A Comprehensive Guide about Living in Victoria

Life in Victoria

Safety and Security in Victoria

Overall the small urban city of Victoria is safe and is well served by the city’s own public safety organizations; for example:

• VEMA (Victoria Emergency Management Agency) is a resource in Victoria that helps the community prepare for emergencies. They also educate and empower the people in Victoria on how to ensure they are well prepared for an emergency.
• Vic PD (Victoria Police Department) has over 240 sworn members plus more than 100 civilian volunteers and staff. They are a modern force that promote public safety, and are very active in finding new ways to reduce crime in the city of Victoria.

One of the best tools for preventing crimes is a neighbor that watches out for you. In Victoria they have something called “Block Watch”, which involves the entire neighborhood: residents in the neighborhood watch each other’s homes and if they see anything suspicious they will report it to the police. “Block Watch” has been very successful in reducing the number of crimes in Victoria.

Victoria is a safe place to live, but we encourage all expats moving there to not assume all is well and continue to ensure they follow normal security procedures, such as locking all doors and windows at night and when away from home.

Transportation in Victoria

There are many modes of public transport in the city of Victoria. Buses, ferries, shuttles, taxis, bike rental, car rental, even horse drawn carriages.

Buses in the city run frequently throughout the area and accessible buses also carry scooters, bikes and wheelchairs.

Ferries are a great way of exploring the area that surrounds Victoria. Island to island ferries are one way, or if you prefer to remain in the heart of the city the Harbor Ferries stop at 17 places in the inner and upper harbor.

More information on these services can be found on the website of the regional transportation system.

Culture and Leisure in Victoria

Victoria has so much to offer when it comes to cultural experiences and leisure activities, but there is a small selection of what this great city has to offer the expats looking to relocate there:

Sports – The Royal Athletic Park is a multi-purpose stadium that provides playing and practice space for both local and visiting sports teams. Although mainly used for soccer, football and softball, the stadium often hosts special events, including the 2007 FIFA under 20 World Cup. The annual Great Canadian Beer Festival takes place in the city.

Tennis is very popular in Victoria, and the large number of public tennis courts reflects this.

The Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre is Victoria’s main hub of recreation, and includes two tots pools, a 50 meter swimming pool, 160 foot water slide, hot tubs, sauna, steam room, fitness classes, gym equipment and lots more. It’s a great place to spend a day out with the family having fun.

The interesting and rich history of Victoria can be explored through one of the city’s many heritage sites and museums, such as the Royal BC Museum, Hatley Castle, Emily Carr House and Point Ellice House.