Help Make Victoria a More Welcoming City
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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.
