How we check numbers

Short answers first. The details are further down.

In short

Public bodies first. Every number comes from the body that collects it, such as Statistics Canada, CMHC, BC Stats, the BC Coroners Service, the B.C. Ministry of Health or the City of Victoria. No news stories, and no figures from think tanks, advocacy groups or industry that we cannot check. Some measures are calculated here from public data; each shows its formula and sources. Where the numbers come from.
No source, no number. A number appears only if it has a source link, the period it covers, a licence or terms of use, how often it is updated and the date we retrieved it. The build script refuses anything missing one of these.
Open licence, or public with attribution. Most numbers are under an open licence. Some are published by an agency for anyone to read but not under an open licence; those carry a “Public, not open-licensed” label. More about this.
Never typed in by hand. Numbers are read by script from the agency’s own files. If a download fails, the previous number stays and the problem is reported. Before each release, every headline is checked again against the agency’s own headline figure (the release check log is kept with the site’s code).
Things people feel. We chose measures about daily life: waiting for care, prices, rent, housing, homelessness, drug deaths, safety, business and jobs, City finances, getting around, the environment and taking part in City decisions. Victoria figures come first; a wider area is used only when no Victoria figure exists, and the page says so.
We show who decides. Each measure lists the body that sets the budget, passes the bylaw or runs the service, with a link to the law. We do not say who caused a change: markets, households and other governments also move these numbers.

Where the numbers come from

Public bodies first: Statistics Canada, CMHC, BC Stats, B.C. ministries, the City, the Capital Regional District, Island Health, police departments, and Crown corporations such as ICBC and BC Housing.
National health data: the Canadian Institute for Health Information, an independent body that governments set up and fund. Hospitals report to it.
Readings collected here: some agencies show a number only as a live reading, with no history. A script records what the agency posts at fixed times. The page shows the monthly median, how many readings it rests on, and any gaps. The full log can be downloaded.
Released on request: when a figure comes from a freedom of information request, we publish the request, the agency’s reply and the released file.

Not used: news stories, and figures from think tanks, advocacy groups or industry that we cannot check against the underlying data.

Each measure page names its kind of source under “At a glance”, and kinds 2 to 4 also carry a badge next to the area. Where no public body publishes a figure, a source that is not a public authority may be used, with a note saying so: the City of Victoria republishes downtown pedestrian counts in its Economic Dashboard and credits them to the Downtown Victoria Business Association (“SOURCE: DVBA”). The association is not a public authority.

Kind of source for every measure

Adults in B.C. with a regular health care provider: Public body
Asking rent for a 2-bedroom: Public body
Below-market and family-size homes: Public body
Buses running on time: Public body
Business building permits downtown: Public body
Business licences issued: Public body
Business to home tax rate: Public body
Businesses operating in Greater Victoria: Public body
Bylaw calls for service: Public body
Capital work done vs plan: Public body
City net debt per resident: Public body
City property tax on a typical home vs prices: Public body
City reserve funds: Public body
City spending per resident: Public body
Community greenhouse gas emissions vs 2007: Public body
Crimes by type: Public body
Days to issue a permit for larger buildings: Public body
Emergency wait to see a doctor: National health data
Employment rate: Public body
Family income after inflation: Public body
Finishing high school: Public body
Fire department incidents: Public body
Garbage to the landfill per person: Public body
Grade 7 numeracy on track: Public body
Homes completed per 100 residents added: Public body
Homes under construction: Public body
House tax by municipality: Public body
Households on income assistance: Public body
Mortgage payment, share of income: Public body
Net new homes vs the provincial target: Public body
New homes approved by the City: Public body
New homes started in the City: Public body
New homes started, last 12 months: Public body
Passenger trips on Victoria regional transit: Public body
People counted as homeless on one night: Public body
People living in Greater Victoria: Public body
People looking for work who can't find it: Public body
People waiting for surgery: Public body
People walking past downtown counters: Public body
People without a home during the year: Public body
Police calls for service: Public body
Police cost per resident: Public body
Police officers vs authorized strength: Public body
Police-reported crime: Public body
Police-reported crime in the City of Victoria: Public body
Price of regular gasoline: Public body
Prices vs a year ago: Public body
Property tax increase adopted for the year: Public body
Rent after inflation: Public body
Rent for a 2-bedroom: Public body
Rental apartments available: Public body
Satisfaction with the police: Public body
Share of crimes solved: Public body
Toxic drug deaths, last 12 months: Public body
Victoria’s share of the region’s shelter and homeless housing: Public body
Voter turnout in the City election: Public body
Weeks waiting for surgery: Public body

How we decide the direction label

Every measure gets one of three kinds of label. Outside the threshold, the arrow shows how the number moved; the word and the colour carry any judgement. Inside the threshold there is no arrow: an About the same, Steady or On target label shows the change and “within ±5%” (or “within the margin of error”) instead, so a small rise never shows an up arrow next to About the same.

Better / Worse / About the same where the better direction is widely agreed: shorter waits, fewer deaths, lower rent, more homes approved. A measure reads Better or Worse when the better direction is widely agreed, even if the count has known limits. The limits are stated on the page. Better Worse About the same
Ahead of / On / Behind target only where a government body has published a specific target. A cumulative target is compared with the target to date; within 5% of it reads On target. A floor or a cap with no path is met or it is not: a miss reads Missed, or Just under or Just over target when the gap is 0.5% of the target or less. The target and its source are cited on the measure’s page. Inflation reads Above, Within or Below the 1–3% range around the 2% inflation-control target set by the Government of Canada and the Bank of Canada.
Rising / Falling / Steady, in a neutral blue, where reading the change as better or worse is a value judgement: taxes, spending, debt, reserves, staffing, and counts that rise with service use, such as the one-night homeless count. Rising Steady

The latest figure is compared with the same period a year earlier, or the comparison the agency itself uses. Margin of error first: where the agency publishes a margin of error or a significance test, a change that is not statistically significant is About the same (or Steady). Otherwise 5%: a change smaller than 5% of the earlier value is About the same. For figures that are themselves percentages, the 5% applies to the earlier figure, not to percentage points.

