Victoria, BC– May marks a crucial time for reporting on the Capital Regional District’s (CRD) achievements over the past year. The CRD and the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) both released their 2023 Annual Reports providing an overview of the work completed over the last year and highlighting the progress made on the 2023 – 2026 CRD Board’s Priorities to support a growing region. Progress reports were also released for three significant areas: Solid Waste, Climate Action, and Regional Parks and Trails.
“As we reflect on the past year, it’s clear that our collective efforts and dedication have significantly advanced the mission of the CRD Board,” said CRD Board Chair Colin Plant. “The 2023 Annual Report highlights our achievements and sets the stage for the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. With a focus on addressing housing needs, improving transportation, acting on climate change, fostering reconciliation, and enhancing governance and corporate practices, we are actively working towards creating a livable, sustainable, and resilient region.”
Key highlights from the past year include partnering with the Government of BC and the Government of Canada to create affordable housing units, implementing policy changes to divert more waste from Hartland Landfill, expanding the regional parks system, and strengthening government-to-government relationships with First Nations. The CRD has also received recognition for being one of Canada's safest and greenest employers.
The CRHC’s 2023 Annual Report outlines the work done in the last year to achieve the commitment to improve and expand housing opportunities. The CRHC is the largest non-profit housing provider on Vancouver Island and currently provides homes to almost 4,000 tenants with 1,931 units in 52 buildings across the capital region. Major accomplishments in 2023 include the completion of Prosser Place and making significant steps toward completion of two other developments, Michigan Square and Caledonia. For more information and to view the report, please visit www.crd.bc.ca/crhc.
Each term, the Board sets the strategic priorities, policies and direction that guide the activities of the organization. 2023 marked the first year of the four-year strategic and corporate planning cycle and on May 8, 2024, the CRD Board held their first annual check-in on their strategic priorities identified in the 2023-2026 Corporate Plan, reviewing what has been accomplished. The priorities are:
- Transportation
- Housing
- Climate Action & Environment
- First Nations
- Governance
Upon review, the CRD Board provided directed staff to advance additional initiatives and actions to continue to progress the Board Priorities and deliver the CRD’s core services, including:
- Re-establishing a Select Committee determine options and recommendations related to building regional support for performing arts facilities in the region.
- Reporting back on what more the CRD can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Developing a region-wide campaign to support increasing voter turnout and candidate participation in the 2026 local government elections in the CRD.
The CRD Board also directed staff to provide refined estimates of expenditures for each strategic goal as part of the 2025 budget process and to amend the 2023-2026 Corporate Plan to include six Board-approved initiatives which were approved after the plan was created.
Details about initiatives underway and the planning process are available at www.crd.bc.ca/plans.
More details regarding the CRD Progress Reports can be found in the attached backgrounder. To learn more and view the 2023 CRD Annual Report online, please visit www.crd.bc.ca/reporting.
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The CRD delivers regional, sub-regional and local services to 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Governed by a 24-member Board of Directors, the CRD works collaboratively with First Nations and government partners to enable sustainable growth, foster community well-being, and develop cost-effective infrastructure while continuing to provide core services to residents throughout the region. Visit us online at www.crd.bc.ca.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Andy Orr, Senior Manager
CRD Corporate Communications
Tel: 250.360.3229
Cell: 250.216.5492
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Progress Report Background
Regional Parks and Trails
The 2023 Regional Parks & Trails Annual Progress Report presents progress on the implementation on their ten-year Strategic Plan.
The Plan establishes five goal areas: Reconciliation; Conservation; Visitor Experience; Climate Action & Resiliency; and Access & Equity.
Overall, the Regional Parks & Trails Progress Report showed that progress is on track with 75% or more of the targeted progress achieved in 2023. Highlights include:
- Engagement with First Nations was undertaken on the Regional Parks and Trails Strategic Plan 2022–2032 and initiated on a process to create a new Land Acquisition Strategy.
- As part of the Elk/Beaver Lake Initiative, and with funding support from the Government of British Columbia, an oxygenator system was purchased and installed in Elk Lake to help address high nutrient levels.
- Nearly 21 hectares of new regional park land was acquired in 2023.
- Trail standards were developed to guide trail development, as well as trail maintenance within CRD regional parks, and a trail repair prioritization plan was implemented.
- Construction of E&N Rail Trail Phase 4 was completed in partnership with the City of Victoria.
- An accessibility audit was completed and over 50% of the recommended improvements were made.
Climate Action
The 2023 Climate Action Progress Report documents progress made on the CRD’s Climate Action Strategy.
In late 2021, the Board approved a renewed CRD Climate Action Strategy. The strategy includes a five-year action plan which outlines six goals with 127 actions that will guide CRD services through 2025.
The six goal areas include: climate focused decision making; sustainable land use, planning and preparedness; low-carbon mobility; low-carbon and resilient buildings and infrastructure; resilient and abundant nature, ecosystems, and food systems; and minimized waste.
Overall, the Climate Action Progress Report showed that progress is on track, with 75% or more of the targeted progress achieved in 2023. Highlights include:
- Approved and implemented a new corporate green building policy, which sets standards for energy-efficient and low-carbon new construction and retrofits of corporate buildings.
- Undertook an extensive effort to map vulnerability to extreme heat for the region and develop the Capital Region Extreme Heat Information Portal, with support from municipal partners and a grant from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM).
- Supported the connection of downtown to the Westshore through RapidBus delivery and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to improve transit service in suburban and rural areas.
- Implemented the Home Energy Navigator program, which saw nearly 700 registrants, providing approximately 500 home consultations, and supported an estimated 125-150 heat pump retrofits in the region.
- Continued to collaborate with First Nations on park management planning, the protection of culturally significant sites and ecological restoration planning.
- Initiated the procurement process for a Material Diversion Transfer Station at Hartland Landfill to collect and process five source separated waste stream materials for reuse, recycling, or energy recovery.
Solid Waste Management Plan
The 2023 Solid Waste Management Plan Progress Report identifies progress towards implementing the CRD’s 2021 Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP).
In British Columbia, regional districts develop SWMPs under the provincial Environmental Management Act that set high-level long-term visions for managing solid waste in accordance with the 5R Pollution Prevention Hierarchy of reduce, reuse, recycle, resource recovery, and residuals management.
The CRD’s SWMP includes four goals and 15 strategies with 72 actions and staff began implementation in 2021.
The four goal areas include: to surpass the provincial per capita waste disposal target; to extend the life of Hartland Landfill to the year 2100 and beyond; to have informed citizens that take part effectively in proper waste management practices; and to ensure that the CRD’s solid waste services are financially sustainable.
Overall, the Solid Waste Management Plan Progress Report showed that progress is on track with 75% or more of the targeted progress achieved in 2023. Highlights include:
- The Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy approved the Solid Waste Management Plan for the region in July 2023.
- The CRD Board approved bylaw changes at Hartland Landfill, including new material bans, adjusted tipping fee structure and increased bylaw fines. These have the potential to divert up to 40,500 tonnes of waste a year, contributing to reducing the region’s waste by more than one-third.
- Added single-use and packaging-like products to the CRD’s Blue Box Program and depot programs. This initiative aligns with Recycling Regulation changes and expansion of Recycle BC’s list of accepted items.
- Calculated a disposal rate of 382 kg/capita, a decrease of 6.02% or 23 kg/capita from 2022.
- Received Board approval to increase Hartland Landfill’s general refuse tipping fee from $110 to $150/tonne.
- The CRD provided funding to 20 community-based projects totalling $57,175 under the Rethink Waste Community Grant.