Douglas magazine Feb/Mar 2023

WHO ARE WE? VICTORIA BY THE NUMBERS

FEB/MAR 2023

Crunch or Crisis?

Taming Victoria’s sky-high housing prices

Generation Next Gen Y and Z shake up the workplace

Nanaimo Raises the Bar

Christina Clarke, Executive Director, Indigenous Prosperity Centre

Can “doughnut economics” transform The Harbour City?

FINDING

COMMON GROUND Collaboration from an Indigenous world view DOUGLAS 1

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FEB/MAR 2023

CONTENTS 22

FEATURES

16 Passion and Inclusivity

11

The new director of the Indigenous Prosperity Centre plans for seven generations of success. BY DIANE SELKIRK

22 Defusing the Housing Crisis

Greater Victoria’s allure is a double-edged sword, as housing and rents soar, and skilled professionals flee. Creative solutions are increasingly on the table, from low-rise housing to repurposed hotels. BY SHANNON MONEO

28 The Revolutionary Ideas of Generation Next

Generations Y and Z — those born between 1980 and 2012 — have a bad rap for being entitled. But they are also creative, tech savvy and are demanding a healthier, more supportive workplace. BY RILEY WEBSTER

34 Nanaimo Raises the Bar

One of Canada’s fastest growing cities, Nanaimo is facing the challenges of growth with a radical new approach called doughnut economics. The theory seeks to balance economic growth with social and environmental needs, and Nanaimo is the first city in Canada to adopt this new way of thinking. BY ANDREW FINDLAY

34

DEPARTMENTS 8 A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR 11 IN THE KNOW An inveterate tinkerer

creates one-of-a-kind machines; a student tycoon practises what his business school preaches; Market Square gets a blockbuster game developer; Douglas picks our favourite business movies; workplace wellness trends for 2023; how to blissfully disconnect from the world of meetings, emails and phones; and Douglas Reads examines the resurrection of retail.

46 DID YOU KNOW

Victoria by the numbers: It turns out we’re younger, more affluent and more diverse than you may think.

INTEL (BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE) 42 BRAIN FOOD

You are what you eat, but which foods will boost your mood and your productivity?

BY CINDA CHAVICH

44 STRATEGIC THINKING

Why most businesses don’t need a strategic plan — they need strategic management.

There’s a difference. BY CLEMENS RETTICH

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A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

The Future of our Cities

For your family, business and future.

A team-based approach for a total wealth strategy that addresses the entirety of your life.

C.P. (Chuck) McNaughton, PFP Senior Wealth Advisor 250.654.3342 charles.mcnaughton@scotiawealth.com themcnaughtongroup.ca

WELCOME TO THE URBAN ISSUE OF DOUGLAS, where we address both the challenges and opportunities of growth in Greater Victoria and beyond. In this issue we speak with politicians, urban planners, entrepreneurs, dreamers and doers about such topics as housing, neighbourhoods, green space, environmental concerns and engagement with First Nations.

Start with the statistics: In 2021, nearly three in four Canadians lived in an urban area.

More than nine in 10 new arrivals to Canada have settled in cities. Closer to home, Victoria is one of the most densely populated cities in Canada, with more than 4,000 people per square kilometre. Up Island, Nanaimo is now one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada and has adopted a radical new economic model to manage that growth. This rapid expansion is increasing the need for infrastructure, housing, transportation and accessibility, all of which we address in this issue.

Most cities, big and small, generally follow a pattern. There’s a downtown core, characterized In this issue we speak by a concentration of apartments, condos, offices, with politicians, urban shops and restaurants. Then there’s an urban fringe, planners, entrepreneurs, with single-family homes, low-rise condos and apartments, and commercial and industrial zones. dreamers and Finally, there are the suburbs and their ubiquitous doers about such strip malls and big-box stores, which can be a 30-minute drive from downtown. This segregation topics as housing, is now being challenged. neighbourhoods, In rethinking the future of urban planning, three greenspace, trends stand out: environmental concerns Mixing it up: This is the idea of mixing building uses like residential, commercial and industrial, and engagement with rather than the traditional approach of separating First Nations. them into distinct “zones” defined by strict building codes.

Addressing the “missing middle”: This is a term used to describe higher-density, multifamily housing that is compatible with single-family neighbourhoods, but is excluded because of outdated zoning laws. Garden suites and granny flats also address this issue, but are often prohibited in urban areas.

Incorporating tech: A common challenge in urban planning is engaging with the public in the planning process. Public meetings, traditionally held during the evenings in community centres, don't always reflect the entire community. Email, Zoom meetings and social media allow a broader representation of stakeholders.

Simply put, the goal of these and other initiatives in urban planning is the art of making Greater Victoria more livable.

The McNaughton Group ScotiaMcLeod®, a division of Scotia Capital Inc.

— Ken Winchester, Editor ®

Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence.

Scotia Capital Inc. is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. For more information visit www.scotiawealthmanagement.com. McNaughton Group is a personal trade name of C.P. (Chuck) McNaughton.

8 DOUGLAS

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[IN THE KNOW]

THE CUSTOM CRAFTSMAN Mechanical engineer Mike Viala turns wire and widgets into one-of-a-kind machines.

Mike Viala is a troubleshooting tinkerer who custom designs lightindustrial machinery for businesses around Greater Victoria. Among his proprietary designs are one-of-a-kind projects he's created for Phillips Brewing & Malting.

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

A

while back, Denman Island Chocolate had a problem. Unlike Hershey, Nestlé and the other big guys, they had a small, tedious packaging line and labels that didn’t want to cooperate.

But there was no commercially available solution. Enter Mike Viala, perhaps Victoria’s only craftsman specializing in custom light-industrial machinery. He devised a system using suction cups to handle the labels, and the problem was solved.

Viala is an inveterate tinkerer with an interest and expertise in several fields.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from UVic and a diploma in mechanical engineering from Camosun College, where he earned several awards for his creations, including Best in Show. He now owns and manages Viala Technologies, where he creates unique fabrications that solve thorny manufacturing problems for smaller manufacturers in Greater Victoria.

“My work is a combination of mechanical, electrical and software challenges,” he says.

Viala’s workshop is littered with stainless steel parts, motors, wiring and various works in progress. Some of the prototypes are proprietary and therefore hush-hush.

No project is the same, and because they’re one-offs, each presents a new set of challenges.

For Rockland Scientific, he developed a machine that calibrates turbulence, essential in the study of climate research, erosion study and fisheries management.

For VitaminLab, he is developing a ”Smart Lab” that allows production of vitamins and supplements in small quantities and on demand.

One of his longtime clients is Phillips Brewing & Malting Co., where Viala has worked with Matt Phillips to develop one-of-a-kind solutions to improve quality, reduce waste and operate more efficiently.

These include programming the malt plant and automating the CIP (clean in place) system used to clean and sterilize Phillips’ huge brew tanks. At one point he even offered to automate the mashing and fermentation processes. (Phillips demurred.)

But perhaps Viala’s favourite project, begun when he was still a student, is the Growlermatic, a token-operated, self-serve beer dispenser. Who says mechanical engineering can’t be fun?

DOUGLAS 11

NATHAN NAZARETH: UNDERGRAD TYCOON

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR THIS STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR.

Nathan Nazareth was a first-year student at UVic’s Gustavson School of Business when he had an idea. Instead of just studying business,why not start one — a business that would require no office, warehouse or employees?

Despite a lack of funds and skeptical family and friends, the 21-year-old founder of OutrightEcom has built a small business empire now worth $2 million to $3 million, all while completing his business degree.

Where did your business idea come from?

I’ve always been passionate about entrepreneurship.

However, it wasn’t until my first year at UVic that I came up with the idea to provide services to local clients who lacked web and social media presence.

These clients were mostly small, local businesses, and I saw the opportunity to help them improve their online presence.

You were a student at the time; how did you juggle work and study?

Yes, and I am currently still enrolled in my fourth year of the business program. However, I managed to negotiate a special

“

At only 21, UVic student Nathan Nazareth is the founder of OutrightEcom, a multimillion-dollar brand that teaches others how to be successful in the e-commerce space.

arrangement that allows me to work on my businesses and also receive academic credit.

Balancing work and study was a challenge. I’d typically work in the evenings and study by day.

Eventually, I had to prioritize my business and come up with a more flexible arrangement with my school.

Tell me a bit about your businesses. Do you have a physical space?

My businesses include an agency that helps influencers with both digital and physical products, helps build their “sales funnel” and offers support for the back end of their businesses. We also have multiple e-commerce brands, an education company, a new clothing brand and software that helps influencers streamline the process of creating content.

None of these businesses has a physical space; we operate entirely remotely.

What did your friends and family say when you said you were starting a business?

Initially, they were hesitant and discouraged me from starting a business due to the risks and challenges. They wanted me to pursue a more traditional path, to succeed academically, with the goal of working for a large firm and climbing the corporate ladder. However, as I continued to pursue my passion for entrepreneurship and saw successes, they came to understand that this was my calling.

Did you have a mentor or other influence?

I’ve been fortunate to have several mentors who have provided guidance and support.

I’ve had one mentor, Jad Kantari, based out of Los Angeles, who has done somewhere between $30 million and $50 million in e-commerce sales. He’s always

I believe competition leads to innovation. And it’s great to have other competitors in the space. We can work together. been somebody that I’ve looked up to. He’s taken me under his wing and showed me the tricks of the trade.

The Dragons’ Den question: What’s to prevent someone from copying your model?

People can copy any model. I encourage them to do that with any business that I run. I believe competition leads to innovation.

And it’s great to have other competitors in the space. We can work together. You can see what they’re doing. You can share strategies, and helpful advice, and the e-commerce space, in general, is massive.

So I’m not concerned about anybody taking market share.

We’re all growing the market together, and we’re all pushing it forward. So I have no issues with competition.

