ROur Rockland, Our Victoria
Your Vote 2026 · Rockland, Victoria BC

Our Rockland
Our Victoria

Honour the Past with the Future

Protecting the heritage character, tree canopy, and community voice that make Rockland unique.

Explore the IssuesGet Involved
Rockland Victoria neighbourhood vision featuring heritage architecture, mature trees and community governance
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HeritageProtect character while accommodating thoughtful change.
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Urban ForestKeep mature trees, plant for the future and protect green space.
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GovernanceTransparent decisions, real consultation and clear accountability.
Who We Are

A neighbourhood voice for Rockland.

Our Rockland, Our Victoria is a grassroots, issues-based community effort focused on the qualities that make Rockland one of Victoria's most distinctive neighbourhoods.

Rockland's heritage homes, gardens, stone walls, mature trees and landmarks are not separate issues. Together, they form a neighbourhood landscape that has been built over generations and can be lost one decision at a time.

Growth can happen. The question is whether it is thoughtful, transparent and designed to preserve the things that cannot simply be rebuilt later.
The Big Issues

What Rockland needs City Hall to get right.

01 · Heritage

Keep Rockland recognizable.

Rockland is defined by more than individual heritage buildings. Its character includes streetscapes, gardens, setbacks, stone walls, rocky outcrops and the relationship between buildings and landscape.

  • Protect significant heritage homes and landscapes.
  • Support adaptive reuse and sensitive infill before demolition.
  • Require new development to respond to the neighbourhood's scale and character.
  • Preserve public views, estate features and historic streetscapes where possible.
02 · Urban Forest

Treat trees as infrastructure.

Rockland's mature canopy cools streets, manages rainwater, supports biodiversity and is central to the neighbourhood's identity. Much of Victoria's urban forest is on private land, making development decisions critical.

  • Prioritize retention of mature, high-value trees.
  • Protect enough soil and open space for replacement trees to reach maturity.
  • Plant diverse, climate-resilient species.
  • Measure canopy loss and replacement outcomes transparently.
03 · Governance

Residents deserve a real say.

Good outcomes require more than a public notice after key choices have already been made. Neighbourhood input should shape decisions early, and the rationale for decisions should be easy to understand.

  • Meaningful consultation before major neighbourhood changes.
  • Clear public reporting on trade-offs and impacts.
  • Consistent application of bylaws, policies and heritage protections.
  • Accountability for outcomes, not just process.
Rockland has something worth protecting.
Heritage architecture and mature canopy work together to create a unique place.
Why This Matters Now

Victoria is changing. Rockland should help shape how.

Victoria adopted its new 2050 Official Community Plan in 2025. Residential areas are expected to accommodate more housing, while the plan also calls for a stronger urban forest and protection of valued natural and heritage features.

Those goals can work together, but only if site planning starts with the assets already here: mature trees, heritage buildings, green space, topography and neighbourhood character.

~75%of Victoria's urban forest is on private land.
40%citywide tree canopy target identified for 2050 in Victoria's OCP.
50%2050 canopy target for Residential Infill Areas.
2025Victoria 2050 Official Community Plan adopted by Council.
Governance

The process matters as much as the outcome.

Rockland residents do not need to agree on every project or policy. We should be able to agree on how decisions are made: in public, with evidence, with meaningful neighbourhood participation and with clear responsibility for the result.

Consult Early

Residents should have a chance to influence major decisions while options are still genuinely open.

Show the Trade-offs

Housing, heritage, tree canopy, infrastructure and public cost should be evaluated together, not in separate silos.

Publish the Evidence

Tree loss, replacement planting, heritage impacts and policy exceptions should be visible and understandable.

Apply Rules Consistently

Residents and applicants should know which bylaws and policies apply and why.

Respect Neighbourhood Knowledge

Local knowledge about sites, drainage, trees, streets and historic context should inform planning.

Own the Outcomes

City Hall should measure whether policies are delivering the results residents were promised.

