A VILLAGE OF Things to celebrate QUALITY OF LIFE IN WHAT + things to improve GREATER WOULD IT LOOK 10 0 LIKE? SURVEY SAYS... VICTORIA

Sarah Black, Athletic Therapist at Athletic Therapy Plus, working with paralympian Jackie Gay at the Athletic Centre.

SPECIAL FEATURE BELONGING OR BARRIERS? How our institutions, public policies, social structures, and systems set the tone

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS signs on to achieving these goals at home and abroad VITAL WHAT IS ®

COMMUNITY GREGG ELIGH VITAL SIGNS ? NETWORK Measuring well-being, creating change Earlier this year, the Victoria’s Vital Signs® is an following community annual community check-up experts joined us to help that measures the vitality of guide Vital Signs® and its our region, identifies concerns, engagement throughout and supports action on issues the region. We thank them that are critical to our quality for their support. of life. The Victoria Foundation Marika Albert, Community produces the report to connect Social Planning Council philanthropy to community Andrea Carey, Sport needs and opportunities. This for Life The Victoria Foundation’s Sandra Richardson, Chief Executive Officer, and is the 12th consecutive year Jill Doucette, Synergy Patrick Kelly, Chair, Board of Directors the report has been published. Enterprises As part of our commitment to Colleen Hobson, Saanich ABOUT THE continual advancement, we Neighbourhood Place sought community feedback to Society VICTORIA FOUNDATION Vital Signs® that helped us to Catherine Holt, Greater Our vision: A vibrant, caring community for all make improvements this year Victoria Chamber of and beyond. Commerce Established in 1936, the Victoria Foundation is Canada’s second Special thanks to the oldest community foundation and the sixth largest of nearly Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi, Toronto Foundation for Aboriginal Coalition to End 200 nation-wide. We manage charitable gifts from donors, developing and sharing the Homelessness whose generosity allows us to create permanent, income-earning Vital Signs® concept and to funds. The proceeds from these funds are then distributed James Lam, CRD Arts Community Foundations Development Service as grants for charitable or educational purposes. To date, the of Canada for supporting Victoria Foundation has invested more Del Manak, Victoria Police a coordinated national than $188 million in people, projects, Vital Signs® initiative. For Jean McRae, Inter-Cultural and non-profit organizations that more information, visit Association of Greater strengthen communities in BC and Victoria communityfoundations.ca/ throughout Canada. vitalsigns. Nora McRae, With an estimated 14,200 people who identify as Aboriginal, Greater Jodi Mucha, BC Healthy Victoria is home to a rich diversity of Indigenous peoples and cultures. We Communities would like to acknowledge that the Victoria Foundation’s office is located Dave Obee, on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen people, as represented by the and Nations. Christy Ridout, BC Transit

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Our thanks to all of the individuals and organizations that helped to create this report, including the board and staff of the Victoria Foundation for their guidance and continuing support, and to our sponsors and donors whose generosity makes production and promotion of this report possible. We are grateful to all those who provided data and to the many individuals who participated in our survey.

SIGNATURE SPONSOR KEY ISSUES SPONSORS

TECHNOLOGY SURVEY SPONSOR SPONSOR

2 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS TABLE OF CONTENTS The Victoria Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life in our community today and for generations to come. We inspire giving, care for the assets entrusted to us — and we invest FEATURE: Belonging or Barriers? in people, ideas, and activities that 4 Belonging is about feeling like an accepted and valued part of a strengthen our community. community. We look at how our institutions, public policies, social structures, and systems set the tone. #200 – 703 Broughton Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1E2 By Alex Van Tol Ph: 250.381.5532 Fax: 250.480.1129 victoriafoundation.ca 10 METHODOLOGY Charitable BN 13065 0898 RR0001 11 HOW TO READ THIS REPORT 12 HOW DID WE DO? THE VITAL SIGNS® TEAM SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS The Victoria Foundation: 13 Rob Janus, Project Manager QUALITY OF LIFE IN Jayna Brulotte 14 Carol Hall A VILLAGE OF 100 Louise MacDonald 16 Melanie Porter BEST THINGS AND MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES Jo-Ann Roberts 17 Sandra Richardson Kyle Wells Grace Wong Sneddon ® VITAL SIGNS KEY ISSUES Page One Publishing Inc., Publisher 18 ARTS & CULTURE 30 HOUSING Photography by Jeffrey Bosdet 20 BELONGING & ENGAGEMENT 32 LEARNING (unless otherwise specified) Balfour Consulting Group, 22 ECONOMY 34 SAFETY Research Consultant 24 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY 36 SPORTS & RECREATION NRG Research Group, Survey Consultant 26 GETTING STARTED 38 STANDARD OF LIVING Times Colonist and 98.5 The Ocean, 28 HEALTH &WELLNESS 40 TRANSPORTATION Media Partners Community Foundations of Canada Vital Signs® at work in the community International Institute for 42 The Vital Signs® report provides a valuable overview of Greater Sustainable Development Victoria and, in many ways, it is relied upon to guide decisions about our community now and for the future. VITAL SIGNS® is designed and published by

/VicFoundation /TheVictoriaFoundation /VicFoundation 580 Ardersier Road, Victoria , V8Z 1C7 pageonepublishing.ca 3 FEATURE

BY ALEX VAN TOL

Canadian Council of the Blind: Get Together with Technology — A monthly meeting hosted at the Greater Victoria Public Library to help those who are visually impaired learn to use low-vision and blindness-related technology.

4 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS BELONGING OR BARRIERS?

HOW OUR INSTITUTIONS, PUBLIC POLICIES, SOCIAL STRUCTURES, AND SYSTEMS CREATE BELONGING OR BARRIERS

here do you belong? Do you feel you belong in Victoria? Are you able to afford life here? Can you get around? How do you connect with your community and take Wpart in activities that enrich your life and the lives of others? Are you treated with respect and included regardless of your age, skin colour, gender identity, physical abilities, or socioeconomic status? Belonging is about feeling like an accepted and valued part of a community. In its national 2016 report, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) defined belonging as “being part of a collective we. It’s a two-way street: It’s about communities sending signals of acceptance and inclusion, and about individuals cultivating their own connections to community.” The more we get involved in the community as active participants, then, the more we feel like we belong — but that involvement is easier for some than others. Last year, Victoria’s Vital Signs® looked at what belonging is, and why it matters to people living in Greater Victoria. We focused on a few key groups who historically have struggled harder to feel included: Aboriginal people, seniors, youth, and new immigrants. But there are other groups who struggle, too: people barely scraping by on low incomes, people who live with disabilities, people whose gender identity positions them outside the mainstream. While inclusion begins with the individuals within a society — within the hearts and

victoriafoundation.ca 5 minds of the humans therein — it’s often the initiatives, such as setting aside traditional institutions and social structures that dictate the Lekwungen lands in Beacon Hill Park for re- speed, depth, and strength of that inclusiveness. burial of remains and construction It’s great if the community feels new immigrants of a longhouse. Going forward, City Council are welcome, but unless our policies, systems, will host quarterly meetings with Songhees and and social structures reflect that open door, Esquimalt chiefs and councils, and every public we’ve got a gap in belonging. meeting at City Hall commences with recognition This year, Victoria's Vital Signs® looks at that council work takes place on traditional First how institutions, policies, and social structures Nations territories. create a deeper sense of belonging and inclusion. Educating people about what’s missing is the The good news? Greater Victoria is aglow with place to start when trying to strengthen belonging initiatives and processes that foster inclusion, and inclusion across a community. “Inclusion from programs offering conversational English is one of our most dearly held values,” says for new immigrants to open-mic nights for queer Reverend Melora Lynngood of First Unitarian youth at recreation centres to art installations Church of Victoria. “The first of our seven honouring Indigenous people and the traditional Unitarian Universalist principles is to affirm the It’s great if the territories we share. There is powerful work inherent worth and dignity of all people.” happening in the community. And, as always, First Unitarian's commitment to belonging community feels there is room to grow. includes accessible walkways, pay-what-you-can new immigrants are events, support for an Indigenous library, and welcome, but unless GETTING EDUCATED sermons about how to be deliberately inclusive our policies, systems, UNDERSTANDING BARRIERS HELPS US and affirming of Muslim women, to name a few “ BREAK THEM DOWN examples. First Unitarian also seeks to educate and social structures Becoming a more inclusive society requires a beyond the obvious, calling on its members to reflect that open broader knowledge of gaps in belonging. The pay attention to subtle nuance by embracing the door, we’ve got a Truth and Reconciliation Commission broached “platinum rule” of treating others not just the gap in belonging. for all Canadians the many ways in which way we want to be treated, but the way they Indigenous people had been excluded throughout would like to be treated. Canada's history. In response, the City of Victoria declared 2017 its Year of Truth and Reconciliation, a recognition reflected in various

GETTING AROUND IF YOU CAN’T GET AROUND, YOU’RE NOT BEING INCLUDED

While BC Transit’s low- Jonathon Dyck, manager only set up for able- floor buses were the first of communications for BC bodied people. To offered on a system-wide Transit. “For example, the blast through barriers basis in North America, that introduction of Real Time faced by people living was just the beginning. The technology will allow people with disabilities, agency’s goal is to ensure all to find when their bus is Recreation commuters are able to ride expected to arrive and Integration Victoria the bus, regardless of their where it is on a map.” Real (RIV) hosted a accessibility needs. That Time technology also offers community forum means providing handyDART next-stop announcements on in 2014 to enhance service in addition to the the buses. These initiatives, access to active-living Being able to get out and about in the conventional fixed-route including a website designed opportunities. Driven community is a key part of belonging. BC Transit’s handyDART service makes system, reduced fares for in partnership with the by a facility-assessment participating in community activities seniors, and working with the Canadian National Institute tool and recreation-centre possible, regardless of accessibility Community Social Planning for the Blind, help BC Transit data, an app is in the works needs. Council to distribute transit increase accessibility. to help people understand parking for people with passes to people with low But imagine arriving at what’s available. The Leisure disabilities? How physically incomes. your recreation destination Access app will offer photos, accessible is it? Is adaptive “We also have a number only to discover you can’t video, and descriptions of equipment available? of exciting initiatives get onto the trail (or the access amenities, answering Understanding what is on the horizon that will equipment or the water) questions like: What bus available helps people feel a support accessibility,” says because the opportunity is routes go there? Is there greater sense of belonging.

6 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS “This requires us to learn about one another’s cultures and perspectives: what is it like to be someone of a different race, gender, ethnicity from our own?” says Lynngood. “How can we make that person feel warmly welcomed and accepted and seen as a whole, valuable human being?” As an example, Lynngood explains how important it is for people of European descent to learn not to begin conversations by asking visible minorities where they are from. “It’s a question that Canadians of African or Asian or Indian descent report makes them feel like they are being told they don’t belong or like their ethnicity is the only — or the primary — thing that is seen by Euro-Canadians.” The desire to break down persistent barriers is evident throughout the region. Saanich Police conceived and hosted an “All-Bodies” basketball camp and social event to include LBGTQ2+ youth, family, and allies and have participated in theatre and global café projects JO-ANN LORO JO-ANN with newcomer immigrants. Saanich Police have also undertaken trust- The art signals a and relationship-building activities with young RECONCILIATION AS THE commitment to treat people at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre PATH TO INCLUSION Indigenous patients and continue to seek awareness as they forge Initiatives are underway to enhance — and repair and families with deeper connections between their communities. — belonging for Indigenous people: respect and dignity. “We need to continue receiving training According to CFC’s Arts on these historical Indigenous-related events UVic is renaming on National Aboriginal and Belonging report, and keep learning from local elders and others Trutch Residence Day, the benches despite having been about their local histories and their current 1 due to the colonial are in “The Lane,” a banned, marginalized, challenges and concerns,” says Scott Treble, politician’s racist pathway connecting and often destroyed staff sergeant in Saanich Police’s community history. Despite the playground to over the centuries, engagement division. helping BC enter the playing fields and Indigenous art has Guided by its LBGTQ sub-committee of the Confederation, Joseph representing unity and survived “as a means of Healthy Saanich Advisory Committee, the Trutch displayed inclusiveness. District of Saanich is implementing several keeping history, skills, significant intolerance LGBTQ-supportive initiatives, such as: culture, and identity toward Indigenous trans- and LGBTQ-awareness and sensitivity The Greater alive.” people. “Trutch’s training for staff; universal change rooms at 3 Victoria Harbour Recreation Centre and Saanich negative approach Authority has hosted Commonwealth Place; re-titling gendered to the land rights of traditional First 5 Hospital erected washrooms in the Upside Teen Centre to First Nations people Nations war canoe four locally carved simply “washrooms”; QT2IPOC (Queer, Trans, and disregard for their races in the Inner cedar totem poles on 2 Spirit, Indigenous, People of Colour) dinners concerns conflict with Harbour, honouring and its site to honour the at Gordon Head Rec; and a support group for UVic’s mission, vision, reestablishing inclusion traditional territory parents and caregivers of trans and gender- and values,” says at the traditional of the WSÁNEC´ First diverse youth. Carmen Charette, VP of village site of the Nation communities. District of Saanich communications external relations. Lekwungen people. The project’s goal is manager Kelsie McLeod says Saanich works to build respectful collaboratively with community agencies With support from BC Cancer relationships and partners to reach their clientele. A 2 local partners, 4 Agency installed between Indigenous desire to learn more is the fulcrum of those Central Middle School Indigenous artwork communities, Island collaborations. installed four outdoor at each of its six Health, and the “We continue to have discussions with the cedar benches carved provincial centres to First Nations Health community to find out how Saanich can best with Indigenous help create a safe, Authority in support of help them achieve their goals,” says McLeod. artwork. Blessed by an welcoming space for cultural safety in the It’s a shining example of how institutions elder and celebrated Indigenous patients. health care setting.

