Vancouver Island’s View Royal pushes for a slower approach to growth

Vancouver Island's View Royal community has seen a surge in traffic in recent years.

View Royal is sandwiched between the larger Vancouver Island communities of Colwood, Langford and Saanich. It has a much smaller population than all of its closest neighbours, with around 13,500 residents.

Sid Tobias, the Mayor of View Royal, refers to the town as a “modern bedroom community.”

It is quaint and surrounded by nature, yet most commuters in the southern region of Vancouver Island travel through it every day.

“Admittedly we’re the nexus for connecting the core with the West Shore and up island,” said Tobias.

“You have to go through View Royal.”

Concerns have risen in recent years over the increased traffic brought on by the island’s growing population.

Tobias says the View Royal council are determining how to manage such growth without upsetting the municipality’s locals, with a focus on proper planning and ample public consultation.

The council is currently working on a new community plan, dubbed View Royal 2025 – Our Future View, that will create a path to guide the town’s growth and development over the next 25 years.

“The other thing that goes hand-in-hand with that is how do you get growth to pay for growth,” said Tobias.

Mayor and council have been vocal when it comes to concerns regarding the province‘s housing targets, noting how there are fears taxpayers will heavily subsidize the cost of municipal infrastructure to service all those additional units of housing that the province is mandating.

Now council has penned a letter to the province of B.C. stating its opposition to Bills 15 and 7, which would essentially take final decision-making out of the hands of municipal councils.

“I have grave concerns about both of these bills as that it isolates decision making to within cabinet without engagement,” said Tobias.

Within the borders of View Royal, natural beauty is found throughout, with scenic spots like Portage Inlet and Thetis Lake Park. The small municipality isn’t known for having a downtown core.

It is a topic that has come up for discussion around the council table, said Tobias.

“The question is, do we need a downtown core in View Royal or do we need we need neighbourhood centres?”

So far, View Royal has landed on the latter.

Rebecca McGuire is the co-owner of The Nest Café along the Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.

Two years ago she embarked on a venture with a friend, re-opening the shuttered business. She says business has been excellent, with many loyal customers.

“You feel part of a community when you come here,” said McGuire.

“Absolutely it was the best decision. I wake-up every day so thankful that I’m here, and that I get to do this.”

In 2024, The Globe and Mail ranked View Royal as the number one place for entrepreneurs to live in all of Canada, describing how the town’s vibrant community and strong economy makes it the ideal location for business owners and their families to settle.