The Chamber's Board of Directors and staff wish you all the best for 2016! In this edition of BizNews, we share a selection of business and member news - keep up to date on what is happening within our business community!
Celebrate Success!
Has someone has inspired you in 2015? Been a positive role model? Do you know someone who has made a outstanding contribution in the environment or as a mentor? Demonstrated a commitment to our community? Then they deserve a nomination for the Chamber Awards' Business Leadership category -  nominate them today!

2015 Business Leadership
Winner: Inn at Laurel Point

Thanks again to Coast Capital Savings for sponsoring this award.
Chamber News
Opportunities and connections
Natural Gas Users Get Rate Cuts
For Vancouver Island to be competitive, The Chamber believes we need to have the same natural gas rates as the rest of the province. If energy rates are higher or lower in one area of the province it creates a corresponding incentive or disincentive to live and work in that area. 

In 2013, The Chamber and others began actively advocating for common rates for natural gas in BC, which would see rates on Vancouver Island reduced to match the rest of the province. In February 2014, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) approved FortisBC's proposal.

As part of a three-year plan, Vancouver Island natural gas customers will see a projected 25% reduction.


GST and Affordable Housing
Housing affordability is top of mind within our community. We need affordable housing to build healthy communities and to attract and retain the workforce we need today - and tomorrow. The GST on residential construction has resulted in a lock-in effect and an overall decrease in affordable housing. Affordable housing is important to business operations - providing housing for all levels of the employment spectrum, supporting the attraction and retention of a skilled workforce.
 
SEMINAR:

Improve your bottom line with Karam Bassi, a merchant service expert. Learn about transaction fees and how to  create a personalized payment strategy.

Tues, Jan 26 | Noon - 1 pm
The Chamber, 852 Fort St.


2016 Tax Changes
Health-care premiums, BC Hydro bills, auto insurance rates and property taxes are projected to increase. If such increases come to pass, the question top of mind might be, what is the net impact on individual?

As outlined in The Chamber's Measure of Overall Tax Burden, there would be exceptional value in understanding the overall tax burden. For example, with such information, the effectiveness of tax measures and programs could then be effectively measured. Yet, there is no single source compiled in a user-friendly format with which to easily compare the overall tax burden by municipality across British Columbia, or indeed across the country.



Cross-border Accountants at Work
The Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) and the Washington State Board of Accountancy are establishing a framework to ensure cross-border accounting activities are properly governed in the best interest of the public via cooperative regulation between the two accounting bodies.


CPABC: member since 2011   
PROVINCIAL FINANCE MINISTER LUNCHEON
What should BC do with a $265 million surplus? 
Join us for The Chamber's annual post-budget  address with BC Finance Minister Michael de Jong. Hear about the forecasted $265 million surplus for 2015-16 fiscal, the plans to invest these savings, and what province-wide changes could impact our community and your bottom line.

Wed, Feb 17 | 11:30 - 1 pm
The Fairmont Empress
721 Government St.


College to Help Newcomers
The Province is supporting newcomers to Victoria who are looking for work by providing $210,992 toward English language training at Camosun College for high-demand jobs. The training will prepare participants for employment in an industry, sector or occupation that is currently experiencing, or is expected to experience, a labour or skills shortage over the next 12 months.


 

 

Camosun College: member since 1981 


Ready for 2016?
Make sure your business info is up to date in The Chamber's online business directory, a powerful tool that helps people find your business while strengthening your online presence. 
  • Is your business name correct? 
  • Is your main contact correct?   
  • Is your address and postal code correct?
  • Is your phone number current?
  • Are there any changes to your website address or social media accounts?
  • Are you still in the right category? 
We ask you to update your directory listing by Feb 1, to ensure your most up-to-date listing appears in our most popular publication of the year - the March edition of Business Matters, which includes the compiled directory in print for all of 1,400+ member businesses.

Not sure how to login and update your listing?  Email us and we'll be happy to help. Our online directory listing is a phenomenal tool for promoting your business online and we want to make it work for you.
Welcome to our our newest members!

  


Congratulations!
  • Asyma Solutions, a business consulting and software services firm, is opening a new location 301-1321 Blanshard St. in downtown Victoria. The Victoria office is Asyma's first location outside Alberta and the company expects to add three to five employees here within the next year.
  • Manpreet Dhillon, a Vancouver human resources professional and executive coach, has been appointed by the provincial government to Royal Roads University's board of governors for a one-year term.

#100 - 852 Fort St.,
Victoria, BC V8W 1H8
Phone: 250-383-7191
Fax: 250-385-3552
 [email protected]