Latest 12 months first: where an agency publishes monthly or daily counts, the headline is the latest 12 months against the 12 months before, and the year so far is shown underneath as preliminary. If the two each move 5% or more in opposite directions, the label is Mixed.

The long reading: next to the one-year change, every measure shows a longer reading: the change over five years, or the longest the agency’s series allows if it is shorter (for example 4 years), with the number of years printed. Where no long reading can be given, the page says why. Two labels: when the one-year label is About the same or Steady but the long reading moved 5% or more, both are shown, for example “About the same this year. Worse over 4 years.” 2019 base: where the long reading would start in 2020 or 2020/21, a pandemic year, and the same agency file has a comparable 2019 or 2019/20 figure (same series, same months, no break), the reading starts there instead and says “6 yrs”. Where 2019 cannot be used, the 2020 base is kept, marked with *, and the reason is printed under the list. After inflation: a measure named “after inflation” computes every change, including the long reading, from inflation-adjusted values. Five-year totals: where one large project can swing a single year (new homes started in the City), the headline adds up five years against the five years before, and the single year is a line. Participation: where the share of students who wrote a test changed by 5 percentage points or more between the two years, the results are Not comparable.

Two short labels on every row: lists show the one-year label and the long-run label side by side, each as an arrow and one word (“≈ Same” stands for About the same). The long-run label follows the same rule and the same 5% threshold as the one-year label. The size of each change is on the measure’s page, and under each label in the table on wide screens. The home page counts both: Better includes Ahead of target and On target, Worse includes Behind target, and No verdict means Rising, Falling or Steady.

The target line: every row also says where the measure stands against a target, in one of seven ways. Target: a target a government set for this place, with the gap. Standard: a recognized standard that applies to any place of this kind, with the gap. A wider target, range or planning benchmark (for example Canada’s 1% to 3% inflation range, or the 3% vacancy rate in the Province’s housing needs method): named for what it is and shown for reference, never counted as a target for Victoria. Inflation is read against the range, not its 2% midpoint. No target found: the documents named on the measure’s page were read and name none; a B.C. or Canada figure from the same source follows where there is one. Related target only: a target, limit, guideline or estimate exists for a nearby measure, so no gap is worked out. No target expected: a context measure, such as a population count, a market price or a count of calls, for which no body would set a target. Target not checked yet: the search has not been done; no measure reads this today. A measure worked out from another measure, such as rent after inflation from average rent, carries that measure’s target line. A gap is printed only where the target and the headline are the same measure, in the same unit. The trend line beside a row draws the target as a dotted line. Outcomes with no target found

Units: every headline prints its unit (homes, weeks, per 100 residents added, index points), and an index or a percentile is explained in plain words on its card. Elections: charts mark general election days that fall within the years shown, including the October 17, 2026 local election. Who decides: a last or next decision is shown only where its date has been read from a law or a published page; otherwise the field is left out.

Breaks: if the agency changed how it counts, or the area changed, between the two periods, no change is calculated and the label is Not comparable. Where there is only one figure in the series so far, or fewer than two periods that can be compared, no label is shown until a second one is published.

The label on every measure, and why (57)

