About Us

Vera has lived in the Gorge Tillicum area for over 15 years with her husband and two children. She has long been interested in community issues having worked for the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Area and served as President of the Business Improvement Areas of BC (BIABC). She has been the editor/designer of the GTCA Newsletter for the past five years. Vera has 20 years of marketing/communications experience and currently runs her own marketing company.

Phil Lancaster moved to the Gorge Tillicum area in 2001. After a varied career that included a full military career and extensive humanitarian work in Africa, he is now an avid walker and gardener.  Phil has served on the Saanich Governance Review Citizens Advisory Committee and currently chairs the GTCA Mobility and Transportation Working Group.  Phil was first elected to the GTCA Board in 2018.

Chris grew up in Victoria and has lived in the Gorge Tillicum neighbourhood since 2001.  Chris has served on the GTCA Board since 2010 and also serves as Chair on the Gorge Canada Day Picnic organizing committee.  Chris completed his degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting at Simon Fraser University and has been working in tax and accounting for over 29 years now.  He enjoys hiking, camping, and travel, having made it to 52 countries so far!

Brandon and his wife have called the Gorge Tillicum neighbourhood home since 2007. After nearly 20 years running a web technologies company, Brandon segued into teaching computer science at Camosun College in 2021. As a result of certain events during the pandemic, Brandon got a taste for community building and started a Block Watch for his street.  Brandon began helping with the Gorge Canada Day Picnic organizing committee in 2023 and, then more recently, in September 2023, Brandon was elected to the Board and the role of Communications Coordinator. 

Xi moved to the island in 2009, and has lived in the Gorge Tillicum neighbourhood since 2015. Xi fell in love with what the area has to offer, and enjoys walking her Husky pup with her husband along the Gorge Waterway while taking in all the tranquil characteristics of this growing neighbourhood. Xi is a local real estate agent and a legal interpreter/translator, and she looks forward to contributing to her community and advocating for its members! Xi was elected to the Board and the role of Membership Coordinator in September 2023. 

Arden has lived in the Gorge Tillicum neighbourhood for nearly 30 years.  He hails originally from Thunder Bay and much enjoys the relatively moderate weather that Victoria has to offer.  Arden is currently Chair of the GTCA Culture and Celebration Working Group.  His interests include travel, songwriting and, sadly, the Vancouver Canucks.

Born in England, raised in Montreal, and last resided in the Yukon, Katherine has lived in the Gorge Tillicum area since 1999 and has been involved in the GTCA since 2005.  Katherine's profession is environmental planning and her interests include building community and creating active, walkable, and bicycle-friendly neighbourhoods.  She is kept busy raising her two children, taking them hiking in summers and cross-country skiing in winters.  She is a recipient of the YM-YWCA Women of Distinction Award.

Formerly an English professor, Chris and his wife Kay Stewart bought a condo in the Gorge-Tillicum area in 2000 and managed to move in 2008.  Chris is a writer and has co-authored three detective novels with Kay.  He is a great believer in the role of arts in the community, and writes a regular column on local artists for the GTCA Newsletter.  He also loves dancing, music, and hiking.

Mauricio moved to the Gorge Tillicum neighbourhood in 2020 after he and his partner Lauren fell in love with an 1895 heritage house near Rudd Park. Born in Uruguay, he grew up in rental apartments in Toronto's suburbs and lived briefly in Vancouver before moving to Saanich. He participates in the GTCA's Land Use working group, advocating for a greater diversity of housing and transportation options in our community, and also serves on the Saanich Heritage Foundation, helping preserve the municipality's historic buildings. Mauricio is a civil engineer with experience in the building materials and renewable energy sectors. 

Born in Chicoutimi, Québec, Marie-Nicole is the mother of two adults who graduated from UVIC, and proudly bilingual. Retired now, she practiced dentistry for 30 years. She has the privilege of living in our beautiful Gorge-Tillicum neighbourhood since 1993 with her spouse.  She has seen a lot of changes over the last thirty years.  She has decided to get directly involved in the many projects happening in the area.  This is why Marie-Nicole is joining the Gorge Tillicum Community Association as director.  Marie-Nicole was elected to the Board, April 20th, 2023.

Gabe is a retired elementary school teacher with more ideas than he can manifest.  Always involved in various community events and projects, Gabe grows food and flowers and was a coordinator of Gorge Tillicum Urban Farmers.  Gabe has been the hard-working driving force behind the new Gorge Park Community Gardens.  After serving on the board for many years, Gabe was elected to the President's position in 2018 and served for three years. 

Scott was born and raised in the area and spent a good part of this youth somewhere along the Gorge.  He and his wife and kids have lived in the neighbourhood for the past 15 years and love the area for its rich history and the strong community spirit they’ve discovered here.

Richard and his wife moved to Rockwell Ave In May 2020 but spent the first six months living in a small camper while they renovated their new home. Previously, they lived in the Comox Valley for 32 years running a small farm that was primarily a propagator of small fruits particularly black currant plants. Now retired, Richard spends much of his time rowing a single racing scull on the Gorge Waterway and at the Gorge Narrows Rowing Club. Richard and his wife also have two adult children who live in the Victoria area and have several grandchildren. 

With her young family, Meghan moved to the Gorge Tillicum neighbourhood in 2018. She loves that her family can walk their canoe down to the Gorge waterway for a paddle, ride the forest trails or admire the many gardens in the neighbourhood.  Meghan has over 15 years experience in non-profit management specifically with immigrant and refugee communities in Victoria, BC and holds a Masters degree in Community Development.  

Paul moved to the neighbourhood in 2009 and quickly became enamoured with it - its historic feel with so many character homes, long, lazy, tree-lined streets, proximity to the Gorge, downtown, Costco (lol) etc. When not walking his English bulldogs you'll find him puttering around in his vegetable garden or cooking up something tasty. His participation on the board will be to promote a more prolific and varied tree canopy, healthy and safe parks, and to champion the 2004 Urban Design Charette Report created by the GTCA.

Born and raised on the island, Reb moved to Ottawa in pursuit of a journalism degree and worked for several of Canada’s largest newspapers as a writer, photographer and travel columnist before starting her own online music video series for kids with her partner.  In 2019, they moved to the Gorge with their young daughter. Reb has traipsed all over England, walking its enchanting footpaths and visiting historic towns. Taking inspiration from her travels, she dreams of a complete village hub in the Gorge and is a passionate advocate of walkability. 

Jennifer grew up in Victoria and spent many years in the neighbourhood with her grandparents.  When she returned to Victoria in 2011, she was delighted to move to the Gorge Tillicum neighborhood herself. Jennifer is an avid gardener and can often be found walking through the neighbourhood with her family and dog Archie. She is an Environmental Engineer specializing in management of large projects, and also currently serves as President of the Saanich Heritage Foundation.  Jennifer was elected to the Board in April 2023.