9 replies to this topic

[Citified.ca]

The lack of action on the many social issues impacting downtown Victoria has led to the formation of CORUS, a group of downtown Victoria building owners (not business owners, but property owners) that have established a task force to elevate the issues and concerns the industry has, and help restore public safety, a healthier business climate downtown and empower decision making with real-world data.

 

CORUS is operated under the Chamber of Commerce umbrella in order to alleviate the challenges with creating a standalone organization, but is a separate entity. Membership information is in the article below.

 

Upper Yates Street in downtown Victoria's Harris Green neighbourhood is undergoing significant change, with approximately 1,000 units of purpose-built rental homes currently under construction on opposite sides of the thoroughfare at Cook Street, as seen in this May, 2026 photo. A new task force called CORUS, made up of downtown building owners, is hoping to elevate the voice of the property ownership community to shed light on how government decisions impact property operations, and commercial tenants increasingly struggling to sustain their businesses in the city centre.

 

Downtown Victoria property owners launch 'CORUS' task force to restore safety and promote business-friendly city centre

https://victoria.cit...ly-city-centre/

[Victoria Watcher]

Not sure this is the answer.

[max.bravo]

Maybe they’re getting bulk pricing on security guards? I can’t imagine what they’ll be able to actually accomplish.

[Victoria Watcher]

Not sure this is the answer.

 

Probably can't hurt though.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 11 May 2026 - 09:48 AM.

[Mike K.]

Well, for starters, the DVBA and SIPP are dependent on government dollars, which makes their advocacy trickier. The City is also so intertwined with the NDP government, that it renders their advocacy or attempts at advocacy as largely crippled by virtue of their dependence on provincial grants and political favours.

CORUS is made up of independent building owners, who can counter narratives put out by the City and the Province with actual data and first-hand accounts. We’ve recently heard the mayor say lease costs are rising too fast. Well, let’s peel that curtain back and see how the City’s taxation and the cost pressures it introduces impact the costs for tenants. One landlord isn’t able to offer much of a data point but 300 might be.

For example, did we know this?

Approximately half of all the office space in downtown Victoria used to be occupied by government (approximately 74 buildings), now most sits vacant or mostly vacant.

We’ve never heard the province cite this figure when they decide work-from-home is sound policy. The City of Victoria hasn’t referenced this statistic either, when talking about the vitality of the downtown business scene. 74 office properties sitting vacant or mostly vacant will have a profound impact on a downtown core that relies on workers in those 74 buildings, yes or no?

[Kilo95]

High time for this. As CORUS rightly points out, commercial operators are shouldering the burden of property taxes. Time to offload from the businesses and jack up the rates for homeowners instead

[Mike K.]

A little more understanding of the heavy lifting business does would be helpful. Businesses pay at a more than 3:1 ratio, but are largely absent from tax policy, and of course, do not get the vote directly (some can depending on property ownership structure, but most do not).

[Kilo95]

A little more understanding of the heavy lifting business does would be helpful. Businesses pay at a more than 3:1 ratio, but are largely absent from tax policy, and of course, do not get the vote directly (some can depending on property ownership structure, but most do not).

 

Exactly my point - time to level the playing field and adjust the mill rates (currently 5.65 for residential vs 19.88 for commercial). Drop the commercial mill rate down to 12 and bump the residential rate up to 12. Business owners shouldn't be subsidizing homeowners anymore. 

[Victoria Watcher]

^ not popular.

[Mike K.]

Business wouldn’t exist without the residents, though. Who is subsidizing whom can be a bit of a rabbit hole discussion.