WHAT ARE RESILIENT STREETS?
Strengthening connections & relationships
One way to make our communities more resilient is by strengthening the connections and relationships between neighbours on a street, or in apartment or condominium buildings.
View and download our collection of inspiring examples and stories of neighbours connecting and doing projects together in streets and buildings in British Columbia and around the world.
On a Resilient Street, people who live close to each other often have more social events together, share tools and skills, support each other during emergencies, work on different issues or projects together, and much more! It all starts with neighbours simply connecting and getting to know each other a little—and that’s where we can help….
Resilient Streets “getting started” tools
Flyers, posters and other tools to help you make those first connections with your neighbours and
start a Resilient Street.
Resilient Streets “getting started” tools
Beginning in May, we will be offering workshops, and micro-grants to the Greater Victoria region, to help support neighbours in kicking off community gatherings and projects.
Micro-grants
Neighbours often use micro-grants to host a living room conversation, pancake breakfast, outdoor BBQ, block party, or potluck, and later apply for a larger micro-grant to do a project together such as building a new street amenity. (Our micro-grants program is currently closed, but click here for more information.)
Workshops
From general orientations about neighbourhood resilience to practical sessions on building “pocket places”, we frequently host free workshops. To get early word on all upcoming workshops, monitor our News & Events blog, contact us or sign up to our mailing list.
City of Victoria resources
Download information about additional Resilient Streets resources that are specific to Victoria.
Esquimalt
resources
Download information about additional Resilient Streets resources that are specific to Esquimalt.
BC Resilient Streets demonstration communities
Since 2018, we have been fostering Resilient Streets in other places across BC! Through the PlanH Healthy Communities Capacity Building Fund, we are partnering with four BC demonstration communities to implement and adapt the Resilient Streets program in diverse contexts. Get involved or simply explore what’s happening in our participating communities, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Sunshine Coast Regional District, City of Powell River and the City of Richmond.
CONNECT & PREPARE
Social connections between neighbours are a crucial foundation for building shared emergency preparedness. We recently piloted an innovative Connect & Prepare program in collaboration with Victoria Ready. Learn more about it here!
“I have a walker [and live] on the third floor. Every time we have a fire-drill, a neighbour checks in on me… [Connect & Prepare] reminds people of the importance of having such a system.”
“Before the program, neighbours … seldom reached out to talk. Now … we often get together for parties and help one another with projects and events. We support each other with house/pet sitting, sharing gardens/harvests, sharing tools, repairing equipment, figuring out how to vote and Transition Streets has transformed my street into the type of community that can deal with anything, good or bad.” — Vic West Resilient Streets Champion (Transition Streets)
“We had our first Food Buyers meeting today thanks to the $40 Resilient Streets grant. WOW, what started as ‘let’s buy organic food together to share costs’ exploded into a chicken coop, carpooling to support local farmers, pet sitting, seed and yard sharing, home-grown food swapping, street canning parties…. and the food buying group of course!” — Vic West Resilient Streets Champion (Food Buying)
“I appreciated the fact that you guys know all the things that we worry about and all the things that community engagement is concerned about: People are not showing up, or no volunteers, and so on and so forth. You actually put a little humour into it. You made me feel better about the parts that suck!” — Audience member of Laughing Allowed!
“Even people who did not attend have been friendlier, as they now know our names and where we live. There are now more conversations on the street and less {
invasive}
ivy in the park. Garden produce is being shared and more greetings being called out as people drive or ride by. We’re planning a bee-friendly garden to occupy an empty lot.” — Vic West Resilient Streets Champion (Block Party)
“I struggle with health challenges to do my own gardening, so it was just really heartening for me to see the offers of support, and assistance should I ever need it. It just has me feeling much more connected with my fellow Vic Westians.” — Vic West Resilient Streets Champion (Shared Garden Project)