Why live in Victoria?
British Columbia’s capital city is a lovely place to call home. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria excels in all areas, from infrastructure and natural beauty to education and safety. Victoria is the province’s second largest city and offers residents a slice of laid-back coastal living without compromising on education, healthcare, job opportunities, and housing.
Quality and diversity of education in Victoria
Victoria boasts a multitude of educational options for students ranging from young children to adults. The Greater Victoria School District No. 61 is responsible for administering and operating all public schools in the city, which include 27 elementary schools, 10 middle schools, and 7 high schools. In total, this school board helps educate over 18,000 students annually. Beyond the public school system in the province, you will find several private schools scattered across the city. When it comes to post-secondary options, the largest university in Victoria is the University of Victoria. However, there are several other options too, such as Camosun College, Royal Roads University, Vancouver Island School of Art, and Pearson College UWC.
Most populous cities in Victoria
The most populous neighbourhoods in Victoria include James Bay, Vic West, Esquimalt, Fernwood, Jubilee, Swartz Bay, Cook Street Village, Oak Bay, and Fairfield.
Quality of infrastructure for Victoria
Victoria is home to one of only four international airports in the province, Victoria International Airport. It also has its own regional public transportation system, BC Transit, which operates an extensive network of bus routes throughout the city. Island Link Bus and Vancouver Island Connector offer coach bus services throughout Vancouver Island, including to Victoria, Tofino, Nanaimo, Campbell River, and more. Meanwhile, locals have access to all kinds of healthcare facilities and hospitals in Victoria, like Victoria General Hospital and Royal Jubilee Hospital.
Safety and security for Victoria
In cases of emergency in Victoria, always call 9-1-1. The city has its own local police service, the Victoria Police Department (VPD). That said, Victoria is one of the safest cities in British Columbia. It boasts a low crime rate, including both violent crime and property crime, and has a very low risk of being affected by a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or hurricane.
Victoria property market
Victoria’s property market has taken off, much like its neighbouring city of Vancouver. While not quite as expensive as Vancouver’s property market, it is certainly increasing in demand. That said, there are affordable parts, as well as several property types available to buyers. Depending on which neighbourhood of Victoria you want to live in, you will find everything from apartments and condos to bungalows, semi-detached homes, detached homes, duplexes, and triplexes. Along the coast of the city, or just outside of it, you can also find several cottages and seasonal properties.
Standard of living in Victoria
The standard of living in Victoria is among the highest in the country and the world. Despite its relatively small size, Victoria boasts a bustling economy, excellent healthcare and education, a stable government, gorgeous natural scenery, and plenty of culture and recreational activities that residents can enjoy year-round. In fact, it shares many of the same attributes as Vancouver, which was recently ranked as the fifth most liveable city in the world by The Global Liveability Index 2023’s Liveability Report.
Something wonderful about Victoria
Victoria has been nicknamed, “Canada’s Garden City.” Why? Due to the extremely favourable growing conditions here. The city even has an annual flower count, which in 2022, reached over 27,000,000,000. Further, Victoria is known for its downtown core which is covered in cherry blossoms trees in the spring and hanging baskets in the summer. You can also see the city’s gardens first-hand by visiting Butchart Garden, Beacon Hill Park, Abkhazi Garden, Finnerty Gardens, Hatley Park Gardens, and Government House Gardens.
