Events
Upcoming Events
Are you a woman, non-binary, or gender-fluid resident of the CRD?
Do you want to bike, walk or hike regional trails more than you currently do?
Would you like to contribute to the CRD understanding why men use CRD trails more than non-binary, gender-fluid, and woman do?
Please join us for a walk or ride (if you don't have a bike, we can arrange one for you) on August 23rd and 24th to share your experiences of CRD Trails. Participants will be paid an honorarium for sharing their time and insights.
Thanks to Capital City Bikes, Oak Bay Bikes, and the Capital Regional District for supporting this TACES Project.
Learn more, or register here: https://communitycouncil.ca/taces/CRD-trails/
Past Events
Drivers of Homelessness event & report launch
Register now: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/drivers-of-homelessness-findings-for-action-tickets-363016380767
Join us June 22 for the launch of a new report on drivers of homelessness and actionable solutions in Greater Victoria.
About this event
Join local, provincial, and national experts on housing and homelessness to discuss “Drivers of Homelessness: Findings for Action” – a new report authored by the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria (CSPC) and funded by SPARC-BC.
Speakers at this event will include
- Esther de Vos, Executive Director of Research for BC Housing;
- Erin Dej, Assistant Professor at Wilfred Laurier University and researcher with the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness;
- Hannah Mang-Wooley, Tenant Legal Advocate at Together Against Poverty Society;
- and others
“Drivers of Homelessness” answers key questions to solving the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis in Greater Victoria by addressing questions such as
- What are the most important structural and systemic factors that contribute to homelessness?
- How can we prevent homelessness by addressing these structural and systemic factors?
- How does early intervention fit into a broader homelessness prevention framework?
This event will include the launch of a SPARC BC funded report that examines the drivers of homelessness in Greater Victoria through the analysis of CSPC’s homelessness prevention program The report will inform evidence-based conversations in the public and the media and support local policymakers in preventing and ending homelessness in our region.
View the full report: CSPC_Drivers of Homelessness Report_2022_R3
Join the Community Council & United Way Southern Vancouver Island to discuss labour and the local economy in Victoria.
About this event
Join the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria (CSPC) and United Way Southern Vancouver Island (UWSVI) in advance of May Day for a lunch and learn on labour, labour movements, and the changing economy in Victoria.
- What role does the labour movement play in today’s society?
- How has the changing economy (i.e. gig work) impacted labourers?
- What are some of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on work in the capital region?
- How has the impact of COVID-19 varied for different sectors and/or for different employee groups (e.g. newcomer and immigrant workers)?
This event will review new labour data as part of the Happiness and Wellbeing Lab and feature several guest speakers with diverse perspectives. There will be time for an audience Q&A.
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Happiness and Wellbeing Lab: Local Data, Dialogues, and Solutions for a thriving South Vancouver Island, a collaboration of CSPC and UWSVI, facilitates data-informed conversations on social, economic, and well-being trends and their implications.
Municipal governments and other policymakers can access the Lab's data to support their evidence-based planning and social wellbeing accountability.
Event Host
Diana Gibson, Executive Director - Community Social Planning Council
Mark Breslauer, Chief Executive Officer - United Way Southern Vancouver Island
Guest Speakers
Our panel will include representatives from the labour movement, local economic experts, and people with lived experience as new workers in the gig economy.
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The CSPC acknowledges the Songhees, Esquimalt, Tsartlip/W̱JOȽEȽP, Tseycum/WSIḴEM, Tsawout/SȾÁUTW, Pauquachin/BOḰEĆEN, T’Sou-ke, Scia’new and Pacheedaht Nations who have a historical and ongoing relationship to the land where our offices and work are based.
We also respect the wide diversity of nations and languages across the province. British Columbia is home to over 200 First Nations communities and approximately 50% of the First Peoples’ languages of Canada. For more information visit: https://maps.fpcc.ca/
Join the Community Council to learn about what doughnut economics reveal about life in Victoria and what positive change is possible.
