11779 replies to this topic

[sebberry]

How many businesses have closed in downtown Victoria since the pandemic began?

 

How many are struggling?  How many business owners had to face the prospect of laying off workers (I know, CERB, EI, etc... but there's still a toll it takes on the owner) how many shop keepers are still in business but further in debt?  

[spanky123]

How many are struggling?  How many business owners had to face the prospect of laying off workers (I know, CERB, EI, etc... but there's still a toll it takes on the owner) how many shop keepers are still in business but further in debt?  

 

Really hard to measure at this point. Business leaders and politicians in Victoria like to put a happy face on everything hoping that their optimism will drive results. You can walk some blocks in downtown Victoria and half of the shops are closed. Whether they are closed permanently or just temporarily is hard to know. Restaurants and cafes that re-opened have cut hours as we enter fall, but they could still be doing well very financially due to the CEWS. Offices that are vacant are still leased in many cases so Colliers reports them as occupied. We won't see the real impact until those leases start to com up for renewal which could be 5 years or more in some cases. 

 

The macro trends are more concerning IMHO and to a large extent are being ignored by our leaders. Office workers are vacating the downtown cores of cities around the world, retail is being displaced by ecommerce, and downtown rental is rapidly trending downwards as offices close and younger workers migrate to the burbs and smaller towns. 

[A Girl is No one]

If Her Worseship was making reference to the BHP petition, the solution was and is obvious: enforce existing overnight camping bylaws.

They won’t even enforce the very few rules they still have: no camping near playgrounds, under trees, in protected area etc. All they will do is “talk to them”. If the campers refuse to move then they get to stay. That’s the case with the guy with the chop shop in plain view in BHP.

[dasmo]

I closed my office downtown.... The reason to have it was for the energy, the great experience having coffee and lunch in vibrant, bustling, people places. That's gone. 

Edited by dasmo, 21 October 2020 - 02:00 PM.

[Rob Randall]

or - and my personal favorite - writing letters to Vladimir Putin of all people, an ex-KGB thug who could care less about what some non-entity called the City of Victoria says, thinks or does - that kind of fluff?

 

I would love to know how many hours - if not days or weeks of council time - was spent debating the merits of joining a lawsuit almost certainly doomed to fail or, during the Dean Fortin regime, waxing poetic and/or anguishing over the precise text and grammar included in the letter to the ******g Russian dictator? 

 

Right, that was about Putin's government bullying gay people. I'm on record as being fully supportive of any and all efforts to annoy evil dictators no matter how puny and miniscule the idea. If it costs 0.03 cents of my tax bill so be it.

 

See, that's the problem--we all expect the US to be the world's policeman and then complain when they actually do it. If every podunk village in the world harrassed Putin and it caused even an incremental change I would call that a worthwhile effort.

Edited by Rob Randall, 21 October 2020 - 05:54 PM.

[Nparker]

...If every podunk village in the world harassed Putin and it caused even an incremental change I would call that a worthwhile effort.

It wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference to a dictator like Putin.

[rmpeers]

Jeremy, just because you put a motion forward does not excuse you from owning the mess at COV. Good Governance and Fiscal Management takes a backseat to experimental ideology. The actions of this Council over the last 1 1/2 terms are nothing short of embarrassing.

We have a 27,000 name petition regarding the mess at BHP, a lawsuit by concerned Citizens against CoV regarding BHP. This council fiddles while Rome burns talking incessantly about removing ACAB from a taxpayer funded mural because feelings and stuff but you ignore the pleas of small businesses that are failing because of the persistent criminality and open drug use. You ignore the pleas of Citizens whose properties are vandalised and ongoing theft of property wherever these tent cities appear. Your anti-car rhetoric is creating congestion and more GHG's but yup lets ban a few plastic bags....

What skills do these people have sitting around that table that can contribute to the proper Good Governance and Fiscal Management of the City? Heck we have councilors decrying the evils of capitalism, playing identity politics, class warfare and all the foolish nonsensical ideas that die on 1st year University debate floors. This council strays so far out its lane its only surprising when they don't.

