Appendix
Attachment 1: WHAT WE HEARD REPORT Business Mixer March 2025
April 1, 2025Pages 59–687 sections
Detailed summary report of comments and themes from the OCP Business Mixer workshop tables.
Participating bodies: Town of View Royal and WestShore Chamber of CommerceEvent promotion methods: e-Newsletter, social media, stakeholder emails
WHAT WE HEARD REPORT
Page 59–68
Business Mixer
TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL
March 2025
Page 59–68
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Official Community Plan Business Mixer & Consultation .... 3
- WORKSHOP SUMMARY .... 4
- Overall Themes .... 4
- Responses From the Business Mixer Workshop .... 5
- NEXT STEPS .... 10
Page 59–68
Official Community Plan Business Mixer & Consultation
The Town of View Royal in partnership with the WestShore Chamber of Commerce held a business mixer on March 6, 2025, at the Victoria Scottish Community Centre in View Royal. The event was open to all local businesses to encourage participation in the Official Community Plan (OCP) review and update process. The event took place between 5:00 and 7:00 pm, and a workshop was held during the event.
Event Promotions
Together, the Town and the WestShore Chamber of Commerce used a variety of methods to inform the community about the business mixer workshop. The Chamber managed event registration and inquiries and created a dedicated landing page on their website to promote the event.
The tools included:
- Inside View Royal e-Newsletter
- Social media
- Stakeholder e-mails
- Chamber of Commerce website
Page 59–68
WORKSHOP SUMMARY
During the workshop a total of three questions were asked, approximately 15 minutes was spent on each question, and following this period each group would report back on their discussion. At each table a staff member facilitated the discussion, and recorded discussion with notes on a flip chart. The responses form the content of this What We Heard Report.
A total of 36 people attended the event and participated in the workshops. A comprehensive summary is detailed below.
Overall Themes
The top four themes for how View Royal is helping businesses grow are:
- More growth = more business opportunities,
- Holding business mixer to help business owners meet, talk, and network with other business owners.
- Town staff, Council and community are supportive of local businesses, and
- Applying for a business licence is easy.
The top four themes for local challenges affecting businesses are:
- Traffic Congestion,
- Lack of affordable commercial space available,
- Confusing home occupation regulations, and
- Slow processing times for applications (development & business licencing).
Four things that View Royal can improve to help facilitate economic growth are:
- Improving transportation connections throughout View Royal,
- Providing more parking for customers & clients,
- Permitting more mixed-use developments (commercial/residential), and
- Have a community space for public events.
Page 59–68
Responses From the Business Mixer Workshop
Question 1: What is View Royal doing well that helps the growth of your business?
| Workshop Group | Responses |
|---|---|
| Table 1 | • Possibility of development • Community hubs • More opportunities like Eagle Creek • Walkability is a huge factor ◦ Requires going to destinations in VR ▪ Six Mile Pub • Alignment with Development interests and OCP policies • Housing next to businesses • Access to transit • Support from Council • Supportive neighbours • Support from staff/council • Permitting processes • Cycling infrastructure |
| Table 2 | • Gave $100 for Business Licence and operate as inter-municipal business • More housing is good for business x 2 • Create a business community, nice to have someone to talk to if not working • Continue to build community, don’t be shy of your neighbours, • Sense of community, interact with neighbours • Share ideas, built community and networking – Business Mixer • Listening to businesses • Business mixer, get to know each other • What’s missing – micro library, coffee shop, space for social interaction and build community • More places like Nest • Places to meet, talk and network – like to see more of these • Farmer’s market, community events |
| Table 3 | • Community engagement ◦ But more ◦ In-person ◦ Local mixer to VR ◦ Hosted in different spaces • Approachable • Opportunity to streamline processes |
| Table 4 | • Supportive & helpful (staff) • Easy to get answers from staff • Like that I can pay BL renewals and submit applications online • Online is confusing ◦ Mobile website is difficult to navigate ▪ Could be more user friendly ◦ Easy to use the parks for classes • Make the business licence directory easier to find (how often is it updated) • Free street parking is lovely ◦ Generally easy for clients/customers to find parking |
| Table 5 | • Town has been a client of my business • The Town is growing • Residents draw business • Website is easy for applying for a business licence • The Town takes pride in its appearance, customers feel safe • Council & staff approachable • Business mixer is an opportunity to connect with other local businesses ◦ Especially for homebased |
Question 2: Are there any challenges, specific to View Royal, that are affecting your business?