About this event
Are you a municipal leader or planner in Victoria? A local business owner? A community leader? An interested community member?
Join us for a presentation about how Victoria is faring within Kate Raworth's doughnut economics model, which planetary boundaries we're currently exceeding, where we need to strengthen our social foundation, and what pathways for positive, sustainable change are possible.
The idea of doughnut economics is simple: the economy has to be large enough to provide a decent standard of living for everyone (food, shelter, sanitation, education etc.), but small enough to stay within our ’ecological ceiling.'
Amsterdam has pioneered it, other European and North American cities are following their lead, and here in Canada, the City of Nanaimo recently agreed to adopt it. The Community Council is excited to convene another dialogue for residents of Greater Victoria to come together and talk about what doughnut economics could mean for our shared futures.
Co-hosts/Sponsors
This event will be hosted virtually from our work spaces on the traditional territories of the Lkwungen (Songhees) peoples, who have a historical and ongoing relationship to this land.
Please note: This event will be recorded. Camera use is optional.
Pandemic, housing crisis, economic pressures—how are different families in Victoria experiencing this challenging moment, and how can we support their overall social, economic, and mental well-being and resilience in the region?
Join the @CommunityCouncil and @UWSouthernVI for a lunch and learn on February 16th in advance of Family Day to hear from guest speakers and discuss ideas for making our community friendly for all families. Our guests will share local and regional data to illuminate current gaps and opportunities, as well as case studies of policies and programs working to improve family well-being.
Register: https://bit.ly/32Zmrjx
Join the conversation about anti-racism data collection in BC and help shape the future of BC's Anti-Racism Data Legislation.
Racialized community members are invited to come together in a safe space to speak about identity, share previous experiences dealing with government agencies, and express hopes and concerns about how race-based data will be collected, used, and shared by the BC Government.
Honorariums of 25$ are available for consultation participants.
Register on Eventbrite: Event Link
About this event
Join us to hear from guest speakers on the state of Victoria's housing crisis, and how we might learn from Vienna's model. AGM to follow.
Monday, December 6, 2021
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM PST
About this event
The Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria, The University of British Columbia, District of Saanich, City of Nelson and Community Energy Association present
"Local Government Initiatives to Accelerate E-bike Adoption for Climate and Equity."
Hear about initiatives promoting sustainable transportation, including the Community Social Planning Council's work with the District of Saanich to embed equity in their e-bike incentive program. Please join us learn how you might apply similar approaches in your community!
November 24, 2021
9am-10:30am PST/10am-11:30 MST
PLEASE REGISTER HERE: https://lnkd.in/ggYYCXg9
Speaker Bios:
Diana Gibson is the Executive Director of the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria. She has worked nationally and internationally leading research and community development initiatives to make a more just and sustainable society. Her work ranges from just transitions in Alberta's coal and oil and gas sectors, to working with Indigenous communities on socioeconomic impact assessments for resource projects. She has also co-founded several successful mission-driven enterprises.
Glenys Verhulst (she/her), Sustainability Planner, District of Saanich has over a decade of experience in climate and energy efficiency programs, including managing Solar Colwood program and the BC Oil to Heat Pump Incentive Program. With the District of Saanich since 2017, Glenys organized community engagement for, and was a lead writer of mitigation policy in, the award-winning Saanich Climate Plan, and is responsible for implementing corporate and community-mobilizing climate actions.
Dr. Alex Bigazzi, Associate Professor, UBC Dr Bigazzi has a joint appointment in the Department of Civil Engineering and the School of Community and Regional Planning. His primary research areas are traffic-related emissions and the dynamics of travel by foot, bicycle, and emerging human-electric hybrid vehicles such as e-bikes.
Carmen Proctor, Climate and Energy Manager, City of Nelson and the designer of Nelson's e-bike financing program.
About this event
This event is hosted by the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria in collaboration with Island Social Planners Connect. If you have the means, your donation helps compensate event organizers at the Council for their time.