victoriafoundation.ca 7 and social structures can build bridges by social opportunities for older adults and reaching out to serve the needs expressed by recently released its Older Adults Strategy the communities they serve. Implementation Plan to promote collaboration, At the heart of community education, our communication, age-friendly spaces, and colleges, universities, and school districts a continuum of programming to enhance have taken action to expand belonging to seniors’ social connectedness. historically marginalized groups. Examples Similarly, Saanich Parks and Recreation is include ’s redesignation in the second year of its Youth Development of single-stall washrooms as all-gender Strategy and Implementation Plan, which washrooms and SD61’s approval of a new reaches out to youth through support groups, gender identity and expression policy, which dinner clubs, affordable programs, school aims to prevent discrimination and foster programs, and opportunities to be involved in inclusion. The policy guides language and parks planning. actions in support of inclusion, ensures all In the Capital Region, our social systems schools have gender-neutral washrooms are clearly engaged in promoting inclusion. and change rooms, and requires at least one But inclusion can be elusive if you experience GETTING A adult in each school to act as a resource for language barriers. Recognizing that language LEG UP gender non-conforming students, staff, and is the number-one barrier to integration and WHEN REAL ESTATE families. belonging for new immigrants, the Inter- DEVELOPERS CREATE “The gender identity and expression policy Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) REAL CHANGE was introduced to ensure our commitment to recently partnered with Google Translate to supporting those who are transgender and/ create We Speak Translate. This collaborative We often expect or gender non-conforming is clear and that project sees ICA working with community community groups, our schools and programs reflect the safe stakeholders, institutions, and organizations to foundations, institutions, and inclusive community we all want for our train in using Google Translate. and public policies to children within the Greater Victoria School The Google Translate app is widely known reflect deeply held District,” says McLeod. among newcomers, so community members social values in their who have similar familiarity with it — 800 so initiatives. It’s all the GETTING CONNECTED far since the project’s April 2017 launch — more exciting, then, SURMOUNTING BARRIERS BY ENHANCING feel a greater sense of ease in communicating when a private company UNDERSTANDING AND COMMUNICATION across language barriers. Participating agencies pops up with a project You can’t feel included if you feel isolated receive a We Speak Translate decal as a visible that shares this same or undervalued, which can happen when symbol of inclusion. vision. In 2017, Chard seniors are alone and lonely. The District For Ibrahim Hajibrahim, a resettled Syrian, Development struck a of Saanich offers seniors’ drop-in programs it’s working: “When I see the We Speak deal with BC Housing to at three recreation centres to increase Translate sticker in a window,” he says, “I feel create an opportunity for people to enter an increasingly unaffordable market. Vivid at the GETTING FRUSTRATED Yates offers 135 condo units below market A NEWCOMER’S PERSPECTIVE ON BARRIERS TO INCLUSION value, right next to The When Fairouz Abdullah moved to Victoria from Libya in 2003, she imagined a Yates, which is market- world of opportunity awaited. Armed with a sociology degree, years of teaching priced. “As communities experience, and reasonably good English, she anticipated having her skills become more integrated, recognized and valued in Canada. Instead, Abdullah couldn’t find work. “Not even the same integration as a cleaner,” says the mother of four children ranging from two to 15 years old. has to occur in each Several times, when she met with potential employers, she felt their discomfort development,” says Byron upon realizing she’s Muslim. Chard, chief financial Abdullah filled the gap by caring for other children in her Gordon Head home, and acquisitions officer but when their landlord took the house back, she was back at square one, having at Chard Development. difficulty finding flexible employment that allows her to be home for her kids. “Vivid at the Yates is a Abdullah currently works part-time at the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre great example of Chard Society as an Arabic translator. Her husband, Achmed, is underemployed given his being able to create a PhD in computer engineering; however, the pair is grateful for his steady work. sense of belonging and But Abdullah’s difficulty finding work limits the family’s ability to save for a home inclusion while offering a — one of the most important aspects of belonging. diversity of housing.”

8 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS When I see the We Speak Translate sticker have-nots is increasing, and initiatives are in a window, I feel confident that people underway to ease the suffering there. Thanks to the active measures being taken want to speak with me and get to know me. by our institutions, public policies, and social systems, efforts to enhance belonging for confident that people want to speak with me “We work directly with the community everyone are moving forward with greater “and get to know me.” and organizations that serve the community speed and strength, reinforcing the inclusion As one of Victoria’s leading institutions and, through that lens, we plan our individuals feel in their hearts and spirits. intent on developing a sense of belonging, programs,” says Wood, referring to From inclusive basketball games and social Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL) the GVPL's more than 100 community programs for seniors, to all-gender washrooms offers programs in various languages, as partnerships. It’s a purposeful approach, and accessible activities, to apps that make well as for newcomers to Victoria who encoded in its 2016–2020 strategic plan: reading and communicating easier — these are want to learn more about the community. Community-Inspired Library Service. examples of steps that are changing lives for A mobile-friendly library app makes it easy the better by giving people more opportunities to connect with the library’s collection and GETTING STRONGER to be part of the collective we. serves people with mobility and distance FINDING SOLUTIONS AND MAKING PROGRESS As always, there is more work to be done challenges. Breaking down barriers to inclusion and and more gaps to bridge — for example, “It’s saving the time of the user — enhancing belonging require ongoing work supporting more meaningful employment breaking down those barriers of the and determined effort. Progress has been opportunities for immigrants, getting more inconvenience of transportation or time made in remembering that not everyone has kids into organized sports, making home pressure,” says Daphne Wood, GVPL director the same physical capabilities. Changes are ownership a reality for more low-income of communications and development. being made to be more inclusive of people people, and continuing on the path toward From programs around Aboriginal AIDS whose genders don’t conform to standard reconciliation. But progress is being made. Let's keep Awareness Week and programs for people definitions. More people are listening to the talking. with disabilities, to OLiVe, the library’s voices of Indigenous people, who are telling beloved outreach vehicle, which brings stories that have been ignored for so very the library to people at various events and long. Awareness of centres, the GVPL keeps the community at the widening gap the heart of everything it does. between haves and 90% OF CANADIAN PARENTS feel organized sport GETTING ACTIVE is too expensive. ENSURING EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE IN MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY KIDSPORT currently serves When the Steele family program manager. “They can invited Power to Be to lease work on their interpersonal 1,500 their property — the Prospect skills and get to know a children aged 5–18 Lake golf course — for $1 greater community.” throughout Greater Victoria. a year, it was an offer too Power to Be customizes good to pass up. Over time, programs to serve individual most of the organization’s participants and create a outdoor programming deeper sense of belonging KidSport works to break says KidSport executive will move to this spot, and inclusion. down financial barriers. director, Jill Shaw, offering opportunities According to CFC’s Sport “We see regular evidence Barriers rise every year, for accessible recreation, and Belonging report, of the very positive benefits though. Shaw notes that including kayaking, hiking, 90% of Canadian parents sport offers related to KidSport applications rock climbing, and camping feel organized sports are inclusion and belonging, increase 10–20% annually, for youth and families living too expensive. Cost is a not just for the children along with increases to the with physical, social, mental, significant barrier, with we fund, but also for cost of sports. KidSport is or financial barriers. families spending an their families, who enjoy limited to a max of $400 per “It’s a great way to bring average of $953 annually a broader connection to family, and while that helps people back to the same for one child in an organized community as they stand with many sports, it isn’t location, where they can be sport. Currently serving alongside other like-minded enough for activities like comfortable and feel safe,” 1,500 children aged 5–18 families at local sports hockey, high-performance says Carina Kenigsberg, throughout Greater Victoria, fields, arenas, parks, etc,” sport, or gymnastics.

victoriafoundation.ca 9 METHODOLOGY GRADING Citizen grading of the issue areas is based on a report card scale: A = Excellent, stay the course CITIZEN OPINION SURVEY B = Good, but improvements could be made This year, 1,498 citizens added their voices ® C = Average performance, suggest additional effort be made to Victoria’s Vital Signs by assigning grades, to address these issues choosing their top three things to improve, D = Below average performance, additional work is required and adding their comments on three things to celebrate in each of the 12 key issue areas. They F = Failure, immediate action is required were also asked questions about quality of life, SECONDARY DATA happiness, and connection to community. And To complement citizen opinion data, the Victoria Foundation they took the time to provide more than 11,000 curates secondary data on a range of indicators. Community comments on the issue areas. Foundations of Canada retains the International Institute for Sustainable Development to develop common indicators for The online survey, conducted by NRG Research Group, is based Vital Signs® communities to choose from and to obtain data on on a “self-selected” respondent population. The survey was open these indicators from Statistics Canada and other institutional to all interested individuals in Greater Victoria, and survey sources. Vital Signs® communities are encouraged to use both participants volunteered to take part in the survey. Therefore, common and unique, locally relevant indicators. We use citizen the results should be considered representative of “interested responses to our survey to gauge what our community generally Victorians” and may not be representative of the Greater thinks are priorities to report on. Victoria population overall. Through our Vital Community Network, we consult experts Data is accurate + or – 2.8% 19 times out of 20. Most market from a range of Greater Victoria organizations to help select research involves smaller samples of around 400 and a margin meaningful indicators. Ultimately, availability and accessibility of error + or – 5% 19 times out of 20. A comparison conducted of reliable data determines if we can report on a given indicator. by another community foundation found that responses from a Sponsors do not influence indicator data in any way. random sample telephone survey and the online survey revealed A note about geography: Greater Victoria is an umbrella term no significant differences between the two methodologies. that applies to different geographical areas, depending on the An invitation to participate in the survey was advertised indicator. It can refer to the Capital Region, Victoria Census on a local radio station throughout the survey period and , or South Service promoted through many websites, social media channels, online Delivery Area. For a full list of indicators, data sources, and newsletters, libraries, and in local media coverage. geographies used in this report, visit victoriafoundation.ca.

GRADER PROFILE

NOTE: NUMBERS DO NOT ADD UP TO 100 AGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME EMPLOYMENT BY SECTOR DUE TO ROUNDING. Under 24 > 4% Under $20,000 > 9% Non-Profit/Charity 25% Female Male 24-34 > 14% $20,000-49,999 > 25% Retired 22% 35-44 > 16% Government 19% 72% 27% $50,000-79,999 > 25% 45-54 > 17% Business 18% $80,000-109,999 > 19% 55-64 > 19% Private Institution 8% Transgender 65-74 > 13% $110,000 > 23% Student 4% < 1% No Age Given > 14% Unemployed 4%

WHERE THEY LIVE Victoria > 40% Saanich > 25% Oak Bay > 7% Esquimalt > 6% > 4% Langford > 4% > 3% > 3% Colwood > 2% > 2% Other > 7%

HAVE LIVED IN GREATER VICTORIA More than 10 years > 70% 6 to 10 years > 15% 1 to 5 years > 14% Less than 1 year > 2%

10 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS HOW TO READ THIS PUBLIC OPINION FINDINGS SECONDARY DATA An online survey was taken by 1,498 Selected for reliability and REPORT people. Citizens were asked to grade relevance, among other each issue area. They were also asked factors, indicator data were to provide their top three priorities collected from a number of for improving the grade and to tell us national, provincial, and local what they perceived to be working well sources such as Statistics GRADE when it came to each area. This section Canada, Canada Mortgage provides the average grade as well as and Housing Corporation, Each person completing Victoria’s the most commonly noted priorities and and the Capital Regional Vital Signs® survey was asked to statements about what is working well. District. assign a grade to each key issue area. These grades were then averaged to provide an overall grade for each issue.

