When you look back on the past 10 years in Greater Victoria, it’s remarkable to think how much has changed. We’ve certainly grown, both in terms of size and population.
By all appearances, we seem to be a younger, more diverse city than we were at the end of the previous decade, and everything from our economy to our infrastructure to our environment has seen notable shifts.
Which begs the question, what will Greater Victoria look like in 2030?
That’s what we asked ourselves at the Victoria Foundation as we set out to put together the 2019 edition of Victoria’s Vital Signs, an annual report that looks at the state of our region from a number of different perspectives, using both data and resident opinions.
The new report is being released on Tuesday, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it. (You can read about it here.)
For our feature article we asked three local experts to paint a picture of what Victoria will look like in 2030, using ongoing trends and their own insight as a starting point.
Times Colonist editor and publisher Dave Obee kicks things off with a look at the future of our region from a social and cultural standpoint.
Then, for a look at the future of our local economy, we ask Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce CEO Catherine Holt to weigh in. Finally, Jill Doucette, founder of Synergy Enterprises, considers how climate change will play its part over the next 10 years.
Each offers fascinating insights into what the future might hold for us, and how we can either make it happen or help to change course.
In addition, the report offers insight into how our region is currently faring in 12 key issues areas, from housing to transportation to the economy and other areas of vital importance. Plus, it reveals what residents rate as the most important issues facing Greater Victoria today, along with what they see as the best things about living here.
I don’t want to reveal too much ahead of time, but I can tell you that the cost of living in our region and the difficulty in finding and affording housing are top of mind for many people. And regarding what works, residents still hold our natural environment and mild climate in high regard. I couldn’t agree more.
I would like to encourage everyone to seek out a copy of Victoria’s Vital Signs, or head to victoriafoundation.ca for a digital copy, along with supplementary materials not found in the print edition.
Sandra Richardson is CEO of the Victoria Foundation.
