I agree with all the of the benefits stated with living here, but there are also some drawbacks obviously
The bottom line is that it is tough for a young couple with kids to create a future for themselves here (unless you have inherited the family home). Even if both parents have a decent (by Victoria standards) job, the gross pay is likely to be around $120K max. Add in child care, a hefty mortgage, and higher prices for about every other good and service and the best they are going to do is tread water. No money to save for the kid's education or to take more than the occassional family vacation. The same job(s) elsewhere would likely earn $10K-$20K more a year and living costs would be a lot less. I have seen countless families move to Vancouver Island only to move away again in a year or two.
No matter how great our environment is, people have to take care of themselves and their families.
Is that any different from Vancouver? Calgary, Edmonton, TO, Montreal? IF you wish to go smaller population - Regina, Saskatoon, Kelowna...Everyone has aspirations and if you tour Victoria the likes of Fairfield, Oak Bay, parts of Gordon Head etc. are extremely appealing - but unaffordable to almost any middle income family starting out.
Where there is a large discrepancy in the CRD region, is post-secondary education opportunities vs local job potential. UVIC, Royal Roads and to some extent Camosun College and other professional schools have far more places for professional degree and diploma courses (MBA is one that is highly advertised by both Uvic and Royal Roads) - than there are local job placements.
We should be grateful for the educational opportunities locally, and acknowledge how much each institution provides economically and socially to the community - but also be realistic as to how many graduates will actually get jobs here in their educational fields (other than nursing - and we also need a full time medical school here).
As put to me by someone in post secondary EdAdmin - for any professional graduate degree offered locally: (masters in any field) - around 1/3rd are through subsidized professional development programs so already in employment, 1/3rd out of province and expected to not seek local employment, and 1/3rd seeking local employment after graduation.