REGIONAL DATA The Green Business DID YOU Certification program, developed by KNOW? BUSINESS COUNTS the Synergy Sustainability Institute in 2013, was built to recognize ECONOMY In 2016, there were 83,200 businesses in the efforts of businesses in reducing their SPONSORED BY BAYVIEW PLACE Greater Victoria, of which approximately 17% (13,846) had environmental impact. An internal assessment is ® VITAL SIGNS employees while 83% did not maintain an employee payroll. completed followed by on-site verification. CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: Fayrouz Mohammed sells baked goods at The total business count in the region has increased since 2014. Certification — Silver, Gold, or Green, with the Sunset Market, held at the Oaklands SOURCE: BC STATISTICS Community Centre, after learning new skills Green being the highest level — is available for at an entrepreneur training workshop. retail, restaurant, spa/salon, and office-based businesses. “Surfrider Approved” certification is also available for meeting at least three of SOCIAL VENTURE SECTOR four plastic-reducing points on their sector These organizations operate between the private and public sectors checklist. By mid-2016, the program reached through a broad range of community, non-profit and business activities 100 certifications and over 1,000 new actions to create social or environmental value. implemented by businesses. SOURCE: SYNERGY SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE B- Community-contribution companies LET’S CELEBRATE Cooperatives 1% Non-profits and  Efforts to diversify registered charities UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN 2016 economy and high 17% 57% 7.0% technology sector 6.0% growth 5.2%  Availability of jobs/ low unemployment Canada  Small business and Businesses 1,127 BC Victoria entrepreneurial THE ESTIMATED NUMBER CMA support 23% OF SOCIAL VENTURE ORGANIZATIONS IN 2015, ROOM FOR OPERATING IN BC 30% OF BC IN 2015 SOCIAL VENTURES IMPROVEMENT OPERATED IN Greater Victoria had the fourth lowest THE VANCOUVER unemployment rate of all census  Diversifying the THE SECTOR ISLAND/COAST metropolitan areas in Canada in 2016. economy GENERATED OVER REGION. SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA $500 MILLION. SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA  Increasing job opportunities for new graduates ❂ TOURISM SECTOR  Improving supports WE SPEAK TRANSLATE 2016 was an excellent year for entrepreneurs The Inter-Cultural Association has partnered with Google for tourism in Greater and small business to unlock the potential of the Google Translate app for Victoria with the highest 74.2% refugee resettlement and newcomer inclusion. The We Speak average hotel room rate and HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATE

Translate project was launched in Victoria in 2017 to help hotel occupancy rate in five local immigrants and refugees overcome language barriers. years. The Victoria International The app works like a digital interpreter, allowing two people Airport and BC Ferries route who speak different languages to communicate through a between Tswwassen and smartphone. recorded their 223 THE RESPONSE THE ISSUE highest traffic and/or passenger CRUISE SHIP ARRIVALS Respondents to the Victoria’s Many newcomers arrive to our region with entrepreneurial experience and skills The project provides opportunities to build awareness of volumes in five years. Vital Signs® citizen survey but face barriers securing employment. Supported by the Victoria Foundation issues faced by newcomers and addresses the importance of have listed job opportunities through a Canada 150 grant, the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre integration and inclusion. With about 1,400 immigrants and for newcomers as well as Society partnered with the Victoria Community Micro Lending Society to offer 6,131,210 refugees coming to the region annually, Greater Victoria has 1,858,099 supports for entrepreneurs Entrepreneur Training Workshops, providing immigrants and refugees with the a vested interest in promoting diversity and inclusiveness. VICTORIA AIRPORT BC FERRIES PASSENGERS, /SWARTZ BAY ROUTE as areas for improvement. knowledge required to start a business in Canada. By the end of the 12-session The project trains community stakeholders, which receive a ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES program, each participant had completed and presented a business plan and will We Speak Translate decal upon completion. To date, over 600 SOURCE: CHEMISTRY CONSULTING GROUP receive ongoing support from experienced coaches. people in the region have been trained. SOURCE: INTER-CULTURAL ASSOCIATION victoriafoundation.ca 23

22 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS

THE ISSUE AND THE RESPONSE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS The Victoria Foundation takes an active role in addressing issues of concern Canada is one of 193 countries in our community. Often, these issues come to light as the result of survey participating in this United Nations findings and indicator data profiled in Victoria’s Vital Signs®. initiative. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent the world’s Grants funded for Canada 150 initiatives are highlighted in this year's collective vision for a thriving and report. The Community Fund for Canada’s 150th is a collaboration sustainable planet. See page 13 for between the Victoria Foundation, Community Foundations of Canada, more information. and the Government of Canada to support projects connected to Canada’s sesquicentennial celebration. In this report, these projects will be referred to as Canada 150 grants.

victoriafoundation.ca 11 OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE: HOW DID WE DO? UNCHANGED FROM 2016 B+ LOCAL CITIZENS GRADED THE 12 KEY ISSUES AND OFFERED SUGGESTIONS OF WHAT TO CELEBRATE AND WHAT TO IMPROVE 2017 CITIZEN 2016 THINGS TO CELEBRATE THINGS TO IMPROVE GRADES GRADES

• Vibrant arts and culture community with diverse offerings • Offering more affordable arts and cultural activities Arts & Culture B+ • Strong festival scene • Increasing funding to support arts and culture B+ • Performing arts • Increasing diversity and variety of events

• Increasing involvement of marginalized groups Belonging & • Plenty of opportunities to get involved • Increasing opportunities to get involved in community Engagement B- • Strong sense of community and volunteerism and neighbourhood activities • City administration efforts to engage citizens • Increasing awareness of community engagement and B- public consultation opportunities

• Efforts to diversify economy and high technology • Diversifying the economy sector growth Economy • Increasing job opportunities for new graduates B- • Availability of jobs/low unemployment • Improving supports for entrepreneurs and small business C+ • Small business and entrepreneurial support

• Green spaces/walking paths/clean air and water • Reducing our reliance on cars Environmental Sustainability B • Cycling infrastructure • Improving options for alternative energy B- • Access to locally grown food • Addressing sewage treatment

Getting • General awareness and acceptance of cultural diversity • Access to affordable childcare Started in our B- • Availability of programs to support newcomers • Affordable and accessible housing Community B- • Excellent work of organizations supporting newcomers • Foreign accreditation recognition

• Many opportunities for physical activity and outdoor • Access to mental health services Health & recreation • Availability of family physicians Wellness • Availability of care provided by health care professionals B- • Wait times for medical procedures B- • Quality of health care

• Diversity of housing options (e.g. rental suites, social • Affordability of rental housing housing, assisted living) Housing • Alternative housing options (co-housing, co-ops, etc.) C- • Efforts to increase affordability and reduce homelessness • Affordability of home ownership C- • Legalization of rental suites

• Access to diverse educational opportunities • Affordability of post-secondary education Learning B • Dedicated, talented teachers • Financial sustainability of school districts B • Community involvement and support • Quality of school curricula

• Safe place to live • Supports for mental health Safety B • Police presence • Supports for addiction B • Community policing efforts • Traffic/road safety

• Plenty of access to sports and recreation facilities Sports & • Availability of outdoor recreation options and beautiful • Access to low-income programs Recreation B+ green spaces • More affordable opportunities • Quality and variety of activity programming for • Improving pathways and bikeways B+ children and adults

Standard of • Availability of support services • Affordable housing options Living C+ • Affordable nutritious food • Adoption of a “living wage” B- • Employment opportunities • Income disparity between highest and lowest earners

• Cycling opportunities and expanded cycling infrastructure • Investment in light rail/rapid transit Transportation C+ • Good public transit service • Service and affordability of buses C+ • High level of walkability • Regional coordination of transportation infrastructure

12 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) efforts to address problems beyond the community scale, were launched in 2015 after three years of negotiations such as climate change, which can only be addressed if between 193 countries and represent the world's collective communities and cities unite in common action. vision for a thriving and sustainable planet. At the global scale, the SDGs will not be achieved unless The SDGs are universal and apply to all people and communities show leadership. In particular, SDG 11 is aimed communities everywhere. Canada has signed on to achieving at achieving sustainable communities, which will require these goals at home and abroad. At the community level, the community-level action. Visit globalgoals.org for more SDGs are an opportunity to focus and coordinate collective details.

FIND THESE ICONS ON PAGES 18-40 AS THEY RELATE TO VITAL SIGNS ® KEY ISSUES.

GOAL 7 GOAL 1 GOAL 13 Ensure access to affordable, End poverty in all its Take urgent action to sustainable, and modern forms everywhere. combat climate change energy for all. and its impacts.

GOAL 8 GOAL 2 Promote sustained, GOAL 14 End hunger, achieve food inclusive economic growth, Conserve and sustainably security, and promote full employment, and use the oceans, seas, and sustainable agriculture. decent work for all. marine resources.

GOAL 9 GOAL 15 GOAL 3 Build resilient infrastructure, Protect and promote Ensure healthy lives and promote sustainable terrestrial ecosystems, promote well-being industrialization, and foster forests, land, and for all at all ages. innovation. biodiversity.

GOAL 4 GOAL 16 GOAL 10 Ensure equitable, quality Promote peaceful societies, Reduce inequality within education and promote life- accountable institutions, and among countries. long learning opportunities. and access to justice for all.

GOAL 11 GOAL 5 GOAL 17 Make cities and human Achieve gender equality Strengthen global settlements inclusive, and empower all women partnerships for safe, resilient, and and girls. sustainable development. sustainable.

GOAL 6 GOAL 12 Ensure availability and Ensure sustainable sustainable management of consumption and water and sanitation for all. production patterns.

victoriafoundation.ca 13 QUALITY OF LIFE IN GREATER VICTORIA VITAL SIGNS® SURVEY PARTICIPANTS WERE ONCE AGAIN ASKED A RANGE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND FEELINGS OF CONNECTEDNESS TO THEIR COMMUNITY. 29% of transgendered 69% RARELY OR VERY RARELY FELT LONELY individuals report frequently OVER THE PAST WEEK, WHILE 8% HAVE FELT feeling uncomfortable, as LONELY OFTEN OR VERY OFTEN. a result of descrimination, 87% which is significantly higher WOULD DESCRIBE compared to 6% of females THEMSELVES AS HAPPY 69% THE MOST and 3% of males. rate their general sense of Things that physical well-being as high. people were 88% FEEL SUPPORTED BY LOVING FAMILY, COMPANIONS most proud AND/OR FRIENDS. 72% about Canada: rate their general sense of Freedom/ mental well-being as high. Democracy 28% Quality of Life 66% feel high or 25% Caring and ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR overwhelming stress feel uncomfortable at least Friendly WORK AND HOME/LIFE BALANCE associated with sometimes as a result of personal finances. discrimination. People

QUOTES FROM SURVEY PARTICIPANTS with our mayor on Facebook, which is fantastic. I’ve attended council sessions and town hall Many people are busy and do should be changed to stop There is no shortage of citizen- meetings, all within walking not volunteer like they used to. pitting neighbour against engagement opportunities in distance of my home. I receive It would be great if there was neighbour based on reactionary, Greater Victoria. I communicate my community association’s consideration by employers for often erroneous information. minutes by email. I would like volunteering. The way the procedures work to be more connected to youth now do more to harm the  Eliminating the in my neighbourhood and wish community than help it. What stigma around mental As someone with a graduate health. Where is the there were more opportunities degree, I have been priced is left is little more than a mental health parade? for inter-generational activities. out of Victoria and will be way for politicians to create ‘‘leaving the island and province political cover so that they can The mentally ill are A good start has been made in for a better, more affordable deflect responsibility for their buried deep in the recognizing and encouraging and community-oriented decisions onto the ignorance of closet. They are miles First Nations issues in local community. the public. How can one expect behind the LGBTQ, civic engagement from people because there is lack governance, but more must be done to achieve an effective who have no security in food or of leadership and Guidelines and procedures housing? reconciliation. around public consultation funding in this area.

14 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS 92% AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE THAT % who volunteered their time with an ✔ IT IS EVERY CITIZEN’S DUTY TO VOTE. organization at least once a month; the top five areas were in: 1  local community 7 1 % AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE THAT IT IS EVERY CITIZEN’S DUTY TO ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES 2  at an event ✔ THAT STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY. 3  social justice 4  education/school 48% 64% FEEL GREATER VICTORIA IS 5  arts or heritage ✔ WELCOMING TO NEW CANADIANS.

