JOHN WILSON
VICTORIA – The weather outside might be frightful, but there are plenty of reasons to be grateful for the place we call home as we prepare to spend time with friends and family.
As we reflect on the year, it’s also a good moment to consider the priorities businesses continue to raise and how some of those challenges are being addressed now and in the year ahead. I’ll start with an issue that is not new, but one that often comes into sharper focus over the holidays: workforce availability.
Businesses tell us they need help ensuring they are fully staffed and resourced to reach their potential. This is an ongoing concern rooted in Greater Victoria’s DNA.
This is a remarkable place, and many people who first arrive as visitors want to live here forever. Of course, there is a cost associated with our mild climate and stunning location. Housing and child care can be notoriously difficult to secure, and day-to-day life can feel significantly more expensive. When combined with our demographics, it’s easy to see why our region faces a cyclical struggle to find and keep workers. Greater Victoria has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, and recent changes to immigration programs are creating real challenges for many organizations.
Another key priority businesses continue to raise is better governance. Reducing the burden on businesses would allow them to reinvest in their operations and their people. Canada has a well-documented productivity problem, driven in part by excessive red tape and unsustainable public-sector spending. Governments at all levels must focus on enabling private-sector growth. It’s the only proven way to ensure long-term funding for the essential services our communities rely on.
Improving these areas will take time, but the payoff will be significant: stronger organizations, increased investment and a more resilient regional economy.
Finally, and perhaps most urgently, we need to keep focused on helping downtown Victoria. As a vital hub for our regional economy, downtown plays an outsized role in our collective success. Yet, shamefully, it has been allowed to deteriorate. The Chamber has been clear and consistent in calling for urgent action, and while there is still much work to do, I want to commend the efforts made so far by Victoria Police Chief Constable Fiona Wilson.
For too long, businesses felt frustrated and unheard. Recent actions by VicPD demonstrate that concerns are being taken seriously. We’ve already seen the return of beat patrols and an overall increase in police presence downtown. These steps are making a difference, and we want to see them continued and expanded.
Recently, the Chamber facilitated a roundtable with local business leaders and Chief Wilson to discuss her plans for 2026. It was a productive discussion, with businesses offering constructive feedback that will help shape the strategies and tactics needed to make downtown safer in 2026 and for generations to come.
On behalf of the Chamber board and our team, happy holidays, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.
John Wilson is CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Upcoming Chamber Events
January 12, 2026 | 2026 Business Awards Nomination & Entry Tips Webinar | 12:00 Noon – 1:00 PM | Online (webinar)
February 2, 2026 | 2026 Business Awards Entry Tips Webinar | 12:00 Noon – 1:00 PM | Online (webinar)
February 10, 2026 | Working Towards a Better Future – Lunch with Chief Constable Fiona Wilson, Victoria Police Department | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM | Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour – Pacific Ballroom, 728 Humboldt St, Victoria
