Victoria

This small urban riding at the south tip of Vancouver Island encompasses the city of Victoria, the adjacent municipality of Oak Bay and the southeast corner of the District of Saanich, including the University of Victoria.

Twenty-one per cent of the residents of this riding are immigrants, according to the 2006 census. Twenty per cent are age 65 or over. Thirty-seven per cent of those over age 25 have a university certificate or degree.

The local economy is primarily service-oriented, with the major employer being government. Tourism is also important. The average family income is $85,292 and the unemployment rate is 4.8 per cent.

Victoria riding originally existed as a two-member seat from 1872 to 1903. It was re-established in 1924.

Population: 108,771 (2006 census; an increase of 4.0% since 2001)

Political History

After holding the riding for 13 years, the Liberals went down to defeat in 2006. New Democrat Denise Savoie beat Liberal candidate David Mulroney by more than 6,000 votes.

Liberal David Anderson held this seat from 1993, but opted to retire after Parliament dissolved in 2005.

In 2004, Anderson beat New Democrat David Turner by 2,305 votes. Under Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Anderson served as minister of national revenue, transport, fisheries and oceans and environment.

In 1878, Sir John A. Macdonald was elected in this riding. Liberals dominated here in the 1960s, while Tory Allan McKinnon was MP from 1972 to 1988. New Democrat John Brewin then took the riding for one term.

• 1925 to 1936 byelection inclusive - CON
• 1937 byelection - LIB
• 1940-53 inclusive - LIB
• 1957, 1958, 1962 - PC
• 1963, 1965, 1968 - LIB
• 1972-84 inclusive - PC
• 1988 - NDP
• 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004 - LIB
• 2006 - NDP