74% ARE HAPPY IN THEIR JOB AND SATISFIED WITH THEIR WORK. 82% 62% THE LEAST feel somewhat or actively participate Things that very connected to in their community their community. of interest. people were least proud about Canada: 81% Treatment of Aboriginal Peoples 67% 63% Racism/ feel they have the feel they know Discrimination FEEL IT IS LIKELY OR VERY opportunity to make their neighbours LIKELY THEY WILL BE LIVING AND a difference in their well enough to ask Government WORKING IN GREATER VICTORIA community or city. for assistance. Leadership 10 YEARS FROM NOW.

Ordinary citizens try to look  Continue to promote I’ve been told by tourists while Along with ensuring that out for each other’s safety activities such as Block asking for directions, “This everyone has a family physician, and well-being in our city’s Watch, community is a well-kept secret, it’s so I believe improved access to neighbourhoods. gatherings/festivals/ gorgeous.” What a good feeling mental health services is just as markets to encourage to hear this about my city, my important. home, my community. I thank Increasing opportunity for people to get to know the volunteers for keeping it diversity — for example, as each other. There’s a great community a First Nations family, we clean. of people who are all about don’t feel we always belong or “creating safe spaces,” are welcome in many non- Many of the support Every year, Victoria loses many allowing people to open up Indigenous community events. centres, such as Esquimalt bright young people who would about themselves and not feel Neighbourhood House, Prostate love to live here but cannot threatened or harassed for being Active transportation Support Centre, Our Place, sustain themselves. themselves. infrastructure and programs to Celebrate Recovery, just to support physical health seem to name a few, would not be There are so many wait lists for be a priority in Victoria, which available without the support people to get a doctor, and that is something the population that comes from the many is the first step to being able to seems to respond well to. volunteers in our great city. access mental health services. victoriafoundation.ca’’ 15 A VILLAGE OF 100

If Greater Victoria was made up of 100 people, this is how our region would look based on 2011 Census and National Household Survey data. We have presented that information here in comparison to the national data.

AVERAGE LIFE GENDER AGE BREAKDOWN EXPECTANCY GREATER VIC CANADA GV CANADA 0-14 13 17 GV 15-24 12 13 83.1 48 49 25-64 56 55 years MALES MALES 65-74 9 8 CANADA 75-84 6 5 85+ 4 2 81.7 52 51 years FEMALES FEMALES Median age 44.2 40.6 SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA SOURCE: BC STATISTICS AND STATISTICS CANADA

MARITAL STATUS INDIVIDUAL INCOME GV CANADA GV CANADA Single (never married) 27 28 Under $10,000 15 17

Common-law 10 11 $10,000-$29,999 31 33 Housing Married 45 46 $30,000-$59,999 33 30 Cost of living Divorced 8 6 $60,000-$99,999 17 14

Widowed 6 6 $100,000 + 5 6 Mental illness

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA NOTE: NUMBERS DO NOT ADD UP TO 100 DUE TO ROUNDING AND Median total income $33,301 $29,878 EXCLUSION OF "SEPARATED.". Addictions SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

Transportation MISCELLANEOUS GV CANADA LANGUAGE Health care Employed 61 61 GV CANADA Homelessness Aboriginal 4 4 93 65 10 18 Visible minority 11 19 SPEAK ENGLISH  HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF BOTH Municipal Amalgamation Immigrant 18 21 MOST OFTEN AT HOME OFFICIAL LANGUAGES Child care Religious affiliation 49 76 5 11 Poverty Post-secondary 60 54 SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH credential AND FRENCH MOST OFTEN AT HOME Community planning/

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA. Development SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA Environmental stewardship

16 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS BEST THINGS AND MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN GREATER VICTORIA TAKING ACTION AT THE Natural environment 51.1% VICTORIA FOUNDATION The purpose of Victoria’s Vital ® Climate 32.9% Signs is to inform, stimulate conversations, and encourage action, both in the community Walkability 25.8% and at the Victoria Foundation. When we publish this report Arts & culture 21.7% each October, it’s not the end of our work. In fact, it’s just the Friends & family 20.8% WHAT ARE THE BEST beginning. THINGS ABOUT Our community granting Air quality 20.6% GREATER VICTORIA? proactively targets issues identified in Vital Signs® — each According to this year’s Feeling of safety 19.4% grant focussing on one or more survey, these are the priorities raised in the report. top 12 best things Donor-directed granting is Parks 16.8% about the region, ranked similarly often guided by the by the percentage of report’s findings. Locally grown food 15.6% survey respondents who Our Board also chooses selected them. funding priorities based on the Sense of community 14.6% findings from Vital Signs®, with the current focus on both food Festivals & events 12.9% security and homelessness. Beyond granting, we act as Recreation opportunities a catalyst for change, often 12.3% convening groups to tackle issues collectively. With topics such as literacy, food security, Housing 47.6% seniors’ isolation, and more, Vital Signs® helps us zero in on the most important concerns and Cost of living 46.5% opportunities for improvement. We continually work to Mental illness 27.2% inform our donors and the general public about the data Addictions 23.4% contained in Vital Signs®. Our Vital People features on Transportation 22.8% WHAT ARE THE MOST CHEK TV and in the Times IMPORTANT ISSUES Colonist, for example, profile organizations that have Health care 18.8% FACING GREATER VICTORIA TODAY? received grants and are putting those funds into action. Homelessness 18.3% According to this year’s survey, these Municipal Amalgamation 11.9% are our region’s THE 2016 NUMBERS top 12 issues , ranked 1,421 grants Child care 10.0% by the percentage of survey respondents totalling over Poverty 9.5% who selected them. $15.5 MILLION Community planning/ to 424 charitable Development 8.9% organizations Environmental stewardship 8.3%

victoriafoundation.ca 17 ARTS & CULTURE

VITAL SIGNS® CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: B+ LET’S CELEBRATE  Vibrant arts and culture community with diverse offerings  Strong festival scene  Performing arts ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Offering more affordable arts and cultural activities  Increasing funding to support arts and culture  Increasing diversity and variety of events

Charles Elliott (Temosen) carving at his studio in Saanich (WSÁNEC´ ).

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE Tod Inlet was degraded by Art can be a powerful way of healing, raising awareness, and having decades of manufacturing conversations around difficult subjects. Supported by the Victoria Foundation in the early 1900s, causing through a Canada 150 grant, Tsartlip Elder and Master Carver Charles Elliott many traditional First is designing and carving a Welcoming Figure for Tod Inlet. A project of the Nations activities in the SeaChange Marine Conservation Society, the carving signifies the beginning of area to cease. a new era in which Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members can celebrate together the many restoration efforts in Tod Inlet.

18 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA Created in 2002, the Royal City Music Project is an online, DID YOU historical database of Vancouver Island musicians, bands, KNOW? REGIONAL FEDERAL and clubs dating back to 1889. The intent is to archive, ARTS FUNDING ARTS FUNDING preserve, and pay tribute to their respective works of art and accomplishments. The site began with a focus on rock and pop music, mostly from the 1950s to 1980s, but has grown to include country, blues, and classical music. It contains hundreds of videos and $2.3M $2.6M audio files, along with more than 10,000 images. The amount the Capital The amount the Canada SOURCE: ROYAL CITY MUSIC PROJECT AND TIMES COLONIST Arts Council for the Arts Development Service awarded in 2015/16 to distributed in 2016 to 125 recipients in Greater 80 arts organizations Victoria, including 57 REGIONAL ARTS ENGAGEMENT through three funding artists and 68 arts programs. organizations. IN 2016, 93% OF RESIDENTS CRD RESIDENTS SOURCE: CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT SOURCE: CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS IN THE CAPITAL REGION ATTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANT REPORTED ATTENDING AN BENEFITS TO THE ARTS: ARTS EVENT OF SOME KIND IN YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN ARTS THE PREVIOUS YEAR 65% IN 2013, NEARLY 35% say it brings energy and OF STUDENTS GRADES vitality to the community 7-12 IN SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND 35% REPORTED TAKING PART 58% in out-of-school art, drama, say it improves singing, music, or clubs/groups quality of life in the previous year, compared to 33% across BC. There is strong evidence that participation in 53% out-of-school activities is beneficial for increasing say it creates a stronger positive social relationships, school connectedness, sense of pride a sense of self-worth, and academic achievement. 93% MCCREARY CENTRE SOCIETY 51% say it creates a stronger sense of belonging Founded in 1988, the Puente Theatre Society OF THESE: uses theatre as a bridge between cultures attended five or (‘puente’ means bridge in Spanish). Puente more times per year 51% promotes cross-cultural tolerance and 17% in the CRD say it creates better appreciation by creating, producing, and understanding performing theatrical works from different SOURCE: STRATEGIC MOVES AND EKOS RESEARCH between cultures cultures. SOURCE: PUENTE THEATRE SOCIETY

LIBRARY USE In 2015, the Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL) had the highest circulation per capita in Canada at 18.66, considerably above the national median (10.48), and the fourth highest visits per capita at 7.68, trailing Vancouver, Halifax, and Richmond public libraries but above the national median (6.21) across all monitored libraries in Canada. SOURCE: CANADIAN URBAN LIBRARIES COUNCIL

DOOR COUNT TOTALS FOR GREATER VICTORIA PUBLIC LIBRARY’S 10 BRANCHES OVERALL CIRCULATION 2,459,075 5,977,540 ADULT ATTENDANCE TEEN ATTENDANCE KIDS ATTENDANCE

VIRTUAL VISITS eMATERIALS CIRCULATION 4,033,998 14,043 5,081 62,445 632,693

SOURCE: GREATER VICTORIA PUBLIC LIBRARY victoriafoundation.ca 19 BELONGING & ENGAGEMENT

VITAL SIGNS ® CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: B- LET’S CELEBRATE  Plenty of opportunities to get involved  Strong sense of community and volunteerism  City administration efforts to engage citizens

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Increasing involvement of marginalized groups  Increasing opportunities to get involved in community and neighbourhood activities  Increasing awareness Upidempos delignatur aut of community dendam et optur? Aceritium Volunteer members of the Youth engagement and ut mod molores totat. Andipit Advisory Committee working on atincte mperum rest, ulles dollit site improvements at the Spirit public consultation lacesse diaerem repe nonserum. Garden, a neighbourhood garden opportunities located in the North Jubilee area.

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE Victoria’s Vital Signs® With support from the Victoria Foundation through a Canada 150 grant, Volunteer has reported that less Victoria is connecting youth from around the region to celebrate Canada’s 150th than 40% of youth in anniversary and support youth leadership and engagement. 150 Reasons is a series South Vancouver Island of 12 pop-up projects designed and led by youth, providing opportunities for youth feel connected to their to develop new skills, showcase ideas that matter to them, and include a range of community. partners, participants, communities, and neighbourhoods.

20 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA This year marks the 100th anniversary of the right to vote DID YOU for some BC women. On April 5, 1917, Caucasian women KNOW? in BC gained the right to vote in provincial elections. Full INDEX OF CONNECTEDNESS voting rights for all women would not happen until decades The Child & Youth Health Network is working to later. In 1948, the BC government extended the vote to include Asian bring communities and organizations together women and men and, by 1960, Indigenous women and men in Canada to improve the mental health and well-being of were finally able to vote. SOURCE: CBC NEWS young people in the Capital Region. Their first focus is on increasing the connectedness of young people in four domains: family, community, school, and peer relationships. Data will be WOMEN IN PUBLIC OFFICE updated every five years, as available.

SOURCE: CHILD & YOUTH HEALTH NETWORK In 2017, BC has a female Lieutenant Governor and, for the first time in history, a gender-balanced cabinet with 11 female ministers, including the first Indigenous VOLUNTEERING woman to serve in a BC cabinet.

IN 2017, THE CAPITAL REGION HAD THE FOLLOWING PROPORTION OF WOMEN SERVING IN PUBLIC OFFICE: 63% 25% 43% 38% 48% MEMBERS OF MEMBERS OF MAYORS: MUNICIPAL PARLIAMENT: LEGISLATIVE five out of COUNCILLORS: one out of ASSEMBLY: 13 mayors 37 out of 77 IN 2013, NEARLY 63% OF PEOPLE AGED four ridings three out of councillors 15 YEARS AND OLDER IN GREATER seven ridings VICTORIA PARTICIPATED IN SOME FORM The Victoria CMA was ranked by OF VOLUNTEER WORK, COMPARED TO the Canadian Centre for Policy 50% 69% Alternatives as the best place 49% IN BC AND 44% IN CANADA. to be a woman in Canada in SCHOOL BOARD SCHOOL BOARD 2015 and 2016, due largely to SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA CHAIRS: TRUSTEES: two out of four 18 out of 26 the level of representation of board chairs trustees women in politics.

