2024 Fee for Service Proposal to the Town of View Royal

2024 Fee for Service Proposal to the Town of View Royal

Overview

The WestShore Chamber of Commerce has been in operation since 1956. We are a non-partisan, not-for-profit membership organization that exists to promote business and economic growth, advocate on behalf of local business, and participate in enriching the community. One of five Chambers of Commerce on southern Vancouver Island, the WestShore Chamber primarily serves businesses in Colwood, the Highlands, Langford, Metchosin and View Royal. While we liaise and may work together on advocacy and events with other chambers, each chamber of commerce is independently constituted under the Boards of Trade Act.

The WestShore Chamber is governed by a volunteer board of 12 directors and has 2 full-time and 1 part-time staff. We are a member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and actively participate in the initiatives of the BC Chamber including professional development and survey opportunities which are open to both members and non-members.

Membership

As of October 26, 2023, our community consists of 398 members, of which 18 are View Royal-based.

Finances

Please see Appendix 1 for our 2022 year-end review. We had a shortfall of -$10,214 for 2022 as we recovered from the impact of COVID restrictions on our events program. While our membership is growing, membership dues only accounted for around 45% of our income in 2022 (once we remove the grant of $54,000). Other income comes from office rentals, events, and fee for service arrangements. The majority of our budget is spent on the staff to carry out the work of our organization to support the community ($150,406 out of $329,110 expenditure in 2022.)

While the WestShore Chamber has since 2020 continued to pivot, adjust, and introduce new programs and services with the same number of staff, in 2023 inflation has impacted our operating budget. All of our costs are up, and our income has not kept pace. We are therefore reviewing all of our income streams, including our Fee for Service arrangements.

Fee for Service request

The WestShore Chamber acknowledges and appreciates the many years of support provided by the Town of View Royal. With this proposal, we are asking for continued support with a $6,000 per year Fee for Service agreement, a $3,000 increase on 2023. This request is to support the core activities of the Chamber that directly support View Royal businesses, the wider View Royal community, and the Town of View Royal and includes Chamber membership.

This requested increase is in part based on inflation, and in part on offering an additional service, specified below. While this proposal is submitted to provide details for View Royal’s autumn 2023 budget planning process, an updated version will be submitted by February 2024 to provide more current data and plans.

Why Should the Town of View Royal Support the WestShore Chamber of Commerce?

The WestShore Chamber does good work for View Royal, and for the Town of View Royal, at a very small cost. Please see Appendix 2 for some of the work planned for 2024, and Appendix 3 for a non-exhaustive list of information on 2023.

What the WestShore Chamber will provide

1. Promotion and sharing of Town of View Royal information/initiatives
   • Promote View Royal through the inclusion of the Town logo in our weekly e-news (just under 30,000 views in 2022), as well as View Royal content (ongoing from 2022 and prior.)
   • promote View Royal and the Town of View Royal through our active social media channels by posting, reposting, and sharing content (ongoing from 2022 and prior. Best traction on Facebook and Instagram; also active on Twitter and LinkedIn.)
   • Profile of the Town of View Royal on the Chamber’s online business directory (ongoing from 2022 and prior. 3,476 impressions in 2022.)
2. Joint events or initiatives
   • The Town of View Royal and the WestShore Chamber can co-create and co-host an agreed joint initiative such as the February 2023 Joint Mixer which will highlight, support and/or promote View Royal businesses.
   • NEW Survey the View Royal business community and review and share this information with the Town of View Royal. (NOTE: we currently have 105 View Royal organization contacts in our database which we appreciate does not cover all businesses in View Royal. Further discussion required!)
3. Best of the WestShore Awards
   • Promote View Royal and the Town of View Royal through our Best of the WestShore Awards. This popular initiative, carried out in partnership with the Goldstream Gazette, highlights the best businesses and non-profits in the WestShore. Entirely decided by public vote and open to all organizations in Colwood, the Highlands, Langford, Metchosin and View Royal, there were over 33,000 votes across 44 categories in 2022. View Royal businesses and places are represented in the winners and finalists; please see Appendix 4 for the list from 2022.
4. Quarterly meeting to discuss issues and initiatives
   • Meetings with our liaison Mayor Sid Tobias have been ongoing in 2023.
   • While we are currently a small organization, the WestShore Chamber aspires to be an economic driver in our community. We are very open to discussions on how we can further help the Town of View Royal support the business community.
5. Business Support Provide general business support services to the business (and wider) community at large by:
   • responding to general business inquiries
   • providing access to relevant print and electronic resources, and/or
   • providing referrals to appropriate Town of View Royal staff.
6. Business Promotion and Retention
   • Develop and deliver activities, services, and networking opportunities such as workshops and guest speakers which promote and support the business community at large, not limited to the Chamber’s membership.
   • Develop and/or distribute resources, information and services that support the retention, attraction, and expansion to groups and individuals located within or seeking to locate within the Town of View Royal and/or the WestShore not limited to the Chamber’s membership.
   • Support the development and implementation of programs to advertise and promote buying and shopping local products and services through mediums including print, digital, web and social media.
   • Take part in relevant community initiatives related to economic development and business promotion.

Submitted by: Julie Lawlor, Executive Director October 2023

Appendix 1

2022 year-end engagement review completed by Fleming and Company, which also includes data for 2021. Please see separate document.

Appendix 2

It is proposed that this section be updated by February 2024 to provide up to date details.

Appendix 3

In 2023 we:

• have collaborated with Royal Roads University on a Work Integrated Learning project to link students to employers, a project running until 2025
• offered the Vision WestShore dinner and panel discussion, highlighting the work of each municipality
• offer in person networking & connection events, approximately 2 per month
• continue to distil, curate, and provide information and resources to the business community and the community at large through our e-news, targeted e-mails, and social media
• continue to provide details on the webinars and professional development opportunities that are available to businesses
• support and promote new business openings
• continue to play our part in regional and WestShore activities, making connections for the benefit of all. Examples are the Greater Victoria Local Immigration Partnership Employment Sector Table and the Coldest Night of the Year.

Since 2018, the WestShore Chamber has become more involved in provincial policy and advocacy through its membership with the BC Chamber. We would be happy to have discussions with the Town of View Royal about View Royal priorities and how they fit into the provincial picture. Conversations with Langford staff led to the WestShore Chamber’s submission of a policy about the Community Charter which was approved by BC Chamber members in 2021.

Appendix 4

The list of the 2022 Best of the WestShore Awards winners and finalists is 6 pages long and we appreciate not everyone may want to wade through it. It can be found on our website.