Councillor Housing Policy Session with Brent Toderian and Guests

Hosted by the Community Social Planning Council (CSPC), this closed afternoon session for city councillors is an opportunity to learn about housing policy with acclaimed speaker Brent Toderian. Brent will be joined by other housing experts including Marika Albert (NCNPHA) and Virginia Holden (Greater Victoria Housing Society).

The event will take place at The Union Club of British Columbia, and lunch and refreshments will be provided. Register to reserve your spot!

We are grateful to be able to host this event with generous funding from the Victoria Foundations Spark Funds initiative.

Affordable Futures Forum: Housing in Greater Victoria

Hosted by the Community Social Planning Council (CSPC), this half-day forum will bring together provincial representatives, city councillors, regional directors, planning staff, community groups, housing experts, and non-profit leaders. We'll be diving into crucial housing topics as part of the Regional Household Affordability and Prosperity Project (RHAP).

The event will take place at The Union Club of British Columbia, featuring keynote presentations on provincial housing history and regional affordability trends, followed by an expert panel and roundtable discussions.

Breakfast and refreshments will be provided. Let's come together to learn and discuss ways to improve housing accessibility and foster community prosperity.

We are grateful to be able to host this event with generous funding from the Victoria Foundations Spark Funds initiative.

Building Housing Affordability: Levers for Canadian Municipalities

*This event is for municipal councillors and planners. Please register with your municipal email (ie. planner@city.ca). Personal email addresses may be removed from our registration list to ensure privacy.*

Municipalities are at the forefront of the affordability challenges facing Canadian cities. Join us for a solutions-focused conversation with guest presenters and speakers from across the country.

The Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria is pleased to convene a dialogue with municipal leaders from across Canada on their new toolkit, Local Government Levers for Housing Affordability, which received funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Read the Toolkit

The launch of this toolkit marks a significant step towards a more optimistic future for housing availability and affordability in Canada. By recognizing the vital role of municipalities and providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge, we can collectively address our housing crisis.

This event will feature solutions and insights from municipal councillors and planners who are at the forefront of housing affordability innovation across the country, and will be moderated by the CSPC's Executive Director Diana Gibson. There will be time for an audience Q&A, as well as additional time from 1:00-1:30pm for continued dialogue after the facilitated programming has ended.

Thriving Victoria: Living Wage & Affordability Summit

Join us on November 8th from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM for the official launch of the Living Wage across BC. This gathering is a convergence of impassioned stakeholders committed to advocating for a fair living wage. We invite employers and employees dedicated to this cause, policymakers including MLAs, MPPs, councillors, and their teams, as well as representatives from unions, businesses, and community organizations. The event will feature a panel response and living wage presentation.

Let's come together to delve into critical conversations, drive change, and collectively work towards fostering a society where a fair living wage is not just a vision but a reality. Your presence and insights are vital as we unite for a brighter, equitable future. Food and refreshments will be available. Mark your calendars for this significant event!

This event is part of the CSPC's Happiness and Wellbeing Lab in partnership with the United Way.

Community Green Mapping Presentation & Workshop

Join us for the visit of Wendy Brawer, the distinguished Director of Greenmap.org based in New York. With an impressive track record spanning over 25 years, Wendy has passionately contributed to the creation of numerous regional maps, notably within the CRD/Greater Victoria region, and has extended her expertise globally, leaving her mark on thousands more.

This special event celebrates her visit to Victoria and UVIC, where she aims to connect and offer support to various neighbourhood initiatives, social inclusion efforts, and placemaking projects. Wendy is deeply committed to advancing climate justice, fostering equity, and galvanizing impactful action within our communities.

Wendy's visit is supported by the Community Social Planning Council, Community Living BC, UVIC (CIFAL, the Map Shop and Community Engaged Learning) and the Community Association of Oak Bay.

Learn more about Wendy here.

Wednesday, Sept. 27
9:45 am–12 pm
Kwench 2031 Store St
“Community Green Mapping Presentation and Workshop”
Sponsored by Community Social Planning Council, Community Living British Columbia, University of Victoria, and CIFAL Victoria.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Media: Colton Whittaker - colton@communitycouncil.ca
Events: Maeve Lydon - mlydon@uvic.ca

CEA Energy & Climate Action Award

We are thrilled and deeply honored to receive the Climate and Energy Action award from the Community Energy Association (CEA) for our groundbreaking E-Bike Incentive Pilot Program. This recognition would not have been possible without the unwavering support and collaboration of our outstanding partners and funders: the District of Saanich, The University of British Columbia, and the Vancouver Foundation.

A Collective Vision for a Greener and More Equitable Future 

At the core of our success lies a shared vision and a strong commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly transportation while ensuring equity and accessibility for all. We recognize that sustainable solutions must be inclusive and address the specific needs of all families, especially those in low-income. The support of our partners has been instrumental in driving this vision forward and turning it into a reality that benefits our community and beyond. We stand united in our dedication to reducing carbon emissions and promoting accessible, sustainable mobility solutions.

Paving the Way for a Provincial Program

One of the most gratifying outcomes of our pilot program is the influence it has had on policy at a provincial level, with a strong equity lens. This initiative, which focuses on providing rebates based on income qualifications, has acted as a model for a wider provincial program emphasizing equity, with the goal of empowering families and individuals.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Community Energy Association (CEA) for recognizing our dedication and honoring us and our partners with this award. The accolade is not just a testament to our efforts but also a celebration of the remarkable collaboration that has propelled our initiative to success. We remain steadfast in our commitment to a sustainable and equitable future and look forward to continued collaboration with our partners and funders in achieving greater milestones. Together, we will continue to make a positive impact and inspire change.

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Author(s):

CSPC Team

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The climate crisis effects everyone, but it does not impact everyone equally. That's where we come in. Click below to learn more about the E-bike program and our work in the Climate Equity space!

Victoria Point-in-Time Count & Survey Results 2023

Greater Victoria participated in nationwide PiT Counts in 2016, 2018 and 2020. Point-in-Time counts add essential information to our understanding of how people experience homelessness in our region. This information will assist planners, funders, and agencies in developing appropriate responses to homelessness in our region as well as to measure progress in ending homelessness.

What is involved? The PiT count involves working in small teams to conduct a brief, anonymous survey with people who are experiencing homelessness. The indoor survey is conducted inside shelters and other homeless service facilities, while the outside survey is done outdoors, walking around a specific area or neighbourhood.

Findings from this years PiT count and survey were released on August 3, 2023.

This project is funded by the Reaching Home Program - Canada's Homelessness Strategy

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Supplies for PIT 2023 were provided by

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Learn more: https://mule.to/p3nd

Centering The Person in Personal Identification And Health: A Scoping Review

The use of personal identification (PID) to access many of life’s essential services is easy for many to take for granted. However, not having PID can significantly impact and individual's health and well-being, excluding them from the most basic needs from health and shelter to income. The Community Council conducted a scoping review of academic and gray literature to explore existing research on how PID impacts health. Three main themes are clear in the research: the clear relationship between PID and personal health; the relationship between PID and the social determinants of health; and the disproportionate barriers faced by vulnerable populations.

Trauma Informed and Resilience Oriented Research Resource

This Trauma-Informed Resilience Oriented Research Resource (TIROR) including guidelines and principles are meant to inform how to undertake research with community co-researchers who have lived expertise with trauma and vulnerability, in a manner that supports their participation, health and wellness, and minimizes the risk of re-traumatization through participation in the research itself.