HOW NAZARETH GREW HIS EMPIRE From a startup that helped local clients build their online presence, Nathan Nazareth’s business, OutrightEcom, grew quickly after he began working with a client who sold physical products.

“This sparked my interest in dropshipping: moving goods directly from the manufacturer to the retailer without going through conventional distribution channels,” he says. It took a fair amount of research and a few ups and downs before he got it exactly right, but once he did, he

12 DOUGLAS

soon found success.

Once he'd added that component to his business, he began building teams, many of them comprising his fellow students, and putting systems into place.

His array of startups range from software to clothing, with a focus on content automation aimed at media influencers large and small.

Looking ahead, he’s focused on growing those businesses rather than adding new ones. “This includes building upon our

existing systems and processes, adding new products and services and exploring new opportunities,” he says. An influencer himself, Nazareth also wants to work with all different kinds of influencers.

“I’m also committed to learning and improving, both personally and professionally, and to stay up-to-date on industry trends and developments,” he says. “My goal is to continue building successful businesses that make a positive impact on the world.”

BUSINESS ON THE SCREEN

Grifters, swindlers and frauds. These are the business villains we love to hate on film. But there are also compelling stories about entrepreneurs and comefrom-behind heroes. Here the team at Douglas has compiled an admittedly subjective list of our favourite business movies, to both inspire and entertain.

THE BIG SHORT

SkyBox Labs, a Vancouver-based video-game developer, has just opened an outpost in a historic Victoria building where it aims "to produce big titles within a small studio culture."

From Blocks TO BLASTERS MAJOR GAMING COMPANY SKYBOX LABS STAKES A FOOTHOLD IN VICTORIA. It’s hard to overestimate the success of blockbuster video games like Minecraft and Halo, and now some of that success is coming to Victoria.

Vancouver’s SkyBox Labs has just opened a state-of-the-art studio in downtown Victoria to develop AAA console and PC titles for the likes of Xbox Game Studios, Wizards of the Coast and Electronic Arts. Founded in 2011, SkyBox is B.C.’s fastestgrowing game developer. The team is working on parts of the Minecraft universe, Halo Infinite, Magic: The Gathering Arena and Fallout 76. To give a sense of the scale of these titles, more than 238 million copies of Minecraft editions have been sold worldwide, and some 17 million players per day log in to play these games. With more than US $6 billion in sales, Halo is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.

SkyBox Labs’ brick-walled, century-old office in historic Market Square is lined with sleek computer screens and servers. The obvious question for cofounder Derek MacNeil is: Why Victoria?

“Vancouver is an increasingly competitive market; we’re fighting for

talent. Ours is a hybrid work environment. Unlike a lot of businesses, we did very well during COVID. Now we have a core team of more than 100, most of whom work at home, and are looking to hire at least 20 more.” But over-thetransom resumés are few and far between, so SkyBox has an active team of recruiters who scour LinkedIn and other social media platforms for candidates.

It’s not just software engineers they’re looking for, but also animators, 3D artists, designers, producers and project managers.

Part of the attraction is SkyBox’s gamer culture.

“We’re very much a peoplefirst business,” says MacNeil.

“We’re making games, so we should have fun doing it. Our goal is to produce big titles within a small studio culture.”

As this issue of Douglas went to press, SkyBox Labs announced its acquisition by NetEase Games, a leading internet technology company based in China. NetEase has developed some of China’s most popular mobile and PC games, and intends to expand the global reach of both companies.

Entertaining to watch, but hard to describe, this film is a kind of biographical/comedy/ crime drama. The stellar cast (Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling) have fun eviscerating the financial crisis of 2007–2008. A favourite scene is when reallife economist Richard Thaler breaks the fourth wall to explain synthetic collateralized debt obligation.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

“You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.” That tagline sums up the founding of Facebook and the ups and downs of founder Mark Zuckerberg. This film tells the story of how Harvard sophomore Zuckerberg pursued an idea that propelled him to internet fame, but brought legal trouble and cost friendships.

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie and Matthew McConaughey star in this fastpaced film. Set in the boiler rooms and on the trading floor of Wall Street, it’s based on the meteoric career and crash of Jordan Belfort, from his rise as a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime and corruption.

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI

Not exactly a conventional business movie, this Netflix documentary follows 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his tiny but renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and heir. It’s an intimate study of the power of passion in small business, and the challenges of passing a legacy on to the next generation.

STARTUP.COM

Picking up where headlines leave off, this documentary examines the troubled state of the internet, where inflated ideals and dreams of instant wealth have been supplanted by harsh economic realities and broken promises.

DOUGLAS 13

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5

WORKPLACE WELLNESS TRENDS FOR 2023

From hybrid work to the rise of unions, the workplace is changing dramatically.

Laura Putnam is a workplace well-being expert and the author of Workplace Wellness that Works. Here she shares her list of the top five wellness trends for 2023.

Hybrid work is here to stay.

In 2022, millions of employees demanded greater flexibility in their work schedule, including the ability to work from home. With a tight labour market, employers will need to remain flexible and allow employees to continue to work from home or risk the ability to attract and retain them.

The rise of the four-day work week. Just as employees have demanded control over where they work, in 2023 they’ll begin demanding more control over when they work. Don’t be surprised if many companies introduce a four-day work week this year in a bid to remain competitive in the red-hot labour market.

Mental well-being has taken centre stage. With rates of burnout, depression and anxiety at record levels, many employees will expect their employers to make mental wellbeing a priority. This will require employers to go beyond providing benefits packages and force companies to rethink how they can create a supportive work environment where employees feel safe and heard.

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The labour movement will grow.

With employees in the driver’s seat, they will continue to use their leverage to create stronger unions across many different sectors. In 2022, labour’s surge began to yield big victories, such as the union campaigns at Amazon and Starbucks. Petitions to file union elections shot up nearly 60 per cent and public approval of unions hit its highest point in half a century.

Well-being is a shared responsibility. CEOs are recognizing that employee wellbeing needs to be a strategic priority. As recently shared by Francis deSouza, CEO of Illumina, at a recent CEO roundtable hosted by Fortune and Salesforce, “Employee wellness is an imperative. It is one of the criteria that people use to choose a job and whether or not to stay at it.”

14 DOUGLAS

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As part of its move to encourage more authentic and less disruptive travel, the Southern Gulf Islands are encouraging visitors to relax while respecting nature.

PARTNERS + HAWES

NOTHING IS THE NEW SOMETHING A NEW ISLANDS TRAVEL INITIATIVE INVITES YOU TO “RECHARGE, RECONNECT AND REGENERATE.”

A

new tourism program encourages visitors to the Southern Gulf Islands to come and do nothing. The “Nothing is the New Something” campaign is a call to embrace the wellness trend that being unproductive is good for you. Visitors are provided with “out of office” templates, social status updates and enticements to blissfully disconnect from the digital world with bragging rights attached. Southern Gulf Islands Tourism, the body responsible for tourism on Galiano, Mayne,

Pender, Salt Spring and Saturna islands, is calling on travellers seeking a different taste of British Columbia, one that is the antithesis of busy workday culture.

Nothing is the New Something invites travellers to take time away and curl up during the cozy season (i.e., winter). Instead of scheduling the next Zoom call, they’re encouraged to become as ineffective as possible and embrace life-changing habits with a list of tips to get them started. These include guides to

beachcombing and forest walks, embracing the tranquility and surrendering to their inner local.

Content marketing coordinator Jamie Sterling says the effort is part of a broader tourism incentive for the local region. “Our new initiative is part of our commitment to build a restorative, regenerative tourism model and encourage sustainable choices for visitors,” Sterling says. “Folks coming to the Southern Gulf Islands are finding special places where they can recharge, reconnect and regenerate. This invites

visitors to sync with the islands’ values: respecting nature, celebrating creativity, slowing down and giving back to the community.”

By means of short videos and social media, the campaign offers visitors guidance on the art of doing nothing and how to embark on a journey of wellness.

The campaign reinforces the unconventional nature, creativity and individuality of each of the five Southern Gulf Islands, with a mantra that builds time to rest, relax, repeat.

DOUGLAS READS Every market, industry, profession and service has been rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic — but even now, few really understand just what its impact will actually be. Among those who do is futurist Doug Stephens. Since he published Resurrecting Retail: The Future of Business in a PostPandemic World in 2021, his visions of how the pandemic would reshape consumer life have proved to be accurate, and his book has become an essential guide for businesses attempting to navigate the recovery.

For instance, the crisis has not only amplified existing trends, but has also

created a unique evolutionary window of opportunity for such “apex predators” as Amazon and Walmart. To compete, other businesses can rely on Stephens’ foresight and expertise. He documents changing patterns of consumer behaviour, psychology, outmigration from urban centres, the permanently changed nature of work and buzzy topics such as the rapid rise of the metaverse. Most importantly, he offers an actionable, even inspiring vision of brands and business leaders looking not only to survive, but thrive. It’s not just a riveting read, but a roadmap for rebirth.

DOUGLAS 15

IN CONVERSATION CHRISTINA CLARKE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INDIGENOUS PROSPERITY CENTRE

PASSION AND INCLUSIVITY

BY DIANE SELKIRK | PHOTO BY JEFFREY BOSDET

The Indigenous Prosperity Centre’s executive director, Christina Clarke, plans for seven generations.

Her approach? Engage rather than confront.

A

fter spending 27 years with the Songhees Nation, serving as senior finance manager, executive director and finally as inaugural CEO of the Songhees Development Corporation, Christina Clarke has learned that new doors open when she follows her passion. As someone who is proud of her NunatuKavut (Inuit Métis) and Irish-Canadian ancestry, she explains that she didn’t get to grow up in her Indigenous culture. But when a position

16 DOUGLAS

came available with the Songhees Nation, she saw a chance to learn more about her Indigenous heritage. That initial welcome from the Songhees was instrumental; Clarke soon learned how much we all have to gain by opening ourselves up to an Indigenous world view and collaborating for a better future.

