Welcome to this week’s Sunday Briefing. In this issue:

Now on to today’s briefing.

-Emily, [email protected]

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The University of Victoria is building new facilities for its engineering and computer science programs that will create room for 500 more students each year. Dialog designed the project and Bird Construction is handling the build, using Douglas fir mass timber from the region and embedding sensors throughout to monitor everything from temperature to structural performance over time.

That sensor data will contribute to what's called a "material passport"—essentially a detailed record of where materials came from and how they're put together. The idea is that when these buildings eventually come down, future builders will know exactly what they're working with and how to reuse it. The project also leans on energy-efficient approaches like extra insulation, heat pumps, and rooftop solar.

The main expansion adds 6,400 square metres of space, while a separate High Bay lab covers another 2,200 square metres. Both buildings are on track to wrap up in September 2026 and have earned multiple green building certifications, including LEED Gold and zero carbon standards.

SPONSORED BY PHS COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY

Homelessness is a humanitarian emergency. Cold, wet weather brings misery for people on the streets.

PHS Community Services Society urgently seeks corporate partners. Donate now or contact [email protected] to host a benefit event.

Supportive housing, meals and care save lives.

Act now - your leadership can change the direction of peoples’ lives.

🌊 Show me what you got: COAST hosted its first Ocean Tech Live Demo Day at Victoria's Inner Harbour, bringing together 17 marine technology companies to showcase innovations from unmanned vehicles to AI-driven drones.

📈 Good vibrations: Vancouver Island's economy continued its province-leading growth with tech investments, major infrastructure projects like BC Hydro's Campbell River dam work, and community developments including Campbell River's Rail Yard Market incubator.

🦑 Under the sea: Ocean Networks Canada captured stubby bobtail squid and seals through its underwater observatory at Kitamaat Village, installed with the Haisla Nation 44 metres below the Douglas Channel's surface.

SPONSORED BY MATEINA

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Find your next career:

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November 17-21 | Victoria Tech Week

Inspired by successful models from Boulder Startup Week, Seattle Tech Week and NY Tech Week, this new event adopts a decentralized format that turns Victoria into a city-wide innovation showcase, with dozens of events hosted by local companies in their own venues across the capital region.

November 20 | Tour of Reliable Controls Manufacturing Facility

Join an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Reliable Controls, a leader in building automation systems. Discover how their technology supports sustainable, energy-efficient building operations worldwide—all designed and manufactured right here in British Columbia.

November 27 | Victoria Tech Nachos

Victoria Tech Nachos is a covert group at the intersection of nachos and technology. It bills itself as a no-speaker, social-only, no-sponsor, nacho-friendly event.

Have something or someone we should know about?

Reply or email [email protected] so we can work together to spotlight the lesser-known stories of Victoria's tech ecosystem.