The label on every measure, and why
Measure	Label type	Label now	Rule used
Below-market and family-size homes	Rising / Falling	16% Rising	These are counts within the housing target report, shown for context. The change is 16.1% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Business to home tax rate	Rising / Falling	Steady (−2.8%, within ±5%)	The change is 2.8% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold.
Bylaw calls for service	Rising / Falling	12% Rising	More calls can mean more problems or more reporting. The change is 12.2% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Capital work done vs plan	Rising / Falling	11.3 pt Falling	The change is 22.4% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
City net debt per resident	Rising / Falling	33% Rising	Borrowing can pay for long-lived assets; whether debt should rise or fall is a policy choice. The change is 32.8% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
City property tax on a typical home vs prices	Rising / Falling	12% Rising	Taxes pay for services; whether they should rise or fall is a policy choice. The change is 12.1% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
City reserve funds	Rising / Falling	6.5% Rising	Reserves are savings for future costs; their right size is a policy choice. The change is 6.5% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
City spending per resident	Rising / Falling	23% Rising vs 2021	Spending pays for services; whether it should rise or fall is a policy choice. The change is 22.5% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Fire department incidents	Rising / Falling	No label yet	There is no earlier figure in the same series to compare with yet. A direction label needs at least two comparable periods, so none is shown until a second one is published.
House tax by municipality	Rising / Falling	10% Rising	The change is 10.3% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Households on income assistance	Rising / Falling	Steady this year (+4.0%, within ±5%). 25.4% Rising over 5 years.	The change is 4.0% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold. Over 5 years (since 12 months to July 2021) the change is 25.4% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Rising over 5 years.
People counted as homeless on one night	Rising / Falling	Not comparable	The 2025 count changed its method compared with the 2023 count, so it is not compared with 2023.
People living in Greater Victoria	Rising / Falling	Steady this year (+0.7%, within ±5%). 10.2% Rising over 6 years.	Population growth is neither good nor bad in itself. The change is 0.7% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold. Over 6 years (since 2019) the change is 10.2% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Rising over 6 years.
Police calls for service	Rising / Falling	7.0% Rising	The change is 7.0% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Police cost per resident	Rising / Falling	5.7% Rising	Whether policing costs should be higher or lower is a policy choice. The change is 5.7% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Police officers vs authorized strength	Rising / Falling	Steady this year (+0.8%, within ±5%). 11.5% Rising over 4 years.	This site takes no position on how many officers there should be. The change is 0.8% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold. Over 4 years (since 2021) the change is 11.5% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Rising over 4 years.
Price of regular gasoline	Rising / Falling	7.1% Rising	The change is 7.1% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Prices vs a year ago	Rising / Falling	1.0 pt Rising	The 2% inflation-control target and its 1% to 3% range apply to Canada as a whole, so no target label is given to Victoria’s prices; the range is shown on the chart for reference. The change is 41.7% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Property tax increase adopted for the year	Rising / Falling	1.2 pt Rising	Taxes pay for services; whether they should rise or fall is a policy choice. The change is 14.2% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Victoria’s share of the region’s shelter and homeless housing	Rising / Falling	Steady (+0.1 pt, +0.1%, within ±5%)	How many shelter and supportive units a city should host is a policy choice. The change is 0.1% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold.
Adults in B.C. with a regular health care provider	Better / Worse	About the same (−1.7 pt, within the margin of error)	95% confidence intervals: 78.0–81.6% in 2024, 80.1–82.9% in 2023. The -1.7-point change is smaller than the combined margin of about 2.3 points, so it is not statistically significant.
Asking rent for a 2-bedroom	Better / Worse	About the same this year (−2.6%, within ±5%). 26.9% Worse over 5 years.	The change is 2.6% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold. Over 5 years (since Q2 2021) the change is 26.9% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Worse over 5 years.
Business building permits downtown	Better / Worse	46% Better	The change is 46.3% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Business licences issued	Better / Worse	About the same (+3.0%, within ±5%)	The change is 3.0% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold.
Businesses operating in Greater Victoria	Better / Worse	About the same (+0.5%, within ±5%)	The change is 0.5% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold.
Crimes by type	Better / Worse	5.8% Worse	The change is 5.8% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Days to issue a permit for larger buildings	Better / Worse	43% Worse	The change is 42.9% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Emergency wait to see a doctor	Better / Worse	About the same this year (−1.4%, within ±5%). 109% Worse over 4 years. CIHI trend: “Weakening”	The change is 1.4% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold. Over 4 years (since 2021/22) the change is 108.6% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Worse over 4 years.
Employment rate	Better / Worse	About the same (−2.0 pt, within the margin of error)	Statistics Canada's standard error of the year-over-year change is 2.1 points, so the 95% margin is about 4.1 points; the -2.0-point change is smaller than that.
Family income after inflation	Better / Worse	About the same this year (+3.1%, within ±5%). 5.4% Better over 5 years.	The change is 3.1% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold. Over 5 years (since 2018) the change is 5.4% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Better over 5 years.
Finishing high school	Better / Worse	About the same this year (+0.9 pt, +1.0%, within ±5%). 4.8 pt Better over 5 years.	The change is 1.0% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold. Over 5 years (since 2019/20) the change is 5.6% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Better over 5 years.
Grade 7 numeracy on track	Better / Worse	3.8 pt Worse 69% wrote, down from 77%	The change is 6.9% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Homes completed per 100 residents added	Better / Worse	7.8% Better	The change is 7.8% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Homes under construction	Better / Worse	6.8% Better	The change is 6.8% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Mortgage payment, share of income	Better / Worse	2.5 pt Better	The change is 5.2% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
New homes approved by the City	Better / Worse	Mixed	The latest 12 months are +17.3% against the 12 months before, and the year to date (preliminary) is −70.5% against the same months a year earlier. They differ by 5% or more in opposite directions, so the label is Mixed.
New homes started in the City	Better / Worse	60% Better	The figure in the headline changed 59.9% between 2016 to 2020 and 2025 (five-year totals, 2016 to 2020 and 2021 to 2025), at or above the 5% threshold.
New homes started, last 12 months	Better / Worse	17% Worse	The change is 17.0% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Passenger trips on Victoria regional transit	Better / Worse	About the same (+4.0%, within ±5%)	The change is 4.0% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold.
People looking for work who can't find it	Better / Worse	About the same this year (+0.6 pt, within the margin of error). 0.5 pt Worse over 5 years.	Statistics Canada's standard error of the year-over-year change is 0.8 points, so the 95% margin is about 1.6 points; the +0.6-point change is smaller than that. Over 5 years (since 2021-10) the change is 11.6% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Worse over 5 years.
People waiting for surgery	Better / Worse	8.3% Better	The change is 8.3% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
People walking past downtown counters	Better / Worse	12% Worse	The change is 11.5% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
People without a home during the year	Better / Worse	5.9% Worse	The change is 5.9% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Police-reported crime	Better / Worse	About the same (+4.8%, within ±5%)	The change is 4.8% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold.
Police-reported crime in the City of Victoria	Better / Worse	5.9% Worse	The change is 5.9% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Rent after inflation	Better / Worse	43% Worse	The figure in the headline changed 43.4% between 2015 and 2025 (rent in 2025 dollars), at or above the 5% threshold.
Rent for a 2-bedroom	Better / Worse	5.1% Worse	CMHC marks the +5.1% change as statistically significant (quality b)
Rental apartments available	Better / Worse	0.7 pt Better	CMHC marks the year-over-year change as statistically significant
Satisfaction with the police	Better / Worse	About the same this year (−2.0 pt, −2.5%, within ±5%). 8.0 pt Worse over 4 years.	The change is 2.5% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold. Over 4 years (since 2020) the change is 9.2% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Worse over 4 years.
Share of crimes solved	Better / Worse	About the same (−4.2%, within ±5%)	The change is 4.2% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold.
Toxic drug deaths, last 12 months	Better / Worse	About the same this year (−0.8%, within ±5%). 10.1% Better over 5 years.	The change is 0.8% of the earlier value, below the 5% threshold. Over 5 years (since 12 months to September 2021) the change is 10.1% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold, so the label also says Better over 5 years.
Voter turnout in the City election	Better / Worse	3.5 pt Better vs 2022	The change is 9.1% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Weeks waiting for surgery	Better / Worse	16% Better	The change is 15.7% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
Buses running on time	Target	Just under target	72.4% against the target in force of 72.5% for this period. At or over the target reads Target met; under it reads Missed, or Just under target when the gap is 0.5% of the target or less.
Community greenhouse gas emissions vs 2007	Target	Behind target	Calculated here: a straight line from the 2007 level to a 50% cut in 2030 gives a cut of about 34.8% by 2023. The 2023 inventory shows a 31% cut, so emissions were 5.8% above that line. Within 5% of the line reads On target. The City does not publish a year-by-year path; this line is a reading of its target, not a target we set.
Garbage to the landfill per person	Target	Behind target	330 kg per person against the CRD’s target of 250 kg or less (32% above it). At or under the target reads Target met; over it reads Behind target. The CRD’s plan sets the target for the end of the plan’s tenth year; no year-by-year path is published, so the label compares the latest year with the target itself.
Net new homes vs the provincial target	Target	Ahead of target	2,359 net new homes against a target to date of 1,425 (the cumulative target for year 2 in Ministerial Order M286/2023, Schedule A), 166% of the target to date. Within 5% either side of the target to date reads On target.