When another position came up at the new Indigenous Prosperity Centre, Clarke saw an opportunity to use the skills and knowledge she had developed — while continuing to grow.

As the new executive director of the Indigenous Prosperity Centre, Christina Clarke believes in the power of collaboration and knows that we all have much to gain by opening ourselves to an Indigenous world view.

DOUGLAS 17

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Did you come into that first Songhees position with an understanding of the Indigenous perspective?

Whether or not I was raised with Indigenous thinking is hard to untangle because of my family history. But working with the Songhees Nation for 27 years has allowed me to understand their world view. I’ve been able to interpret that thinking in both directions.

I remember being in a band office, and a car pulled up filled with people in suits. The suits walked into the office, but didn’t explain why they were there. Instead, they said what they thought we wanted to hear. After they left, everyone turned to me to explain what they wanted. That’s when I understood the ways of doing business can be different, and being able to create understanding is the first step.

Was it this desire to build bridges of understanding that brought you to the Prosperity Centre?

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18 DOUGLAS

Why is this kind of collaboration important?

I think it can be part of reconciliation. When business is a mutual thing we do together, we gain an understanding of one another. So economic development is a really great space to do that work. You're motivated to come together for a common goal.

What is the role of the Prosperity Centre in making this happen?

On one level these relationships need to be organic and can take time. But there needs to be a space for it. So, by communicating what we're doing, we offer an intersection between Indigenous business, industry, local government and the provincial government. It can be difficult; we’re still learning about each community’s goals and how to support them. But the economy needs all of us.

From an Indigenous world view, prosperity is defined more broadly than simply financial. It means supporting the well-being of yourself, your community and the environment. We often say it’s about planning for seven generations.

The Songhees Nation was an early adopter of the South Island Prosperity Partnership, which was designed to include First Nations right from the beginning, instead of as an afterthought. So, as a result, I became a board member. My objective was to look at how we could be more inclusive of Indigenous business and the Indigenous economy — to look at how we could create more crossconnections and understanding, so that Indigenous businesses thrive and our region thrives as a result. It’s an approach to economic development that’s a very focused partnership; something that I really believe in. So when this position came up, it was a natural extension of the work that I was already doing.

What does partnership and collaboration look like?

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might mean partnering and collaborating with a government agency, or a school, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel or the Oak Bay Marina. It means building connections that include First Nations.

What it means is connecting the people who each have a piece of the puzzle. Say, for example, the Songhees want to develop tourism opportunities — each area where there's a tourism activity is a place where we can engage with other stakeholders.

One example would be the Songhees islands, Tl’ches off Oak Bay. To develop tourism there

What does prosperity mean from an Indigenous perspective?

From an Indigenous world view, prosperity is defined more broadly than simply financial. It means supporting the well-being of yourself, your community and the environment.

We often say it’s about planning for seven generations. So we’re thinking about the children who come next; we look at the world they’re coming into. So that long-term thinking when applied to economic development makes for far more sustainable business practices.

Why is now the right time for this work?

I think worldwide there’s been a realization that we need to change the way we're doing things.

The other piece is that with the discovery of the burials at residential schools, most Canadians are finally saying, “Now I get it. Now I understand why conditions are the way they are on reserves.” They realize it’s time to fix what’s broken and understand that we have a chance to finally get things right between all of us. 

Our Members Are Economy Builders South Island Prosperity Partnership members come from every sector and every corner of Greater Victoria to champion smart economic growth in the region.

They are business, government, First Nations and community leaders who bring ideas and energy to the table to build a more resilient economy.

They know we are stronger when we work together.

DEFUSING THE

Housin Crisis Employers buying hotels to house employees.

In-demand professionals saying “No” to local jobs. Sky-high rental costs. Greater Victoria has a housing crisis that’s becoming an employee crisis.

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

BY SHANNON MONEO

22 DOUGLAS

ng

Virginia Holden, executive director of the Greater Victoria Housing Society, warns that talented workers are being turned away by steep housing costs. Townley Place (above) is an affordable rental building for 55+ and persons with disabilities, and 10 townhouses for families.

W

ant to buy a $1.3-million house in Langford? After a 20 per cent down payment, be prepared to pay $6,340 per month on the mortgage. Or how about a $860,000 condo on Moss Street? Make the 20 per cent down payment, then pay $4,200 per month for the mortgage. Even a $759,000 house in Sooke, with a 20 per cent down payment, still requires a $3,700 monthly mortgage payment. Then there’s the $239,000 Sooke mobile home, where the monthly mortgage would be $1,170 after the 20 per cent down payment.

Even the rental market is burning up, thanks to overheated pricing stoked by demand. In Saanich, a single-bedroom suite costs $1,875 per month, which is 60 per cent more than the Sooke trailer’s mortgage. A two-bedroom apartment in Cook Street Village? $2,250.

Housing costs are considered affordable if they consume 30 per cent or less of a household’s budget. That means someone earning $3,000 a month would pay $900 or less a month for accommodation. Today, homeowners or renters in Greater Victoria can be shelling out almost 70 per cent of their income to keep a roof over their heads.

The executive director of the Greater Victoria Housing Society (GVHS) warns that unless a variety of more affordable housing is rapidly built, the health and economic impacts will only get worse. “We can’t function as a community if we can’t attract the talent we need, the workers we need,” says Virginia Holden. “It’s important for the public to understand that we need to build a lot more supply.”

DOUGLAS 23

The old Esquimalt Lions Lodge (inset) was well past its effective life, with limited accessibility and only one elevator. The new Esquimalt Place addresses these shortfalls, and will be a zero-emission building.

Aging Housing at Risk

Families earning $100,000 per year are being locked out, she says. One example: health care workers who cannot afford to live in the region.

To secure an appointment with a medical technician, Holden had to book three weeks in advance, where once she could walk in.

Lab facilities are closing because there are not enough staff.

On Salt Spring Island, in March, a former hotel was bought by the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation. The inn will be converted to house hospital employees who cannot find a place to live on an island where it’s estimated 20 per cent of Salt Spring’s homes sit vacant for more than six months per year.

Beyond absentee landlords, the acute housing shortage has its roots in the 1990s. It was then that the federal government eliminated a national housing program, first instituted after the Second World War, so that veterans could buy homes. Federal debt reduction became a government priority in the mid-1980s so building affordable shelter for workers, seniors, the disabled and immigrants lost its luster.

24 DOUGLAS

of housing in Colwood, Saanich and Brentwood Bay. Another 200 are in the pipeline for low- to Adding to the problem is that the shine is also moderate-income households. off structures built in the last 40 years or more.

Justin Young wasn’t prepared to wait out “A lot of rental stock has deteriorated,” Holden the pipelines. He’s the owner of Hillside Mall’s says. “The units are either unsuitable or very Canadian Tire store, and his company, Young costly to repair. In this region, for every single Properties, has bought three houses in Greater unit being built, five Victoria (Interurban are being lost. The fix area, Oak Bay and requires a few things to “We can’t function Quadra-Hillside), occur.” Governments which provide up as a community if must provide more lowto 20 beds for his interest loans and grants we can’t attract staff. Young has had for non-profits, like the difficulty finding local the talent we GVHS. To build housing, employees who would local governments need, the workers work overnight shifts, need to examine their stocking shelves, so we need. It’s land supply and make most of his tenants are densification a priority. important for from outside Canada, Community engagement including places as the public to must be ramped up far-flung as Hong Kong, to convince the vocal Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi understand that naysayers that fourArabia, Singapore and we need to build a plexes, townhomes and Zimbabwe. row houses need to be “I had to ensure lot more supply.” built, even in places like housing supply in the — Virginia Holden, Greater Victoria Oak Bay. face of scarcity,” Young Housing Society, executive director If housing for cashiers, says. He stresses that waiters, labourers his goal isn’t to make and janitors isn’t built, expect to see more a profit on the rentals. “Employees pay rent, homelessness and families in turmoil as well based on the combination of operating costs as stressed bosses.“Businesses and employers of the building and what their income can will scramble for staff,” Holden says. Yet she support,” he says. believes the housing shortfall can be turned Young has successfully managed his Victoria around. Between mid-2021 to December 2022, business since 2016, after working in Manitoba the GVHS has built more than 200 rental units and Ontario, and his history bestows him

with perspective. “We live in a place where people want to be,” he says. “Greater Victoria’s desirability draws a lot of people with wealth to an area bounded by water and mountains. The physical limitations, combined with demand from the well-off who can afford jacked-up prices, are very difficult to manage.”

The Whistler Effect

LOW HAMMOND ROWE ARCHITECTS

He worries Greater Victoria will fall victim to the “Whistler effect,” where the rich have money to play, while the needed workers cannot afford to live. For Young, his employee tenants are in actuality, supporting his customers by keeping the shelves stocked. With no vacant beds in his three properties, Young is certain he will acquire more real estate for workers who cannot find affordable and safe housing. “For a lot of them [employees], it’s the nicest place they’ve ever seen.”

Greater Victoria’s allure has become a double-edged sword. Even as one of Canada’s most expensive places to live, it draws not only the wealthy, but a variety of people, including more immigrants who will be arriving in greater numbers to fill the ongoing labour gaps.

Jada Basi has over 15 years of experience in the housing sphere. As the principal at CitySpaces Consulting, she’s seen how housing has become top of mind to governments, evidenced by Premier David Eby’s changes to strata properties and the creation of a housing ministry. Similar to Young, she’s aware of employers who have bought homes for employees as well as mid-sized businesses who have joined forces to purchase an older motel that they have renovated for employees to live in until they can find permanent homes. But not all small businesses have the equity to take such a course, particularly after the pandemic when paying their own rents may have now become a priority. According to a Statistics Canada survey conducted in 2022, 31 per cent of B.C. businesses report they Camas Gardens includes 44 self-contained bachelor are doing worse post-pandemic, with and one-bedroom apartments for individuals who are homeless or at risk, including people dealing small businesses feeling the pain to a with addiction or mental health issues. higher degree.

