MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Dave Marshall GVCC Chair
A vibrant and growing business community is the core of a healthy community. Doing all we can to help foster an environment where business can grow is a prime focus of the Chamber. 2010 was a year of redoubling our efforts, offering the best of services to our members, and being mindful of the fact that many are still recovering from the downturn of 2009. We heard from our members that they were, and continue to be, concerned about the business environment - particularly the cost of doing business and the impact of taxation and policy changes on their operations. In 2010, we made a decision to become involved in the important municipal and regional issues to an even greater extent. To that end we became involved in the debate over the rebuilding or refurbishment of the Johnson Street Bridge and offered our informed opinion to business members on the impact of the City of Victoria’s pending decision. We began engaging with BC Transit as they began to work on a rapid transit plan and continue to assess
the business, financial and taxation impacts of that plan. Through the Greater Victoria Development Agency, we are involved with creating an economic development plan for our region and forming partnerships with other cities in the Pacific Northwest. As a regional Chamber of Commerce, we have members from every one of our thirteen municipalities. We are interested in and involved with business issues across the region, and we strive to represent the concerns of business from a regional perspective. I am proud of the work that the Chamber has done on behalf of its members and for the broader business community. We are all fortunate to be supported in that work by a dedicated board of directors and professional staff. Most importantly, we are proud of the entrepreneurs and risk-takers in our community who, through your dedication, commitment and investment, support our economy. If you are Chamber members, we look forward to continuing to serve you. If you are not a Chamber member, we would welcome you in joining us!
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
Bruce Carter CEO
All of our priorities and advocacy efforts are centred on the issues that are important to members. All are exercised to support the vitality of business in our region and support our mission of facilitating the financial vitality of its members while respecting people, planet and profit. Our events and programs are all designed to answer the training needs of business, provide the best networking opportunities, and benefit programs to assist small and medium sized enterprises grow and become more effective in their operations. In 2010 we were very active in the Greater Victoria community. We held sixty-five events throughout the year, large and small with close to 5,500 people in attendance. We were extremely active in the policy realm, with five of our policy positions being supported at the BC Chamber of Commerce AGM and another one supported at the Canadian Chamber AGM. Once we have our positions supported by these bodies, they then become advocacy points for our provincial and national
counter-parts, lending more voice to the business issues of our region. The majority of the members at the Chamber are small and medium sized businesses. Thirty eight percent of our members have ten employees or less and ninety percent have twenty employees or less. Our region is about small business – and our programs focus on benefitting small business. The Chamber offers employee extended benefits packages to our members at rates that most companies are not able to secure on their own. The same can be said for the excellent credit card rates with the best service available. Looking to the year ahead, the Chamber is seeking additional programs to add increased value and service to members. While a challenging year for many of our businesses, 2010 was also good as business confidence began to show signs of a rebound. We look forward to an excellent year in 2011 and a vibrant future for our business community.
GVCC ANNUAL REPORT 2011
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