People in general dont give a crap about pronouns, they like horse carriages and cruise ships and all the money they bring here. We own more cars than ever, but we also like good bike paths not poorly thought out ones. My 83 year old M-I-L wants to enjoy the Park again, she doesnt want to be robbed for the 4th time (3 times are enough) she wants to sleep through the night with her window open without worrying someone may try to climb in...is that too much to frigging ask???????

All Citizens want is a good job, a decent place to call home & clean safe streets, safe schools and places to shop and recreate. In return they will happily pay their taxes to provide for the services to help other Citizens.

Tell me that this is Victoria today....

Great recap.

[rmpeers]

If Her Worseship was making reference to the BHP petition, the solution was and is obvious: enforce existing overnight camping bylaws.

But that might involve admitting she was wrong.

[AllseeingEye]

Right, that was about Putin's government bullying gay people. I'm on record as being fully supportive of any and all efforts to annoy evil dictators no matter how puny and miniscule the idea. If it costs 0.03 cents of my tax bill so be it.

 

See, that's the problem--we all expect the US to be the world's policeman and then complain when they actually do it. If every podunk village in the world harrassed Putin and it caused even an incremental change I would call that a worthwhile effort.

 

 

Problem is - they didn't, and no change has occurred, and there he remains courtesy of some backroom shenanigans in cahoots with former Russian PM and President Medvedev, the President of Russia apparently until 2036. Meanwhile Rome (Victoria) continues to burn. In fact since then the flames on the home front have only burned higher and hotter.

 

In matters concerning a local city council IMO they should fix what can be fixed for those whom and on behalf of those they presume to govern, and IF and WHEN that happy day arrives, then they may stray into lanes upon which they otherwise have zero impact and zero business being in.

 

And in the meantime since that 'letter of conscience' by the CoV how have gays fared in Putin's Russia? Well not so good apparently -

 

https://www.thesun.c...-putin-enacted/

[rmpeers]

I do think Helps and council essentially saying "F#@k you, we don't care what you think" re. BHP encampment was a turning point.

[spanky123]

I was going to say, what's wrong with volunteering at the library for kids? Jesus Christ.

 

Agreed.

 

I disagree with much of What Jeremy advocates for on council but I give him a lot of slack for a few reasons. Whether you support the arts of not, there is no doubt that Jeremy is a huge advocate and donates a lot of his time to support local endeavors and I think that everyone is better for it. The City spends a few bucks on poets and murals but Jeremy and others put in far more time and effort to try and support local groups.

 

I watch most council meetings and Jeremy is always well prepared and his questions thought through. Again I may not agree with him, but it rare that anyone could say that he hasn't at least done the legwork to make sure that he has taken a reasoned approach.

[Nparker]

As prepared as Mr. Loveday may be, he doesn't live in the CoV and should not be eligible to represent Victoria residents on council.

[spanky123]

As prepared as Mr. Loveday may be, he doesn't live in the CoV and should not be eligible to represent Victoria residents on council.

 

I haven't heard any complaints about where people live in the other 13 munis. If Stu Young lived in the Highlands instead of Langford would anyone be saying that he shouldn't be Mayor?

[Nparker]

If someone isn't eligible to vote in a municipality, they have no business making decisions for that municipality.

[sebberry]

Why aren't they contributing to their own municipality's council instead? More exposure serving on council for the capital city?

[Nparker]

I may be mistaken, but didn't Jeremy Loveday live in Victoria when he was first elected to council?

[Mike K.]

Jeremy moved to Esquimalt during this term. I don't think that should be an issue for the 2018-2022 term as buying a house is not always dictated by choice as much as necessity, especially if it's your first home and you are not able to pursue a $900k starter home in the CoV.

 

In 2022, should Jeremy run again, the issue of non-residency will be something to consider by his constituents, or maybe the councillor will opt to run in Esquimalt. We'll see.

[Nparker]

...In 2022, should Jeremy run again, the issue of non-residency will be something to consider by his constituents, or maybe the councillor will opt to run in Esquimalt...

It shouldn't be an option. Residency should be a requirement to run for civic office.

[Ismo07]

It shouldn't be an option. Residency should be a requirement to run for civic office.

 

How about a business owner in Victoria who lives in Sidney?

[Nparker]

How about a business owner in Victoria who lives in Sidney?

They at least have a vested interest in the CoV. Perhaps business owners should be allowed to vote in the jurisdiction in which they own.