“We’re trying to get out of a hole,” Basi says. Getting above ground will be difficult

VICTORIA'S HOUSING MARKET IN A NUTSHELL SALES

ACTIVE LISTINGS

PRICES

26.9%

158.9%

1.7%

less sales than previous 12 months.

more inventory: 1,688 active listings.

higher for single-family homes; 5.6% for condos.

Year-to-year data, from November 2021 to November 2022. / Source: VREB

DOUGLAS 25

due to disparate challenges. Sufficient funding for a variety of projects is lacking, particularly for non-profits who require equity. Wages are not keeping pace with housing costs. Sometimes housing that’s most needed isn’t being built; single-detached homes aren’t in short supply, while construction of units for singles or lowerwage earners languish on the back burner.

“There’s a mismatch,” Basi notes.

The Trade-off: High or Wide?

For those resistant to densification, the tradeoffs have to be made apparent. Eighty units could be built in a mid-rise with a smaller footprint than 80 units built as single-storey residences. But it’s not sustainable to grow outwards, Basi says. Clean air, proximity to transit and green spaces are all at risk. Diverse housing also needs to be built, she says. It could be modular housing shipped to a site, rental housing with an option to buy, high-rises or co-ops.

As well, excessive or outdated rules and slow approval times, evidenced in many local municipalities, need to be overhauled. “Some regulations create obstacles. It’s time to revisit them, like zoning bylaws, some written in the 1970s,” Basi says. But ensuring safety and maintaining enforcement must not be sacrificed.

Top-producing realtor Jason Leslie, a RE/

MAX Generation agent, thinks the housing landscape is finally shifting, not only due to Eby’s proposed changes, but because of a shifting market. When it costs $2,100 per month to rent a one-bedroom apartment, a person may as well buy a place to live. He’s aware of a Sidney property where 17 uberluxurious condos were planned, but the developer changed course. Now, 36 condos are on the drawing board, with a sub-$500,000 price tag. And instead of the troublesome 10 per cent or 20 per cent down payment, common with such projects, a flat $25,000 will secure a unit.

With several big employers in the area (BC Ferries, Scott Plastics, the airport and the new Amazon warehouse), building truly affordable housing close to where the jobs are is a nobrainer, Leslie says.

While no one from the provincial government was available to comment on what exactly it has planned, a prepared statement from the Ministry of Housing was provided. “The Housing Supply Act will help increase and speed up housing development by giving the Province the power to set housing targets in municipalities with the greatest need and highest projected growth. While all municipalities have a role and responsibility to make sure their local approvals processes enable

“Greater Victoria’s desirability draws a lot of people with wealth to an area bounded by water and mountains. The physical limitations, combined with demand from the well-off who can afford jacked-up prices, are very difficult to manage.”

— Justin Young, Hillside Mall's Canadian Tire, owner

the creation of the homes people need, this legislation will apply to municipalities where the housing demand is the highest and where there is a gap between supply and demand,” the statement says.

As Holden observes, all sectors have to get involved in creative solutions and partnerships.

“We need to be really clear. It has to be the right supply for those who need it, to target different income groups.” 

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26 DOUGLAS

BUSINESS PROFILE

L to R: Melanie Winter, Business Manager; Caitlyn Bruce, HR Coordinator; Naomi Reinhart, Project Manager

GREEN ISLAND BUILDERS A construction company with soul

G

reen Island Builders wants you to know that it is so much more than a construction company.

Founded in 2005 on the notion that success comes through inclusion and integrity, Green Island is a general contracting business with a focus on residential renovations.

In 2021, the company was honoured with the Gold Medal in the Best Residential Renovation or Restoration category at the Vancouver Island CARE Awards (Construction Achievements and Renovations of Excellence). “Castlerock” is a 1929 “old English country cottage” in the heart of Fairfield that strikes a radiant balance between casual and chic.

But what sets Green Island Builders apart from most of the 2,000-plus construction companies in Greater Victoria is its commitment to social responsibility.

For example, they recognized that women were not receiving equal opportunities in the construction industry, which has long been stigmatized as a blue-collar career for men. Green Island Builders is working hard

to bring women into the trades, which offer solid employment opportunities, job stability and rewarding careers.

Green Island is also a strong advocate for women in leadership positions. Of the company’s 21-person crew, half are women and all three of the management team are women.

Green Island’s mantra is “Be yourself.” It recognizes that each person who finds their way to the company comes with a story. To practice what it preaches, the company has set down three business principles: For their crew, Green Island supports innovation, creativity and expression. They believe that individual empowerment is the foundation of their success in a highly competitive business.

For the environment, the company believes not just in platitudes, but in everyday practices. They use their knowledge and skills to reduce waste, preserve existing structures and eliminate hazardous practices. An example is the Denman Net Zero home, which produces as much electricity as it consumes.

And finally, Green Island believes that their projects should benefit the community. They contribute to the development of Greater Victoria and they support local trades and initiatives.

Several of the crew volunteer for HeroWork Victoria, for example, renovating nonprofit buildings.

Says director Martin Scaia, “Working to a high standard is not only essential to leading a satisfying life, but is a critical part of making a personal and professional difference in society.”

778-386-3738 green-island-builders.com DOUGLAS 27

The Revolutionary Ideas of

GENERATIO NEXT Our writer checks in with her peers to discover five ways every workplace can benefit from the diversity, inclusiveness, tech-savvy and high expectations of Generations Y and Z.

BY RILEY WEBSTER

28 DOUGLAS

ON

M

illennials and zoomers, also known as generations Y (born 1981 to 1996) and Z (1997 to 2012), bring a decidedly different attitude to their jobs than their older colleagues.

They want better work-life balance, more inclusivity and more creative freedom from their employers. As a result, perhaps unfairly, they’ve gained the reputation of being lazy, overly sensitive and even entitled.

But they also bring many gifts to the table — among them their technological skills, diversity, inclusiveness and an often innovative approach to work. These are things that every workplace can benefit from.

“We’re not lazy. We’re just thinking of different ways to create wealth,” says Chelsea Rutherford, a 31-year-old communications consultant and owner of Rutherford Consulting. “We’re adapting and pivoting, because things are changing much faster now. The future we’re looking at is much different than previous generations were contending with. We’re not just waiting for our pensions; we’re actively taking part in our lives and trying to create change.”

Douglas spoke with six young Victoria residents to learn how they think about their working lives. The common thread: They want their jobs to be part of their lives, just not their whole lives.

They seek work that lets them make a meaningful impact, allows for creative freedom, aligns with their core values and, perhaps most importantly, lets them enjoy a balanced lifestyle.

Here are five lessons they shared that you can employ in your own workplace.

“I need to be a contributing member of society because that’s so important to me. But it’s going to be on my own terms.”

—Nicole Guzzo, Prakāśa Co.

MAKE WORK MEANINGFUL Nicole Guzzo, now 32, has never worked a nine-to-five job.

In her early 20s, she built a wildly successful clothing brand, Nicole Guzzo Designs, from 2008 until 2015. But she became burnt out and decided to radically change her life.

In 2016, she closed her business, came out about her sexuality and began prioritizing her mental health. She shifted her career to designing costumes for the film industry, which allowed her to take three-month contracts and spend the rest of the year travelling the world. This sense of space brought her respite and helped her realize that she wanted to make a deeper impact through her career.

She decided to marry her expertise in fashion design with her people skills by founding a non-profit, Prakasa Co., in 2017. With the goal of helping women lift themselves out of poverty, she taught sewing and business skills to women in Uganda, India, Nepal and on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. And in 2018, she began working toward her social work degree at UVic, hoping to gain even more tools to support these women.

“My life is not about work,” Guzzo says. “It’s never been about ticking a bunch of boxes and holding off seeing the world until I’m 65 with a pension. I need to be a contributing member of society because that’s so important to me. But it’s going to be on my own terms.”

DOUGLAS 29

MAKE WORK FLEXIBLE As the owner of the thriving co-working space KWENCH, Tessa McLoughlin has gained unique insight into the values of millennials and Gen Z despite being a member of Gen X. She is especially impressed by their clear intentionality toward work. “They’re purposebased, and they don’t just think about doing things for the sake of money,” says McLoughlin, whose business supports more than 400 KWENCH members, mainly from tech and creative industries.

McLoughlin believes that the top-down power structure of a traditional nine to five simply doesn’t work for younger generations.

“As we’re opening up to diversity, equity and inclusion, this idea that something has to be done one way no longer works,” she says. “If we want diversity, equity, and inclusion, then we have to be flexible and we have to trust people and give them autonomy.”

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30 DOUGLAS

For Rutherford, working a full-time job consigned her to a “lackluster life.” Seeking more creative freedom and meaning in her work, in July 2022, she took a leap of faith and started her own communications consulting firm, Rutherford Consulting. Now she does contract work for the local Victoria company Interpersonal Intelligence Institute, as well as other small businesses.

“Being self-employed lets me work with a wider variety of people,” she says. “It makes me feel like I can do more. My output is greater because I’m energized by what I’m doing and I’m taking better care of myself.”

Rutherford feels that contract work helps her see the direct impact of her efforts, which was missing from her time as an employee.

“I was really far removed from it before,” she says. “It was blowing my mind how I'd spend all day working my full-time job without really knowing what I was accomplishing. I was so tired. Now I can make a bigger impact in a shorter amount of time. Plus, I can use the skills I value most in myself, like writing and creativity.”

Thirty-year-old Brandon Marcotte also wanted to bring more creative — and financial — freedom into his life. For over six years, he worked as a tile installer. Now, he’s pursuing a degree in psychology and business at UVic. Marcotte says that if he stayed on his same path installing tile, by age 60 his body would be breaking down.