Kinds of measure

Each measure page says which kind of measure it is, so a result is not read as if it were money spent, or the other way round.

Outcome: a condition people live with.
Service result: what a public service delivered.
Activity: how much work a public body or the economy did.
Input: money, staff or decisions that go into services.
Context: background that helps read the other numbers.

Kind of every measure

Adults in B.C. with a regular health care provider: outcome
Asking rent for a 2-bedroom: outcome
Below-market and family-size homes: activity
Buses running on time: service result
Business building permits downtown: activity
Business licences issued: activity
Business to home tax rate: context
Businesses operating in Greater Victoria: outcome
Bylaw calls for service: activity
Capital work done vs plan: service result
City net debt per resident: input
City property tax on a typical home vs prices: input
City reserve funds: input
City spending per resident: input
Community greenhouse gas emissions vs 2007: outcome
Crimes by type: outcome
Days to issue a permit for larger buildings: service result
Emergency wait to see a doctor: service result
Employment rate: outcome
Family income after inflation: outcome
Finishing high school: outcome
Fire department incidents: activity
Garbage to the landfill per person: outcome
Grade 7 numeracy on track: outcome
Homes completed per 100 residents added: outcome
Homes under construction: outcome
House tax by municipality: context
Households on income assistance: context
Mortgage payment, share of income: outcome
Net new homes vs the provincial target: service result
New homes approved by the City: service result
New homes started in the City: outcome
New homes started, last 12 months: outcome
Passenger trips on Victoria regional transit: service result
People counted as homeless on one night: outcome
People living in Greater Victoria: context
People looking for work who can't find it: outcome
People waiting for surgery: service result
People walking past downtown counters: outcome
People without a home during the year: outcome
Police calls for service: activity
Police cost per resident: input
Police officers vs authorized strength: input
Police-reported crime: outcome
Police-reported crime in the City of Victoria: outcome
Price of regular gasoline: context
Prices vs a year ago: outcome
Property tax increase adopted for the year: input
Rent after inflation: outcome
Rent for a 2-bedroom: outcome
Rental apartments available: outcome
Satisfaction with the police: service result
Share of crimes solved: service result
Toxic drug deaths, last 12 months: outcome
Victoria’s share of the region’s shelter and homeless housing: context
Voter turnout in the City election: outcome
Weeks waiting for surgery: service result

Where a page uses the best public number we found but a better one could exist, the page says what it would be, who could publish it and where that stands, under “A better measure”. These feed the list of data requests.

Projections

A projection is drawn as a dashed line tagged “Projection, not data”, and it is never used for a direction label. Only three kinds are shown: an agency’s own projection, the pace needed to meet an adopted target, and the year so far. The formula is on the page. Past projections are kept in a log with what happened: projections log (CSV).

Five-year readings: where the earlier year is 2020 or 2020/21, the five-year reading is tagged “pandemic-year base”, because many services and counts were unusual that year.

Open data, and public data that is not openly licensed

Each number carries one of two licence types:

Open licence. The agency publishes the data under an open licence, such as the Open Government Licence – Canada, the Open Government Licence – British Columbia or the City of Victoria’s open data licence. Anyone may reuse it with credit.
Public, not open-licensed Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. The agency publishes the figure for anyone to read, in a report, web page, dashboard or spreadsheet, but not under an open licence. Examples here are the BC Coroners Service’s toxic drug death dashboard, City of Victoria annual and budget reports, provincial reports on housing targets and police resources, BC Housing unit counts, Capital Regional District reports and BC Transit reports. The figure is shown with the agency’s name, a link to the document, the period, how often it is updated, and a link to the agency’s terms.

Public figures are checked the same way as open ones: a script reads the agency’s own document or dashboard each time and takes the number from it. It refuses to show the number unless the text or totals it expects are found; where to look and what the document says are shown on each page under “Check this number”. If a figure cannot be checked this way, it stays a grey “Not shown” tile instead.

Measures that are public, not openly licensed (25)

Below-market and family-size homes (Calculated here from City of Victoria reports to the Province)
Buses running on time (BC Transit)
Business licences issued (City of Victoria)
Business to home tax rate (City of Victoria)
Bylaw calls for service (City of Victoria)
Capital work done vs plan (City of Victoria)
City net debt per resident (City of Victoria)
City property tax on a typical home vs prices (Calculated here from Province of B.C. and Statistics Canada data)
City reserve funds (City of Victoria)
City spending per resident (Calculated here from City of Victoria and Statistics Canada data)
Community greenhouse gas emissions vs 2007 (City of Victoria)
Emergency wait to see a doctor (CIHI)
Fire department incidents (City of Victoria)
Garbage to the landfill per person (Capital Regional District)
House tax by municipality (Province of B.C.)
Net new homes vs the provincial target (Calculated here from City of Victoria reports to the Province)
People counted as homeless on one night (Capital Regional District)
People walking past downtown counters (City of Victoria)
Police calls for service (Victoria Police Department)
Police cost per resident (B.C. Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General)
Property tax increase adopted for the year (City of Victoria)
Satisfaction with the police (Victoria Police Department)
Toxic drug deaths, last 12 months (BC Coroners Service)
Victoria’s share of the region’s shelter and homeless housing (Calculated here from BC Housing and BC Stats data)
Voter turnout in the City election (City of Victoria)

Targets and comparisons

Each measure is shown first against the most relevant benchmark we could find for the people who live here: a target for the same area as the measure, then one with the same unit and definition, then the highest of five rungs. A target for all of B.C. or Canada is drawn and labelled with its area, but never gives a Victoria number its status. The site never sets a target itself.

