South Island Prosperity Partnership

09/01/2026

The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade is hosting a free virtual event, "Surviving the Trade War: A Practical Guide to Tariffs and Business Supports," on September 2, with two back-to-back sessions on the evolving Canada–U.S. trade relationship and what recent developments mean for Canadian businesses.

The workshop draws on the same experts behind the Trade Accelerator Program, launched by the Toronto Region Board of Trade in 2015 and brought to Vancouver Island for the first time through a partnership between SIPP and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

Learn how to respond to evolving tariff and counter-tariff measures in this practical session featuring customs experts, financial institutions, and government representatives.

08/21/2026

SIPP’s Director of Marketing & Communications, Kerry Slavens, presented The Possibility Charter to graduate students at Royal Roads University on August 21, using the campaign as a case study in social marketing strategy. Thank you to Associate Professor Burak Evren for inviting us to deliver the talk to his class!

The Possibility Charter, launched by SIPP in 2025, is a public declaration signed by people committing to create a Greater Victoria where residents, especially young people, can afford to live, work, start businesses and raise families.

“These students shared so many great ideas to help us engage more people in signing and championing the Charter,” Slavens says. “They give me hope about our future.”

Find out more about the Possibility Charter: ChoosePossibility.ca

08/20/2026

Optimism is one of the most important investments in the economy. Nowhere is that clearer than in the work of SIPP-member Vancity, a values-based financial institution that has spent 80 years asking what banking could do if profit weren't the only measure.

For nearly three decades, it has served South Island communities directly, moving capital toward housing affordability, economic Reconciliation and climate action and toward the people and businesses the banking sector historically overlooked.

But the challenge Vancity CEO Wellington Holbrook is most committed to tackling isn't a product. It's financial pessimism and the belief that no matter how hard you work, your financial future won't improve. In SIPP's latest edition of Changemakers, find out why he sees that mindset as the thing standing between our region and its next generation of entrepreneurs.

Read more: https://southislandprosperity.ca/19147-2/

08/11/2026

Check out SIPP’s profile in the latest issue of Douglas magazine! This write-up in the “Local Businesses with Lasting Impact” section showcases the people and principles of the region’s thriving business ecosystem. Find out how we’re working to build a vibrant and resilient economy for Greater Victoria.

“Regions that thrive in the future won’t be the biggest,” says SIPP CEO Aaron Stone in the article. “They’ll be the most co-ordinated, collaborative, agile and determined. While there are challenges ahead for Greater Victoria, those challenges are manageable when we lean in together. The best is still to come.”

08/06/2026

"I've always understood entrepreneurship to be a labour of love, an act of service that has a ripple effect throughout our economy and throughout our community," says Ashka Wirk, Founder of Wirk Consulting and Possibility Charter signee.

That's why she focused on one line in the Greater Victoria Possibility Charter: entrepreneurship and creativity are not optional. They are a path to shared prosperity. Behind the harbour views and heritage streets is a community of builders, dreamers and doers and the Charter is their invitation to believe again and make positive things happen together.

Sign the Possibility Charter: choosepossibility.ca

08/03/2026

On this long weekend for BC Day, we're celebrating the place we get to call home with the coastline, the mountains, the communities and the people who make this province one of the best corners of the country to live and work.

A few fun facts about B.C.:

1. The Colony of Vancouver Island was a Crown colony of British North America from 1849 until 1866, when it was united with the mainland to form the Colony of British Columbia.

2. More than 200 distinct First Nations live in what is now called British Columbia, making it the most linguistically diverse Indigenous region in the country.

3. B.C.’s provincial leader was informally called “prime minister” in official documents, newspapers, and speeches until the early 70s, before the title “premier” became standard.

4. The BC government mandated that people drive on the left-hand side of the roads. In 1922, they made the switch to align with the U.S.

5. B.C. has about 40,000 islands, with 200 to 300 between Vancouver Island and the mainland.

07/23/2026

Greater Victoria is more than a postcard. We're a place of possibility! The Possibility Charter is an invitation to believe again, to build anew and to feel a sense of belonging here. It's a declaration by people from the community, business, education and government who are hopeful about our future and committed to making positive things happen together.

“Thinking in a fresh way, coming back to possibility, moving forward and being positive about what’s here — when people start doing that together, we see an inflection point,” said Ian Chisholm, Roy Group Leadership Founder and Possibility Charter Signee.

Find out more: choosepossibility.ca

07/22/2026

Food labels tell you what's in your groceries. Now, a new certification coming to Esquimalt will tell you what's in your purchases, where every dollar goes, and who it supports along the way.

The Township of Esquimalt has joined the Economic Nutrition program as a Regional Cohort Partner, supporting local businesses in becoming certified. The certification, an initiative of the Shorefast Institute for Place-Based Economies, reveals the economics beyond price for any certified product or service: what every dollar paid for and where it went. Esquimalt businesses can now apply to join the 2026 cohort, which begins in September.

Economic Nutrition is a pricing transparency tool that demonstrates where the money goes and who benefits from a purchase.

07/17/2026

Across Greater Victoria, community leaders are joining the Possibility Charter movement. The Possibility Charter, a SIPP initiative, invites Greater Victoria to say yes to creating and holding space for courage and innovation in our workplaces, boardrooms, classrooms and community halls, and supporting bold, collaborative solutions that expand local opportunity.

Behind every signature name is a story, whether belonging to a business owner who wants to see local talent thrive or a young person who refuses to give up on affordability. The Possibility Charter is a rallying cry that Greater Victoria is more than a postcard. We're a place of possibility. Find out more from SIPP CEO Aaron Stone.

Sign the Possibility Charter: ChoosePossibility.ca

07/15/2026

We all envision prosperity for Greater Victoria, but a vision without a plan is just a dream. That’s why SIPP spent 11 months in hands-on engagement, including a public open house, several forums and hundreds of one-on-one conversations, to create the Rising Economy 2030, Five-Year Economic Plan for Greater Victoria.

This regional economic plan seizes on a generational opportunity to unleash an entrepreneurial spirit, diversify our economy and ride the global waves of clean growth, digital transformation and inclusive prosperity to create better lives and more opportunities for people across the region.

Find out more in the SIPP Impact Report:https://southislandprosperity.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SIPP-Impact-Report-2025_26.pdf