According to Guzzo, many millennials and Gen-Z folks are fed up with the patriarchy — so much so that they’re determined to explore new approaches to their careers. “The nineto-five, 40-hour work week was created for heterosexual, nuclear families,” says Guzzo, who firmly believes in having multiple streams of income rather than one full-time job. “The man would go to work, and the woman was at home, taking care of the kids.

But we don’t live in that society anymore.”

“As we’re opening up to diversity, equity and inclusion, this idea that something has to be done one way no longer works.”

— Tessa McLoughlin, KWENCH

Plus, he believes that tradespeople are not compensated enough. In hopes of finding work that serves him long term, he’s excited about a career change. He sees himself eventually working in a creative field, such as fashion or user experience (UX) design, and ideally in a remote setting.

“I want to feel creative and empowered in my role at work,” he says. “Plus, flexibility is important to me. I don’t want to live my life waiting for my two-week vacation.”

“Being self-employed lets me work with a wider variety of people. It makes me feel like I can do more. My output is greater because I’m energized by what I’m doing and I’m taking better care of myself.”

— Chelsea Rutherford, Rutherford Consulting

MAKE WORK AND LIFE BETTER BALANCED Like Rutherford and Marcotte, millennial Sonya Stephens made a change to bring more balance and joy into her work life.

Shortly after she relocated to Victoria to do her master’s degree in tourism management at Royal Roads University, COVID-19 hit and her studies moved online. “I was sad at first, but I grew to love making my own schedule,” she says. “I knew that once I graduated, I wanted a hybrid or remote work situation.”

After Stephens graduated this year, she landed a full-time, remote position working for a Canadian-based tour operator. Initially, she put in many overtime hours, finding that working from home made it easy to “just keep working.” Now, nearly four months into the job, she’s beginning to find balance.

The biggest benefit she’s noticed since transitioning to a remote job is the time she’s saved not commuting. “I spend that time going for a walk, exercising, enjoying a slow start and eating a proper breakfast,” she says. “It really helps me begin my day with a good attitude.”

But Stephens’s favourite part about remote work is the sense of balance she feels — even if that simply means doing laundry or making a snack at her leisure. “I have set hours, but they’re

flexible,” she says. “I know this doesn’t work for everyone’s personality, but I thrive.”

For 26-year-old Claudia Wilde, working from home has also been pivotal to achieving a sense of balance — especially when it comes to her health. “I have a chronic health condition that got a bit worse during the pandemic,” says Wilde, a freelance brand storyteller and communications consultant who has worked for local Victoria companies like Bilston Creek Farm and Déjà Well.

“Freelancing has been a wonderful solution as it offers me the flexibility to work on my own hours in a quiet and supportive environment.”

Would she ever go back to full-time employment? “It’s not off the table,” she says, “but it would have to be a really wonderful opportunity for me to consider it.”

“Freelancing has been a wonderful solution as it offers me the flexibility to work on my own hours in a quiet and supportive environment.”

— Claudia Wilde, freelance communications consultant

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DOUGLAS 31

GENERATIONAL SHIFT What to know about the different age demographics that share your workspace.

BY DOUGLAS STAFF

T

here can be huge benefits to having a multigenerational workforce. By combining the experience of older workers and the innovative spirit of younger

ones, collaboration across generations can improve workflow, productivity and communication.

First, though, we need to reach across the generational divide. Here’s what you need to know about each of them.

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Traditionalists: Also known as "the silent generation." Born between 1928 and 1945 and ranging in age from 78 to 95, they are mostly retired but some still work as freelancers, consultants and in some retail jobs. They tend to be hardworking and respectful of authority.

Baby boomers: This is the generation born in the headily prosperous years after the Second World War, 1946 to about 1964. Boomers entered the workplace at a time of unprecedented opportunity and made the most of it — they tend to be goal-oriented and disciplined. Many have retired, or will soon do so.

Generation X: Born roughly between 1965 and 1980, this “lost” generation tends to be entrepreneurial and independent.

Because they experienced the transition of technology from typewriters to smartphones, they can easily learn new tech, but aren’t as reliant on it as younger generations. They tend to be more educated than older workers, more independent, more flexible and more informal about everything from dress codes to office hours.

Millennials: Also known as Generation Y, millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means they are 27 to 42 years old. They are often confident, collaborative, innovative and results-oriented. They rode the technology boom, including the creation of social media, so are highly tech-savvy. They have also been affected by global crises such as terrorism and the Great Recession, and many have led the fight for activist causes such as racial and gender equality.

Generation Z: Also known as zoomers, these young adults were born between 1997 and 2012. They're competitive, independent, extremely comfortable with technology and usually enjoy working on their own. They are also very much aware of social, economic and environmental issues worldwide and many engage in high levels of activism for social justice, racism and gender issues.

MAKE WORK MORE INCLUSIVE Over the last two years, global events have spiked an urgent need to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. These younger generations are holding their employers accountable to creating safe environments for all races, ages and genders. For them, their mental health and well-being are of utmost importance.

“If we’re going to spend most of our lives working, then we should be in environments that help us make the most of our existence,” says Jefus Godwin-Enwere. This 27 year old recently completed her master’s degree in intercultural communication at Royal Roads; now she’s searching for an employer who aligns with her beliefs.

Specifically, Godwin-Enwere wants a job that promotes work-life balance, mental health and equity. “Just looking to get the work done without caring about the workers makes for exhausted people who hate their jobs,” she says.

Plus, she wants the option to work from home. Having the opportunity to collaborate and socialize at the office as well as work independently is her ideal balance. “Working at home can reduce a lot of performative pressure,” she says. “In your own relaxed environment, you’re able to think better and get things done without having people tower over you.”

But whether young people choose to be employed or self-employed, work from home or work in an office, many of them have a deep desire to make an impact on the world they’ve inherited. They just want to do so in their own way.

McLoughlin believes that what they want most of all is “the autonomy to choose.”

“Employees and freelancers alike both want the ability to decide where, when, and how they work,” says McLoughlin. “Personally, I’m so excited for these generations. They’re going to flip everything around.”

“If we’re going to spend most of our lives working, then we should be in environments that help us make the most of our existence.”

— Jefus Godwin-Enwere, communications professional

DOUGLAS 33

Raising

Nanaimo may be famous for a certain layered chocolate treat.

But the future of this fast-growing city is all about the doughnut — doughnut economics, that is.

I

t’s hard to find someone who doesn’t have a soft spot for doughnuts, but doughnut economics might leave a few scratching their heads.

Even so, Nanaimo has become the first Canadian city to adopt the somewhat radical economic theory as its guiding principle.

It’s a bold vision for a city that is one of 34 DOUGLAS

think some people associate it with Homer Simpson,” city councillor Ben Geselbracht, the driving force behind the decision, says with a laugh. But doughnut economics is no joke.

A City of Opportunities Canada’s fastest growing communities, but has faced its share of challenges. Doughnut economics provides a framework for sustainable development, ensuring that those in need are cared for, the environment is protected and business can flourish — while making the city livable for all.

Getting to this point wasn’t always easy. “I

Situated on the east coast of Vancouver Island, about halfway between Victoria and Courtenay– Comox, Nanaimo has all the advantages of a good location and a pleasant climate. It has long been the home of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. The first European settlers arrived in the 1850s and, soon after, discovered riches to be made from coal mining, fishing, forestry and pulp production.

the bar One of Canada’s fastestgrowing urban areas, Nanaimo is a city of challenge and change.

It’s the first in Canada to adopt a theory known as "doughnut economics," which calls for a balance between growth and quality of life.

Today Nanaimo is best known for its ports, for its three ferry terminals and four deepsea berths, hence its modern-day marketing moniker “The Harbour City.” This, along with its central location, has made it a profitable destination for trading, servicing and distribution industries.

Its economy has evolved far beyond raw resources and a reputation for shopping mall sprawl. Nanaimo has also become a hub of under-the-radar innovation. For instance, homegrown SEAMOR Marine is a world leader in design and manufacturing of high-tech underwater remote vehicles deployed globally

in everything from hydroelectricity plants and pipeline inspections to port security and marine debris recovery. Taste of BC Aquafarms, a leader in land-based, closed-containment aquaculture, is expanding quickly since its sale last year to Florida-based Blue Star Foods, with founder Steve Atkinson staying on as managing director.

And Nanaimo startup HYAS Infosec Inc. has become a cyber crime-fighting powerhouse for clients including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Accessibility and prosperity have made Nanaimo increasingly attractive to newcomers from across the country, and the city has

DIRK HEYDEMANN/HA PHOTOGRAPHY

BY ANDREW FINDLAY

undergone a significant population boom, with retirees, families and real estate refugees from the Lower Mainland leading the charge.

According to the most recent census, the population grew by 10 per cent from 2016 to 2021, placing Nanaimo among Canada’s top five fastest-growing communities. The City of Nanaimo’s population has reached nearly 100,000; the Nanaimo census metropolitan area around 115,000. Consequently, in 2022, the construction industry comprised nearly 20 per cent of the city’s businesses and became its largest economic sector.

But with growth come challenges and DOUGLAS 35

UNDERSTANDING THE DOUGHNUT ECONOMY

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with the reality of living on a planet with finite resources. What especially appealed to Geselbracht about doughnut economics was the blending of social and environmental responsibility into an overarching framework.

The “doughnut” consists of two concentric rings. The first ring is the social foundation, as defined by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, to ensure no one falls short on life’s essentials. The second ring is the environmental ceiling, as determined by credible scientists, to ensure that humanity does not exceed the natural boundaries that protect Earth’s life-supporting systems.

The hole in the middle of the doughnut is where those lacking the basic requirements of life reside. In Nanaimo’s case, that would include the massive tent camp on Port Drive.

The outer ring represents the threshold beyond which humans are wrecking the planet, which could include car-dependent suburban sprawl or unabated waste.

