Discover Cohousing,
Explore Collaborative Living.
We're building a vibrant community in Greater Victoria, BC where residents mutually support one another, preserving independence and nourishing social connections.
Overcome Loneliness & Isolation
Neighborly Support When Needed
Sustain Physical & Mental Well-Being
Home Sweet Home?
Overcome Modern Living Dilemmas:
Separation: Limited social connections in most neighborhoods
Upkeep: Traditional homes can become a burden
Car Dependency: Reduced walkability and increased isolation
Lack of Support: Few opportunities for mutual assistance
Oversized: Many homes are now too large for evolving families
Heard About Cohousing?
• Independent homes with shared community spaces
• Designed and managed by residents themselves
• Fosters mutual support and social interaction
• Promotes active aging and personal autonomy
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![Social Design]()
Clustering homes around generous shared amenities including a dining room, guest suites, and gardens enhances interaction, security, and communal spirit.
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![Self Managed]()
From design to operation, residents collaborate in decision making, cultivating a shared sense of collective ownership and dedication.
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![Shared Resources]()
By sharing transportation, maintenance, and care, living costs decrease and mutual support thrives.
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![Balanced Privacy]()
Homes are privately owned, like any condo, boasting fully equipped kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor space within efficient layouts.
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![Sustainable Living]()
Green construction, sharing resources, energy efficiency, walkability, gardening, and nature conservation reduce the environmental footprint.
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"Cohousing puts us in closer contact with each other than a regular neighbourhood. Some of the group activities we have fostered over the years include book clubs, knitting circles, labyrinths, yoga classes, writing circles, meditation, ping pong tournaments, movie nights, horseshoes, darts, Even with COVID we were able to have a few pickle ball events on our courts chalked on the ring road. And we eat together - a lot!!"
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"The idea of what it means to live in this type of experience, I would say, it's not because it works, which it does, it's because we celebrate life, we create life with each other, there's a larger force at work"
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"When I took stock a year or two after moving in, I thought to myself, if I had written down all the things I would like in a place to live, it wouldn't have been nearly as good as this is!"
Welcome Home to…
Victoria, BC
Victoria, British Columbia offers a perfect blend of historic charm and cosmopolitan allure. Nestled along the scenic Salish Sea, this picturesque coastal city boasts breathtaking natural beauty, from the snow-capped Olympic Mountains to the tranquil inner harbors. The charming downtown core features an eclectic array of local boutiques, galleries, and renowned culinary establishments, while the nearby provincial parliament buildings and University of Victoria add intellectual vibrancy. Just a short ferry ride from the mainland, Victoria combines the peaceful island lifestyle with easy access to the dynamic urban amenities of Vancouver. With its mild climate, vibrant arts scene, and active community, Victoria provides the perfect setting for retirees seeking an enriching, well-rounded lifestyle.
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Four-Season Livability
Victoria's mild climate (Canada's warmest city) allows for year-round gardening, walking, and outdoor socializing. With minimal snow and moderate temperatures, community members can stay active and engaged throughout the year in shared gardens and outdoor spaces.
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Cultural Vibrancy & Lifelong Learning
Home to the University of Victoria, Royal BC Museum, and numerous cultural venues, the city offers endless opportunities for continued education, arts engagement, and meaningful community involvement.
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A Walkable Lifestyle
Victoria consistently ranks as one of Canada's most walkable cities, allowing community members to maintain independence while reducing car dependence. Essential services, cafes, shops, and the picturesque Inner Harbour are all easily accessible.
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Social Connection Infrastructure
The city's human-scale neighborhoods, abundant public spaces, and community centers naturally support the cohousing lifestyle. Victoria's reputation for friendliness and community-mindedness aligns perfectly with collaborative living values.
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Healthcare & Wellness Access
Renowned for its comprehensive healthcare system, Victoria offers excellent medical facilities, holistic wellness centers, and outdoor recreation options within walking distance. Perfect for those prioritizing a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
How You'll Craft Your New Neighborhood Around You…
Step 1
Embark on Your Cohousing Journey
Attend our free information sessions to discover how cohousing enhances independence and fosters meaningful connections.
Become an Associate Member to learn much more about the project, attend meetings, and decide if it’s right for you.
Connect with like-minded individuals who share your vision of community living.
Participate in workshops to develop effective collaboration techniques and begin defining shared values and goals.
Be a part of the "Getting Your Community Built" workshop to officially launch and plan your new community.
Step 2
Shape Your Future Community
Be prepared to make a financial commitment to facilitate the design and development of the project.
Work with the development team and other committed members to select and secure the site for your new community.
Engage in design workshops with our architects to craft your community's layout, common house, and homes.
With the help of our development team, invite others to join and share your vision - build your community!
Step 3
From Vision to Reality
Our development team will bring together all the professionals to manage design approvals and navigate regulatory processes.
We’ll secure the services of a highly qualified local construction contractor throughout the design and development, ensuring efficiency and cost effectiveness.
Our development team will source and negotiate the construction financing needed to move forward.
Our professionals oversee construction and manage cost control while providing regular progress updates for full transparency.
Set up your community for success with effective community management structures.