PROVINCE RECOGNIZES HISTORIC SOURCES: PARLIAMENT OF CANADA, LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF BC, CIVICINFO BC, SCHOOL DISTRICTS 61, 62, 63 AND 64, JAPANESE-CANADIAN SITES CANADIAN CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES

On April 1, 2017, the BC government officially recognized 56 historic places MEDIAN CHARITABLE PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION across the province for their heritage DONATION values and significance to the Japanese- Canadian community. The recognition marked the 75th anniversary of the start of the internment period when more than 22,000 Japanese-Canadians were $430 forcibly removed from the BC coast and incarcerated in camps between 1942 24% OF ALL TAX FILERS IN In 2017, 25% of Victoria’s Vital and 1949. In Greater Victoria, one site GREATER VICTORIA MADE Signs® survey respondents reported has been provincially recognized — the CHARITABLE DONATIONS IN that they feel discriminated Victoria Port of Entry and William Head 2015. THE MEDIAN DONATION against “sometimes,” “frequently,” Quarantine Station. From 1893 to 1958, IN GREATER VICTORIA WAS or “consistently,” compared to 19% the Canadian government operated CONSIDERABLY HIGHER in 2016. Over the past five years, a quarantine station there to inspect THAN THE NATIONAL MEDIAN this proportion has ranged from passengers on ocean-going vessels. DONATION OF $300. 17% to 25%.

SOURCE: HERITAGE BC AND CBC NEWS SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA SOURCE: VICTORIA’S VIAL SIGNS SURVEY

victoriafoundation.ca 21 ECONOMY SPONSORED BY BAYVIEW PLACE

VITAL SIGNS® Fayrouz Mohammed sells baked goods at the Sunset Market, held at the Oaklands CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: Community Centre, after learning new skills at an entrepreneur training workshop. B- LET’S CELEBRATE  Efforts to diversify economy and high technology sector growth  Availability of jobs/ low unemployment  Small business and entrepreneurial support

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Diversifying the economy  Increasing job opportunities for new graduates  Improving supports for entrepreneurs and small business

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE Respondents to the Victoria’s Many newcomers arrive to our region with entrepreneurial experience and skills Vital Signs® citizen survey but face barriers securing employment. Supported by the Victoria Foundation have listed job opportunities through a Canada 150 grant, the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre for newcomers as well as Society partnered with the Victoria Community Micro Lending Society to offer supports for entrepreneurs Entrepreneur Training Workshops, providing immigrants and refugees with the as areas for improvement. knowledge required to start a business in Canada. By the end of the 12-session program, each participant had completed and presented a business plan and will receive ongoing support from experienced coaches.

22 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA The Vancouver Island Green Business DID YOU BUSINESS COUNTS Certification program, developed by KNOW? the Synergy Sustainability Institute In 2016, there were 83,200 businesses in in 2013, was built to recognize Greater Victoria, of which approximately 17% (13,846) had the efforts of businesses in reducing their employees while 83% did not maintain an employee payroll. environmental impact. An internal assessment is completed followed by on-site verification. The total business count in the region has increased since 2014. Certification — Silver, Gold, or Green, with SOURCE: BC STATISTICS Green being the highest level — is available for retail, restaurant, spa/salon, and office-based businesses. “Surfrider Approved” certification SOCIAL VENTURE SECTOR is also available for meeting at least three of four plastic-reducing points on their sector These organizations operate between the private and public sectors checklist. By mid-2016, the program reached through a broad range of community, non-profit and business activities 100 certifications and over 1,000 new actions to create social or environmental value. implemented by businesses. Community-contribution SOURCE: SYNERGY SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE companies Cooperatives 1% Non-profits and 17% registered charities UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN 2016 57% 7.0% 6.0% 5.2%

Businesses 1,127 Canada THE ESTIMATED NUMBER Victoria BC 23% OF SOCIAL VENTURE CMA ORGANIZATIONS IN 2015, OPERATING IN BC 30% OF BC IN 2015 SOCIAL VENTURES OPERATED IN Greater Victoria had the fourth lowest THE SECTOR THE VANCOUVER unemployment rate of all census GENERATED OVER ISLAND/COAST metropolitan areas in Canada in 2016. REGION. $500 MILLION. SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

WE SPEAK TRANSLATE ❂ TOURISM SECTOR The Inter-Cultural Association has partnered with Google 2016 was an excellent year for tourism in Greater to unlock the potential of the Google Translate app for Victoria with the highest refugee resettlement and newcomer inclusion. The We Speak 74.2% average hotel room rate and Translate project was launched in Victoria in 2017 to help HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATE hotel occupancy rate in five local immigrants and refugees overcome language barriers. years. The Victoria International The app works like a digital interpreter, allowing two people Airport and BC Ferries route who speak different languages to communicate through a between Tswwassen and smartphone. Swartz Bay recorded their 223 The project provides opportunities to build awareness of highest traffic and/or passenger CRUISE SHIP ARRIVALS issues faced by newcomers and addresses the importance of volumes in five years. integration and inclusion. With about 1,400 immigrants and refugees coming to the region annually, Greater Victoria has a vested interest in promoting diversity and inclusiveness. 1,858,099 6,131,210 VICTORIA AIRPORT BC FERRIES PASSENGERS, The project trains community stakeholders, which receive a ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES TSAWWASSEN/SWARTZ BAY ROUTE We Speak Translate decal upon completion. To date, over 800

people in the region have been trained. SOURCE: INTER-CULTURAL ASSOCIATION SOURCE: CHEMISTRY CONSULTING GROUP

victoriafoundation.ca 23 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

® Tanya Inglis (right) from the VITAL SIGNS Galiano Conservancy Association CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: at the Saturday market. B LET’S CELEBRATE  Green spaces/walking paths/clean air and water  Cycling infrastructure  Access to locally grown food

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Reducing our reliance on cars  Improving options for alternative energy  Addressing sewage treatment DEREK FORD

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE Water is a precious resource. On Galiano Island, many homes run out of water each summer and wells Conservation is an important experience saltwater intrusion from overuse. With a Canada 150 grant from component of managing the the Victoria Foundation, the Galiano Conservancy Association is offering region's water supply. residents home water-saving kits and other basic equipment to support water conservation and is leading community discussions and action around effective, sustainable water stewardship practices.

24 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA Pollinators are responsible for one in every three bites of DID YOU food we eat. Started in 2017 by the Peninsula and Area KNOW? Agricultural Commission and Pollinator Partnership Canada, SPECIES AT RISK the Island Pollinator Initiative is a platform for information There are 10 known species of bats on Vancouver sharing, coordination, and planning to support vital pollination work in Island and all of them face threats from habitat the Capital Region. loss, predation by cats, and health issues. Approximately 90% of flowering plant species depend on pollinators like In the Capital Region, the Keen’s Myotis, bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and bats for reproduction. Threats like Townsend’s Big-eared, and Little Brown development, pesticides, and climate change are dramatically reducing Myotis bat species are considered to be at risk. pollinator diversity and numbers. A 2016 UN report found that 40% of The Habitat Acquisition Trust’s Community Bat all insect pollinators worldwide are under threat. More than 50 butterfly Program is working to better understand bats and moth species and 25% of all bumblebee species in North America are in the region and includes an annual bat count, threatened. Six species of native bees await protection under Canada’s habitat enhancement, colony exclusions, acoustic Species at Risk Act. SOURCE: CRFAIR AND DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION monitoring, DNA collection, and colony mapping.

SOURCE: HABITAT ACQUISITION TRUST

Solid waste disposal rates per person GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS SOLID 497 kg DOWN WASTE DISPOSAL In 2016, the CRD’s solid 350 kg 350 kg waste disposal rate 5% was an estimated 350 kilograms (kg) per person, slightly higher than 2015 (347 kg) but well below the BC rate (497 kg) for 2015, the most recent year for which data is GREATER VICTORIA’S GREENHOUSE GAS available. The provincial (GHG) EMISSIONS FROM BUILDINGS, solid waste disposal CRD BC BC’S SOLID WASTE, AND AGRICULTURAL target is 350 kg per 2016 2015 TARGET LIVESTOCK DECREASED JUST OVER 5% person by 2020. FOR 2020 BETWEEN 2007 AND 2012 FROM 713,756 TO 675,087 TONNES OF CO2 EQUIVALENT. THE CRD’S 2016 PER CAPITA SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY: SOURCE: BC MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT

BUTTERFLYWAY PROJECT 75KG 61KG 55KG 51KG ORGANICS WOOD PAPER AND PLASTICS Victoria is one of five cities across Canada PAPERBOARD participating in the Butterflyway Project, a

national effort to reimagine neighbourhoods SOURCE: CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT as highways of habitat for pollinators, from bumblebees to monarch butterflies. Started by the David Suzuki Foundation in 2017, the AIR QUALITY In 2014, the James Bay monitoring station reported sulphur goal of the project is to establish pollinator- dioxide (SO2 ) concentrations that exceeded the provincial benchmark friendly, native wildflower patches in of 75 parts per billion (ppb). By 2016, those SO 2 concentrations had neighbourhoods across Canada. These dropped to only 2 ppb, due in large part to the cruise ship industry’s shift patches connect pollinator habitat and to lower-sulphur fuels and new emission control technology. The same decrease the distance of “urban desert” that year, the concentration of air pollutants in Greater Victoria was well below pollinators have to cross to get to their next provincial and national benchmarks for fine particulate matter, SO 2, ground

oasis. SOURCE: DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION level ozone and nitrogen oxide. SOURCE: BC LUNG ASSOCIATION

victoriafoundation.ca 25 GETTING STARTED IN OUR COMMUNITY SPONSORED BY URBAN SYSTEMS

® Justine Soleil (centre), Youth VITAL SIGNS Recreation Facilitator at the CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: Quadra Village Community Centre, with teens at . B- LET’S CELEBRATE  General awareness and acceptance of cultural diversity  Availability of programs to support newcomers  Excellent work of organizations supporting newcomers

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Access to affordable childcare  Affordable and accessible housing  Foreign accreditation recognition

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE Children and youth in poverty may The Quadra Village Community Centre engages youth aged 10-18 experience higher rates of loneliness, social in recreational activities. Supported by the Victoria Foundation, isolation, low self-worth, and physical and their Recreational Engagement Program gives youth from low- mental health issues. Sports and recreation income families an opportunity to play sports, learn new skills, and programs can make significant positive experience social, emotional, and physical benefits. impacts in these areas.

