Victoria, BC – The Capital Regional District (CRD) and the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) both released their 2025 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.
“The Annual Report is an important moment for reflection and accountability,” said CRD Board Chair Cliff McNeil‑Smith. “As we share the 2025 Annual Report and move through the final year of this Board term, it’s encouraging to see how much progress has been made. The majority of Board priority initiatives are now underway, with many already completed or built into everyday services. This report helps us step back and recognize what has been achieved through clear priorities, long‑term planning, and collaboration, and how that work continues to support a strong, sustainable region.”
Key highlights in 2025 included moving the Regional Transportation Service from planning to formal service approval, strengthened government‑to‑government relationships with First Nations through the signing of Protocol Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding, important steps to further protect Greater Victoria’s drinking water supply with the purchase of 1,973 hectares of land, and taking an important next step toward introducing carbonisation technology to transform Class A biosolids, the solids left over from wastewater treatment, into biochar.
The CRHC’s 2025 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, since 2019, has gone through an unprecedented period of growth, with even more activity ahead. The CRHC now provides homes to over 4,000 tenants with over 2,100 homes in 50 buildings across eight municipalities. With the help of our housing partners, major accomplishments in 2025 include the completion of the 158-unit Caledonia development in the heart of Fernwood, plus breaking ground on two redevelopments and three new developments in Victoria, Saanich, and Central Saanich.
Each term, the CRD Board sets the strategic priorities, policies and direction that guide the activities of the organization. At its annual check‑in on April 29, 2026, the Board reviewed progress on the 2023-2026 Corporate Plan [PDF/10.6MB]. More than 95 percent of Board priority initiatives have been advanced, with approximately one-third fully operationalized and embedded in day-to-day services. Over this term, the Board saw important milestones reached, including new regional transportation and performing arts services, steady progress on housing and climate initiatives, stronger partnerships with First Nations, and new ways for residents to connect and engage with the CRD.
More information about the planning process is available at www.crd.ca/plans.
More details regarding the CRD Progress Reports can be found in the attached backgrounder. To learn more and view the 2025 CRD Annual Report online, please visit www.crd.ca/reporting.
Links:
- 2025 CRD Annual Report (PDF)
- 2025 CRHC Annual Report (PDF)
- 2025 CRD Regional Parks & Trails Strategic Plan Progress Report (PDF)
- 2025 CRD Climate Action Progress Report (PDF)
- 2025 CRD Solid Waste Management Plan Progress Report (PDF)
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.ca.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Andy Orr, Senior Manager
CRD Corporate Communications
Tel: 250.360.3229
Cell: 250.216.5492
Progress Report Background
Regional Parks and Trails Strategic Plan
The 2025 Regional Parks & Trails Annual Progress Report presents progress on the implementation of the ten-year Strategic Plan.
The Strategic Plan has five overarching goal areas and identifies 13 strategic priorities and 57 supporting actions. The goal areas are: Reconciliation; Conservation; Visitor Experience; Climate Action & Resiliency; and Access & Equity.
Overall, the Regional Parks & Trails Progress Report demonstrates that progress is on track. Highlights include:
- Engaged cultural monitors to guide land-altering work.
- Supported Sc’ianew First Nation (Beecher Bay) in hosting Tribal Journeys at East Sooke Regional Park.
- Established a new 21.7-hectare regional park currently known as George Hill on North Pender Island.
- Completed 8.15 hectares of aquatic and terrestrial invasive species treatment.
- Delivered 264 programs and events reaching more than 9,200 participants.
- Renewal and paving on the Lochside Trail at North Weiler and critical below-deck repairs on the Selkirk Trestle (future reporting on regional trails will be done by the CRD’s Transportation Service).
- Delivered more than a dozen accessibility upgrades in regional parks, including adding a mobi mat at Island View Beach and accessible parking stalls at 3 parks.
- Completed eight Google street views of regional park parking lots, main trails and facilities to improve trip planning for visitors.
Climate Action Strategy
The 2025 Climate Action Progress Report documents progress made on the CRD’s Climate Action Strategy.
In late 2021, the CRD 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 demonstrates that progress is on track. Highlights include:
- Launched the Climate Adaptation Capacity Building Initiative for elected officials and public-sector staff, training a regional cohort in climate adaptation
- Completed or launched efficiency upgrades to the Goldstream UV water treatment facility, Panorama Recreation Centre and the SEAPARC Recreation Centre
- Installed 24 public EV chargers, with a total of 164 public EV chargers installed since the program launch
- Collaborated with the District of Saanich and the City of Victoria to create harmonized energy and carbon emission reporting bylaws for large buildings
- Supported hundreds of home heat pump and energy efficiency retrofits through the CRD’s Home Energy Navigator program
- Hosted the CRD's first Climate Community Gathering, bringing together volunteer climate action groups from across the region
- Completed construction of the Biogas Upgrading Facility (BUF) for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) at Hartland Landfill
Solid Waste Management Plan
The 2025 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 SWMP goals are: 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 demonstrates that progress is on track. Highlights include:
- The 2025 disposal rate was 330 kg/capita, a decrease of 8 kg/capita from 2024 (or 70 kg/capita since the start of the Plan in 2021).
- Launching the new What Goes Where tool to help residents search a database for disposal and recycling options.
- The Rethink Waste Community Grant funded 29 community-based projects and 12 events through the newly launched Zero-Waste Events Grant.
- Operation of the Material Diversion Transfer Station and implementation of source separation requirements for clean and treated wood and asphalt shingles resulted in the diversion of approximately 27,300 tonnes of material.
- Opened the Hartland Landfill Renewable Natural Gas Facility.