Status words are the same as on the home page: Ahead of target, On target, Behind target, Target met, Just under target, Just over target, Missed, Above target, Below target and Within target range. A floor or a cap is met or it is not; “On target” is used only for a path or a pace toward a dated target, within 5% of it. A pace worked out by this site is labelled “calculated here”. Authorized police strength is a ceiling set in a budget, so it is shown as positions filled and unfilled, not as a target.

The five rungs

Adopted target. A target adopted by the body that decides, drawn as a dashed line, with who adopted it, the date and a link.
Higher government target or benchmark. A target or benchmark from a higher level of government or an intergovernmental body, drawn as a grey dashed line and labelled with the area it applies to.
Professional standard or official estimate. A standard set by a professional body, or an official estimate of need, drawn as a grey dotted line and tagged “not a government commitment” or “not a target”.
Comparison. B.C., Canada or similar places, from the same source and definition, drawn as thin muted lines, labelled, and never coloured as good or bad.
Nothing found. The page says “No target found in” the documents checked, “as of” the date, and “Who could set one”. It never says that no target exists.

Rules

Highest rung first. A page shows the highest rung found, under the chart, in “Targets and comparisons”, with the source, page, area, how often it is updated and its licence.
Fit test. A target is drawn only when it uses the same unit, the same definition and the same area as the chart, or a wider area that is clearly labelled, such as “Target applies to all of B.C.”. Otherwise it is written under the chart as a “Related target” and not drawn.
Comparisons are not goals. A B.C. or Canada line shows where Victoria stands beside others, not where it should be.
Context measures get comparisons only. “No target found” appears only on outcome and service result measures. Where the body that decides has adopted a target for a context measure itself, it is shown as an adopted target, as for the business tax ratio.
Real documents, real date. Every “No target found” line names the documents actually checked and the date they were checked.
Targets carry their period. Each target is stored with the period it applies to and drawn as a step line: in each period, the line shows the target in force then. A period before a target applied has no line.
Need estimates are not targets. An official estimate of how many homes are needed, such as a housing needs report required by the Province, is labelled “Official need estimate, not a target”. Where it is drawn, a five-year total is spread evenly over its years by simple division, and the page says that homes started are not homes completed.
Legal limits and guidelines are named as such. A limit set in law, such as the yearly rent increase limit for sitting tenants or the provincial debt limit for municipalities, is written as a “Legal limit” and drawn only on a chart of the same thing, such as a yearly percentage change. A guideline attached to an order, such as the below-market and family-size guidelines in a provincial housing target order, is drawn only when the report the page reads prints it for the same period as the chart.
Ranges and automatic comparisons. A target range, such as the 1% to 3% inflation-control range, is a light shaded band labelled with the area it applies to. Any B.C., Canada or Island Health line on a chart is named under it as a comparison, not a goal.
At most three comparison lines. Where more exist, B.C., Canada and one nearest peer from the same source and definition are shown.
Derived measures inherit. A measure worked out from another measure, or one that breaks the same figures down, carries the parent’s target line. Its page says which measure the line comes from and links to it. It is listed once, under the parent, on the list of outcomes with no target found.
Short labels on the chart, full sentence under it. A target line carries a short label at its end where it fits without covering the data, and a key above the chart. The full sentence, with who set it, the date and a link, is under the chart.

How target status is read

Official checkpoints first. Where the order, bylaw or plan sets a path or yearly figures, such as the cumulative housing targets or the yearly caps on the business tax ratio, the latest figure is compared with the figure for that period. A path set by the government is never replaced by one worked out here.
Then a standing target. Where a target applies to the current period, such as BC Transit’s 72.5% on-time target: at or over a target, or at or under a cap, reads Target met. On the other side it reads Missed, or Behind target for a target not yet due; a miss of 0.5% of the target or less reads Just under target or Just over target. There is no 5% allowance here: a bus system at 69% against a 72.5% target has missed it. A range reads Within target range, Above target or Below target.
A pace only when nothing else applies. Where a target has a future date and no official path, the site draws a straight line from the baseline named in the government’s own document to the target, and compares the latest figure with that line; within 5% reads On target. It is labelled “calculated here”, the working is shown in plain words on the measure page, and no stretch across a marked change in method is used. It is a reading of an official target, not a target we set. Where there is no baseline, no path and no year, the latest figure is compared with the target itself, and the page says there is no year-by-year path.
Status only on a local target that fits. A status is given only for an adopted or higher government target with the same unit, definition and area as the measure. Prices carry no target label, because the inflation target applies to Canada. Where the home page label was a change from last year and a local target fits, the label reads against the target and the change from last year stays in the second line.
Who decides what: “Target set?” Yes, with a link, where an adopted or higher government target fits; Standard only or Need estimate for a professional standard or official need estimate; Planning guidance where a higher-government planning method is drawn but is not an adopted target; Related where a target is only written under the chart; No, with a link to the “No target found” sentence, for outcomes and service results; Comparisons only for context and input measures; Not expected for context measures where no body would set a target. The column is shown only for measures that have been reviewed.

Outcomes and service results with no target found are also listed together on Not measured yet, grouped by the government that could set one.

A target set by a public agency for its own service, such as BC Transit’s on-time target reported to the Victoria Regional Transit Commission, is shown with the name of the agency that set it. Targets proposed by others are not shown.

Every target, standard and “No target found” line, with its document and page, is published as data: targets and documents checked (JSON).

Who decides

We show who decides. Each measure lists the body that sets the budget, passes the bylaw or runs the service, with a link to the law. We do not say who caused a change: markets, households and other governments also move these numbers. Where a page says “Who could set one”, it names the body with the power to adopt a target; it does not say that body should adopt one.