Between these two boundaries lies the ecologically safe, socially just space in which humanity can thrive. That doughnut-shaped sweet spot got Geselbracht’s attention.

Enter Politics

Nanaimo has had its share. According to figures released by Statistics Canada last August, the severity of violent crime in the city surged 44 per cent in 2021. Last year, Nanaimo set a grisly record for the most illicit drug overdose fatalities in its history. The city has also struggled to address urban poverty and homelessness. It’s certainly not alone in that, but in 2018, a squalid encampment established by activists next to Port Drive on the downtown waterfront became the province’s largest tent city.

Despite attempts to fix the situation, chronic, complex problems remained. Councillor Geselbracht knew something had to be done.

He thought the solution might be something called doughnut economics.

A Civic Reboot In 2020, Geselbracht was sitting around a city environmental planning committee table, feeling frustrated. “There was an absence of a clear understanding of what we were trying to achieve, no way to assess how we were doing, no overarching environmental sustainability plan, and no prioritizing,” Geselbracht says.

While Geselbracht was stewing at the meeting, disruption was happening elsewhere.

The province was still deep in COVID-19 36 DOUGLAS

In late 2020, Geselbracht and fellow councillor Tyler Brown introduced a motion asking city council to adopt the doughnut economic model.

The motion passed with a narrow 5-4 vote on December 14, 2020, and Nanaimo became the first Canadian city to place doughnut economic theory at the centre of all civic planning, from restrictions. Calamitous storms had flooded how it procures bunk beds for its new fire hall Fraser Valley farms and demolished portions to where it puts walking and biking paths. of the vital Coquihalla Highway to become the Next, Nanaimo City Hall moved to put the most costly natural disaster ever experienced doughnut into the official community plan in B.C. Add to that housing unaffordability, (OCP), which was up for renewal. And that’s homelessness and a toxic drug epidemic that when the conspiracy theories started to surface. was killing nearly 2,000 British Columbians per In June 2022, when year, and Geselbracht was the city hosted a public convinced it was time for information and engagement a civic reboot.

“My job is to grow session for the draft OCP, That’s when he saw a our economy, dubbed Reimagine Nanaimo, tweet from then Victoria few people showed up. but I can’t grow a mayor Lisa Helps about But among those who doughnut economics. healthy economy did, a majority expressed It prompted him to in an unhealthy opposition — not to the investigate the city of substance of the community Amsterdam’s embrace environment. “ plan — but because of of the theory as a tool — Kim Smythe, former president concerns that globalist to guide recovery from of the Greater Nanaimo interests were driving the pandemic, and then Chamber of Commerce the doughnut agenda. to pick up a copy of Geselbracht says he’s had to Doughnut Economics: spend a lot of time dispelling Seven Ways to Think these and other similar misconceptions.

Like a 21st-Century Economist by Kate Raworth, Nonetheless, on July 4, 2022, council the Oxford academic and self-described radical officially adopted Bylaw No. 6600, now economist who popularized the term. renamed Nanaimo Reimagined, a blueprint for He liked what he was reading. Raworth the next 25 years. The 304-page plan outlines challenges mainstream economic assumptions about limitless growth that don’t square five city goals: a green Nanaimo, a connected

Nanaimo, a healthy Nanaimo, an empowered Nanaimo and a prosperous Nanaimo. In the introduction, the document clearly states: “Nanaimo’s vision of its future is based on a sustainability model called Doughnut Economics.”

Balancing Economy and Environment Councillor Sheryl Armstrong was skeptical about doughnut economics from the outset and hasn’t missed an opportunity to oppose it. She voted against Geselbracht’s motion back in 2020. And last summer she and fellow councillor Ian Thorpe dissented again after Reimagine Nanaimo went to a vote. Armstrong says the number-one issue she heard from most voters during the last municipal election was crime, not climate change. And, she says, with the city looking at a 6.2 per cent property tax increase just “to maintain services,” people are more worried about the cost of living.

Still, Armstrong says she will move forward with council to implement Nanaimo Reimagined, even if she thinks doughnut economics is long on visionary statements and short on measurable goals.

Geselbracht doesn’t agree that the model lacks targets and benchmarks. He says that’s exactly what the city is in the process of setting up right now with its integrated action plan, the follow-up to the OCP. And others agree.

Among them is Kim Smythe, former CEO and president of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce. Most of what he knows about doughnut economics he learned after city hall asked him early last year to chair a working group to find recommendations for implementing the doughnut. Now Smythe believes doughnut economics can align the business community, non-profits, citizens and civic institutions around common goals of sustainability and social responsibility. It’s a way to ensure that Nanaimo looks at “both sides of the coin,” he says.

“A lot of centre-right people say doughnut economics is bullshit, but I don’t believe that it’s going to be expensive, or cost taxpayers,” Smythe says. “[We] can’t grow a healthy economy in an unhealthy environment. We can continue to crap on our environment or we can be more conscious about the decisions we make.”

Contrary to those who see red ink when they think about doughnut economics, Smythe believes the doughnut presents opportunities for new and existing businesses, whether it’s a company that makes products from construction materials diverted from the landfill, or an IT startup that wants to locate in a city that takes social and environmental responsibility seriously. One of the recommendations of the working group he chaired was to develop a program recognizing businesses that adopt

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a regenerative approach that puts social and ecological sustainability at the core of their operations.

Already at Work In Nanaimo, like a lot of cities, people are already working within the doughnut economic model, some without even knowing it.

Fred Jeffery’s popular record and fashion store Lucid, located on Commercial Street in Nanaimo’s historic centre, has been an anchor of the local business community for the past 20 years. He is intimately familiar with issues surrounding homelessness and social dysfunction in the downtown core, and has more empathy than antipathy for the unhoused

people who frequently sleep in Lucid’s covered entrance — even if he occasionally has to clean up after them.

Regarding doughnut economics, Jeffery is more amused by the conspiracy theories swirling around it than anything else. But he recognizes that social initiatives such as the city’s Clean Team and community safety officers

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Doughnut economics can support small businesses like Fred Jeffery’s popular record and fashion store Lucid in downtown Nanaimo.

(city employees who liaise between the public, business owners and Nanaimo’s homeless) have tackled a chronic downtown poverty issue that he admits scares a lot of people away. If doughnut economics means supporting small businesses and keeping downtown vibrant, he’s all for it.

Loaves & Fishes Food Bank is a perfect example of the doughnut economy at work, even though executive director Peter Sinclair is too busy managing growth to think much about it. This non-profit launched in 2012 with a staff of four, a handful of volunteers and one beat-up pickup truck to collect best-before-date expired food from a single grocery store partner. A decade later, Loaves & Fishes has 30 employees, 200 volunteers and agreements with 30 grocery stores from Ladysmith to the Comox Valley. And every year, 5,000 to 8,000 Nanaimo citizens access food from the operation.

“I’m no expert, but that said, I can see how the work we do will translate well to what doughnut economics is trying to do.”

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— Peter Sinclair, Loaves & Fishes Food Bank, executive director

“Our goal is to divert as much food as possible from dumpsters,” Sinclair says. About two-thirds of the food they collect is fit for human consumption, according to Canadian Food Inspection Agency criteria. The rest becomes feed for farm animals or is composted.

According to Sinclair, Nanaimo City Hall has been supportive from the get-go, starting with a $69,000 investment that allowed the nonprofit to buy its first refrigerated truck. In 2017, the city provided $275,000 that enabled the food bank to move into a larger warehouse.

Now Loaves & Fishes is moving again, onto a property the city bought for $3 million and is leasing to them for 30 years at a token $10.

“I’m no expert, but that said, I can see how the work we do will translate well to what doughnut economics is trying to do,” Sinclair says.

Mike Leopold, CEO of Convertus Group, a company that specializes in building and operating industrial-scale composting facilities agrees with Sinclair.

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Last summer Convertus completed an $8-million upgrade of its Nanaimo operation ($3 million of which came from provincial government grants), transforming it from a simple pile-and-compost facility to one with enclosed silos that can produce landscapeready compost in 14 days. Its capacity of 50,000 tonnes per year more than doubles the amount of organic waste the old facility could process. And it comes at no cost to local taxpayers.

Doughnut economics was something Leopold had heard floating around in the ether of big picture sustainability thinking along with “zero waste” and the “circular economy.”

“The goal is to reduce the carbon footprint and divert organics away from the landfill, and this new facility will help the region meet its waste diversion goals,” he says.

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Ben Geselbracht concedes that work remains on the education front, but firmly believes they can change the minds of skeptics.

Mayor Leonard Krog, a lawyer and former NDP MLA (2005 to 2018), was one at first. In December 2020, he voted against Geselbracht’s motion, fearing it would add to already overburdened city staff resources. But in 2022, he voted in favour of Nanaimo Reimagined, a de facto endorsement of doughnut economics.

That’s a big, bold move for The Harbour City.

“For me, the concept is simply a recognition that we live on a finite planet, that growth therefore has limits, and our job as politicians is to try and ensure that citizens should be able to lead healthy lives in safe, livable communities,”

Reinvigorating Nanaimo’s historic downtown is a priority under the city’s ambitious Nanaimo Reimagined plan.

“The business community should have no fears and, indeed, having gone through the nightmare of supply chain issues with COVID, should welcome the opportunities it presents for local economic development and economic stability.”

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Krog says. “The business community should have no fears and, indeed, having gone through the nightmare of supply chain issues with COVID, should welcome the opportunities it presents for local economic development and economic stability.”

Geselbracht says it’s not about anti-business or tax and spend; it’s about being more thoughtful about how Nanaimo grows as a city and economy. Even so, he admits the name “doughnut economics” can be off-putting.

“A lot of people have a reaction to the term ‘doughnut economics.’ The conspiracy theorists were connecting a lot of dots that weren’t there,” Geselbracht says. “But from my experience, doughnut economics is one of those things that once it’s explained, people like it.”

