Harris Green Village Ushers in a New Era for Downtown Victoria

On Wednesday, August 13th, sunshine poured down on the corner of Cook and Yates Street in downtown Victoria, as Starlight Investments officially broke ground on Harris Green Village. The landmark project will reshape Victoria’s downtown, delivering over 1,500 purpose-built rental homes and over 100,000 square feet of commercial space upon completion, making it the largest multi-family housing development in the city’s history. 

The groundbreaking comes at a crucial time. Like much of Canada, Victoria has been grappling with an ongoing housing crisis. "For decades, we’ve seen a chronic undersupply of new housing," said Howard Paskowitz, Vice President, development and public affairs at Starlight Investments. 

More than 60% of Victoria rental properties are over 40 years old, leaving residents with increasingly limited options in a competitive market. "These buildings have served the community well, but we’re seeing this infrastructure deteriorate due to age,” says Paskowitz. “Preserving these buildings through significant investment is crucial, but that doesn’t solve the housing shortage – we must simultaneously focus on creating new supply.” Harris Green Village is a direct response, achieving this by providing modern, secure and much-needed new purpose-built rental housing. 

Significantly contributing to the City of Victoria’s housing goals, Starlight will deliver Harris Green Village in three phases. Phase One, already underway along the 1000 block of Yates Street, will introduce 526 new rental suites to downtown Victoria, including 80 affordable suites, retail space, and community amenities. 

On any given evening, this section of Yates Street is abuzz with people meeting up with their friends at Boomtown, for an after-work burrito bowl, families walking to a nearby park to play, picking up groceries at Market on Yates, or catching a workout at one of several gyms in the area. Harris Green Village is thoughtfully designed to complement what’s already there, creating a community hub for urban living.

Residents will have access to a variety of living options – from townhomes and studios to 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments – paired with landscaped courtyards, children’s play areas, dog runs, rooftop lounges, and half an acre of open green space. A rebuilt grocery store, future daycare, and pedestrian-friendly plazas will integrate seamlessly into the existing neighbourhood.

"More than just numbers, Harris Green Village is a model for how private developers can revitalize neighbourhoods by creating communities that reflect the unique needs of the region they serve," Paskowitz said.

For the city of Victoria, the project serves as a strong example of private investment aligning with municipal goals. “The Harris Green Village development is a demonstration of Victoria’s forward-thinking approach to driving purpose-built rental housing,” said Mayor Marianne Alto. ​“This is exactly the kind of vibrant, community-driven growth we can expect as the city continues to create more opportunities for housing and community spaces in the downtown core.”  

From the developer’s perspective, Starlight sees this collaboration and other measures – like GST relief on new rental projects and Bill 47’s support for transit-oriented development – as steps in the right direction. However, these initiatives must be significantly expanded to address the true scale of the housing crisis. "We believe projects like Harris Green Village are clear examples of how we can work together to not only build homes, but enhance the fabric of our cities," Paskowitz added. 

Starlight is tackling Canada’s housing needs with a dual strategy that combines the preservation of existing buildings with the creation of new supply. Its commitment to preservation is significant; over the past five years, the company has invested $2.3 billion in maintaining, upgrading and adding square footage to existing rental properties.

In 2024 alone, the company completed nearly 500 suites, with more than 1,600 additional homes under construction at year’s end.

Local business leaders also see Harris Green Village as a catalyst for downtown revitalization. Jess Bray, CEO of the Downtown Victoria Business Association, praised the development’s potential to bring new customers to downtown businesses with increased foot traffic, as residents move in. 

"This project is going to add vibrancy, it’s going to add vitality, and most importantly, it’s going to provide 1,500 purpose-built rental homes for people who want to live downtown," Bray shared at the groundbreaking ceremony. "That includes employees who now can choose to live close to where they work."

With 17 projects currently underway across B.C.’s Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, Starlight has already made a positive mark on the province. These projects include a 206-suite development on Meaford Avenue in Langford, and ongoing construction on the first phase of The District in Langford, which is on track to deliver nearly 600 new rental suites in the coming months. Harris Green Village is the first project of its kind and scale in Victoria, which Bray sees as a show of faith in the city’s inner core. 

With a development pipeline set to deliver thousands of new rental suites over the next decade, Starlight Investments is ushering in a new era of optimism for rental markets across Canada, including downtown Victoria. As Harris Green Village takes shape, it offers more than just housing – it provides a community where people can live, work, and thrive.