The Trust’s revolutionary Harbourside project stands as one of the most transformative developments in Victoria’s history, turning contaminated industrial wasteland into the city’s premier waterfront destination.
Rising from derelict industrial land on Victoria’s Inner Harbour, Harbourside transformed a scarred and contaminated site into a vibrant mixed-use community that has become the defining landmark of the city’s downtown skyline. The development consists of two magnificent towers containing luxury condominiums, the prestigious 132-room Coast Harbourside Hotel, world-class restaurants, a state-of-the-art health club, and the spectacular Harbourside Marina—all seamlessly integrated into Victoria’s historic waterfront fabric.
In a masterful stroke of development strategy, the Trust successfully negotiated and brought in Coast Hotels as the anchor tenant, ensuring the project’s immediate viability and long-term success. This partnership created not just accommodation but a destination, with the Coast Harbourside Hotel becoming one of Victoria’s most sought-after hospitality venues, complete with conference facilities, fine dining establishments, and panoramic harbour views that attract visitors from around the world.
The economic impact of Harbourside has been transformative for Victoria’s downtown core. The project created approximately 100 permanent jobs initially and has since generated hundreds more through its hotels, restaurants, retail spaces, and marina operations. More significantly, it catalyzed a complete reimagining of Victoria’s Inner Harbour, spurring billions in subsequent development and establishing the waterfront as British Columbia’s premier tourist destination.
Harbourside’s architectural excellence and environmental innovation earned it virtually every major development award available, including Best Design, Best Landscape, and the coveted Project of the Year. These accolades recognized not just the project’s aesthetic achievements but its groundbreaking approach to remediating contaminated industrial land, setting new environmental standards that continue to influence brownfield development across North America.
The Trust’s vision extended beyond simply building on the waterfront, it was about healing damaged land and reconnecting the city with its harbour heritage. Through innovative remediation techniques and sustainable construction practices, the Trust transformed toxic industrial soil into a thriving ecosystem where residents, tourists, and marine life coexist in harmony. The Harbourside Marina has become a gateway for thousands of vessels annually, contributing millions to the local economy while maintaining the highest environmental standards.
Today, Harbourside stands as the Trust’s first major proof that contaminated industrial sites could be transformed into communities of extraordinary value and beauty. The development’s success provided the template and confidence for subsequent Trust projects, from Shoal Point to Loreto Bay, demonstrating that sustainable brownfield redevelopment could be both environmentally transformative and economically spectacular. As Victoria’s Inner Harbour continues to thrive as one of Canada’s most visited destinations, Harbourside remains the catalyst that sparked this remarkable transformation, a permanent testament to the Trust’s vision that development should heal, not harm.