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The City of Victoria Urban Forest Master Plan (February 2013) recommends that a canopy cover goal of 40% would be appropriate for cities in the Pacific Northwest. Table 1 of that document, citing a 2013 LIDAR analyses, states Victoria’s City Wide Canopy Coverage was 26%. Victoria City Councillors approved a significant motion on April 3, 2025 to address the tree deficit we currently have in the city and included an important aspect of the Tree Masterplan that has been ignored

In many gateway cities – cities tightly locked into global flows of capital and people – immigration has become the largest component of population growth, and thus a major determinant of housing markets. In Vancouver, the arrival of wealthy migrants, many holding golden visas, plus significant offshore property investment, has contributed to rapid house price inflation. In a recent paper, Lauster and von Bergmann (2023) characterise local resistance to these trends as ‘housi

The city of Victoria is embarking on a bold journey by revising its Official Community Plan (OCP). This includes an extensive upzoning initiative that intends to transform single-family lots into areas designated for four-story apartment buildings. The city anticipates a population surge, but many residents and stakeholders are concerned about the necessity and impact of such drastic rezoning. In this blog post, we’ll examine the details of this upzoning plan, its potential i

Impact of Upzoning on Trees and Green Areas Upzoning refers to the process of changing zoning regulations to allow for increased density or height of buildings in a specific area. While it is often promoted as a solution for housing shortages and urban development, upzoning can have significant negative impacts on the environment, particularly concerning the loss of trees and green spaces, which in turn reduces biodiversity. Loss of Trees and Green Areas 1. **Increased Deve

Upzoning has emerged as a critical topic in urban planning and real estate discussions. It raises significant questions about housing availability and affordability. As cities grow, local governments may choose to upzone areas, increasing density. This can lead to taller buildings, multi-family units, and mixed-use developments. While the intention behind upzoning is often to stimulate growth and accommodate increasing populations, it can also have unexpected consequences for