Each measure page opens with a “Who decides what” table: one row for each body that decides something about the topic, what it decides, and the law, order or bylaw that gives it that role. A body is listed only when a script has opened that law and found the words it relies on; a body we cannot link to a law is left off until we can. A body is never listed because it publishes or measures the number. Where no government decides a number directly, such as the unemployment rate, the page says so. The full table is on Who decides what.

The home page filter, “Who decides”, uses the first body listed for each measure, the main decision-maker: City of Victoria (City Council, and the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board), Region (the Capital Regional District, the regional transit commission, or the 13 municipal councils and police boards for measures that cover all of Greater Victoria), School district, Province (including Island Health) or Federal (including the Bank of Canada). Measures that no government decides directly are listed under All.

Election days on charts. Charts mark general voting days as short light ticks on the top edge of the chart, placed by date between the points and lettered M (municipal), P (provincial) or F (federal), with a key under each chart. The main decision-maker’s elections are shown first; a Show elections button adds the others, for the governments listed on that page: local elections for the City and the region’s councils, provincial elections for the Province and Island Health, and federal elections for the Government of Canada. Each line shows only the date and the level of government. Results often lag decisions by years. Dates are read by script from Elections BC, Elections Canada and the Capital Regional District; local elections before 2011 are not marked because no official page read here gives their dates.

Where the election dates come from

General voting days only, as printed on each page; by-elections are not marked. Dates read Nov 11, 2026.

Local elections (2011): Capital Regional District, Past Results (official results, 2011). Licence or terms of use.
Local elections (2014, 2018, 2022): Elections BC, Reports of the Chief Electoral Officer on general local elections. Licence or terms of use.
Local elections (2026): Elections BC, 2026 General Local Elections. Licence or terms of use.
Provincial elections (1996, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2020, 2024): Elections BC, Provincial Election Results. Licence or terms of use.
Provincial elections (2001, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2020, 2024): Elections BC, Electoral History of B.C.. Licence or terms of use.
Federal elections (1980, 1984, 1988, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2025): Elections Canada, Voter Turnout at Federal Elections and Referendums. Licence or terms of use.

How the charts are drawn

Lines. Each line has one colour and its name. Lines for Victoria, the City or the region are drawn solid and thicker; comparisons for B.C., Canada or Island Health are thinner, in muted colours. Only a projection or a target is dashed; targets are explained under Targets and comparisons. A chart shows at most four lines; more are split into small charts side by side on one scale.
Points. Only the latest point of each Victoria-area line is marked, plus the point you tap; comparison lines end without a dot. Where points overlap, the Victoria-area one is drawn on top. Every point is marked only when a chart has one or two lines and the points are at least 28 pixels apart.
Reading a value. Tap, drag, hover or use the arrow keys: a thin guide marks the period, the period is printed on the axis under it, and the values above the chart change to that period. With several lines, the unit is named once, in the line above the values. On wide screens each line is named at its right end with its latest value, joined to the line by a thin connector; those end labels always show the latest value. Every value is also in the table under the chart.
Axes. Three or four light gridlines, whole numbers where the values allow, and the unit on the top label.
12-month average. Long monthly series (more than two years of months) are drawn as a faint line for each month and a bold line for the 12-month average. The average for a month is the sum of that month and the 11 months before it, from the agency’s own monthly figures, divided by 12. It is left out where any of those 12 months is missing, so the bold line starts 11 months after the first month read. It smooths seasonal swings; it is not an agency figure and is never used for a label.

Measures by main decision-maker

Measures calculated here

Some measures are calculated here from public data; each shows its formula and sources. They are marked “Calculated here”, are produced by script from the agencies’ own files (never typed in), and sit next to the agency measure they help explain.

Formulas (10)

Below-market and family-size homes: Family-size = net new three-bedroom + net new four-or-more-bedroom homes. Shares = category ÷ all net new homes since October 2023.
City property tax on a typical home vs prices: Tax change = tax in 2026 ÷ tax in 2020 − 1. Price change = price index (12-month average, October 2025 to September 2026) ÷ price index (2020 annual average) − 1. 2020 tax grown with prices = tax 2020 × price index in the year ÷ price index 2020.
City spending per resident: Spending per resident = total expenses ÷ population. In today's dollars = spending per resident × price index (latest year) ÷ price index (that year).
Days to issue a permit for larger buildings: For each complex building permit: days = issue date − file creation date. Yearly figure = median of those days for permits issued that year.
Family income after inflation: Income in 2023 dollars = income in year × (price index 2023 ÷ price index in that year). Change after inflation = 2023 income ÷ 2022 income in 2023 dollars − 1.
Homes completed per 100 residents added: Homes completed per 100 residents added = 100 × (homes completed in the five calendar years) ÷ (residents added over the same five years). Homes completed in a year = sum of the 12 monthly completion counts. Residents added in a year = population on July 1 of the year − population on July 1 of the year before.
Net new homes vs the provincial target: Net new homes = completions − demolitions, added up since October 1, 2023 (as reported). Share of target = net new homes ÷ cumulative target for the same date.
People waiting for surgery: Weeks of surgeries on the list = people waiting at the end of the fiscal year ÷ surgeries completed in that year × 52.
Rent after inflation: Rent in 2025 dollars = rent in year × (price index 2025 ÷ price index in that year). Change after inflation = rent in 2025 dollars, 2025 ÷ same for 2015 − 1.
Victoria’s share of the region’s shelter and homeless housing: Share of units = City units ÷ all Capital Region units. Share of population = City population ÷ Capital Region population (BC Stats, July 1).

