MAPPING VICTORIA - February 2026

New Military Housing For Esquimalt - Posted February 27, 2028

CHEK News reported today CFB Esquimalt will be getting 200 new housing units for military members as part of the Federal Government's efforts to boost housing supply. In turn this will support recruitment and retention in the military and help in part to alleviate existing housing pressures for communities near bases. The CHEK News report also referenced a 480 unit highrise for CFB Esquimalt. "The project is in the final design stages, and construction is expected to start in the fall.. the new, modern highrise building would provide single-occupancy rooms, coffee shops, postal services and a dining area capable of serving 700 people."

Saanich Scales Back Shelbourne Valley Density - Posted February 26, 2026

"Saying it had heard the wishes of the community, Saanich council Tuesday night moved forward an updated version of its Shelbourne Valley Plan that will reduce building heights at its centre."

So reads the opening line in the Times Colonist's story on Saanich council's decision to limit building heights to six storeys and changing the designation of the area from village to centre. Check out the TC article for the details as well as the municipality's Shelbourne Valley Plan Update site which is a wealth of information.

One question that comes to mind - will the height restriction lead to Shelbourne Valley evolving in a more 'human scale' or will this stifle more creative housing solutions and architecture with less green space as developers seek to reduce costs and max out the reduced density? Is Langford (sans anything above six storeys) the ideal model for this stretch of Shelbourne? Will it encourage pedestrian friendly streets and neighbourhoods or is there a sweet spot in between Langfordia, sterile suburban towers and University Heights style developments? Which to be fair is a signficant upgrade over the previous mall by the same name and location.

Budget Fallout - Another Tower in Turmoil? - Posted February 19, 2026

The fallout from the provincial budget continues after the Province confirmed it's suspending the Community Housing Fund, which helps fund affordable rental housing across British Columbia. According to a February 18, 2026 Victoria News article:

The $3.3 billion fund was introduced in 2018 to help pay for more than 20,000 affordable rental units. It has become something local governments rely on to meet provincial housing targets, which were introduced in 2023 to ensure municipalities are working to tackle the housing crisis. The program has paid for 13,600 homes so far. The fund’s latest intake opening, announced last May, opened up $775 million for project proposals. Budget 2026, released on Tuesday, Feb. 17, retracts this money, leaving those who applied scrambling for answers.

The article notes one of the projects affected is the 22-storey affordable rental housing tower in the Roundhouse development at 251 Esquimalt Road, part of Focus Equity's Roundhouse at Bayview nine building masterplan. Plans for the building were formally submitted to the City in October 2025; however the project was not being developed by Focus Equity but instead by TL Housing Solutions on behalf of the Greater Victoria Housing Society.

It was the second tower formally submitted as part of the Roundhouse masterplan, following Focus Equity's 25 storey residential/commercial building at 210 Kimta Road in August 2025. It may be several months before we learn of the fate of 251 Esquimalt Road - will Focus Equity partner with another developer; proceed to develop this lot themselves as market rentals or less likely as condo units? It's hard to imagine the City still requiring an affordable housing tower after the Province pulled the funding but considering the multi-decade Roundhouse development saga don't expect answers or clarity anytime soon.

Together with the potential loss (and at best - delay) of UVic's Sinclair Road tower, affordable housing has taken a significant hit this week; yet an alternative perspective is two bullets narrowly missed considering the uninspiring architecture in both cases.

UVic Housing Crunched in Provincial Budget - Posted February 17, 2026

The NDP released it's 2026 provincial budget in Victoria today with plenty of bad news to go around. One unexpected cut or delay to be precise was the government's 'repacing' of the University of Victoria's new Sinclair Road Housing tower which was expected to begin construction this year. The $178 million dollar ($121 million from the province) 17-storey tower designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects was to provide 510 beds upon completion in 2029. That completion dated has now been pushed to 2034. UVic released a statement reading in part: "The impacts of this decision will be felt by many on our campus, and because the project was set to begin construction in May, the university has already invested significant time and resources in it."

UVic has spent $3 million on the project thus far according to CHEK News and the last stage of community engagement with the release of the final design was expected this spring. The design by the highly respected firm Diamond Schmitt has been controversial; however, as an institutionally zoned project it does not require a municipal development permit. That didn't' stop Saanich's Advisory Design Panel from weighing in, stating the architecture was "austere, institutional, or lacking warmth and residential character."

So now what? Will the plans just sit for five years, will there be attempts to value engineer the current austere design or can we expect UVic come back with a new scaled down proposal? As the expression goes - time will tell, so stay tuned as the world turns..

Two Towers for Langford - Stop Me if You Heard This Before - Posted February 8, 2026

The Times Colonist reported on February 6th, 2026 about plans for 13 and 22-storey towers in downtown Langford on the 2600 blocks of Sunderland and Peatt. I'll hold off adding this project to the Development Tracker and Project Listing until/if this becomes more of a realistic possibility. Lots of housing and apartments being built in Langford right now but highrises have eluded them as have big name developers and architects.