The City of Victoria’s drive to be more business-friendly picked up its pace Tuesday with the opening of a new business hub at city hall.
Calling it an experiment, Mayor Lisa Helps said the new department, which backs onto her office, will be a one-stop shop for businesses trying to set up or expand in the city.
“We hope this becomes the go-to place,” she said, noting it has been established to help everyone from the new start-up, the would-be investor or developer, to the established firm.
She warned that it will not be all things to all people, but suggested its ties and partnership with such organizations as the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Greater Victoria Development Agency and the Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council would allow it to point businesses in the right direction.
“Any kind of effort to make doing business easy in Victoria is welcomed,” said chamber vice-chair Al Hasham, owner of Maximum Express Courier and Max Furniture. “Anything we can do to promote business and cut red tape is welcomed by us.”
The business hub was one of the key initiatives to come out of the economic plan the mayor’s task force on economic development and prosperity drafted this year.
Launched in April, the 17-member task force was intended to help the city improve its relationship with the business community and lay a foundation to support economic growth.
The business hub, designed to help anyone wanting to start, expand, or invest in a business, is part of that foundation.
“I think any time you can make bringing business to Victoria a little easier means having more businesses land here and get established here,” said Grant Olson, owner of the Strathcona Hotel. “In the past, sometimes there were hurdles that frustrated developers and businesspeople who wanted to get something done in Victoria, And if this [hub] can smooth it out and helps business get going, it’s a great idea.”
Helps said the hub will soon hire a “business ambassador.” It already has a manager of strategic relations and business development.
“There will not be a lot of taxpayers’ dollars spent right away. We will start small and look for continuous input and feedback from the business community,” she said, adding it will operate as a lean start-up.
