Greater Victoria’s supply of new-build high density housing reached a head-turning 21,900 units of rentals and condominiums over the last decade, according to Citified’s tracking of south Island construction activity.

 

Between 2015 and May of 2025, an impressive 13,700 units of rental suites from Sooke to Sidney reached occupancy across the housing spectrum, which includes market residences, government-backed affordable homes and niche category units like supportive housing and housing for persons with disabilities.

 

The largest volume of rentals was constructed in the City of Victoria, with approximately 4,600 units. The runner-up was the City of Langford, where roughly 3,900 apartments were delivered despite a much smaller population than that of Victoria. The two municipalities absorbed more than 63% of all rental housing built in the Capital Region, despite representing less than 40% of Victoria’s metropolitan population.

 

“On a per-capita basis, Langford’s homebuilding agenda has outpaced all municipalities in Greater Victoria with its 3,900 units of rental housing completed since 2015, while over the last decade, Victoria-proper committed to unwinding many years of restrictive housing policies that resulted in a significant infusion of rental housing reaching nearly 4,600 units,” says Citified Media’s CEO, Mike Kozakowski.

 

In third place is the District of Saanich, the most populous of all jurisdictions on the south Island, where some 1,800 units were added over the last decade. In fourth place is Esquimalt, with just under 1,000 new units, and Colwood landed at number five, adding shy of 900 units.

 

The condominium sector saw a significant growth spurt between 2015 and May of 2025, resulting in 8,200 new-build homes. In the City of Victoria, approximately 3,700 condominiums were added to the housing inventory, earning the municipality another top spot. Langford, once again, landed in second place with 1,900 condominium units.

 

“Much like the delivery of rental homes, Victoria and Langford presided over the majority of new condominium residences in Greater Victoria since 2015, totalling 3,700 units in Victoria-proper and 1,900 units across Langford,” Kozakowski said. “Collectively, the two municipalities accounted for over 70% of condominium construction over the last decade.”

 

In third place was Saanich, at just under 1,000 new units, followed by Sidney in fourth place with around 340 new units. In fifth place was View Royal, delivering nearly 300 condominiums.

 

As for inventory currently underway and expected to reach occupancy in the second half of 2025 through 2028 region-wide, 7,800 rental homes are in various stages of construction across the housing spectrum.

 

Victoria is once again leading the pack with 2,700 upcoming rental units, followed by 2,000 rental units in Langford. Saanich is firmly in third place with 1,100 units, as Esquimalt’s activity totals 770 units for a fourth place slot, and in fifth place is View Royal at 570 units.

 

Regionally, 1,800 condominiums are under construction, but in this category, Langford leads with approximately 560 units. Victoria fails to breach the top-five, in fact, and is currently undergoing a condominium lull at only 56 units actively being tracked by Citified. Behind Langford in the number two spot is Colwood, where roughly 440 condominiums are under construction. In third spot is Esquimalt with about 250 units, followed closely by View Royal in fourth place with 222 units and Saanich in fifth place, where 217 units are currently underway.

 

“In terms of market activity, Victoria and Langford are once again at the top of the pack for rental housing. However, Victoria has lost significant ground on the condominium front, and is currently among the lowest performers, whereas Langford is firmly in first place for upcoming condominium residences,” Kozakowski says, noting that should several high profile already approved developments proceed to construction over the near term, Victoria’s current dearth of units may quickly reverse.

 

“There are quite a number of large-scale condominium developments in-waiting within the City of Victoria. Current market conditions are not conducive to condominium construction in the city centre, and this has resulted in a delay of strata-titled construction in what has historically been the largest and most diverse condominium market in the region.”

 

Citified, founded in 2015, is a market leader on the south Island for construction data and metrics, market intelligence, marketing solutions for the real-estate development industry and development application consulting services. C

 

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