Can you imagine what Greater Victoria will look like for your grandkids and future generations?
That's the question the Victoria Foundation poses in the 19th annual Victoria's Vital Signs report, the annual check-up measuring the vitality of our region as perceived by local residents.
However we consider the region's future and what it might look like, it's essential to engage today’s youth in those efforts, says Jim Hayhurst, a longtime tech sector leader, social impact and philanthropy champion. He and his wife Beth have three adult children who have chosen to return to the Island after moving east for university.
In a thought-provoking feature in this year's report, Hayhurst says that as homeownership and food costs rise, traditional notions of ‘affordability’ and what makes for a ‘quality life’ often don't match up. So what are up-and-coming generations' values on quality living? What does a quality life look like for them?
“We can talk about reducing the cost of living, or we can talk about redefining what living looks like, and I think it starts with listening to those that will inherit this world we’ve created," Hayhurst says. “It’s incumbent upon us as non-profit, corporate and civic leaders to ask, ‘What is it you truly value?’”
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The region today, as we look toward tomorrow
Compiled from data from the citizen survey, completed by a record 6,500-plus people, along with data from secondary sources, this year's Vital Signs report reveals residents’ top concerns.
Providing letter grades from A to F for 12 key issue areas, including quality of life, belonging and engagement, arts and culture, and more, this year, overall quality of life in Greater Victoria scored a B grade – unchanged from 2023, but a decrease from 2022's grade of B+.
“For nearly 20 years, Vital Signs has been helping the community identify and respond to the greatest challenges facing our region,” says CEO Sandra Richardson. “This year, the survey found cost of living, housing and healthcare to be among the most important issues in Greater Victoria.
New this year, in recognition of the many ways people of all ages communicate today, the Foundation launched a brand-new digital version of the report that’s easily navigable for all screens. The print version also remains available at locations around the region.
"Imagining a future where our grandkids and future generations can thrive begins with gathering a clear picture of the quality of life in Greater Victoria today,” Richardson notes. “And now, for the first time, we’re pleased to make the traditional Vital Signs report more interactive and engaging to the public through a digital format that you can scroll through on your smartphones, tablets and computers,” she says.
Read Victoria's Vital Signs report here. Learn more about the Victoria Foundation, including how you can support vital local organizations working to meet the region's needs at victoriafoundation.bc.ca