Victoria, British Columbia
The City of Victoria, designated a Canadian Cultural Capital in 2005, is the core municipality of a metro region known as the Capital Regional District (pop. ~350,000 and growing). It is home to several universities (University of Victoria; Royal Roads; and the recently-founded private University Canada West, which plans to have a downtown campus by next year), as well as a number of colleges and technical and trade schools. The Vancouver Island Technology Park serves as incubator for high tech companies, and Victoria’s high tech sector is expanding greatly. Victoria is BC’s provincial capital (seat of government) and, in addition to its growing high tech sector, Victoria commands a thriving world-class tourism industry, which benefits from the city’s rich inventory of intact heritage buildings (late 19th and early 20th century). Long considered a “sleepy” city (its island location has tended to isolate it in the past), it can now leverage today’s networked business climate. Victoria is also undergoing a renaissance in urbanist thinking, manifesting in a construction boom that’s creating a vibrant downtown filled with residential towers and new office buildings. A highly desirable place to live (mild climate, beautiful scenery), Victoria is enriched by the “three Ts” (as defined by Richard Florida), which are crucial to city-making today: talent, technology, and tolerance.
View the Next Fast City
(Currently rated 4.8 out of 5)
Not Fast – 1 5 – Fast
See how everyone else rated this entry, and read their comments! (Your comments will be added in the next day or so, but your rating is added immediately.)
Thomas Guerrero – Victoria, BC, Canada
Victoria is booming! There are cranes everywhere. Jobs are plentiful and we were a host city for the FIFA U-20. We just need the rest of the country to recognize it!
jbutt – Victoria bc Can
It’s starting to move fast, but needs a bit of a push!
Dan – Canada
The Tech Sector in Victoria is the largest private industry bringing in $1.7 billion in annual revenues.
Bill – Vancouver
Extreme growth by teh tech sector has seen this once small industry grow by double digits in the last 5 years. From global leaders like Aspreva and Carmanah to up and comers like ParetoLogic and Triton this little Canadian city is punching way above its weight.
Nevin Thompson – Victoria, BC, Canada
There are hundreds of tech companies serving a variety of niches here, so there’s lots of work. The commute takes about 15 minutes, max, if you drive, but you can bike all year round. There’s plenty of stuff to do, especially for families. There is no crime and it’s very safe. All in all, Victoria is a great place for a tech professional to live.
Rob Bennett – Victoria, BC, Canada
A fantastic city to live in and raise a family!
Jim Wallace – Victoria,BC
Great place for living and working. It is all that is good about SF without any of the troubles.
Kevin Slagboom – Victoria, BC, Canada
I’ve been involved in Victoria’s tech sector for over 10yrs and have watched it grow exponentially. Victoria is a great place to work with clean air, under 20min commute, many green initiatives, beautiful landscape with lots of recreation opportunities, and friendly people. With a global economy, there is no real need to be based in some industrial park in the middle of no-where or crammed in the nth floor in an overcrowded city.
Chris Holt – Victoria BC Canada
Victoria is quite simply a hot bed of high tech innovation and success, and comes with a friendly and cooperative business culture. Victoria is wired up and clicking.
jim hedger – victoria bc, canada
Victoria is a center of excellence in the search and online marketing sector. It is also the warmest, most beautiful and recreationaly varied place to live in Canada.
Greg Caws – Victoria, BC, Canada
There is a wonderful synergy in the technology community. A highly experienced work-force with a strong work ethic give it a strong base.
Darien Martay – Victoria
I have lived here for more then 30 years,rnand hope too, for another 30… Great place to live and work, and be happy.
Jonathan Kerr – Victoria, BC, Canada
Victoria is a fantastic city to live and work in. The booming technology industry is providing more jobs then local companies are able to fill. The city that gave us Jeff Mallet (Yahoo!) continues to incubate new innovators.
James – Victoria, BC
Number one industry in Victoria? Not tourism… It’s technology.rnrnWith the universities-government-outdoors trifecta, clean-tech companies are especially making their mark in Victoria: Carmanah (solar), Triton Logging (underwater harvesting), Hydroxyl (wastewater) to name a few.
Mike – Victoria, BC, Canada
Victoria has gone through significant changes (for the better) since it’s placid days in the early 1990’s. The nightlife and cultural life of this city have benefited from a more aware and more active local populace interested in downtown as a place not only to work but to live and play.
Mike – Victoria, BC, Canada
Victoria has gone through significant changes (for the better) since it’s placid days in the early 1990’s. The nightlife and cultural life of this city have benefited from a more aware and more active local populace interested in downtown as a place not only to work but to live and play.
Walt – Victoria, BC
Victoria’s been a “Fast City” in the making for almost 15 years. The high tech side is strong, the geography is stellar – and – like all growing places, the talent pool needs more swimmers… so put on your wet suit and jump in!rnFYI – Victoria was one of the first Canadian cities to sign up for a Company of Friends chapter.
D. Verhille – Victoria, BC, Canada
Love this place I call home.
ken kelly – victoria, b.c.
having lived in 7 cities across the country, and travelled around the world, I can truly say this is a magical city! Well worth a full five points.
T. Crljenko – Victoria, BC
Simply the best.
Yule Heibel – Victoria, BC, Canada
Victoria has tremendous potential, which will be released most effectively when we achieve sufficient density. We need to watch our affordability (already very endangered), but there’s no going back for this city. We’re on the verge, and our only option now is to fly — as we should. For Victoria today, it’s all about being connected, which is ironic insofar as the city managed to excuse itself from the fray for decades by virtue of its island status. In today’s digital age (and market), however, there’s no place left to hide, so Victoria may as well come out and shine. We know it can.
David Ross – Victoria, BC, Canada
I’m proud to be a downtown business owner in Victoria. With the amount of residential and office space under construction and planned over the next 3-5 years along with retiring baby boomers migrating here there should be nothing but positive growth for downtown retailers.
Craig – Tokyo, Japan
Beautiful place to live, but not very fast.
Aidan Henry – Victoria, BC, Canada
Victoria is definitely blossoming as a tech hub. I look forward to being a part of future growth.
jbut – jbuttown
Fast, but not too fast!
http://www.fastcompany.com/cities/2007/profile.php?id=125
Comments on this entry are closed.