WATCH: Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce releases four priorities for incoming governments

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has released four priorities it will be advancing to the incoming municipal and provincial governments.

They include helping create a business-friendly environment, improving public safety and addressing street disorder, expand public transit while easing burdens on drivers, and protecting industrial land.

In an interview with Sitka Media, GVCC CEO John Wilson explained why the business community feels those are the big issues governments ought to be tackling.

"For far too long these businesses have felt under-appreciated and not heard," Wilson said of those in the Greater Victoria area. "They're not asking for special treatment; they just want to be thought about and considered."

He added that in along with tax policies and regulations, public drug use and street disorder have contributed to frustration many businesses feel. When asked whether the province or the region's 13 municipalities should be taking the lead on tackling that issue, he said it had to be a joint effort.

"I've been saying for a long time that municipalities do not have the budget, the tax base to solve this on their own," Wilson explained. "They need to have the will and the want to do it, but they need the support of the provincial and federal government to make it happen."

He noted that the incoming BC Conservative government has put it at the top of their priority list, and said the GVCC will hold them to account on that.

"We believe the rights of a few have outweighed the rights of many for a long time, particularly in Victoria proper," Wilson continued. "We want everybody's rights to be the same, and we certainly want these souls to be looked after — but nobody's ever solved an addiction or a mental health challenge living on the streets."

He argued that the solution must involve "wrap-around services" encompassing every aspect of an individual's particular situation, but that those breaking the law must face punishments.

On transportation, Wilson said it was about time Greater Victoria utilized its waterways and brought commuter ferries into the system.

"Earlier studies from BC Ferries around a commuter ferry from the West Shore showed that it could break even after the first year," he explained. "Not to many projects — particularly transportation projects — if any in North America can talk about a return on investment like that."

Wilson argued that the best option would be a private operator utilizing Department of National Defence land, adding that a ferry could be up and running much quicker than a train service connecting the growing West Shore with downtown.

For many car-free travellers from the mainland, the longest part of their journey is the bus ride from Swartz Bay into town. When asked whether he'd be in favour of light rail — or actual rail — connecting the ferry terminal to the provincial capital, Wilson said that while it would be a boon to visitors, the business case would need to be studied.

"We'd have to make sure that the airport and ferry and tourism and commuter piece of that supports that infrastructure," he explained, "because I don't think the local commuter piece of that — ie. people living in Sidney, Central Saanich, North Saanich coming into town — would support something of that extensiveness."

Wilon made it clear, however, that discussions around transportation must not only include expanding public transit. He said drivers must also see improvements to their commuting experience.

Across Greater Victoria, a number of incumbent mayors and councillors lost their seats, while others managed to hold on. At the provincial level, there is a new government after nine years. Wilson said he was hopeful that elected officials new and old would be ready and willing to work with the GVCC to advance the aforementioned priorities.