Responsible growth is not anti-housing. Protecting heritage and mature trees is not anti-change. Good governance is how Victoria does all three well.
Upcoming Event · September 22

Meet four of Victoria’s new council candidates.

Sustainable Victoria Network is hosting a public New Candidates Meet & Greet. Ask questions, hear directly from the candidates and take part in a moderated discussion about Victoria’s future.

Tuesday, September 227 to 9 p.m.
Grace Lutheran ChurchSanctuary · 1273 Fort St. · Accessible entry

Meet the four new candidates:

  • Wendy Bowkett
  • Melissa Cseszko
  • Arthur McInnis
  • Karen Rothe
Open Event Poster Submit a Question
Sustainable Victoria Network New Candidates Meet and Greet poster for Tuesday September 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, featuring Wendy Bowkett, Melissa Cseszko, Arthur McInnis and Karen Rothe

Hosted by Sustainable Victoria Network. Click the poster to open the full PDF.

City Hall 2026

Change the balance at City Hall.

Consider these six skilled Candidates for Council. Four of the new candidates above are appearing together at the September 22 Meet & Greet. The six candidates below stand for transparency, accountability, neighbourhood voice, responsible management and public safety.

Mayor

Supported candidate for Mayor

Bruce McGuigan

Supported candidate for Mayor

A longtime Victoria resident and community-sector leader focused on accountable City Hall, responsible use of public resources, housing, public safety and stronger neighbourhood voice.

Visit campaign website

Council

Six candidates to consider

Wendy Bowkett

Candidate for Council

A community advocate and business strategist focused on transparent decisions, public safety, livability, affordability and restoring public trust.

Visit campaign website

Melissa Cseszko

Candidate for Council

A Victoria-born downtown small business owner focused on practical leadership, public safety, accountability and responsible use of public money.

Visit campaign website

Marg Gardiner Incumbent

Councillor seeking re-election

A current Victoria councillor with extensive neighbourhood-association experience, focused on safe streets, liveable neighbourhoods, respect for taxpayers and transparent governance.

Visit campaign website

Stephen Hammond Incumbent

Councillor seeking re-election

A Victoria councillor since 2022, lawyer by training and community volunteer focused on public safety, affordable taxes and housing that works for Victoria.

Visit campaign website

Arthur McInnis

Candidate for Council

A law professor and former international construction and projects lawyer focused on public-interest decision-making, accountability, infrastructure and public safety.

Visit campaign website

Karen Rothe

Candidate for Council

A Victoria resident with experience in planning, municipal affairs and emergency management, focused on practical leadership, accountability and public trust.

Visit campaign website
City Hall 2026

The Gang of Five needs to go.

They have proven themselves to be illiterate in terms of land use, development, and urban design.

Jeremy Caradonna Matt Dell Susan Kim Krista Loughton Dave Thompson

They have spent wildly:

  • the latest budget was up by more than 3X the cost of living
  • they hired 68% more staff in the past 6 years
  • they voted to boost their own salaries to the levels paid in cities 5X the size of Victoria

They rushed to adopt a new community plan based on input from special interest groups and only 6% of voters.

They were all set to chop down the stately, healthy, massive Sequoia tree in Centennial Square, and rip out the heritage fountain, until public outrage forced them to defer their plans.

Read More

The local documents behind the issues.

Rockland Neighbourhood Association ConstitutionHeritage, estate character, mature trees, green space and public participation. Rockland Urban Forest & Land Use AnalysisA 2025 neighbourhood analysis of canopy, development pressure and tree protection. Community Voices MatterCommunity perspectives on Victoria planning, consultation and neighbourhood voice. Sustainable Victoria NetworkLocal commentary and resources on growth, neighbourhoods and sustainable city planning. City of Victoria — Trees & Urban ForestCurrent City information on canopy, tree protection, planting and stewardship.

Honour the past. Grow the future. Lead together.

Help build a strong neighbourhood voice for Rockland in the 2026 Victoria election.

Get Involved
Get In Touch

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