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MEDIA RELEASE IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 6, 2011 PROPOSED NAVY CHANGES PUT LOCAL JOBS AT RISK Victoria, BC – The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce voiced strong concern today over proposed changes at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. The controversial plan would see control of the ships at the base moved from the west coast to Halifax, jeopardizing employment in the region and significantly impacting Greater Victoria’s local economy. “Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt provides significant support to the local economy and employs 4,200 military and 2,000 civilian workers, contributing $650 million annually to the local community,” says Bruce Carter, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. “Any time management changes like this happen, job losses ultimately follow.” The retention of local oversight and planning decisions has been widely identified as a major contributing factor to the sustainability of any business or organization in a region. Once those direct ties to the management of an organization are lost, other activities and operations become increasingly hard to maintain. The base is responsible for providing support services to all ships and personnel of both Maritime Forces Pacific, which is responsible for maintaining multi-purpose, combat-capable maritime forces, and Joint Task Force Pacific, which is focused on the defence of Canada and all civil support operations within the Pacific Region. The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has approximately 1500 members and is the voice of business for the Greater Victoria region. The Greater Victoria Chamber has received Accreditation with Distinction from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. -30- For more information contact: Sasha Angus Bruce Carter Manager, Policy Development & Public Affairs Chief Executive Officer Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Cell 250-884-6234 Email: bcarter@gvcc.org Email: sangus@gvcc.org Cell: 250-889-2271
MEDIA RELEASE
April 6, 2011
PROPOSED NAVY CHANGES PUT LOCAL JOBS AT RISK
Victoria, BC – The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce voiced strong concern today over proposed changes at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. The controversial plan would see control of the ships at the base moved from the west coast to Halifax, jeopardizing employment in the region and significantly impacting Greater Victoria’s local economy.
“Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt provides significant support to the local economy and employs 4,200 military and 2,000 civilian workers, contributing $650 million annually to the local community,” says Bruce Carter, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. “Any time management changes like this happen, job losses ultimately follow.”
The retention of local oversight and planning decisions has been widely identified as a major contributing factor to the sustainability of any business or organization in a region. Once those direct ties to the management of an organization are lost, other activities and operations become increasingly hard to maintain.
The base is responsible for providing support services to all ships and personnel of both Maritime Forces Pacific, which is responsible for maintaining multi-purpose, combat-capable maritime forces, and Joint Task Force Pacific, which is focused on the defence of Canada and all civil support operations within the Pacific Region.
The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has approximately 1500 members and is the voice of business for the Greater Victoria region. The Greater Victoria Chamber has received Accreditation with Distinction from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
-30-
For more information contact:
Sasha Angus Bruce Carter
Cell 250-884-6234 Email: bcarter@gvcc.org
Email: sangus@gvcc.org Cell: 250-889-2271