Victoria
It’s common to hear stories of people who vacation to Victoria and then never leave. Victoria is commonly known around the world as the City of Gardens, and has also held the titles of Most Romantic City in Canada and one of the friendliest. With all of this buzz it’s still guaranteed to exceed your expectations.
It is home to a diverse set of neighbourhoods, each with their own charm, restaurants, and activities. It has a rich history, a vibrant night life, a renowned art scene, and breathtaking waterfront views.
The city has attracted tech moguls from around the world who chose Victoria as the perfect spot to grow their businesses. The tech sector has become one of Victoria’s largest industries along with tourism and government. This industry’s unrelenting success in recent years has been a large factor in helping the downtown core thrive.
Profile
Population: 85,792
​
Average age: 44.5 years
​
Average full-time employment income: $56,781
​
Population density per square kilometres: 4,405.8
​
Land area in square kilometres: 19.47
​
Total private dwellings: 49,212
​
City motto: Semper Liber (Always free)
​
Amenities
Whether it’s for work or pleasure, there are a number of ways to travel in and out of Victoria. It’s about a 30-minute drive from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal to downtown, and a similar travel time from the Victoria International Airport. There’s also a floating seaplane terminal in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, in the heart of downtown. It’s where Kenmore Air and Harbour Air operate with flights to places including Vancouver’s downtown, Whistler, and Seattle. The Inner Harbour also holds three ferry services. V2V Vacations is a walk-on passenger ferry to downtown Vancouver, the Black Ball Ferry Line (M.V. Coho) is a drive-on, bus-on, bike-on, or walk-on ferry to Port Angeles, and the Clipper is a walk-on passenger ferry to Seattle.
Victoria has a number of public schools including eight elementary schools, one middle school, Central Middle School, and one high school, Victoria High School. And all levels have the option of French immersion.
Services within close proximity to downtown include the Royal Jubilee Hospital, the Crystal Pool and Recreation Centre, the Bay Centre shopping mall, boutique shopping throughout all of downtown, and drop-in co-working stations including the Watershed, Club Kwench, and Fort Tectoria.
Fun and Family
If you simply want to get outside and take in some of the most breathtaking views, you have little planning to do in Victoria. A common stroll is to follow the waterfront pathway from the Inner Harbour to Ogden point, then along Dallas Road and through Beacon Hill Park. It’s a runner’s dream to just follow Dallas Road and soak in the views.
There are plenty of spots to rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards in the Inner Harbour to go along the Gorge waterway. Victoria’s Ogden Point is also home to a scuba diving centre where you can get certified, or where experienced divers can explore one of the most sought-after diving sites in Canada, especially at night.
There’s also a large cycling scene in Victoria with a number of races throughout the year. There are many cycling groups to join, and there is quick access to trails that connect to other municipalities.