We will provide support for individual mortgage financing as needed.
Step 4
Settle Into Your Custom Community
Experience an expertly managed move-in process.
Celebrate your collective achievement with a community-wide housewarming event.
Take charge of your community's management from Day One with strong foundations already in place.
Enjoy the vibrant, supportive community you've helped build for daily connection, active living, and fulfillment.
Meet Our Team of Cohousing Professionals
Alastair Townsend, Margaret Critchlow and Ronaye Matthew have joined together to initiate, and provide professional services, to support the development of a cohousing project in the Victoria/Esquimalt area. With over thirty years experience managing the successful development of multiple cohousing projects, three of which are located in Greater Victoria, the team is uniquely qualified to facilitate this process. Alastair will manage the development, Margaret will provide support with community building and Ronaye will provide oversight as required.
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Alastair Townsend — Cohousing Development Consultant
Alastair combines a technical background in architecture with experience managing large real estate developments for a global investor. Alastair seeks to build cohousing communities that foster social connection and enrich lives.
A graduate of Kathryn McCamant’s 500 Communities cohousing program, Alastair will oversee the design, financing, and construction of Victoria Harbour Cohousing. His approach emphasizes transparency and accountability, ensuring a smooth development process that aligns with the community's vision.
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Margaret Critchlow, PhD — Community Facilitator
Margaret spent twenty-five years as a professor of Social Anthropology at York University in Ontario. She first discovered the importance of community led housing through her field research with Vanuatu villagers in the South Pacific. A leading voice in academic cohousing discourse, Critchlow has authored and edited books on housing cooperatives, customary land tenure, colonial history, and development issues. Critchlow is now a community building facilitator at CDC and has lived at Harbourside Cohousing in British Columbia since it opened in 2016.
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Ronaye Matthew — Cohousing Development Consultant
Ronaye is the primary consultant at Cohousing Development Consulting (CDC), an expert development management firm, where she has guided eleven cohousing projects to completion. After earning a degree in Environmental Studies from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba, Matthew spent her early career working with diverse residential developers in Alberta and British Columbia. In 1996, she shifted gears to cohousing development and never looked back. She has lived at Cranberry Commons in British Columbia since its completion in 2001
Our Local Cohousing Projects
Ronaye Matthew and Margaret Critchlow have complete the following three projects on Vancouver Island.
Harbourside Cohousing
Sooke, BC
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The project mandate was to be a neighbourhood of strata-titled housing for people in the second half of life that would be affordable, environmentally friendly, and socially/culturally supportive, allowing people to flourish through mutual support as they age in place and in community. Harbourside is located on the waterfront within walking distance of the Sooke Town Centre within easy access of grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, restaurants, coffee shops, post office and other facilities. The property is 2.75 acres, has a private dock with waterfront gazebo and incorporates the original resort building as the common house. The materials and mechanical systems were selected to achieve Built-Green Canada Gold standards.
West Wind Harbour Cohousing
Sooke, BC
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The property is located within Sooke’s Town Centre. The 0.637 hectare south facing waterfront property originally had one single family residence that was retained and refurbished as a common amenity space. The property has a foreshore lease and private wharf zoning that permits a private dock, exclusively for upland owners use. The property’s location in Sooke’s Town Centre is desirable for its walkability to downtown amenities; the gently sloping terrain with easy waterfront access; and sweeping southeast to southwest views of Sooke Harbour and Basin, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Olympic Mountains. West Wind Harbour Cohousing is a senior focused community however there is no age restriction. The building is sited to maximize views of the ocean and the Olympic Mountains. It is a six story building with four floors of wood frame above two floors of concrete and a parking structure. The 34 strata titled residential homes range in size from approximately 600 to 1200 square feet – all with spectacular views of the harbour. They share access to gardens, patios, spectacular rooftop deck, spacious outdoor walkways and approximately 7000 square feet of indoor common amenity space. The refurbished house provides about 3,000 square feet of that amenity space and includes three guest rooms, office, library, art room, a dining room for private family dinners, patio areas for gatherings around the fire, and more. The newly constructed common areas include a large kitchen and dining area for shared meals, a lounge, workshop, exercise room, and plenty of storage space for bicycles and personal equipment. The project achieved Built Green Gold certification and includes many environmentally sustainable features.
Ravens Crossing
Sidney, BC
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Ravens Crossing Cohousing is a 4 storey building with one level of underground parking on an approximately 0.6 acre site. It is located within close proximity to the village core and within easy walking distance of many shops and services. The 35 homes range in size from approximately 670 to 1380 square feet.
The common house is approximately 3000 square feet and includes a large entry gathering space, a meeting room, art room, a common kitchen and dining, lounge, common laundry, and two guest rooms. There is also a rooftop deck and lots of shared garden space with raised beds for urban agriculture. 20% of the dwellings are adaptable units as defined by the Town of Sidney. 10% of the homes have a minimum of 3 bedrooms, with a gross floor area of not less than 1070 square feet and are located within the first or second storey of the building to accommodate families with children.
The project achieved Built Green Gold certification and includes many environmentally sustainable features.