It’s hard to admit that without changing the status quo, a healthy housing market may never come back to communities on Vancouver Island. As evidence of market failure becomes more and more apparent, do we need to look to a broader set of solutions?
This workshop will explore options for non-market housing solutions locally by first investigating examples from elsewhere—including Vienna, where over 60 per cent of residents live in city-built, sponsored or managed housing—and then imagining what role such models could play here at home to solve our affordability crisis.
Agenda
8:00-9:00: International Speaker Panel and Q&A
9:00-10:00: Local Panelist Discussion
10:00-10:30: Optional breakout room discussions, led by Island Social Planners Connect
International Speakers
Glyn Robbins, London
Shane Phillips, Los Angeles
Gabu Heindl, Vienna
Local Panelists
Penny Gurstein, UBC
Steven Pomeroy, Carleton
Marc Lee, CCPA
Emilie Adin, City of New Westminster (facilitator)
This event will be hosted virtually from our work spaces on the traditional territories of the Lkwungen (Songhees) peoples, who have a historical and ongoing relationship to this land.
About this event
Are you a municipal leader or planner? A local business owner? A community leader? An interested community member? Are you working to merge social and environmental values in your work?
Join us to hear from Andrew Fanning of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab in Oxford, Julia Lipton, Head of Innovation for C40 Cities in Copenhagen, Councillor Ben Geselbracht from Nanaimo and other municipal and community leaders in regions who are implementing a Doughnut Economics approach.
Kate Raworth's idea of Doughnut Economics is arousing a great deal of interest. It's simple: the economy has to be large enough to provide a decent standard of living for everyone (food, shelter, sanitation, education etc.), but small enough to stay within our ’ecological ceiling.'
Amsterdam has pioneered it, other European and North American cities are following their lead, and here in Canada, the City of Nanaimo recently agreed to adopt it. Greater Victoria is coming together to talk about what doughnut economics could mean for our shared futures.
Agenda
8:00-9:20am: Panel remarks and Q&A
9:20-10:00am: Your breakout room of choice:
1. Doughnut Economics for Municipalities
2. Doughnut Economics for Communities
3. Doughnut Economics for Businesses
This event will be hosted virtually from our work spaces on the traditional territories of the Lkwungen (Songhees) peoples, who have a historical and ongoing relationship to this land.
FIGE: Financial Inclusions in the Green Economy Project
Your invited to join the conversation at our free webinar to explore local opportunities and challenges for women and newcomer entrepreneurs in Victoria trying to access financing for their green businesses.
When: Tuesday, October 20, 2020 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm online through Zoom
In case you missed the webinar, you can watch it here: FIGE Webinar
About this Event
Social enterprise and private businesses both play key roles in Victoria's transition to a greener economy. We now have an opportunity and an imperative to ensure this transition is inclusive. However, did you know that national statistics paint a picture of gender inequality regarding finance and entrepreneurship? This gender inequality is one we cannot afford to carry over to the green economy. Join us for an afternoon webinar to explore and discuss local barriers for women accessing finance for the green economy in Greater Victoria.
The Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria is inviting you to review findings of our recent financial inclusion study: FIGE: Financial Inclusions in the Green Economy. This project was launched in response to local anecdotes from women entrepreneurs struggling to break into the green economy. A green economy is one that is defined by the UN Environment Program as low carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive.
The CSPC has also invited a panel of experts to discuss and have a conversation about the local barriers for women and newcomer entrepreneurs into the green economy.
About the Panel
Ruth Mojeed, Founder and CEO of The Inclusion Project (TIP)
TIP is a social innovation network of organizations, communities and institutions engaged in knowledge development and practice to support and further equity, diversity and inclusion.
Elysia Glover, Executive Director of Community Micro-Lending (CML)
CML is a non-profit society that connects local lenders to local borrowers on Southern Vancouver Island. CML works to help local entrepreneurs facing barriers to access resources, training and support they need to start or expand small enterprises.
Ashley Howe, Founder of Supply Victoria
Supply Victoria is a nonprofit that redistributes used art, office, and school supplies (as well as cast-off materials from businesses) and offers creative reuse education to youth and adults.