26 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA According to population projections, Greater Victoria will be DID YOU more ethnoculturally diverse in 2036 than it was in 2011, KNOW? although it will be less diversified than the Canadian average YOUTH in 2036. In 2011, immigrants accounted for 18% of Greater Victoria’s population. By 2036, this proportion would increase to between UNEMPLOYMENT 18% and 21%. The main regions of birth of immigrants would likely remain IN GREATER VICTORIA, THE the same in 2036 as they were in 2011: Northern Europe and Eastern Asia. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR YOUTH, Together, immigrants and their Canadian-born children would represent 15 TO 24 YEARS, WAS 9.7% IN 2016, 38% to 42% of Greater Victoria’s population in 2036, down from 43% in COMPARED TO 10.3% IN BC AND 2011. In 2036, between 14% and 16% of the region’s population would have 13.1% IN CANADA. a mother tongue other than English or French, up from 11% in 2011. For the population in the region, aged 15 to 64 years, between 19% and 22% would belong to a visible minority group in 2036, compared to 11% in 2011. VICTORIA CMA 9.7% SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

BRITISH COLUMBIA 10.3% NET MIGRATION FROM OTHER 6% COUNTRIES Between July 1, 2015 and CANADA 13.1% June 30, 2016, Greater Victoria had a total net SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA migration of 5,079 people, of which 1,440 came from within BC, REFUGEE ARRIVALS IN THE REGION 3,357 from other 28% provinces, and FROM WITHIN BC Between November 2015 and February 282 from other 2017, 415 refugees arrived in Greater countries. Victoria. 245 were government-assisted refugees from 68 families, and 170 were privately sponsored and blended 66% TOTAL NET MIGRATION FROM OTHER PROVINCES sponsorship refugees from 47 families. BETWEEN 2001 & 2016: 92% of the resettled refugees came from Syria, 5% from the Democratic Republic of Sudan, and 3% from Eritrea. 51,291 SOURCE: INTER-CULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF GREATER VICTORIA SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

EARLY YEARS CHILDCARE FACTS 2015/16 DEVELOPMENT

THE MEDIAN MONTHLY FEE PAID BY 11,739 PARENTS FOR CHILDCARE 32% LICENSED GROUP FACILITIES BC’S OVERALL NUMBER OF LICENSED SOUTH CHILDHOOD VANCOUVER ISLAND CHILDCARE $1,000 $950 $800 VULNERABILITY RATE SPACES FUNDED BY THE MINISTRY INFANTS TODDLERS CHILDREN FOR THE PERIOD OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY (0-18 MONTHS) (19-35 MONTHS) (3-5 YEARS) 2013-2016. DEVELOPMENT IN AN AVERAGE This means almost 1 in 3 MONTH (UP NEARLY 4% FROM THE OUT-OF-SCHOOL CARE children started school with vulnerabilities in PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR). Full-Day Kindergarten Grade One and Up one or more areas that *Family care differs from group care in that are critical to healthy it occurs in the licencee's personal residence. $380 $400 $280 $350 development. GROUP FAMILY* GROUP FAMILY* SOURCE: UBC HUMAN EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP SOURCE: MINISTRY OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT

victoriafoundation.ca 27 HEALTH & WELLNESS

® Jennifer Gibson (second from right), VITAL SIGNS Education Program Coordinator, and CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: Jennifer Harrison (right) brainstorm with a group of students trained as youth ambassadors at the Island Sexual Health Society. B- LET’S CELEBRATE  Many opportunities for physical activity and outdoor recreation  Availability of care provided by health care professionals  Quality of health care ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Access to mental health services  Availability of family physicians  Wait times for medical procedures PHOTO BY JACK ADAMSON JACK BY PHOTO

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE Marginalized youth are The Island Sexual Health Society offers programming for youth who encounter typically less likely to barriers to traditional sexual health education, tailoring workshops to meet the understand their health needs of participants. With funding from the Victoria Foundation, education care needs or access programming is being expanded through the Man Made program to meet the services. specific needs of male-identified participants, a population that has traditionally been under-represented in sexual health programming and care.

28 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA Young patients at Victoria General Hospital now have DID YOU access to an innovative social networking tool called KNOW? FAMILY PHYSICIANS Upopolis, which allows them to stay in touch with family and friends while they’re undergoing treatment and make connections with other kids who share similar experiences. It also THE NUMBER OF FAMILY provides safe, secure access to kid-friendly medical content, so they can PHYSICIANS PER 100,000 better understand their illness, diagnosis, and treatment plans. PEOPLE ON SOUTH Upopolis was launched in 2007 and has expanded to 23 hospitals and 173 VANCOUVER ISLAND health organizations across Canada. In March 2017, VGH became the first IN 2015, COMPARED TO 124 IN BC AND 115 hospital on Vancouver Island to join the social platform. IN CANADA. SOURCE: ISLAND HEALTH AND CBC NEWS Over the past five years, this rate has remained consistently higher than the provincial and TOBACCO USE HEAVY DRINKING national rates. South Vancouver Island 2014 South Vancouver Island 2014 SOURCE: CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH INFORMATION

CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION SOURCE: BC CENTRE OVER FOR DISEASE CONTROL 13% 82% were up OF PEOPLE REPORTED 21% to date minus BEING A SMOKER (DAILY OF PEOPLE REPORTED the booster OR OCCASIONAL) HEAVY DRINKING 76% (e.g. a scheduled vaccine dose OF TWO-YEAR OLD CHILDREN IN SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND given at 18 WERE FULLY UP TO DATE ON months of age BC Canada BC Canada ROUTINE IMMUNIZATIONS for specific IN 2016 diseases).

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA SOURCE: STATISTICS 14% 18% 16% 18%

YOUNG ADULT HEALTH & WELL-BEING RISING ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION Alcohol consumption has In 2013, young adults aged 22-29 years surveyed risen significantly in BC through the Victoria Healthy Youth Survey reported: 24% over the past decade and HIGH BLOOD at a faster rate than the PRESSURE rest of Canada. On South Vancouver Island, 13% annual alcohol consumption per 63% OBESE capita was 10.8 litres in 2015, the were employed full-time, mainly highest since tracking began in 2002. in labour, service, clerical, and This is compared to 9.2L for BC, 91% technical work or in trades; which is equivalent to: pursued the average annual income was Hypertension and obesity post-secondary threaten the longterm health education. SOURCE: ISLAND HEALTH AUTHORITY HEALTH SOURCE: ISLAND $36,000 of 37% of young people. 543 BOTTLES OF 5% BEER OR BC CANCER AGENCY UNVEILS INDIGENOUS ARTWORK 108 BOTTLES OF 12% WINE The BC Cancer Agency is prominently displaying Indigenous art in each of its six cancer centres around the province. It is a signal that Indigenous patients and their families will be treated with dignity and respect. The art helps create a *Absolute alcohol consumed per person, safe, welcoming cultural space for Indigenous patients, reflecting the traditional aged 15 years and older, per year (one territories on which the cancer centres sit. The Vancouver Island Centre in litre equals 58 standard drinks)

Victoria displays the art of Métis artist, Lisa Shepherd, and Tsawout First SOURCE: CENTRE FOR ADDICTIONS RESEARCH OF BC Nation’s artist, William Marrow. SOURCE: BC CANCER AGENCY victoriafoundation.ca 29 HOUSING SPONSORED BY OAKCREST PARK ESTATES LTD.

VITAL SIGNS® CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: C- LET’S CELEBRATE  Diversity of housing options (e.g. rental suites, social housing, assisted living)  Efforts to increase affordability and reduce homelessness  Legalization of rental suites

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Affordability of rental housing  Alternative housing options (co-housing, co-ops, etc.)  Affordability of home ownership

Youth participate in Threshold’s What’s Cookin’ program, which helps youth learn healthy kitchen skills.

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE A lack of available and Threshold Housing Society is committed to creating a safe and stable home affordable rental housing in environment for Victoria’s vulnerable youth, reducing the likelihood that these the Capital Region elevates at-risk youth will fall into chronic adult homelessness. With support from the the risk of homelessness Victoria Foundation, the organization is housing eight additional youth in a new for marginalized groups, leased property and providing them with life-skills and transitional planning including youth. programs.

30 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA The Capital Regional District’s Regional Housing First DID YOU Program is a capital funding program designed to support supply-side interventions for chronic homelessness. KNOW? RENTS & RENTAL VACANCY Over the next five years (2016/17-2020/21), with an investment of up to $60 million, it will create at least 268 new THE AVERAGE RENTAL supported and affordable housing units at provincial shelter rates and, APARTMENT VACANCY in conjunction with the Regional Housing Trust Fund, at least 175 new RATE IN GREATER VICTORIA 0.5% rental housing units affordable for low to moderate income households IN OCTOBER 2016 in the region. Rents will range from an estimated $375 per month to 85% of market rents. SOURCE: CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT Rents increased 5.5% between October 2015 and 2016. $994 $1,485 $785 HOUSING SALES & PRICES AVERAGE RENT FOR AVERAGE RENT AVERAGE RENT ALL UNIT TYPES IN FOR A 3+ BEDROOM FOR A BACHELOR SINGLE FAMILY HOME MEDIAN SALE PRICE GREATER VICTORIA UNIT IN 2016 UNIT IN 2016 IN OCTOBER 2016 A person working 35 hours a week at BC’s $665,000 $770,000 minimum hourly wage of $11.35 would need to 1,006 spend just over 49% of their gross monthly income THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES SOLD IN to rent a bachelor apartment in Greater Victoria. GREATER VICTORIA IN MAY 2017. THIS IS A DECREASE COMPARED To affordably rent this apartment (e.g. spend no TO PROPERTIES SOLD MAY MAY more than 30% of household income on rent), 22% IN MAY 2016. 2016 2017 a person would need to work nearly 58 hours a week at minimum wage. CONDO MEDIAN SALE PRICE TOWNHOUSE MEDIAN SALE PRICE SOURCE: CANADA MORTGAGE AND HOUSING CORPORATION $431,500 $510,000 $316,900 $365,000 IN 2015/16, AT LEAST 250 INDIVIDUALS IN GREATER VICTORIA WERE ESTIMATED TO BE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, INCLUDING A CORE GROUP WHOSE NEEDS PREVENT THEM FROM MAY MAY MAY MAY ACCESSING SHELTERS. 2016 2017 2016 2017

SOURCE: GREATER VICTORIA COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS SOURCE: VICTORIA REAL ESTATE BOARD

HOMELESSNESS RESPONDENTS 68% identified as 33% identified Of the people enumerated in the 2016 male and 31% as Aboriginal. Greater Victoria Coalition to End identified as female. In 2014/15, Homelessness’s Point in Time Count, 721 Roughly one in five 20% of emergency (52%) individuals participated in a housing was under the shelter users in the age of 30 or over needs survey. The findings paint a compelling region identified as the age of 50. picture of homelessness in the region. Aboriginal.

HOUSING BARRIERS 72% INDICATED THEY HAVE 28% SAID THEY HAD THESE BARRIERS ARE NOT MUTUALLY BEEN IN GREATER VICTORIA MOVED TO VICTORIA IN low income rents too high EXCLUSIVE AS RESPONDENTS MAY HAVE LONGER THAN A YEAR. THE PAST YEAR. MULTIPLE BARRIERS.

health/ mental SOURCES OF INCOME 60% 56% addiction disability health discrimination issues issues 21% 37% 24% 23% 13% 4% 3% 15% 14% 13% Income disability informal employment seniors’ family and assistance benefit self-employment benefit friends SOURCE: GREATER VICTORIA COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS

victoriafoundation.ca 31 LEARNING

® Nick Claxton, from Tsawout VITAL SIGNS First Nation, explaining how CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: a reef net works and its historical importance. B LET’S CELEBRATE  Access to diverse educational opportunities  Dedicated, talented teachers  Community involvement and support

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Affordability of post- secondary education  Financial sustainability of school districts  Quality of school curricula

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE The traditional practice of reef- The Straits Salish people are working to revitalize the knowledge, net fishing was banned by the BC ceremony, and practice of reef-net fishing. In partnership with the Government in 1916. This practice was International Resilience Network and with a Canada 150 grant through central to the values, spiritual beliefs, the Victoria Foundation, Tsawout First Nation led a weekend-long and economic, food, and social workshop to promote intergenerational knowledge sharing about this systems of the Straits Salish people. traditional practice.

32 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA A unique program at is supporting DID YOU the success of Indigenous students by building connections KNOW? with the land. The Land Based Learning program, now in its TUITION COSTS second year, examines how culture shapes identity, what the land has to teach us, and how language can revitalise a community. The combined average cost of undergraduate tuition for both University of Victoria and Royal Work experience is one of the pillars of the program, building on Roads University in 2016/17. classroom work and emphasizing employability skills. The program combines Indigenous ways of knowing and teaching with aspects of the BC school curriculum. It tries to achieve learning outcomes associated $6,804 $18,284 with courses and work experience by having students work on the land Canadian students International students and build connections with their culture and communities. A sense of place is at the foundation of First Peoples Principles of Learning, which  AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA, nurtures connectedness and reciprocal relationships. the average tuition in 2016/17 was $5,368 for SOURCE: ESQUIMALT HIGH SCHOOL AND THE LEAD SHEET Canadian students and $17,368 for international students.  AT UNIVERSITY, SIX-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL the average tuition for the same period was HIGH COMPLETION RATE IN 2015/16 higher at $8,240 for Canadian students and $19,200 for international students. SCHOOL BY SCHOOL DISTRICT

SOURCE: UNIVERSITIES CANADA COMPLETION All Students Indigenous Students % OF POPULATION, UNIVERSITY 101 MARKS A DECADE OF 15 YEARS AND OLDER, WHO Greater 87.2% ACCESSIBLE HUMANITIES EDUCATION HAD NOT COMPLETED HIGH Victoria 56% In 2016, UVic’s University 101 program — SCHOOL IN 2016 which offers free, non-credit university 76.1% courses to people who face significant barriers Victoria CMA Sooke to post-secondary education — celebrated its 75% 10th anniversary. With a core introductory curriculum grounded in the humanities and JUST UNDER 71.3% social sciences, the program teaches skills in Saanich critical thinking and reflection. As of 2016, 45.7% over 350 people had completed the program. 10% University 101 is intended for people who, Gulf 63% for reasons of poverty, disability, single Islands 82.1% parenthood, or a history of mental illness, BC Canada would otherwise not have access to higher 83.6% education. Meals are provided in each class, BC 63.8% and bus tickets and childcare subsidies are 14% 17% also available to reduce material barriers to SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA SOURCE: BC MINISTRY OF EDUCATION participation. SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA

% OF GRADE 10 STUDENTS WHO PASSED PROVINCIAL EXAMS IN 2013/14 Pass means receiving a grade of C- or better.