| Workshop Group | Responses |
|---|---|
| Table 1 | • Connection is a challenge ◦ Bus service disconnected to do multiple tasks ◦ Challenge for non-mobile people ◦ Incomplete sidewalks • Traffic volume/congestion • Convenience has disappeared you must go in your car! • Convenience/ease of access ◦ Multiple stops ◦ Need easy way to get multiple things |
| Table 2 | • Traffic • Centralization – no downtown • A lot of regulations & hoops to open a business (less regulation) • Too few regulations becomes wild west • Finding right balance btw regulations & supporting, business • Lack of staff capacity. May impact ability to expedite • Note enough work for landscaping, going outside of community (i.e. Oak Bay, Saanich) • Working with other municipalities on regional traffic issues • Inter-municipal communication • Process time for development applications & inspections • Mixed-use developments ◦ Support this development • Commercial destinations • Entertainment facilities • Improve customer service, it is getting better • Long/slow process • Liked how slow things down |
| Table 3 | • Traffic causes delays for staff & clients ◦ Bottleneck ◦ More lanes • Opportunities for home based business ◦ Reduce restrictions ◦ Zoning restrictions (as it relates with sq footage/ lot size) • Local events/markets • More space for commercial/industrial • Parking • Support for small/medium business (incubators/accelerators) |
| Table 4 | • Digital signs (more cost effective) for advertising at the casino • Signs for home occupations (rules) could be clearer • Could we include a FAQ • Lack a Rec Centre in Town with space that is rentable for mobile businesses • No announcement board to share new news/ongoing things • Portage park → grated stairs painful for dogs (paws) |
| Table 5 | • Traffic • Construction Traffic • Affordable, leasing space is hard to find. Would like to see a variety of commercial space sizes • Challenging to get funding stimulus for startups and attracting business • Unclear about possibility for a home (vs mobile) business • Difference across different municipalities in region ◦ Zoning, licensing |
Question 3: What can be improved in View Royal to facilitate economic growth?
| Workshop Group | Responses |
|---|---|
| Table 1 | • Transportation #46/#53 ◦ Connectivity, going place to place ◦ Access to/within community • Mixed-use buildings/sites ◦ Promote local/neighbourhood based growth. Deter cars • More/frequent bus service • Are there incentives that could help? ◦ Thoughtful community plan that is embraced by community ◦ Timeliness, timing for projects/developments • 6 storey-mixed use ◦ Market sounding, ask what you need to have feasible development ◦ Ease of parking regs, # that make sense for business, what is actually required |
| Table 2 | • Reception area, not open & inviting, barriers haven’t come down • Traffic/parking – hard to find visitor parking • More people move out to Langford to open business • Walk to services instead of getting into car • Rail station along G.G • More activities in Langford (shops, stores & services) • Farmers Market on Saturday to bring into VR • Theatres for art events • Event space at View Royal – more publicly known • Western Corridor-entertainment centre • Fine fining restaurants (i.e. Keg) • Destination - Mix of shops and services |
| Table 3 | • Marketing campaign → promoting VR as a place for entrepreneurs ◦ What is in VR/What is good about • Creative ways to make owning a business more affordable • Walkable • Community gathering spaces ◦ Space for families • More collaboration with local institutes • Maker spaces & art spaces • Creative spaces • Resources of available community spaces • Spaces with multi-uses |
| Table 4 | • Rec Centre • Commercial Services • Advertise that you can have a Home Based Business • View Royal Park ◦ Exercise equipment is lacking – could be better ◦ Notice board for businesses holding classes at the park • Community bboards • Construction/traffic ◦ Better traffic management or communication of blockages would be helpful • Live/work zoned condos ◦ Eagle Creek, China Town, View Street – walk up with commercial below • Grocery store at Helmcken • Restaurants • Hold more community events that businesses could be involved in • More mixed use zoning not just strictly residential or commercial • Better communication of events • Make website more user friendly ◦ Make the BL directory easy to find • Would be nice to see where BL are in the queue to get processed |
| Table 5 | • More commercial space + variety of sizes • Transit connections ◦ Getting from one point to others (crosstown) • More parking • More mobile service parking • Helping customers get to business. E.g. shuttle • Gathering space for pop-ups e.g. Langford station • Help start ups • Drive throughs in the right locations ◦ E.g. coffee shops |
Page 59–68
NEXT STEPS
The input received through this engagement touchpoint (Phase 1 Visioning) will help shape the updated OCP vision statement and guiding principles for the Town. A draft vision statement and guiding principles will be presented to community, OCP Review Advisory Committee, and Council later in the Spring of 2025. At this point, additional opportunities to provide feedback online or in-person will be available.
Page 59–68
Extracted from: 2025 04 01 Council Agenda - Agenda - Pdf