Sources, licences and freshness

Every measure on this site (57)

Every measure on this site
Measure	Agency	Licence	Agency updates	Latest period	Retrieved
Adults in B.C. with a regular health care provider	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually	2024	Nov 11, 2026
Asking rent for a 2-bedroom	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Quarterly	Apr–Jun 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Below-market and family-size homes	Calculated here from City of Victoria reports to the Province	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (reporting year ends September 30)	Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025	Nov 11, 2026
Buses running on time	BC Transit	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Several times a year (Transit Commission meetings)	Apr 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Business building permits downtown	City of Victoria	Open Government Licence - City of Victoria	Daily	12 months to Nov 9, 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Business licences issued	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Quarterly (City economic dashboard)	Apr–Jun 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Business to home tax rate	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Yearly (tax bylaw adopted each spring; audited report mid-year)	Tax year 2026	Nov 12, 2026
Businesses operating in Greater Victoria	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Monthly	Jul 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Bylaw calls for service	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (audited report published mid-year)	2025	Nov 11, 2026
Capital work done vs plan	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Yearly (audited report published mid-year)	2025	Nov 11, 2026
City net debt per resident	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (audited report published mid-year)	Dec 31, 2025	Nov 11, 2026
City property tax on a typical home vs prices	Calculated here from Province of B.C. and Statistics Canada data	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use; Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (Province updates Schedule 704 each summer; price index each January)	Tax years 2020 to 2026	Nov 11, 2026
City reserve funds	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (audited report published mid-year)	Dec 31, 2025	Nov 11, 2026
City spending per resident	Calculated here from City of Victoria and Statistics Canada data	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use; Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (audited report published mid-year)	Calendar years 2021 to 2025	Nov 11, 2026
Community greenhouse gas emissions vs 2007	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Every two years (progress report)	Inventory year 2023	Nov 11, 2026
Crimes by type	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (published in July)	2025	Nov 11, 2026
Days to issue a permit for larger buildings	Calculated here from City of Victoria open data	Open Government Licence - City of Victoria	Daily (City file); shown by calendar year	Permits issued in 2025	Nov 11, 2026
Emergency wait to see a doctor	CIHI	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (CIHI data table)	2025/26	Nov 11, 2026
Employment rate	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Monthly	3 months to Oct 2026	Nov 12, 2026
Family income after inflation	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (tax-return data, about 18 months after the year)	2023	Nov 11, 2026
Finishing high school	Province of B.C.	Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Yearly (Province of B.C.)	School year 2024/25	Nov 12, 2026
Fire department incidents	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (audited report published mid-year)	2025	Nov 11, 2026
Garbage to the landfill per person	Capital Regional District	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (CRD progress report)	2025	Nov 11, 2026
Grade 7 numeracy on track	Province of B.C.	Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Yearly (Province of B.C.)	School year 2025/26	Nov 11, 2026
Homes completed per 100 residents added	Calculated here from CMHC and Statistics Canada data	CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data; also listed as Open Government Licence - Canada; Open Government Licence - Canada	Monthly (completions); annually (population)	2021 to 2025	Nov 11, 2026
Homes under construction	CMHC	CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data; also listed as Open Government Licence - Canada	Monthly	12 months to Sep 2026	Nov 11, 2026
House tax by municipality	Province of B.C.	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Yearly (Province of B.C., each summer)	Tax year 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Households on income assistance	Province of B.C.	Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Monthly (Province of B.C.)	12 months to Jul 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Mortgage payment, share of income	BC Stats	Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Quarterly	Apr–Jun 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Net new homes vs the provincial target	Calculated here from City of Victoria reports to the Province	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (reporting year ends September 30; report received by Council within 45 days)	Oct 1, 2023 to Sep 30, 2025	Nov 11, 2026
New homes approved by the City	BC Stats	Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Monthly	12 months to Aug 2026	Nov 11, 2026
New homes started in the City	BC Stats (CMHC data)	CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data; also listed as Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Yearly (BC Stats)	Calendar years 2021 to 2025	Nov 11, 2026
New homes started, last 12 months	CMHC, via Statistics Canada	CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data; also listed as Open Government Licence - Canada	Monthly	12 months to Sep 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Passenger trips on Victoria regional transit	Statistics Canada (BC Transit data)	Open Government Licence - Canada	Monthly	12 months to Aug 2026	Nov 11, 2026
People counted as homeless on one night	Capital Regional District	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	About every two years	Mar 25, 2025	Nov 11, 2026
People living in Greater Victoria	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (January)	Jul 1, 2025	Nov 11, 2026
People looking for work who can't find it	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Monthly	3 months to Oct 2026	Nov 12, 2026
People waiting for surgery	B.C. Ministry of Health	Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Annually (quarterly interim files during the year)	2025/26	Nov 11, 2026
People walking past downtown counters	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Quarterly (City economic dashboard)	Apr–Jun 2026	Nov 11, 2026
People without a home during the year	BC Stats	Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Annually	2024	Nov 11, 2026
Police calls for service	Victoria Police Department	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Quarterly (dashboard)	12 months to Sep 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Police cost per resident	B.C. Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (report published about a year after the year ends)	2024	Nov 12, 2026
Police officers vs authorized strength	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually	2025	Nov 11, 2026
Police-reported crime	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (published in July)	2025	Nov 11, 2026
Police-reported crime in the City of Victoria	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (published in July)	2025	Nov 11, 2026
Price of regular gasoline	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Monthly	12 months to Sep 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Prices vs a year ago	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Monthly	Sep 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Property tax increase adopted for the year	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Annually (financial plan adopted by May 15)	Tax year 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Rent after inflation	Calculated here from CMHC and Statistics Canada data	CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data; also listed as Open Government Licence - Canada; Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (rent survey in October, published in December)	Oct 2015 to Oct 2025 surveys	Nov 11, 2026
Rent for a 2-bedroom	CMHC	CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data; also listed as Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (survey in October, published in December)	Oct 2025	Nov 11, 2026
Rental apartments available	CMHC	CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data; also listed as Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (survey in October, published in December)	Oct 2025	Nov 11, 2026
Satisfaction with the police	Victoria Police Department	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Survey years (dashboard)	2024	Nov 11, 2026
Share of crimes solved	Statistics Canada	Open Government Licence - Canada	Annually (published in July)	2025	Nov 11, 2026
Toxic drug deaths, last 12 months	BC Coroners Service	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Monthly (dashboard updated about six weeks after each month)	12 months to Sep 2026	Nov 11, 2026
Victoria’s share of the region’s shelter and homeless housing	Calculated here from BC Housing and BC Stats data	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use; Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Annually (as of March 31)	Mar 31, 2025	Nov 11, 2026
Voter turnout in the City election	City of Victoria	Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution. Agency’s terms of use	Every four years	2026 general local election	Nov 11, 2026
Weeks waiting for surgery	B.C. Ministry of Health	Open Government Licence - British Columbia	Annually (quarterly interim files during the year)	2025/26	Nov 11, 2026

Rent and vacancy are read from CMHC’s own Rental Market Report data tables for Victoria; the longer rent history and housing starts come from CMHC through Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada says CMHC’s own licence applies, and open.canada.ca lists the Open Government Licence – Canada. Both allow free reuse with credit, so both are shown. This site does not use any government logos.

