictus Games were founded in 2014 by Prince Harry
, Duke of Sussex, for military personnel recovering from injury or illness.
The decision could be
between our region's record of volunteer spirit and world-class venues, and the German city's more central location.
Representatives from both cities make their final pitches in London on Sept. 17, with the winner expected to be announced in November.
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Fed housing news aims to ease affordability
The plan could help as many as 100,000 Canadians by allowing them to share the equity of their home with the government through mortgage insurance providers such as
CHMC.
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Enjoying the Labour Day Long Weekend
Is it almost September already? You can  feel it in the air - that combination of excitement to start a fresh school year mixed with the bittersweet feeling of the end of summer.
Make the most of your Labour Day weekend by supporting your fellow Chamber members. Celebrate by enjoying a bite out, a night away from home, or plan an action-packed weekend at some of our region's local treasures.
The Chamber will be closed Mon, Sept 2 for Labour Day.
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Back to school savings
Hard to believe, but the start of the school year will soon be here! For many of us, it is the end of summer vacations and time to get back to business. Take advantage of The Chamber's exclusive member-only deals and discounts on
quality school and office supplies.
Chamber members can save:
- 10% at Monk Office supplies
- Up to 85% off at Grand & Toy Office supplies
- 30% when they update laptops and PCs through Lenovo
Discover all of our discounts and savings
here.
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Welcome to our newest members!
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Chamber Name Tags
 In response to members' requests, The Chamber has redesigned the name tags Chamber members can purchase. We increased the prominence of your business name while keeping your name clearly visible.
Need to get one of the snazzy new Chamber Name tags?
Email us to order yours today.
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