Join us for the 2026 Welcoming City Conference!

Together, we’ll explore how we build stronger connections and co-create a more welcoming Victoria for everyone.

What does it mean to truly connect? This free event brings together community members, service providers and local leaders to explore how we can build stronger connections across cultures and co-create a more welcoming Victoria for everyone.

Hosted by the City of Victoria’s Welcoming City Advisory Committee in partnership with the Coastal Research, Education, and Advocacy Network (CREAN), the third annual Welcoming City Community Conference explores what "connected communities" mean. This conversation builds upon the Welcoming City Standards and Strategy. The conference is intended for the Welcoming City network partners, youth and newcomers, and long-term residents of the city of Victoria.

Rationale:

• Supports the implementation of the Welcoming City Strategy action: "The City to establish a practice of hosting an annual welcoming event for newcomers to promote and celebrate social, economic, and cultural benefits and contributions that newcomers bring and officially welcome those who have recently called Victoria home."

• Organized in partnership with the Welcoming City Advisory Committee

• Supports the engagement on the 7 Welcoming City community-led and partnered standards

• Structured to support intersectional and cross-organizational approaches to inclusion through discussion of innovative research and best practices on inclusion in Victoria

• Provides an opportunity for engagement on Welcoming City approaches

Goals:

• Facilitate capacity building and dialogue on the Welcoming City Strategy and Standards, roles of partner organizations, City of Victoria, Welcoming City Committee, and people with lived experiences

• Provide opportunities for enhancing collaborative approaches to the Welcoming City philosophy and plan for future

• Support networking, relationship building and engagement

Free admission. Tickets can be reserved here.

Light refreshments provided.

For accessibility accommodations, please email: hello@creansociety.org

Participating Community Partners:

• City of Victoria

• Coastal Research, Education, and Advocacy Network

• Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society

• Inter-cultural Association of Greater Victoria

• Greater Victoria Public Library

• Philippine Bayanihan Community Centre

• Chinese Community Services Centre of Victoria

• Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees

• Licker Geospatial Consulting

• Vancouver Island Brazilian Cultural Association