Victoria BC Community Blog

Canada Day Events in Victoria

Posted by Niels Madsen on June 24, 2016

Estimated Read Time: 9 minutes

Canada Day is more than just downtown activities in Greater Victoria. Events are taking place up and down the peninsula, and all the way into Sooke. Make sure to keep this guide on hand while event hopping and you won't have to endure a single dull moment this Friday.

If you're driving or busing on Canada Day, keep in mind that Gorge Road will be closed from Admirals to Tillicum from 7am - 6pm, Belleville Street will be closed from Menzies to Douglas St. from 6am - midnight, and Government Street will be closed from Humboldt to Superior St. from 4pm - midnight. Buses will be running on a Saturday schedule with extra buses assigned to busy routes and times. Day passes are $5 and no alcohol is allowed on board.

Finally, if you spot any non-emergency-but-concerning situations in the Victoria area, the Victoria Police Department will be responding to the #VicPDHelps hashtag on Facebook and Twitter from 4 - 11 PM.

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Victoria Day Events in Victoria BC

Posted by Niels Madsen on May 9, 2016

Estimated Read Time: 19 minutes

Victoria Day is a great long weekend to spend on the island, whether you're taking an at-home vacation or visiting from out of town. Check out the many events, local arts, and festivals taking place from Friday May 20 to 23, and make sure to catch the Island Farms Victoria Day Parade — the largest parade of the year in Victoria!

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Victoria Public Community Markets

Posted by Niels Madsen on April 15, 2016

Estimated Read Time: 10 minutes

Spring is in the air, which means that public markets have already started popping up around the island, full of fresh farmers' produce and high quality handmade goods. Victoria is well known for its markets — they attract residents and tourists alike from spring to autumn each year, adding variety and personality to our local economy.

If you like to support local artisans and public growers, want to start a 100 mile diet, need to pick up a gift, or just want to browse for a special treat, make sure to drop by.

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Spring Break & Easter Events in Victoria

Posted by Niels Madsen on March 14, 2016

Estimated Read Time: 9 minutes

Spring Break is here, but even if you missed all those early camp registration dates it isn't too late to find your kids some activities to do in and around town. Squeeze in some last minute fun, or start planning which events to hit up on your long Easter weekend.

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Victoria Housing Forecast For 2016

Posted by Niels Madsen on February 22, 2016

Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes

With the release of housing market reports from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), VREB, Royal LePage, and other real estate and economic organizations over the past few months, a picture of the Victoria housing market in 2016 is slowly starting to come together. The majority of available reports focus on Vancouver and BC as a whole, but as the Victoria market takes cues from the mainland, our outlook doesn't look to be too different. Here's what we keep seeing.

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Family Day Events in Victoria BC

Posted by Niels Madsen on January 26, 2016

Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes

Family Day is right around the corner, making it the perfect time to start planning those family activities! Take your kids out no matter what their age and check out the wide variety of free and paid events taking place around Victoria and Sidney.

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Christmas Events In Victoria

Posted by Niels Madsen on December 2, 2015

Estimated Read Time: 18 minutes

Victoria is a magical and beautiful place to spend Christmas, with plenty of lights and events throughout the city. Here are just some of the winter events taking place for Christmas and New Years on the island, including parades, carols, markets, concerts, movies, lights, tours, and brunches with Santa!

Don't forget to check out local coffee shops and restaurants as well for their Christmas specials.

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Winterizing Your Home In BC

Posted by Niels Madsen on November 19, 2015

Estimated Read Time: 8 minutes

There's a large number of "how to winterize your home" articles on the internet, but if you live on the west coast you may have noticed that most of them are aimed at home owners further east — home owners who have to deal with large amounts of snow and subzero temperatures.

Being located in a temperate climate, much of the BC coast and Victoria in particular has different concerns when it comes to preparing for winter. Instead of snow and ice, we need to prepare for high levels of rainfall and strong winds, as many of us realized during last Tuesday's storm!

To help you ready your home for the upcoming season, I've compiled this guide on winterizing your home for a west coast winter. It's never too late to get started!

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2015 Halloween Events in Victoria

Posted by Niels Madsen on October 1, 2015

Estimated Read Time: 12 minutes

Halloween is always a big event in Victoria with plenty to do. Check out local kids activities, ghost tours, haunted houses, bonfires, festivals and events taking place during the season of the pumpkin. And make sure to share your experiences using the hashtag #VictoriaBOO!

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How To Recycle Hard-To-Recycle Items

Posted by Niels Madsen on September 15, 2015

Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes

You might be surprised at how many items can go into your daily recycling. Plastic bags? Foam egg cartons? Aluminum aerosol containers, Pringles cans, plastic garden pots? All recyclable. But what about the bigger, awkward, and more dangerous items? Get a quick run-down on where to recycle your strange items on the island, from power tools to thermostats.

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