Required credits (41)

Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, BC Historical Housing Starts. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of this product or of the accuracy or quality of the information that it contains. Prepared by BC Stats.
Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Rental Market Report data table, Victoria (average rent and same-sample change, two-bedroom, private apartments), October 2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 34-10-0133-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Rental Market Report data table, Victoria (vacancy rates, private apartments), October 2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 34-10-0130-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Rental Market Survey. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 34-10-0133-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Starts and Completions Survey (housing starts, all unit types), 12 months to September 2026. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 34-10-0154-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Starts and Completions Survey, housing under construction. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 34-10-0154-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Starts and Completions Survey. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 34-10-0154-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, Building Permits. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 11-10-0009-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 11-10-0018-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 13-10-0905-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 14-10-0459-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 14-10-0327-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 17-10-0148-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 17-10-0148-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – British Columbia.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 18-10-0001-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 18-10-0004-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 18-10-0005-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 23-10-0307-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 33-10-0270-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 35-10-0026-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 35-10-0063-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 35-10-0077-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 35-10-0177-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 46-10-0092-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - British Columbia.
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - City of Victoria.
Source: B.C. Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Police Resources in British Columbia, 2024. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: BC Transit, Victoria Regional Transit System operations update. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information. Used under CIHI’s terms of use; not endorsed by CIHI.
Source: Capital Regional District, Greater Victoria Point-in-Time Count and Survey Report. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: Capital Regional District, Solid Waste Management Plan progress report. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: City of Victoria, Annual Report (Statistics section). Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: City of Victoria, Annual Report 2025 (Property Tax Rates 2021 - 2026). Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: City of Victoria, Annual Report 2025, Statement of Change in Net Financial Assets. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: City of Victoria, Annual Report. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: City of Victoria, City Budget. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: City of Victoria, Declaration of Official Election Results, 2026. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: City of Victoria, Greenhouse Gases (Climate Action). Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: City of Victoria, Victoria's Economic Dashboard, Q2 2026. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: Province of B.C., Local Government Statistics, Schedule 704: Taxes and Charges on a Representative House. Public document, used with attribution; not endorsed by the publisher.
Source: Victoria Police Department, Community Data Dashboard. Public data, used with attribution; not endorsed by the department.

Which area each number covers

Agencies publish numbers for different areas. Every tile carries an area label, and every measure’s page has a “Where this covers” section listing exactly which places are included, with a link to the official definition.

Area: Downtown Victoria The City of Victoria’s Downtown neighbourhood only.
Area: City of Victoria The City of Victoria municipality only, all neighbourhoods.
Area: Victoria and Esquimalt police area The area served by the Victoria Police Department: the City of Victoria and the Township of Esquimalt together.
Area: Victoria hospitals The emergency departments of Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals in Victoria, and Saanich Peninsula Hospital in Central Saanich, each reported separately.
Area: Victoria area (price index) Statistics Canada’s consumer price index for Victoria: prices collected in the Victoria urban area, not the City alone.
Area: Greater Victoria (CMA) Statistics Canada’s Victoria metropolitan area: 13 municipalities plus nearby electoral-area and reserve lands.
Area: Greater Victoria (CMA), without reserve lands The count area: Statistics Canada’s Victoria metropolitan area (13 municipalities and part of one electoral area), without the Gulf Islands and without the reserve lands within Greater Victoria.
Area: Capital Region The Capital Regional District: 13 municipalities and 3 electoral areas, including the Southern Gulf Islands and Salt Spring Island.
Area: Greater Victoria school districts Public schools in school districts 61 (Greater Victoria), 62 (Sooke) and 63 (Saanich), combined from the Province’s counts.
Area: South Vancouver Island The Province’s South Vancouver Island health service delivery area, one of three in Island Health.
Area: Victoria Regional Transit BC Transit’s Victoria Regional Transit System, which runs buses across most of the Capital Region.
Area: Vancouver Island (Island Health) Island Health’s whole service area: Vancouver Island and surrounding communities, not only Greater Victoria.
Area: All of B.C. The whole province of British Columbia.
Area: All of Canada Canada as a whole, shown only for comparison.

Common cautions

Agencies sometimes change how they count. When we know, the page says so and the chart marks it (for example, the national toxic drug death series from 2025, and Victoria police statistics from 2020).
Some figures are one survey month, not a whole year.
“Greater Victoria (CMA)” and “Capital Region” are larger than the City of Victoria; see “Which area each number covers”.
Charts start their scale at zero unless that would hide all movement; when they do not, the chart says so.
Charts open on the last 10 years. Where the agency’s series is longer and still counted the same way, buttons show 5 years, 20 years or everything published. Older years are added only where the agency’s method and area stay the same, or with the change marked on the chart. Monthly measures show each month on the 5-year view and one figure a year on the longer views (a yearly average for rates and prices, a calendar-year total for counts).
Survey numbers have a margin of error, so small changes may mean nothing.
Small counts and single large projects can swing a year.

No position on policy

This site reports data from public bodies first and takes no position on policy. Wording is kept plain and calm. The “Who decides what” table on each page lists the bodies that decide something about the topic and the law behind each one. It says what each body decides, never that a body caused a change.

Who runs this site and their politics: About.

Contact and corrections

Email [email protected] to report an error or ask about a figure. Every fix is listed in the corrections log. The agency’s own figure is always the one to rely on.

Topics that matter but have no number that could be checked, and what data would be needed, are on Not measured yet.