I agree that traffic is not too great but it does depend on what one is used to. The same distance in a Toronto commute or a Vancouver commute is far greater than anything here. Besides, from what I am seeing there is very little reason to make that commute as most of the things we would need are seemingly found in the Langford area anyways.
I think things like the Mayors idea of Amazon, while a bit far fetched perhaps, does promote the thought of other industries coming to the Westhore instead of the Westhore going downtown to them. From what I am finding out the regional transportation plan is a mess so instead of promoting a "live in Langford - work downtown" mentality the solution is probably be a reduction in the need for people to go to downtown Victoria in the first place.. In other words bringing more and more well paying jobs to the Westhore. Amazon or whomever - they should be welcomed with open arms on the Westhore!
...which in fact is the real intent. Young is astute enough to know that Langford has zero chance of hooking and landing Amazon. As I noted above it will almost certainly be one of Toronto, Boston, Austin TX with probably Dallas, Atlanta and perhaps Denver also in the conversation.
I wouldn't put too much stock in the "anti" Langford comments; those of us actually born here remember all too well the Langford of the 1970's and early 80's, the one where the theme to "Deliverance" would play in your head along with the sound of banjo music. It was needless to say a very different landscape 30-40 years ago compared to today. Its that Langford that is the source of much of the "anti" sentiments today.
While I personally could care less about living in a muni or neighborhood with what is glibly referred to as "cachet", many others in Victoria frankly do. I was born here, lived the first couple years of my life in Oak Bay (yawn.....) then grew up in Gordon Head/Mt Tolmie where I lived until I was 27. Like most people of the time to me "Langford" was that place somewhere way out to the west where tumbleweeds blew, pickup trucks predominated, the women had loose morals and if you weren't careful coyotes would snatch and eat your children off the street....
The Langford of today however obviously bears no resemblance to that place or time therefore I suggest you ignore the naysayers: if it suits your needs then that is all that matters. In fact my wife and I, currently residing in the Gorge area, have seriously considered buying in West Hills. The only things stopping us for now are the teen daughter who still lives with us and the fact my job is in the downtown core. Otherwise we'd very strongly consider it. Some of most miserable, pompous and insufferable people I know live in places like Dean Park Estates, Oak Bay and/or Broadmead. Their 'commentary' on Langford therefore is, or should be, utterly irrelevant insofar as you are concerned....