English Math IN 2016, NEARLY 58% OF THE GREATER VICTORIA POPULATION AGED 15 YEARS AND OLDER HAD COMPLETED 91% 90% 87% 86% SOME FORM OF POST-SECONDARY SOUTH VANCOUVER BRITISH SOUTH VANCOUVER BRITISH EDUCATION, COMPARED TO 54% IN BC ISLAND COLUMBIA ISLAND COLUMBIA AND 54% IN CANADA.

SOURCE: BC MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

victoriafoundation.ca 33 SAFETY SPONSORED BY CREST

VITAL SIGNS® CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: B LET’S CELEBRATE  Safe place to live  Police presence  Community policing efforts ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Supports for mental health  Supports for addiction  Traffic/road safety

Aaron Pringle plants blueberry bushes with his sons at the Tyee Co-op, a community garden and a popular neighbourhood meeting place.

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE A connected The Eldercare Foundation and BC Healthy Communities are working to promote neighbourhood helps neighbour-to-neighbour connections in residential streets and multi-family to create a sense of buildings. Supported by the Victoria Foundation through a Canada 150 grant, the well-being and safety Building Resilient Neighbourhoods initiative draws on a vast array of resources, for residents. including Block Watch and Emergency Management BC, with the aim of supporting intergenerational community building to enhance neighbourhood safety, social connection, health, and well-being,

34 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA An estimated 60% of all vehicle crashes in BC occur DID YOU at intersections. In 2015, eight of the top 11 crash intersections on Vancouver Island were in Greater Victoria: KNOW? two in Saanich, five in Victoria, and one in Langford. There ILLICIT DRUG were 556 vehicle crashes at these eight intersections in 2015. OVERDOSE DEATHS • Admirals Rd & McKenzie Ave & Trans Canada Hwy...... 107 • Douglas St & Finlayson St...... 81 • Douglas St & Gorge Rd E & Hillside Ave & turning lanes...... 76 BRITISH COLUMBIA • Millstream Rd & Trans-Canada Hwy & 2016 IN BC ABOUT Veterans Memorial Parkway & all on/off-ramps...... 65 • Bay St & Blanshard St...... 61 967 • Blanshard St & Saanich Rd...... 59 up from 517 in 2015 73% • Hillside Ave & Quadra St...... 54 WERE AMONG PEOPLE • Blanshard St & Hillside Ave...... 53 AGED 30-59 YEARS Crash count excludes crashes in parking lots or crashes involving parked SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND 2016 vehicles. SOURCE: ICBC MALES ACCOUNTED FOR 76 81% OF FATAL DRUG BULLIED YOUTH up from 24 in 2015 IN SOUTH OVERDOSES IN BC. VANCOUVER ISLAND Bullied at school means youth VICTORIA 2016 Victoria was one of the reported being teased, excluded, and/or top three cities in BC physically assaulted by another youth at school or on the way to or from school. 49% where fatal drug overdoses OF GRADE 7-12 STUDENTS 67 occurred in 2016 (after Cyberbullied means youth reported REPORTED BEING BULLIED up from 20 in 2015 Vancouver and Surrey). being bullied or picked on through the AT SCHOOL IN 2013 SOURCE: MCCREARY CENTRE SOCIETY SOURCE: MCCREARY Internet or other technology. FENTANYL WAS DETECTED (ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER DRUGS) IN 68% 13% REPORTED BEING CYBERBULLIED IN 2013, COMPARED TO 14% OF YOUTH ACROSS BC. OF BC OVERDOSE DEATHS IN 2016. In 2013, 94% of students grades 7-12 in South THE TOP FOUR DETECTED DRUGS IN 2015 & 2016 Vancouver Island reported feeling safe in their WERE COCAINE 49%, FENTANYL 46%, HEROIN 36%, neighbourhood during the daytime, while 71% AND METHAMPHETAMINE/AMPHETAMINE 30%. reported feeling safe in their neighbourhood at night.

SOURCE: BC CORONERS SERVICE SOURCE: MCCREARY CENTRE SOCIETY

2016 CRIME RATES (per 100,000 people) CRIME RATES BY OFFENCE YOUTH CRIME RATE Motor Vehicle Violent Crime Rate Sexual Assault Rate Property Crime Rate Theft Rate In 2016, 1,158 youth aged 12-17 were charged with a violation per 100,000 1,154 64 3,663 108 youth in Greater Victoria, GREATER VICTORIA GREATER VICTORIA GREATER VICTORIA GREATER VICTORIA down from 1,281 in 2015. down by 42% since 1998 down by 42% since 1998 down by 54% since 1998 down by 65% since 1998 The 2016 rate was higher than BC’s rate (1,090) and lower than Canada’s 1,139 50 5,001 295 rate (2,014). Violations BRITISH COLUMBIA BRITISH COLUMBIA BRITISH COLUMBIA BRITISH COLUMBIA include all Criminal Code violations (including traffic violations) and federal 1,052 58 3,207 217 statute violations. CANADA CANADA CANADA CANADA

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

victoriafoundation.ca 35 SPORTS & RECREATION SPONSORED BY

VITAL SIGNS® CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: B+ LET’S CELEBRATE  Plenty of access to sports and recreation facilities  Availability of outdoor recreation options and beautiful green spaces  Quality and variety of activity programming for children and adults

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Access to low-income programs  More affordable opportunities  Improving pathways and bikeways Sarah Black, Athletic Therapist at Athletic Therapy Plus, working with paralympian Jackie Gay at the Athletic Centre.

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE There is a lack of Supported by a grant from the Victoria Foundation, Recreation Integration supportive recreation Victoria’s Disability and Diversity: Education to Promote Active Living initiative and sports opportunities is aimed at reducing existing attitudinal barriers towards persons with for adults and youth disabilities to increase their level of participation in our community. Offered with disabilities. in collaboration with 20 community organizations through training sessions and outreach fairs, this program targets recreation centre staff, sport coaches, education professionals, and members of the community at large.

36 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA Walking is a healthy and environmentally friendly DID YOU form of transportation and recreation that fosters KNOW? YOUTH SPORTS PARTICIPATION 2013 vibrant communities and provides an enjoyable % of students grades 7-12 in South Vancouver Island who: experience for residents and visitors alike. Walk took an exercise class took part in out-of-school On, Victoria is a pedestrian advocacy group that aims to outside of school. sports without an instructor. improve the walkability of Greater Victoria neighbourhoods, promote walking, and encourage policymakers to prioritize the interests of pedestrians. In 2016, Walk On, Victoria hosted the first annual Walktober 62% 61% 60% 58% event, an online step-counting challenge. Over 11 million steps Across BC Across BC were taken by participants — the distance from Vancouver to Toronto and back again. SOURCE: WALK ON, VICTORIA

SOURCE: MCCREARY CENTRE SOCIETY

In 2015, households in Greater Victoria YOUNG ADULT INJURIES spent an average of $5,532 on recreation, or 9% of the total average household spending on goods and services. % of young adults age 22-29 years surveyed through the SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA 2013 Victoria Healthy Youth Survey who suffered an injury 27% that was serious enough to NEWCOMER SPORT FOR LIFE PROGRAM limit their daily activities. Sport can play a vital role in newcomers’ sense of belonging. Newcomers can also bring a renewal OF THE INJURIES: and sense of vibrancy to sport and recreation organizations. The Newcomer Sport for Life Program seeks to connect immigrant and refugee children to 24% 20% 29% 25% quality sport and physical activity opportunities in while playing falling or at a recreation at a their new communities. In 2016, the Inter-Cultural a sport tripping centre workplace Association worked in partnership with Sport for Life and KidSport to give newcomer children and youth APPROXIMATELY 29% OF YOUNG ADULTS CONTACTED a chance to participate in various sport programs A NURSE OVER THE PHONE ABOUT THEIR INJURY.

across the region. SOURCE: INTER-CULTURAL ASSOCIATION AND SPORT FOR LIFE SOURCE: ISLAND HEALTH AUTHORITY

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY YOUNG ADULT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY In 2013, 76% of young adults age 22-29 years surveyed through the Victoria Healthy Youth Survey reported that they exercise: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN OLDER PEOPLE vigorously for 20-30 three to four times per % of people aged 65 and older that reported minutes at least three week (i.e., swimming, their physical activity during leisure time as times per week running, sports etc.) moderately active or active in 2014. 65% 61% 48% 20% South Vancouver British Columbia Canada 24% NEVER Island NEVER 38% 36% ALWAYS ALWAYS SELF-REPORTED RATES OF ACTIVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG OLDER PEOPLE IN SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND HAVE RISEN STEADILY 38% 44% FROM 57% IN 2010 TO 65% IN 2014. SOMETIMES SOMETIMES

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA SOURCE: ISLAND HEALTH AUTHORITY

victoriafoundation.ca 37 STANDARD OF LIVING SPONSORED BY MNP

® Parents select food at the VITAL SIGNS Victoria Native Friendship CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: Centre as part of a program by the Food Share Network. C+ LET’S CELEBRATE  Availability of support services  Affordable nutritious food  Employment opportunities

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Affordable housing options  Adoption of a “living wage”  Income disparity between highest and lowest earners JACK ADAMSON JACK

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE Many people who are An initiative of the Food Share Network, the Victoria Native Friendship Centre food insecure do not employs a Community Food Educator to work with socially and economically access existing sources marginalized groups, including First Nations, persons with disabilities, and low-income of emergency food, seniors, to prepare and distribute rescued perishable food. With funds from the such as food banks. Victoria Foundation, the Community Food Educator supports food literacy by helping to create meals, develop recipes, and provide mentoring about healthy eating.

38 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA The gender employment gap refers to the difference DID YOU in employment rates of women and men. In 2015, the gender employment gap in the Victoria CMA was -0.1 KNOW? HOUSEHOLD percentage points, meaning that women’s employment SPENDING rate was marginally less than that for men. This compares to the -9.5 percentage point gender gap for BC and the -7.8 gap for Canada. Victoria had the lowest gender employment gap of all CMAs in Canada in 2015. Employment rate (%) by sex, province, and census metropolitan area, $64,764 2015: AVERAGE SPENT ON GOODS AND Women Men Difference SERVICES BY GREATER VICTORIA Canada 77.5 85.3 -7.8 HOUSEHOLDS IN 2015 BC 75.9 85.4 -9.5 76% OF TOTAL HOUSEHOLD Victoria CMA 82.3 82.4 -0.1 SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA EXPENDITURES

THE MEDIAN WEEKLY WAGE IN GREATER $702 VICTORIA IN 2016: SHELTER $21,427 (33%) FOOD $9,100 (14%) The share of household spending on shelter $807.60 $960 was higher in the region, compared to 31% in BC and 29% in Canada, while the share of SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA household spending on food was the same for Greater Victoria, BC, and Canada. LIVING WAGE SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA THE HOURLY BC’S MINIMUM WAGE REQUIRED HOURLY WAGE Since 1997, the Victoria Regional Transit Commission (VRTC) has provided free bus TO MAINTAIN AN IN 2017: tickets and, more recently, passes to the ADEQUATE QUALITY Community Social Planning Council (Council) OF LIFE IN THE CAPITAL to distribute through social service agencies REGION IN 2017: to clients with urgent transportation needs. Agencies purchase tickets and passes through $11.35 the Council, which are then matched on a A full-time minimum wage worker 1:1 basis with free tickets from VRTC (to a earns $20,657 annually, roughly maximum allotment per year.) In 2016/17, $3,300 a year below the poverty 68 agencies participated in the program and $20.01 line for a single person in BC. over 113,000 bus tickets and passes were SOURCE: COMMUNITY SOCIAL PLANNING COUNCIL SOURCE: CANADIAN CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES distributed. SOURCE: COMMUNITY SOCIAL PLANNING COUNCIL

CHILD POVERTY IN 2014 GOING TO BED HUNGRY

“Who went to bed hungry” means = 170,000 youth who went CHILDREN AGE 0-17 YEARS 9% to bed hungry 1 IN 5 BC CHILDREN ARE POOR LIVING IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES OF STUDENTS GRADES 7-12 “sometimes,” IN SOUTH VANCOUVER “often,” or “always” In 2014, Victoria had the third lowest child poverty rate of all the CMAs ISLAND WENT TO BED because there was HUNGRY IN 2013 in BC at 16%. However, in terms of numbers of children living in poverty, not enough money Victoria had the greatest number of poor children (8,700) of any urban for food at home. area outside of Surrey and Vancouver.

