IN THE KNOW:
Local undersea expert to speak at international ocean conference
Moronke Harris, a Victoria-based award-winning deep-sea oceanographer, science communicator, and founder of “The Imaginative Scientist,” is one of the keynote speakers at an international conference being hosted in Victoria for the first time this fall.
Ocean Floor Explore takes place at the Victoria Conference Centre from October 26 – 29. Produced by Map the Gaps (a non-profit society dedicated to undersea exploration) and COAST, Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies, the conference brings together explorers, investors, and leading ocean technologists during an event designed to ignite the next era of ocean floor discovery.
Harris, who gave a TEDx Victoria talk in 2024 on mitigating climate change, specializes in extreme-environment research and has spent over 150 days at sea piloting submersibles and leading multi-vessel expeditions.
In 2026, she will serve as Submersible Science Team Lead on an all-female Antarctic research expedition.
Says Harris of her participation at Ocean Floor Explore: “We often hear that space is the final frontier, but the ocean is Earth’s next great leap. The deep holds solutions to some of our greatest challenges. Exploring it sparks innovation, reveals the knowledge needed to safeguard our planet, and inspires us to imagine what’s possible when discovery and protection go hand in hand.”
BOOST program adds more ventures
Seven more local technology companies based in Victoria have been selected for the second series of VIATEC’s BOOST initiative, which supports high-potential ventures through targeted growth projects.
They are FabStation (Eterio Realities Inc.), Grit AI Tech, GuideStar Medical Devices, OneFeather Mobile Technologies Ltd., Open Ocean Robotics, Origen Air Purifiers and SSI (ShipConstructor Software Inc.).
These companies will implement projects totaling $847,000 in growth activity, backed by $256,500 in investment funding. BOOST aims to accelerate local tech startups and scale-ups by providing expert advisors, customized growth plans, and funding to remove barriers such as hiring, product development, customer acquisition, and operational improvements.
Combined with the first series, BOOST has now backed 18 projects, driving more than $2.2 million in expansion activity in its bid to strengthen the BC technology sector and economy.
Selected companies range from those aiming to increase sales eightfold, strengthen cybersecurity, launch growth campaigns, build market visibility overseas, to preparing for strategic defense procurement opportunities.
The next application intake opens September 15 and closes September 30, inviting more ventures to apply for support in accelerating their growth.
New Community Plan incentivizes strategic growth in Victoria
Victoria’s Updated Official Community Plan (OCP) heads to its final public hearing tomorrow (September 11).
Key proposed changes will affect commercial zoning, development incentives, and urban design guidelines across Victoria.
The plan introduces modernized zoning rules for town centres and commercial village areas, including allowances for mid- to high-rise mixed-use developments and incentives that encourage ground-floor retail and community services.
The goal is to create vibrant, walkable business districts that can attract customers and support sustainable economic growth.
A major feature of the update is the new Density Bonus Incentive program, which lets developers build taller and denser, for example up to five or six storeys in select areas, in exchange for delivering community benefits, like affordable housing units.
The plan includes updated mobility and parking policies that prioritize transit and active transportation, which will likely affect downtown accessibility and commercial operations.
Saanich delays proposed Operations Centre redevelopment
The District of Saanich is revising its plans for the Saanich Operations Centre (SOC) Redevelopment Project.
This follows an Alternative Approval Process (AAP) earlier this year, which did not secure borrowing approval. Saanich Council directed staff to develop a revised project scope and timeline, as the current borrowing plan would have had a significant budget impact.
Staff had warned that delaying the project to hold a referendum, combined with re-establishing procurement processes, would escalate costs by approximately $400,000 per month—making the original timeline financially unfeasible.
Moving forward, the District says it will pursue a phased approach to reduce upfront costs. Residential and other community-focused components will be deferred to later phases and are subject to future funding and decisions.
More detailed updates on budget projections and revised timelines will be presented to Council this fall.
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Find out how refugee youth are charting their new beginnings on Vancouver Island — and benefiting the local economy along the way.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
SEPTEMBER
September 16: Five Chambers Business Mixer
September 18: VIATEC AI Meetup: Business Track
OCTOBER
October 2 – 3: 2025 4VI Vancouver Island Stewardship Summit
October 9: Victoria Chamber Business Leader Series (ICBC)
October 26 – 29: Ocean Floor Explore Conference
October 28 – 30: VIEA ‘State of the Island’ Economic Summit
NOVEMBER
November 15: Colourful Business Expo
November 18: Chamber Marketplace Mixer
Douglas Weekly brings local business news, insights and community spotlights to keep Victoria and Vancouver Island In the Know. Got a story tip? Email us.
