The Capital Regional District (CRD) is the regional government on Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia providing fully regional and sub-regional services. The CRD is comprised of 16 jurisdictions (13 municipalities and three electoral areas) serving a population of 413,000. The majority of the population is based in the municipalities of Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt, Oak Bay and View Royal, and continues to experience significant growth particularly in the West Shore communities of Langford and Colwood.
Board Initiative 12a-1 in the CRD 2019-2022 Corporate Plan calls for the Board to “facilitate a discussion of the region’s arts facilities needs.” This initiative is being overseen by the Regional Arts Facilities Select Committee created for this purpose by the CRD Board. The membership of the Select Committee is comprised of 11 Board Directors/Alternates.
There have been several past reports related to regional arts facilities. The most recent of these was “Report to Capital Regional District Regarding a Performing Arts Facility Needs Analysis” (December 2000.)
Arts facilities that serve the interests and needs of the region intersect with the interests and needs of local jurisdictions. Location, audiences, ownership, funding, user groups, market, changing tastes, technology and operational sustainability are significant issues of concern in relation to the development of buildings that are typically once in a generation undertakings.
Neither the CRD nor local jurisdictions currently have capital support for the development of arts facilities nor is there a coordinated structure for arts facilities planning in the region.
Closing date: 02/27/2020