SOURCE: MCCREARY CENTRE SOCIETY SOURCE: FIRST CALL: BC CHILD AND YOUTH ADVOCACY COALITION victoriafoundation.ca 39 TRANSPORTATION

® Volunteer Gordon Skuse assists VITAL SIGNS Mount St. Mary resident David CITIZEN SURVEY SAYS: Shortreid, who uses BC Transit’s handyDART for outings in the community. C+ LET’S CELEBRATE  Cycling opportunities and expanding cycling infrastructure  Good public transit service  High level of walkability

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT  Investment in light rail/rapid transit  Service and affordability of buses  Regional coordination of transportation infrastructure

THE ISSUE THE RESPONSE Many seniors, especially With support from the Victoria Foundation through a Canada 150 grant, those who are socially and the Marie Esther Society (Mount St. Mary Hospital) has expanded their geographically isolated and have volunteer program to include outings in the community. Funds support physical and cognitive challenges, specialized volunteer training for those accompanying residents, as well are unable to participate in as public transportation passes, allowing vulnerable individuals with community events or use public physical and cognitive challenges to participate in activities across the transportation without support. community.

40 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS REGIONAL DATA ADID landmark YOU 2017 UK study of more than 263,000 adults, half DID YOU of whom were women, with an average age of 53, suggests thatKNOW? cycling commuters cut their risk of cancer, heart disease, KNOW? CYCLING and death from any cause nearly in half. INFRASTRUCTURE Cycling to work is associated with a 45% lower risk of developing cancer, 40% lower risk of cancer mortality, 46% lower risk of getting heart disease, and 52% lower risk of heart disease death, compared with commuting to As of January work by car or public transit. Cycling to work also reduces the risk of death 40% 1, 2017, there from any cause by 41%. Study findings are a clear call to governments to 60% MULTI-USE were just over encourage and support people toward more active modes of travel. BIKE LANES ON TRAILS 855 km of bike SOURCES: BMJ THE ROAD ways in the Capital Region. 2016/17 TRANSIT USE 95% 4% 1% OF GREATER VICTORIA BIKE LANES RESIDENTS USED LOCAL TRANSIT, ON THE ROAD 59% UP FROM 55% IN 2015/16. STANDARD PROTECTED BUFFERED IN 2016/17, GREATER VICTORIA SOURCE: CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT RESIDENTS MADE AN AVERAGE OF 1.5 ONE-WAY TRIPS PER WEEK ACTIVE & SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL Active & Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) is a 5% heavy riders | 12% medium riders | 5% light riders almost one-third occasional riders community-based initiative that promotes SOURCE: BC TRANSIT the use of active transportation in the region, such as walking, biking, busing, and rolling, for the daily trip to and from school. ASRTS In 2016/17, the average number of vehicles per household in addresses health, physical activity, and traffic Greater Victoria was 1.7, down from 2.0 in 2015/16 and the lowest safety issues while tackling air pollution and in BC Transit’s entire operating area. SOURCE: BC TRANSIT

climate change. SOURCE: CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT

OTHER TRANSPORTATION MODES SOURCE: BC TRANSIT IN 2015, HOUSEHOLDS IN GREATER In 2016/17, transit VICTORIA SPENT AN AVERAGE OF $8,967 riders in Greater ON TRANSPORTATION, OR 14% OF TOTAL 33% 24% 23% 9% Victoria used DRIVING CARPOOLING WALKING/ CYCLING AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SPENDING ON GOODS the following ALONE up from 16% SKATEBOARDING down from 14% AND SERVICES, LOWER THAN BC (18.5%) transportation up from 29% in 2015/16 up from 9% in 2015/16 modes more often: in 2015/16 in 2015/16 AND CANADA (19.4%). SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

DID YOU KNOW? Victoria Regional Transit Commission

BC Transit staff work hard eight new buses to the Real Time technology. By BCTransit.com. to deliver safe, effective, fleet. This means improved the end of 2018, automatic BC Transit is proud to and efficient transit services frequency, increased service, vehicle locators will be build on the 25.5 million across greater Victoria. Over and the introduction of two installed on buses, so trips that were taken on the next year, customers will new routes. The expansion customers can see where conventional buses and notice significant changes. reflects feedback from the bus they wish to take is 394,000 on handyDART BC Transit and the customers and a need to from their desktop, tablet, in 2016/2017. They look Province of British Columbia improve transit. or mobile device. This new forward to continuing have partnered to introduce Transit customers in technology will make transit to build on the service 20,000 new hours of service Victoria will also benefit a more attractive option. currently provided, including in the fall of 2017 and add from the introduction of More details are available at the customer experience.

victoriafoundation.ca 41 VITAL SIGNS® AT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY

THE VITAL SIGNS® REPORT PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF GREATER VICTORIA AND IS A USEFUL TOOL FOR GUIDING DECISIONS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. READ HERE TO LEARN HOW SOME LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS USE THE REPORT.

SUSAN LOW, Signs®, we are able to make more informed to the well-being of our community. Vital EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ® LEADERSHIP VICTORIA SOCIETY decisions on many of the applications. Signs also highlights issues that community “Leadership Victoria We were happy to work with the Victoria groups (including UVic faculty staff and uses Vital Signs® as a Foundation when the report was expanded students) are working on, which are then key source document to to include youth attitudes. The word ‘vital’, supported by the Victoria Foundation’s inform our community which identifies the report, says it all — Community Grants.” leadership classes about it’s a vital service.” MAUREEN YOUNG, SENIOR the issues and assets in Greater Victoria. The MANAGER, COMMUNITY LORNA CURTIS, ® PARTNERSHIPS & INVESTMENT, Vital Signs report is a great way for emerging ROTARY CLUB OF OAK BAY COAST CAPITAL SAVINGS leaders to get a high-level view of our “The reliable and community and identify exciting work that’s “Coast Capital Savings is creditable information being done in many areas of interest.” committed to building a about the food insecurity richer future for youth, issue in the CRD, provided ® LISA HELPS, VICTORIA MAYOR and Vital Signs provides through Vital Signs®, was “In response to the federal important insights into the catalyst to inspire the government’s recently the issues and challenges that matter most Greater Victoria Rotary Clubs to step forward issued Smart Cities to young people in the Capital Region. Our and raise over $100,000 (to date) in support Challenge, the South Youth Get It Community Councils, who review of the Food Rescue Project.” Island Prosperity Project and recommend Coast Capital’s community investment grants for youth, are immensely is developing a Smart KEVIN COOK, DIRECTOR South Island Plan. The plan will put forward OF SERVICE, ST. MICHAELS grateful to have this tool to inform their UNIVERSITY SCHOOL a long-term vision and action plan outlining decision-making process.” how we can improve the quality of life for “We look at community engagement by matching MICHELLE BUCK, residents, create opportunities for prosperity, GENERAL MANAGER, and increase the general livability and Victoria’s needs with LANGHAM COURT THEATRE sustainability of our region using big data students’ personal “I just recently submitted and technology. The municipal and First values in order to our final report for our Nations members of the Prosperity Project identify locations for increasing the impact Learning Opportunities were tasked with defining the challenges of involvement. The first step is to have grant and used Vital ® and opportunities to be addressed by the the students look through the Vital Signs Signs® to reference Smart South Island Plan. The very first place information to identify the areas of greatest benchmarks we consider ourselves addressing. ® we turned was to the Victoria Vital Signs . need within the community. The next step I used it as well for our next proposal, making ® The Vital Signs is such a useful tool not is to identify personal values. Finally, we sure that our objectives are in line with the only for defining the issues, but also for go through a matching/aligning process research being referenced in Vital Signs®. measuring progress over time — an important before any real engagement process starts. Moving forward, I would love to have our ® consideration for our potential federal The information provided in Vital Signs is patrons/membership more familiar with Vital government funders.” invaluable in laying the foundation for the Signs®, as it reflects that the work we are engagement as it provides a meaningful doing at Langham Court Theatre is relevant MEL COOPER, CHAIR, direction and focus for our students.” TELUS VICTORIA and needed in the local community.” COMMUNITY BOARD JAMIE CASSELS, QC, DARLENE HOLLSTEIN, “I’ve been known to say, UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA GENERAL MANAGER, PRESIDENT ‘What you know can help THE BAY CENTRE/ 20 VIC you. What you don’t know “The University of MANAGEMENT INC. can hurt you.’ The Victoria Victoria finds Vital “I use the Vital Signs® Foundation’s annual Signs® useful and helpful information to enhance Vital Signs® report helps me understand for understanding and our marketing plan and important community trends. The TELUS demonstrating how the business cases for selling Victoria Community Board receives some 65 university fits into the broader community. Victoria to potential new applications for financial assistance each year. It allows faculty, staff, and students to see retailers in addition to promoting our region Armed with the information provided by Vital how they can further engage and contribute to new potential staff members.”

42 VICTORIA’S VITAL SIGNS WHICH ISSUE WILL YOU TAKE ON? A STARTING POINT FOR ACTION

ARTS & CULTURE

Arts and culture make BELONGING & ENGAGEMENT TRANSPORTATION a community a vibrant and enriching place Participation in civic life Transportation includes to live. An active and contributes to the well- the ability to get around diverse mix of cultural being of our community and transport people offerings increases and to our sense of and goods. The capacity peoples’ sense of connection to one and convenience of satisfaction with their another. By engaging, transportation, such environment and we foster leadership as our transit and road community pride. that helps build and STANDARD systems, have a big maintain a vibrant ECONOMY impact on quality of life. community. OF LIVING Strong and vibrant Individuals, families, communities and children living have diverse local below the poverty economies and a wide variety of options for Greetings from Government House, line may face many obstacles, which can fulfilling, secure, and the ceremonial home of all British limit their ability to well-paid work. Columbians. On behalf of our fellow enjoy quality of life. ENVIRONMENTAL citizens and as a representative of SUSTAINABILITY Her Majesty The Queen of Canada, SPORTS & RECREATION From the air we I extend my commendations for the breathe to the ground 2017 issue of Vital Signs®. Sport and we walk on, a healthy recreation play QUALITY and sustainable As Lieutenant Governor, I have called a foundational environment is an role in developing important part of Victoria home for the past five years, and sustaining quality of life. A and have always admired the initiative healthy citizens and of LIFE healthy environment of Vital Signs® as inspiration for communities. is reflective of a healthy community. positive change: this publication has SAFETY been a fundamental tool in developing GETTING STARTED strong foundations for a vibrant city for Public and personal IN OUR COMMUNITY safety affects the Helping children and more than a decade. Not only does Vital way we socialize ® newcomers to get a Signs provide an interesting overview and participate in good start in life, work, community life. of Greater Victoria, in many ways it is LEARNING adulthood and our relied upon to guide decisions about Lifelong learning HEALTH & WELLNESS community makes a lasting difference. the community now and for the future. and educational Good physical and achievement affect our HOUSING mental health and ability to participate in a As Honorary Patron of the Victoria Having safe and wellness improves the competitive workforce, Foundation, I would like to sincerely accessible housing quality of individual lives achieve higher incomes, that people can and reduces health care thank them for their commitment to and escape the cycle of afford is a basic need costs. The health status poverty. continuous improvement in Greater that contributes of people depends on Victoria, and encourage all readers significantly to good health practices and behaviour, and access to ® quality of life. of Vital Signs — friends, colleagues, health care services. neighbours and elected officials — to use this report as a starting point for action. Sincerely, THIS REPORT ONLY SCRATCHES THE SURFACE Want to learn more? Information is available, including details on indicators, The Honourable Judith Guichon, sources, and survey results, at victoriafoundation.ca. OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia /VicFoundation /TheVictoriaFoundation /VicFoundation

victoriafoundation.ca 43 In 2016, our members helped us give

to programs focused on youth.

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C17-0608_Community_Highlight_22x28.indd 1 3/23/17 5:15 PM

CLIENT: Coast Capital TRIM: 22" x 28" Cyan JOB NAME: Community Hightlight SAFETY: None Magenta FORMAT: In-Branch Poster BLEED: 22.25" x 28.25" Yellow Black DOCKET #: C17-0608 PPI @ FINAL SIZE: 300 POSTING: None

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