Hope to see you there!
Annual General Meeting
Curious about what we have been up too? The Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria is inviting you to our Annual General Meeting.
When: Tuesday, October 20, 2020 from 12:30 - 1:30 pm online through Zoom
Just in case you missed the meeting, you can watch it here
Annual General Meeting Recording
About this Event
We will be hosting our Annual General Meeting Tuesday, October 20 from 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm. This meeting will consist of conversations regarding new board members, program updates and financial updates.
About the Council
The CSPC is a non-profit charitable organization that has been delivering services and leading social planning and community development across the Greater Victoria Region for over 80 years. The CSPC is an umbrella group for the broader non-profit sector, tracking trends, providing organizational support and evidence-based advocacy tools, and conducting community-based research. The CSPC has a strong record of providing support to non-profits in the evaluation of programs and projects, development of metrics, as well as supporting broader collective impact functions.
Annual Report Agenda Meeting Minutes (2019) What are we up too?
Hope to see you there!
Under Pressure: A recent housing study for Seniors living in James Bay, Victoria
Your invited to join the conversation at our free webinar about the rental housing experience of seniors living in James Bay, Victoria.
When: Wednesday, October 7, 2020 from 2:00 - 3:00 pm online through Zoom
Thanks to all who attended this event. In case you missed it, you can watch the recording here
About this Event
The Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria (CSPC) is inviting local seniors, service providers and decision makers to review findings of our recent housing study UNDER PRESSURE: The rental housing experience of seniors living in James Bay, Victoria. This report is a senior-led, community-based research collaboration between James Bay New Horizons Society and the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria. The discussion will explore topics such as how the current housing market is impacting seniors, the challenges seniors are facing, and opportunities for mitigating these challenges.
The CSPC has also invited a panellist of experts to discuss and have a conversation about the next steps in advocating to address the housing concerns identified by the senior residents in the community.
About the Panel
Housing Action Committee on the North Shore
The Community Housing Action Committee, operated by North Shore Community Resources, advocates for increasing the stock of affordable housing for lower and moderate income and vulnerable populations on the North Shore who have difficulty accessing affordable housing.
Western Community Seniors Low Cost Housing Society
The Western Community Seniors Low Cost Housing Society (WCSLCHS) is an experienced provider of low cost and affordable seniors housing, located close to the heart of Langford. They are a non-profit society that has been proudly serving seniors in the Westshore since 1986.
Hope to see you there!
Food System Comeback: The local food economy post-pandemic?
Patricia Reichert
11 June 2020, 5 – 7 PM
Conversations for a One Planet Region
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/6550178914
This is a presentation and discussion about the changes that are possible in this region if we choose to build a local food economy based on principles of resilience and social justice.
As a local food systems specialist, Patricia Reichert is working with communities to develop place-based food infrastructure. Patricia collaborates with non-government organisations, governments, food producers, grocers, restaurants, and educators to revitalise the local food economy.
In an increasingly chaotic global context and climate change imperative Patricia believes that inaction is not an option. She is passionate about supporting community change based on values of local sovereignty, diversity, and equity. And she believes that placing local values at the centre of our food system is a core priority. Food is cultural, biological, ecological, and political and she considers the intersection of these dynamic dimensions in her research.
Through the past decade Patricia has conducted original food production research and community needs studies that are building blocks for reversing the decline of local food infrastructure. Interdisciplinary research and participatory action are the touchstones of Patricia’s professional career and academic choices.
Her understanding of climate change includes taking food and agriculture into account in climate mitigation and adaptation. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the Doctor of Social Sciences program at Royal Roads University. As part of her research she is co-facilitating Closing the Supply Gap, a regional initiative focused on building the local food economy using a values-based short supply chain model. Patricia lives on Salt Spring Island.
On March 12, 2020, the Community Social Planning Council, with
support from the Capital Regional District, the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness and many
volunteers, will conduct the bi-annual Point-in-Time (PiT) Homeless Count and Survey.