Help Make Victoria a More Welcoming City


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To read this in another language, go to the top right corner of your screen and click on "Select Language."

What we’re engaging on:

The City of Victoria is creating a Welcoming City Strategy that will serve as a roadmap to guide Victoria towards becoming a stronger, more inclusive community where everyone, including newcomers, immigrants and refugees, is accepted, respected and feels like they belong.

The Welcoming City Strategy will include recommended short, medium and long-term actions, measures of success, as well as an accountability framework.

How we got here:

The City of Victoria's 2019-2022 Strategic Plan has eight objectives, one of which is "Health, Well-Being and a Welcoming City". Creating a Welcoming City Strategy is an action under this objective. A Welcoming City Task Force was formed last summer and began meeting in the fall, with the purpose of developing the Welcoming City Strategy.

The Council-appointed Welcoming City Task Force is co-chaired by Mayor Lisa Helps and Councillor Sharmarke Dubow and made up of people who reflect Victoria’s increasingly diverse population. The Task Force is leading the Welcoming City work with the assistance of consultants and City staff. Sharing their own expertise and lived experience, Task Force members are reaching out to other community stakeholders through a series of virtual workshops to gather input to inform the Welcoming City Strategy.

Welcoming Standards help communities imagine the possibilities of what they could look like while also measuring progress. To be effective, a Welcoming City Strategy must engage long-time residents; set goals, monitor impact and adjust as needed; be designed for equity and inclusion; and be implemented in partnership with the community.

The Welcoming Standards are drawn from Welcoming America, a non-profit organization leading a movement of inclusive communities to become more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. The Welcoming Standards are organized into the following categories:

  • Government Leadership
  • Civic Engagement
  • Equitable Access
  • Education
  • Connected Communities
  • Economic Development
  • Safe Communities

Learn more about the Welcoming City Task Force.

When will we be seeking public input?
May 11 - 30 -- Phase 1 Engagement – Participate in Stories, Ideas and Poll engagement activities to help develop Welcoming City Strategy

June 24 - July 11 -- Phase 2 Engagement – Participate in an online Survey to provide feedback on potential ideas for the Welcoming City Strategy

What is the level of public participation?
This engagement ranges from Consult to Collaborate.

HAVE YOUR SAY UPDATE:
Phase 1: Thank you to all those who shared their ideas, stories and lived experiences with us during Phase 1 of engagement.

Phase 2: The online survey is now closed. The community was invited to provide feedback on potential ideas for the Strategy to make sure it reflects the collective voice, vision, and values of Victoria residents. Thank you to all those who participated.

Next Step: Public feedback will inform the draft Welcoming City Strategy that will be presented to Council for consideration this fall.



Language Selections
To read this in another language, go to the top right corner of your screen and click on "Select Language."

What we’re engaging on:

The City of Victoria is creating a Welcoming City Strategy that will serve as a roadmap to guide Victoria towards becoming a stronger, more inclusive community where everyone, including newcomers, immigrants and refugees, is accepted, respected and feels like they belong.

The Welcoming City Strategy will include recommended short, medium and long-term actions, measures of success, as well as an accountability framework.

How we got here:

The City of Victoria's 2019-2022 Strategic Plan has eight objectives, one of which is "Health, Well-Being and a Welcoming City". Creating a Welcoming City Strategy is an action under this objective. A Welcoming City Task Force was formed last summer and began meeting in the fall, with the purpose of developing the Welcoming City Strategy.

The Council-appointed Welcoming City Task Force is co-chaired by Mayor Lisa Helps and Councillor Sharmarke Dubow and made up of people who reflect Victoria’s increasingly diverse population. The Task Force is leading the Welcoming City work with the assistance of consultants and City staff. Sharing their own expertise and lived experience, Task Force members are reaching out to other community stakeholders through a series of virtual workshops to gather input to inform the Welcoming City Strategy.

Welcoming Standards help communities imagine the possibilities of what they could look like while also measuring progress. To be effective, a Welcoming City Strategy must engage long-time residents; set goals, monitor impact and adjust as needed; be designed for equity and inclusion; and be implemented in partnership with the community.

The Welcoming Standards are drawn from Welcoming America, a non-profit organization leading a movement of inclusive communities to become more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. The Welcoming Standards are organized into the following categories:

  • Government Leadership
  • Civic Engagement
  • Equitable Access
  • Education
  • Connected Communities
  • Economic Development
  • Safe Communities

Learn more about the Welcoming City Task Force.

When will we be seeking public input?
May 11 - 30 -- Phase 1 Engagement – Participate in Stories, Ideas and Poll engagement activities to help develop Welcoming City Strategy

June 24 - July 11 -- Phase 2 Engagement – Participate in an online Survey to provide feedback on potential ideas for the Welcoming City Strategy

What is the level of public participation?
This engagement ranges from Consult to Collaborate.

HAVE YOUR SAY UPDATE:
Phase 1: Thank you to all those who shared their ideas, stories and lived experiences with us during Phase 1 of engagement.

Phase 2: The online survey is now closed. The community was invited to provide feedback on potential ideas for the Strategy to make sure it reflects the collective voice, vision, and values of Victoria residents. Thank you to all those who participated.

Next Step: Public feedback will inform the draft Welcoming City Strategy that will be presented to Council for consideration this fall.


  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Welcoming City Strategy Survey

    Welcome

    The City of Victoria is developing a Welcoming City Strategy that will serve as a roadmap to guide Victoria towards becoming a stronger, more inclusive community by bridging the gap between newcomers and long-time residents. 

    The Welcoming City Strategy is intended to foster a compassionate and neighbourly community where all residents - regardless of how they may have entered the city or their immigration status - are accepted, respected and encouraged to participate in civic life. 

    Building on public input during the first round of engagement, the community now has the opportunity to provide feedback on potential ideas for the Welcoming City Strategy in this online survey. 

    The Welcoming City Task Force has assessed Victoria against an international Welcoming Standard, which helps cities become more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. 

    The online survey organizes potential ideas for the Strategy into seven categories aligned with the Welcoming Standard, which include: Government Leadership, Equitable Access, Civic Engagement, Connected Communities, Education, Economic Development and Safe Communities.

    The Council-appointed Welcoming City Task Force is made up of people who reflect Victoria’s increasingly diverse population and is leading the Welcoming City work with the assistance of consultants and City staff. Sharing their own expertise and lived experience, Task Force members reached out to other community stakeholders through a series of virtual workshops to gather input in the spring. Broad public input was also collected through online activities on the City’s Have Your Say engagement platform.

    The community is invited to provide feedback on draft ideas that will inform the actions in the Welcoming City Strategy by completing this online survey by July 11.

    Your responses to this survey will inform the short, medium and long-term actions required to make Victoria a more welcoming city. 

    The draft Welcoming City Strategy will be presented to Council for consideration this fall.

    Privacy statement
    Thank you for taking the time to complete this voluntary survey. Please do not provide your name, address or any other personal information that identifies yourself or other individuals. Personal information that is submitted will be treated as though the City has received your consent to disclose it to the Mayor and Council, appropriate staff and the public. If you require further information about this survey, please contact engage@victoria.ca. All survey responses will become part of a public package presented at an upcoming Council meeting, part of the public record, and searchable online.

Page last updated: 13 Dec 2023, 10:06 AM