A Proven Approach to Building Cohousing
Our Members will each receive a copy of Ronaye and Margaret’s book Community Led Housing, A Cohousing Development Approach. We will be following the experience-based method laid out in the book, to tackle:
Recruiting members and building community
Working together efficiently and collaboratively
Managing finances and legal agreements through the development phase
Finding a feasible site
Managing construction
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Now is the time for community led housing. Modern ways of living can leave us feeling alone in our homes and isolated from key resources. Cohousing balances independence and privacy with collaboration and togetherness to cultivate a thriving community. In cohousing spaces, neighbors know one another, and everyone works together to build and sustain a better future.
When cohousing experts Ronaye Matthew and Margaret Critchlow realized the vast demand for their development services, they knew they had to open the door—to everyone. In this in-depth guide, Matthew and Critchlow share their decades of experience on the ground and in the field. They outline the entire development process and break it down into accessible goals and informed takeaways for anyone interested in a collaborative approach to housing.
With their expertise, you’ll be prepared to navigate financial and legal structures, to work with your local municipalities and key professionals, and to transition smoothly from the development phase to living in the community. Including a detailed appendix with case studies of past projects and more, Community Led Housing is the must-read handbook that gives everyone with dreams of creating their own community the tools they need to succeed.
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“For those who yearn for a more connected future, this book is a guide for bringing the village of your dreams to life.”
“This sensible guide is the kind of community how-to book I love—stunningly clear, well organized, and easy to follow—written by two of the most skilled and experienced cohousing experts in North America. The authors’ wealth of sensible, field-tested advice will improve your chances of success immeasurably and no doubt save you money, time, and heartbreak. I can’t recommend Community Led Housing highly enough for aspiring communitarians in Canada, in the US, and in other English-speaking countries too!”
“There’s a lot written about smart cohousing design, but a book about cohousing development has been a long time coming. It stresses the importance of a can-do attitude accompanied with experienced guides. The book is a crucial point of departure—enhance it, learn from it, grow from it. I think Matthew and Critchlow’s ‘straight talk’ will help everyone make more community in the future.”
“The world needs this book! Community Led Housing delivers essential tools for those who dream of building a community where neighbors know, trust, and support one another. Ronaye Matthew helped bring my own community’s cohousing dream to life. In this powerful book, she and co-author Margaret Critchlow offer the wisdom to help others do the same.”
“Ronaye Matthew is a cohousing professional who had successfully managed eleven cohousing projects. This achievement is astounding because many others have tried and not succeeded. I believe she is the leading expert in Canada. What’s even more important is that this book holds the secrets on how she has achieved that success. This book is essential for groups considering cohousing, and more importantly, this is a great guide in helping other professionals work on cohousing developments. I am grateful that she is willing to pass along all that she has learned over the years so that others may benefit.”
“Matthew and Critchlow have crafted a much needed ‘how-to’ book for creating community-based housing. As people around the globe search for new ways of living to reduce our carbon imprint and enhance social relationships, documenting successful community-building is more important than ever.”
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Publisher: Page Two PressPublish
Date: 01/17/2024
Pages: 408
ISBN-13: 9781774584545ISBN-10:1774584549
Language: English
Sign Up For Upcoming Events
Join us to learn about the exciting world of cohousing! We will offer both online and in-person sessions to introduce you to this proven housing solution, highlight its benefits, and explain how we will build a thriving community with your input.
Our calendar will be updated with new events, including seminars on topics like aging in place and social gatherings where you can start meeting your future neighbors.
Attending an event is your first step towards a more connected and purposeful lifestyle. Check our calendar often, register for an upcoming session, and begin your journey towards intentional community!
A New Living Alternative for Victoria
Join us to learn about an exciting new cohousing community taking shape in Victoria! Building on successful BC communities like Harbourside (Sooke) and Ravens Crossing (Sidney), our team is initiating a new cohousing neighborhood that combines private homes with thoughtfully designed shared spaces, all within easy reach of urban amenities.
We invite you to explore how this community-centered approach to living can enhance your lifestyle in Victoria's vibrant setting. Like our other successful BC cohousing communities, the vision includes well-designed private homes, workshop spaces, and common areas that foster natural connections while reducing our collective living footprint. We are targeting a location that will offer easy access to shops, restaurants, public transit, and essential services - perfect for those seeking an active, sustainable lifestyle.
Whether you're drawn to Victoria's mild climate, walkable neighborhoods, or vibrant culture, cohousing offers a unique opportunity to create meaningful connections while maintaining your independence. Imagine stepping from your private home into beautifully designed shared spaces where neighbors become friends, sharing optional meals, and working together on community projects.
Experience the benefits of cohousing in one of Canada's most desirable cities.
Our professional development team will guide the journey from participatory design through completion, ensuring we create a community that enhances Victoria's reputation for innovative, sustainable living.
Join us in shaping a neighborhood where community thrives naturally.
Get in Touch
We're excited to share more about our vibrant cohousing community! Whether you're curious about the concept or ready to explore joining us, use the email below to reach out to us. Your journey towards a more connected and purposeful lifestyle begins with a conversation, and we'll respond as quickly as we can.
Updates