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DOUGLAS 41

INTEL

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

PRODUCTIVITY

BY CINDA CHAVICH

Food for Thought Healthy eating for a sharper brain

B

rain fog is the latest buzzword in our modern world — that fuzzy mental state that can affect productivity and focus. But in this pivoting, problem-solving, changeable era, staying sharp is more essential than ever. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a magic pill to keep your brain in tip-top shape?

You Are What You Eat

There may be no magic pill, but there are ways to give your brain a boost, and it starts in the kitchen. Experts say a diet that’s high in fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, oily fish and healthy fats like olive oil, is the best defence when it comes to cognitive health.

“Research shows that the best brain foods are the same ones that protect your heart and blood vessels,” say the brainiacs at Harvard Medical School. Their latest publication, A Guide to Cognitive Fitness, notes sleep, exercise and eliminating stress — behaviours that reduce blood pressure and improve circulation — are all essential for a high-functioning brain.

The brain is a complex organ, and much still needs to be learned about how exactly our brains work, but neuroscientists know that serotonin plays a role in memory and learning, the omega-3’s found in nuts and fish are necessary for brain function and development, and nutrients in leafy green vegetables and antioxidant-rich blueberries, avocados and beets can fight cognitive decline.

Conversely, consuming foods that contain sugar and saturated fats can harm the brain by damaging blood vessels. Studies have shown that high blood sugar leads to significant cognitive decline, especially later in life. And chronic alcohol use actually shrinks the size of your brain and can result in alcohol-related brain damage and dementia. Recommendations? Limit sugar and alcohol, avoid trans fats, fried and processed foods, and limit red meat to 12 ounces a week.

42 DOUGLAS

Heal Thyself

There are all manner of supplements, diets, books and products that promote a healthier brain. The latest is The Better Brain, a new book by Canadian scientists Bonnie J. Kaplan and Julia J. Rucklidge, which looks at how to improve mental health by protecting, supporting and healing the brain with proper nutrition. The premise is simple. Like our cardiovascular health, our brain health is linked to diet, and we can treat mental disorders — from anxiety and depression to ADHD — with the foods we eat, especially those that reduce or prevent inflammation in the body. Both Kaplan and Rucklidge say their training in medicine and psychology focused on using drugs to treat mental disorders, with minerals and vitamins “of trivial importance.” But they say the latest research proves “our brains need at least 30 micronutrients,” and many of these nutrients are missing in our modern diets. While most people understand how diet impacts heart disease and diabetes, “the public is less aware of the impact of nutrition on brain health,” they write.

“Given that our society’s food choices have moved so strongly toward ultraprocessed products, we need to learn about the substantial scientific evidence proving that micronutrient intake influences mental health symptoms, especially irritability, explosive rage and unstable mood,” they go on to say. The Better Brain details Kaplan and Rucklidge’s own brain research with a comprehensive program, including recipes, to feed your brain with the nutrients it needs.

The ideal diet for your brain, they say, is “a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.”

Promising Commercial Products

While most nutritionists say it’s the synergy of nutrients in whole foods that are best for the body, some studies have shown that even a regular multivitamin can support the brain. And there are new brainenhancing products, including alcohol-free botanical tonics brewed with “functional mushrooms” by Auralis Botanical Brewing Company in Ontario (the lion’s mane drink is said to enhance focus and concentration), and MOSH protein “brain bars,” created by American journalist Maria Shriver and her son Patrick Schwarzenegger, with brainboosting ingredients from grass-fed whey protein and cocoa beans to their “brain blend” of flaxseed, bovine collagen, lion’s mane mushrooms, ashwagandha, omega-3’s and B vitamins.

Thinking clearly and decisively is important in business, whether you’re pitching proposals, answering emails or leading a team in a big project. Food may not make you smarter, but if you find yourself forgetting names or distracted by multitasking and technology, tweaking your daily diet might help. So give your brain a boost and banish the fog with the nutrients it needs. After all, you are what you eat!

Cinda Chavich is a longtime food writer, author and journalist based in Victoria. Good food, she says, is always your best medicine!

BRAIN BOOSTERS  Seafood - Fatty fish is loaded with healthy omega-3’s, especially DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), and that’s food for a healthy brain. Eat fish at least once a week, especially salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel or cod.  Nuts - All nuts, with their healthy fatty acids and vitamin E, improve memory by preventing inflammation, but walnuts and almonds are in the superfood category with twice the antioxidants of most nuts, and loads of omega-3s, like alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), for a healthy brain.  Tea and Coffee - The good news is that your morning jolt of java may be more than a daily eye-opener. Studies show moderate caffeine consumption improves mental function and might help new memories stick. Just go easy on the sugar.  Leafy Greens - Eat your greens is the best advice when it comes to eating smarter. Spinach, kale and arugula are rich in micronutrients including folate and vitamins E and K, protecting the body from damage by toxic free radicals. A daily serving of greens can both prevent cognitive decline as we age and sharpen our memories.  Berries - The flavonoids that give blueberries, blackberries and strawberries their intense colours boost brain health. Berries are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that stimulate blood flow and aid concentration, and one study shows that consuming two or more servings of berries per week can delay memory decline by up to two and a half years.

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MANAGEMENT

BY CLEMENS RETTICH

Strategy, Tactic or Waste of Time?

Why companies need to rethink their strategic planning and consider strategic management instead.

M

ost organizations should stop strategic planning.

Why? Because the time most organizations spend on creating strategic plans ends up as wasted. It is a lot of time and emotional investment that results in very little new value.

Understanding your organizational priorities, and a strategic relationship with the world around you, is good management.

But I’ve rarely seen a strategic plan that can create that understanding.

For most organizations, strategic planning consists of locking your decision-makers in a room for one or two days, with bad coffee, rationalizing why most of last year’s targets weren’t hit, and writing a new plan not much different from the last one. Why does this go so wrong? What happened? Why does so much “strategic” planning create so little value?

Why It Doesn’t Work

It isn’t strategy If you aren’t talking about transformations to the way you are approaching your market, your engines of growth, or your business model itself, it isn’t strategy. Selling more of something, for example, by lowering its price or increasing distribution (both changes in scale) isn’t strategy. It’s tactics. If what we are doing is planning for strategic change, it’s going to take more than a weekend. It takes months. Organizations that do this right are often in a prepare-plan-executemonitor cycle that lasts the whole year.

We don’t “connect blue sky to pavement” Real strategic change usually requires a complete rethink of the operational framework of the organization. Roles, resources, priorities, processes … But we rarely get deeper than assigning arbitrary roles and timelines.

We don’t build learning loops To paraphrase the brilliant Prussian general Helmuth von Moltke: All plans fail at the first moment of contact with the enemy. The plan matters, but it is the learn-and-adapt loops supporting that plan that ensure its success.

How quickly did we realize we were no longer on track? How reliably can we identify why we are off track? When we get a countermeasure into place, how quickly and reliably can we know it is working? The 44 DOUGLAS

answer, for most organizations is: Too late, too inaccurately, and too slowly.

How do we get ourselves past the terminally disappointing strategic plan?

Strategic management. We have to change our relationship to planning. We have to realize that most of our planning isn’t strategic. It’s tactical, and it isn’t the end or the beginning of anything. It is just one point in the discipline of strategic management.

Here’s the (Real) Plan

First, decide if we are talking strategy or tactics. Are we planning for linear growth or transformation? If the latter, plan for the twoto five-year journey that real transformation requires. Work with your team to research how the market, human, financial, systems, and process pieces will all fit together. This requires a strategic plan to capture it all and drive an execution road map. And it will take you up to a year.

If you are not planning on a disruptive transformation, forget the strategic plan.

Instead, do this: implement strategic management that supports effective tactical and operational planning. If you are going to grow or scale what you already have, and who you already are, this is the route to take.

Does all of this mean we shouldn’t plan?

Absolutely not. Strategic management uses a plan to confirm direction, alignment and accountability. But the focus is on execution, traction, and progress through learning loops.

In this framework, the plan has results and key objectives (RKOs if you like acronyms)

STRATEGIC PLANNING The plan is the point The plan is the core Is about accurate modeling One and done

Real strategic change usually requires a complete rethink of the operational framework of the organization. Roles, resources, priorities, processes… that create the guiding star for our efforts. As long as these RKOs meet old-school SMART (specific, measurable, assignable, realistic and time-bound) conditions, no need to overthink it; you are off to the operational races.

That’s when strategic management kicks in: at the races.

Strategic management has three hallmarks: It uses a plan as its North Star.

I t focuses on disciplined, consistent execution.

I t requires feedback (data) and learning as its primary tools.

The Execution Part Strategic management exhibits three qualities as it executes a plan:

VS

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT The plan is the beginning Learning is the core Is about effective execution Cyclical learning loops

1 - It values the plan Not slavishly, but as a source of direction and accountability. No matter what we do at any point in the organization, we should be able to trace the bread crumb trail of those activities back to the plan. Why are we doing it this way? Why are we spending this money? Why are we turning down that opportunity? Because it doesn’t align with the plan. No matter how distractingly attractive it might be, we give it the side-eye.

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2 - It values culture “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” writes Peter Drucker. Why do most plans, including strategic plans, stumble? Because the culture isn’t up to supporting them.

Every single point of a plan, down to the periods in the sentences, is the product and responsibility of an organizational culture and the humans that are in it. Strategic management focuses on this connection.

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3 - It values feedback and learning The strategic or tactical plan sets out the compass heading. As we move forward, unforeseen obstacles, setbacks and changes arise. Effective strategic management asks us to do two things in these moments.  The first is to establish a continuous stream of feedback. The more current, comprehensive and accurate the information we have about what is “really going on,” the greater the likelihood of reducing the cost of setbacks, if not eliminating them outright.

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T he second is to value learning. We maxcourier.com need the humility and the systems to live within this aspiration. And failure must be an option. We must have processes in place to learn from setbacks. In strategic management, the observe-analyze-act loop transforms failure into learning. We use data to identify departure from the plan, seek to understand the root cause, correct and monitor the results.

