FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Today, the Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA) launched the INVEST Downtown website, a comprehensive tool for prospective investors looking to learn more about Downtown Victoria.

“This is an unprecedented, one-stop service which allows potential investors to get insights into Downtown Victoria,” says Ken Kelly, General Manager of the DVBA. “We know this will provide value for potential investors, but also for our commercial realtors and downtown property managers.”

The DVBA is making its downtown pedestrian counter data publicly available through the INVEST site. In 2013, the DVBA was the first Business Improvement Area in BC and the second in Canada to install digital pedestrian counters. The counters are comprised of a thermal camera and software which counts individuals passing through the sensors’ range.  They work continuously regardless of day or night which means counts are comprehensive and provide far more detail than the traditional, manual ‘spot counts’. Pedestrian statistics can be provided in as small an increment as one hour, but also daily, weekly, and monthly periods. Foot counts are important information for retailers or other occupants of store front real estate.

Other research results now available on the site include the DVBA’s downtown workforce census (which identifies the number of employees in every block within our boundaries); downtown residential development from 2005 to present, along with proposed residential developments; public transportation patterns, illustrating the busiest downtown bus stops; and more. In addition to data, the site offers potential investors with current commercial listings, powered by SpaceList.

The DVBA has already won a Best in the West Excellence Award Award for Economic and Business Development from the Business Improvement Areas of British Columbia (BIABC) for its work on the INVEST Downtown campaign (which includes promotional infographics for vacant storefronts).  This award marks five years in a row that the DVBA has received awards for its work to promote, program, and animate Downtown Victoria.

“These are exciting times for Downtown Victoria, but also for our organization,” says Suzanne Bradbury, DVBA Chair.  “There is now more than double the number of people living downtown as there were 10 years ago, there are some very exciting residential and commercial projects under construction right now, the DVBA and City of Victoria are working closely on some very exciting new initiatives, and I believe all of this will result in a dramatic transformation of our downtown in years to come.”

The INVEST Downtown website is available at http://investdowntown.ca or http://investdowntownvictoria.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Ken Kelly       
General Manager, DVBA
ken@downtownvictoria.ca
250-386-2239

Suzanne Bradbury
Chair, DVBA
suzanne@fortproperties.ca
250-383-7412