Your weekly round up of BizNews across Greater Victoria
Special thanks to Robert Bateman Centre for hosting the August Business Mixer last Thursday. See all the photos here. The Chamber's next Business Mixer is Sept 15 at the Swans Hotel & Brewpub. Register here!
CRD Sewage Update
Today the CRD's Core Area Wastewater Treatment Project Board publicly released an interim report identifying three shortlisted options for the siting of the CRD Core Area Wastewater Treatment facility. To see the goals, options and methodology used by the Project Board and the resulting three shortlisted sites please read the 5 page report.
The next steps in the process are for the Project Board to determine a single site for the plant in its final report, which will be made public and delivered to CRD board members on September 7. The board will vote on that recommendation at a CRD Board meeting scheduled for September 14 at 1:30 pm. It will be open to the public.
"The people appointed to the CRD Project Board are experienced and capable individuals with excellent reputations for managing large capital projects at the provincial and international level," said Chamber CEO Catherine Holt. " We look forward to their final recommendation and to making some long anticipated progress on this important project."
BC Ferries' CEO and president Mike Corrigan announced at the corporation's AGM Aug 19 that he intends to step down effective March 31, 2017.
"I am particularly proud of BC Ferries' culture of safety and the internal and external recognition we have received for it," said Mike in a blog post. "We understand the trust BC residents and visitors place in us to get them safely and reliably to the people and places that are important in their lives, and we take that responsibility very seriously."
"Mike Corrigan has been a solid and successful leader for BC Ferries. He is going out on a high note," said Chamber CEO Catherine Holt, referring to its most recent quarterly results, showing a 44% increase in earnings over the same quarter of the previous year. "We wish him nautical good luck - fair winds and following seas - and wish him well on his next adventure."
BC Ferries plans to continue its campaign of price promotions this fall and next spring in an effort to maintain increased passenger and vehicle traffic.
Business today travels at the speed of light and nowhere is that more true than in the hot BC real estate market.
Hear Connie Fair, CEO of the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (LTSA), speak on how the LTSA is changing the landscape with new technology enabling those buying, selling and developing land.
Wed, Sept. 28 | 11:30 am-1 pm
Hotel Grand Pacific, 463 Belleville St
TMX Pipeline - Have Your Say
The Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMX) is a proposal to expand the existing Trans Mountain pipeline system between Edmonton, AB and Burnaby, BC. It would include approximately 987 km of new pipeline, new and modified facilities, such as pump stations and tanks, and the reactivation of 193 km of existing pipeline, and would result in increased tanker traffic, particularly within the shipping corridor between Westridge Marine Terminal and Vancouver Island.
The Government of Canada has set up a Ministerial Panel to hear from Canadians on the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. As part of these engagement efforts, the Government of Canada has launched an online questionnaire for Canadians to submit their feedback on the project. The feedback that the Ministerial Panel receives will help inform the Government's final decision on the project, expected later this year.
"I encourage Chamber members to express their views to ensure the Panel has the diverse perspectives they need to provide representative feedback," said Chamber CEO Catherine Holt.
Jim Pattison Buys Colwood Car Dealership
Saunders Subaru has been sold to the Jim Pattison Auto Group, which will lease the building and land at 1784 Island Highway in Colwood.
The sale strengthens Jim Pattison's presence in the capital region as he already owns Jim Pattison Toyota Victoria and Jim Pattison Volvo of Victoria. Pattison has been in the automobile business since 1961.
This will be Pattison's fifth Subaru location in western Canada and his auto group is the largest Subaru retailer in Canada.
Join us on the last official day of summer for a fun evening at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria featuring signature cocktails prepared by Little Jumbo. Mix and mingle in the Art Gallery's mansion while listening to music spun by a local DJ. Passion and Peformance and Four Frames Photo Booth will also be on hand to add to the evening's festivities.
A recent BCBusiness survey asked 612 BC senior executives and business owners everything from how much growth they see for their business in the years ahead to what are the biggest challenges facing their business.
This survey revealed some interesting results. For example, when respondents were asked "what do you foresee being the biggest challenge facing your company in the next five years, the top three were: 1. finding talent and workers, 2. improving profitability, and 3. effect of government actions on my business.
The biggest surprise was the overall upbeat mood of private business leaders.
"Respondents are definitely buoyant. Not only are most of them expecting growth next year, but even more are expecting growth in the next five years," said Mario Canseco, vice-president of public affairs for Insights West in the article. "Very few people predict a decline, and exporters seem to have higher expectations-at least on the size of the expected growth-than non-exporters."
Improve your customer service strategy using social media.
Social media expert Russel Lolacher will share how to embrace social media customer service to benefit your organization.
Wed, Oct 26 | 2-4 pm
The Chamber, 852 Fort St.
Mayfair Mall Gets $72 Million Boost
Ivanho� Cambridge announced Tuesday that it will invest $72 million to expand and redevelop Mayfair Shopping Centre, increasing the gross leasable area from 454,000 sqft to approx. 554,000 sqft. The expansion will be executed along the Douglas Street frontage, and will include additional bus stops and new bus shelters.
"Although the sales and traffic are a great story at Mayfair, we can't be complacent or overly comfortable with our position in the market. The landscape here is evolving and we must continue to reinvent ourselves," said Ivanhoe Cambridge Executive VP and COO Roman Drohomirecki. "That's why we're investing significant capital to maintain the centre's position. We will also deploy new digital solutions across our malls in Canada."
Mayfair Shopping Centre Ltd. Partnership (Ivanhoe Cambridge): member since 1963