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Strategic management is management in which the purpose and direction set out in a plan is fused with an approach that integrates that purpose with our culture, through feedback-driven execution.

Strategic management creates results because it is a continual engagement with reality; continually aligning and realigning its powerful internal compass (the plan) with reality through the power of integrating culture, data, and learning.

The outcome is that instead of a document we make excuses for at the end of the year, we celebrate progress, learning, and success at the end of every day.

Clemens Rettich is an organizational consultant. He supports organizations and leaders in growth, change, and transition.

Clemens has spent 25 years practising the art of management.

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DOUGLAS 45

DID YOU KNOW

WHO ARE WE? Victoria is younger, more affluent and more diverse than you may think.

Demographics are defined as the study of the characteristics of people or businesses within a particular region, and sometimes the results are surprising. Business plans, marketing and image building all depend on this data. Here’s a snapshot of Victoria’s ages, incomes and diversity.

POPULATION 73,5044

1996

INCOME 80,117

78,057

74,125

2001

2006

2011

91,867

85,792

2016

2021

 Population is the sum of birth plus migration, and

$0-$4k $5-$9k $10-$14k $15-$19k $20-$29k $30-$39k $40-$49k $50-$59k $60-$79k $80-$99k $100-$124k $125-$149k $150k+

715 355 385 1,505 4,935 4,575 4,585 4,345 7,710 5,685 4,785 3,155 6,285

represents the total market size of Victoria's downtown core.

Businesses use this as a metric for evaluating startup, expansion or relocation.

 Victoria’s average annual household income, before

AGE

DIVERSITY

taxes, is $89,078, about $6,000 less than Vancouver.

B.C.’s minimum wage is $15.65, the highest in Canada.

8, 7

65 9, 0 35

3,075

5 05 5, 3 40 5, 5 60 5, 9 65 6,0 20 5, 9 05

20 10 3, 3

1,120

895

680

780

675

445

 Although Victoria has the reputation of being a city of

scooters and early-bird specials, the median age is a fairly spry 42.8. In fact the two largest groups are between ages 25 to 34.

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04 59 10 -14 15 19 20 -24 25 -29 30 -3 4 35 -3 9 40 -4 9 50 -5 4 55 -5 9 60 -6 4 65 -6 9 70 -74 75 -79 80 -8 4 85 -8 9 90 +

Ar

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2 ,4

3, 7

05

5, 2

1,510

B la

85

7,4 5 5, 9

40 6,0 10 2,8 35 2 ,7 05 2 ,7 10

2,9

2,540

2,340

 Just over 15 per cent of Victoria's population is

of other than white, European origin. Rather than representing one culture, Victorians come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, as defined by Canada's Employment Equity Act.

source: townfolio.co

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$47,895,000

$11,975,000

$7,250,000

$5,995,000

Mid Vancouver Island, Nanaimo-Comox

377 Seymour Heights, Salt Spring Island

5776 East Sooke Road, Sooke

2840 Sea View Road, Victoria

330.75 ACRE WATERFRONT LOT

BEDS: 7 BATHS: 8 7,324 SQ.FT. 71.17 ACRES

BEDS: 3 BATHS: 3 2,696 SQ.FT. 7.75 ACRES

BEDS: 3 BATHS: 4 6,697 SQ.FT. 0.79 ACRES

Peter Crichton

Samantha Jensson 250.818.2006

Sandy Berry

250.818.8736

250.857.0609

Logan Wilson PREC

250.889.4000

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES »

« UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES NEW LISTING

RECENTLY SOLD

$1,580,000

$874,900

$900,000

6366 & 6368 Belvista Place, Sooke DUPLEX BEDS: 4 BATHS: 3 0.72 ACRE LOT Marnie Ross

250.514.4363

$799,000

77 Mapleleaf Lane, Sidney Island

6983 Hagan Road, Central Saanich

1215 Starlight Grove, Sooke

4 ACRE LOT

0.19 ACRE LOT

1.10 ACRE LOT

Kris Ricci

778.966.7441

Don St Germain

250.744.7136

PREC

Spencer Cao

250.732.2267

C O N D O S & TOW N H O M E S » NEW LISTING

$829,000

SOLD

$749,900

$695,000

$649,000

203-2930 Cook Street, Victoria

1601-845 Johnson Street, Victoria

1716 Ashdale Place, Saanich

402-517 Fisgard Street, Victoria

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,512 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 724 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 3 BATHS: 1 1,116 SQ.FT. 0.06 ACRES

BEDS: 1 BATHS: 1 582 SQ.FT.

Grace Shin

Nico Grauer PREC

Lisa Williams

250.514.1966

PREC

Michael Tourigny

250.514.6457

250.893.9976

250.228.3858

« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S »

C O N D O S & TOW N H O M E S » NEW LISTING

SOLD

$550,000

$512,500

$2,499,000

$2,495,000

201-1597 Mortimer Street, Saanich

4-2530 Windsor Road, Oak Bay

7214 Austins Place, Sooke

9171 West Coast Road, Sooke

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,178 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 1 866 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 3 BATHS: 3 2,869 SQ.FT. 0.40 ACRES

BEDS: 8 BATHS: 10 5,991 SQ.FT 4.59 ACRES

Alenzo Winters

250.858.9395

Brett Cooper PREC

250.858.6524

250.727.5448

Brad Maclaren PREC

S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S » NEW LISTING

SOLD

$1,275,000

$1,249,000

$788,000

4047 Haro Road, Saanich

553 Marine View, Cobble Hill

4460 Majestic Drive, Saanich

BEDS: 3 BATHS: 1 1,408 SQ.FT. 0.32 ACRES

BEDS: 3 BATHS: 4 3,065 SQ.FT. 0.14 ACRES

BEDS: 6 BATHS: 3 2,282 SQ.FT. 0.14 ACRES

BEDS: 4 BATHS: 4 2,578 SQ.FT. 1.08 ACRES

Jacob Garrett

Andrew Maxwell

Sean Farrell

Simona Stramaccioni

Alenzo Winters

Andrew Maxwell

Victoria 250.380.3933

236.562.7047

Andy Stephenson

Beth Hayhurst

250.589.6247

« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S

NEW PRICE

$1,375,000

Terry Calveley

Brad Maclaren

Salt Spring Island 250.537.1778

Brayden Klein

250.213.2104

Brett Cooper

Vancouver 604.632.3300

Brian Danyliw

Cheryl Barnes

4873/4875 Brenton Page Road, Ladysmith

250.588.2377

D’Arcy Harris

West Vancouver 604.632.3300

Dave Hatt

Dean Innes

Don St Germain

White Rock 604.632.3300

Georgia Wiggins

778.966.7466

Glynis MacLeod

Whistler 604.932.3388

Grace Shin

Harley Shim

Kelowna 250.469.9547

Jacob Garrett

Kirsten MacLeod

Sun Peaks 250.578.7773

Move Beyond Your Expectations 2840 SEA VIEW ROAD, VICTORIA 377 SEYMOUR HEIGHTS, SALT SPRING ISLAND

S O T H E B Y S R E A L T Y. C A « UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES NEW LISTING

SOLD

$5,500,000

$2,950,000

$2,200,000

5105 & 5109 Cordova Bay Road, Victoria

6088 Genoa Bay Road, Duncan

BATHS: 8 10,993 SQ.FT. 0.38 ACRES

BEDS: 5 BATHS: 4 4,995 SQ.FT. 2.28 ACRES

Glynis MacLeod

PREC

250.661.7232

Dean Innes

250.686.0279

$1,700,000

6821 Lakes Road, Duncan

553-561-573 Dobson Road, Duncan

9.28 ACRE LOT

0.75 ACRE LOT

Luke Cameron

250.380.3933

C O N D O S & TOW N H O M E S »

Philippe Jolicoeur

778.821.0131

« C O N D O S & TOW N H O M E S NEW LISTING

INTRODUCING

$1,600,000

$1,495,000

$1,424,000

$849,000

905-373 Tyee Road, Victoria

808-1400 Lynburne Place, Langford

302 - 738 Sayward Hill Terrace, Victoria

8-1010 Pembroke Street, Victoria

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 3 1,442 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 3 1,836 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,844 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 4 BATHS: 3 1,563 SQ.FT.

Kirsten MacLeod 250.686.3385

Shaelyn Mattix 250.908.0184

Brayden Klein

PREC

250.588.2466

Beth Hayhurst

250.896.0766

D’Arcy Harris

250.686.2375

« C O N D O S & TOW N H O M E S

INTRODUCING

$619,000

$575,000

$560,000

205-916 Lyall Street, Esquimalt

105-1400 Lynburne Place, Langford

C-545 Jubilee Street, Duncan

BEDS: 1 BATHS: 1 660 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 1 BATHS: 1 597 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,292 SQ.FT.

Andy Stephenson

250.532.0888

PREC

Cheryl Barnes

250.413.7943

Dave Hatt

250.888.0204

« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S SOLD

$2,085,000

$1,650,000

$1,550,000

$1,385,000

8410 Alec Road, Central Saanich

822 Cuaulta Crescent, Colwood

6466 East Sooke Road, Sooke

1303 Flint Avenue, Victoria

BEDS: 5 BATHS: 4 3,338 SQ.FT. 5 ACRES

BEDS: 4 BATHS: 4 3,400 SQ.FT. 0.75 ACRES

BEDS: 3 BATHS: 3 2,206 SQ.FT. 0.29 ACRES

BEDS: 5 BATHS: 4 2,925 SQ.FT. 0.12 ACRES LEGAL SUITE

Harley Shim

Thomas Goodman

Robyn Wildman

Tim Wiggins 250.415.2811

Georgia Wiggins PREC 250.415.2500

250.881.3601

250.415.6675

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