Business owners in Victoria香蕉视频直播檚 core are sick of waiting for 香蕉视频直播減erfect香蕉视频直播� solutions, and the organization that represents them is demanding action from all levels of government.
The Downtown Victoria Business Association香蕉视频直播檚 2025 Report on Downtown: A Wake Up Call is a comprehensive look at data drawn from the area, including a survey of 1,800 association members 香蕉视频直播� with a record 30 per cent response rate.
In years past, it was an 香蕉视频直播渙paque香蕉视频直播� report full of data simply presented, said executive director Jeff Bray.
香蕉视频直播淭his year 香蕉视频直播� the report really serves as a significant wake-up call to all levels of government that businesses are in a difficult situation and are no longer able to wait for long-term solutions, long-term action,香蕉视频直播� he said.
A standout statistic from the survey shows nearly half of businesses would leave if things don香蕉视频直播檛 change in the next year.
香蕉视频直播淔orty-eight per cent of those that responded said that they either would not renew, or were undecided as to whether or not they would renew, meaning they are not looking to wait three to five years for changes. We need action right now,香蕉视频直播� Bray said. It香蕉视频直播檚 particularly troublesome paired with an 11 per cent retail vacancy rate, compared to 3.4 per cent in 2019. 香蕉视频直播淭hat trend line is very concerning with a number of businesses openly questioning whether they want to stay downtown.香蕉视频直播�
The annual survey routinely asks businesses to give a letter grade to doing business downtown. This year, nearly 54 per cent gave downtown a C+ or lower. Bray noted that in 2019, 5.2 per cent gave a D or F.
香蕉视频直播淭his year it was 22 per cent,香蕉视频直播� he said.
The key concerns remain traffic, perceived safety and parking. When pitted against each other in the survey 香蕉视频直播� members were asked if they had to choose between spending $150,000 on improved safety or parking 香蕉视频直播� they overwhelmingly chose safety (73.87 per cent). For the DVBA, that demonstrates a clear priority to significantly reduce street disorder, including open drug use, camping in doorways and on sidewalks, and repeat criminal activity.
香蕉视频直播淭his is not a new phenomenon, this has been building up for years 香蕉视频直播� We need action now, they cannot afford to wait any longer for studies, task forces, reports,香蕉视频直播� Bray said, calling for action from all three levels of government.
香蕉视频直播淒on香蕉视频直播檛 let perfect get in the way of progress. Just take action, it won香蕉视频直播檛 be perfect, it won香蕉视频直播檛 be seamless, but we can香蕉视频直播檛 wait for the perfect solution, perfect facility, perfect scenario, before government takes action.香蕉视频直播�
For example, he noted the province has previously deemed portables 香蕉视频直播� not unlike those left empty at the Site C building site in northern B.C. 香蕉视频直播� good enough for kids in daycare or school and so shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be an issue to use to house drug or mental health treatment. The primary issues are mental health and addictions, Bray said, and waiting for a handful of beds here and there isn香蕉视频直播檛 going to cut it.
The DVBA is calling on the province to expand mental health and addictions services and strengthen the justice system; as well as seeking bail reform at the federal level.
香蕉视频直播淭his revolving-door justice system where our businesses see the same person stealing from their store day in day out, is one of the reasons why businesses and their staff are not happy doing business downtown,香蕉视频直播� Bray said.
香蕉视频直播淭he small number of people committing the majority of the crimes, if they were held in custody, you would see an immediate reduction in crime.香蕉视频直播�
From the City of Victoria, they want to see more policing and 24/7 bylaw patrols and enforcement to deal with street disorder.
香蕉视频直播淣othing else will improve until the streetscape looks better,香蕉视频直播� he said, praising VicPD projects such as increased foot patrols that target prolific offenders. 香蕉视频直播淓very time that they香蕉视频直播檙e out doing beats and special projects, the crime rate goes down and the street disorder goes down. So we want to see more police on the street.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淕et on with not only saving our downtowns, but saving lives (and) providing the care for people who are struggling on our streets,香蕉视频直播� he said.
It香蕉视频直播檚 a call coming from several cities and communities, Bray said, specifically mentioning high-profile Nanaimo and Vancouver. Save Our Streets, a coalition of 120-plus community and business organizations in B.C., echoed the sentiment after the DVBA released its survey and call for action on Wednesday (June 11). SOS says its members are experiencing the ongoing 香蕉视频直播渃haos of retail theft, vandalism, open drug use, violence and other criminal activity on a daily basis,香蕉视频直播� cofounder Jess Ketchum said in a news release. 香蕉视频直播淰ictoria is not only our capital but an iconic, idyllic symbol of beautiful, safe, friendly British Columbia. We are allowing that global perception to be destroyed.香蕉视频直播�
The costs associated with not moving forward outweigh those of waiting and 香蕉视频直播渄oing it right,香蕉视频直播� Ketchum agrees.
香蕉视频直播淭he cost of continuing as we have, with pilot projects and 香蕉视频直播榠nitial steps香蕉视频直播� instead of real foundational change, will be so much higher, and the damage to communities long-lasting and profound. It香蕉视频直播檚 time our politicians stopped putting criminals first and started focusing more on the B.C. families, taxpayers, business owners, and the vulnerable living with addiction and mental illnesses, who are suffering the impacts of their inaction.香蕉视频直播�
For Victoria, it could be life-saving to the core business area, according to the DVBA.
香蕉视频直播淒owntown has moved to critical care. It香蕉视频直播檚 not dying, but it can香蕉视频直播檛 sustain itself without some significant and immediate action.香蕉视频直播�
