Victoria seeks input on Welcoming City Strategy

The Chamber supports programs that make Greater Victoria a more inclusive and welcoming community. There is work to do. A recent article in Douglas Magazine notes that our city can feel unsafe and isolating for 70% of people who identify as Indigenous, Black, Asian or as a person of colour. An even higher percentage reported experiencing regular racism.

To change that, the City of Victoria is creating a Welcoming City Strategy that will recommend actions and ways to measure success, as well as an accountability framework.

“Council is committed to helping create a city where everyone feels welcomed, accepted, safe and has the opportunity to prosper,” Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps told Douglas Magazine. “The Welcoming City Strategy is intended to remove barriers to City services and foster a compassionate and neighbourly community where all residents experience a sense of belonging and where we tackle racism and discrimination head on.”

Racism in Greater Victoria: A Community Report, was created by the Greater Victoria Local Immigration Partnership and the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria.

For more information and to provide input on the City of Victoria strategy, go to engage.victoria.ca.