Presentation: Official Community Plan Review and Update – Business Mixer Workshop What We Heard Report

Public Engagement Process

• Victoria Scottish Community Centre
• March 6, 2025, 5:00 to 7:00 pm
• Advertisement included: invitation mailout to approx. 425 business license holders, e-Newsletter, social media, stakeholder emails approx. 215 businesses, Town and West Shore Chamber websites
• Approximately 30 local business owners and employees attended the business mixer and participated in a workshop to gather feedback on business growth and development in the Town.
• The workshop included three questions with 15-minute breakout sessions for each followed by a report back
• 36 participants

Overall Themes

Question 1: What is View Royal Doing well that helps the growth of your business?

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.

Question 2: Are there any challenges, specific to View Royal, that are affecting your business?

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).

Question 3: What can be improved in View Royal to facilitate economic growth?

Four things that View Royal can improve to help facilitate economic growth are:

• Permitting more mixed-use developments (commercial and residential);
• Improve transportation connections throughout View Royal;
• Provide more parking for customers & clients; and
• Have a community space for public events.

Recommendation

THAT the Senior Planner’s March 25, 2025, report titled “Official Community Plan Review, Business Mixer Workshop – What We Heard Report” be received.