The global financial crisis has not dampened the drive for growth on the West Shore, where developers are surging ahead with ambitious projects valued in the billions of dollars.
Although some developments failed or stalled in the recession, other builders stepped up with new plans for homes, offices and commercial spaces - and with money to pay for communal amenities.
Construction is happening on underdeveloped sites or on raw land. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's housing market outlook for the capital region says the West Shore will continue to account for the bulk of single-family starts because "few developable lots are available within the core markets."
The scope of building is expected to reshape Greater Victoria and the economic spinoffs are immediate as construction jobs are being created and supplies purchased.
At its peak, 500 workers will be on the job at Capital City Centre, a $1-billion mixed use development rising at Colwood Corners. An average of 250 workers per day are excavating land and putting up new homes at Westhills in Langford. Other developments include Sunriver Estates, Woodland Creek, and Clearbrook Estates in Sooke.
But it is Langford which has wowed the region. Its population jumped by 30 per cent in 2011, to 29,228, compared with 2006 when it was 22,459, census data shows. In the previous five years, population leaped by 19 per cent.
By 2026, Langford predicts it will have 42,100 residents - an increase of 123 per cent since 2001.
Mayor Stew Young and its council have created a template on how to transform a community. Acting Mayor Lillian Szpak said the council's vision from the 1990s is a success story. Its processes expedite development and bring in money for improvements. "People love what we are doing. That's the feedback that we get," said Szpak.
The municipality has worked with Avi Friedman, renowned in urban planning and as a housing innovator, to help plan an attractive community at a human scale, with the necessary density, she said.
The aim is to "provide a great lifestyle," Szpak said. "It's not just housing. It's a sense of community. It's a place where people can live, work and play."
Home buyers can pick from condominiums, townhouses, high-end homes at the Bear Mountain development, and single-family houses with legal suites to provide revenue. "We are ensuring there's a place for everyone," Szpak said.
The job is not done yet, she said.
Langford is focusing on bicycle lanes, and aims for post-secondary education facilities and a commuter train.
