Tim Shah: Kindred Represents Our Sustainable Transportation Future
By guest writer, Tim Shah. Tim is a Vic West resident and transportation planner. He is a big believer in mobility choice as a mini-van owner, frequent e-bike user, Modo carshare member, and transit enthusiast.
This past summer, I had the privilege of touring Kindred—a truly remarkable development that not only epitomizes sustainable mobility but represents the future of small-scale multi-unit housing. As a transportation planner and resident of Victoria West for 10 years, I have had the fortune of observing how my neighbourhood has been evolving over time and experiencing the latest trends in sustainable mobility. From the expansion of the Modo carshare ecosystem, to the ubiquity of electric cargo bikes parked at Vic West’s many parks, to a more connected cycling network—Vic West continues to punch above its weight.
From rarity to ubiquity, cargo bikes have transformed Victoria’s mobility landscape.
And as I argue in this article, Kindred represents all of Vic West’s latest transportation trends—and more—and, forgive the continued boxing analogy, is the heavyweight of providing mobility choice and is ahead of its time.
There are three specific elements that I am going to touch on that illustrate why Kindred serves as a model of mobility choice. First, as a development with no off-street parking, it will benefit from a future where on-street (curbside) parking becomes even more valuable and will require more active parking management. Second, the Modo carshare ecosystem has grown significantly in Vic West over the last 10 years and Kindred has contributed to that. More carsharing opportunities means less need for off-street parking. Third, Kindred’s world-class bike garage is exactly what families are looking for to help make the jump to an electric cargo bike.
Let’s start with on-street parking. For many years, the City of Victoria has managed parking in residential neighbourhoods through a policy called “residential parking only (RPO)”. This means that the vehicles of a resident or their visitors, with license plates registered with the city, may park on a block with an RPO. But enforcement is rare and residents do not have to pay to park their vehicle there. Even though some may argue that on-street parking is a “public good” paid for by our taxes, in practice, we all collectively compete for that precious street parking, which can, at times, be in short supply. And because it does not have a direct cost, some households choose to park on-street while their driveways sit empty and/or their garages accumulate more stuff. The RPO system isn’t just bad economics—it will not work in a city that is envisioning more housing density through its new Official Community Plan, which will drive up demand for on-street parking.
The City of Victoria has signaled that change is coming. In fact, in its August 2025 staff report titled “Transforming City Parking”, the City has indicated that its residential parking permit (RPP) system—which is only used on a limited basis—will be expanded, especially where the RPO system has not been effective. Under an RPP system, each permit is subject to an annual fee paid by the permit holder (i.e., the household). These types of permit systems have been successfully implemented in many BC communities including Kelowna, Vancouver, and North Vancouver, to name a few. And just next door in neighbouring Esquimalt, the Township will soon be modernizing its residential parking program by creating a more robust permit system, recognizing that on-street parking should be for residents that are in the most need of space.
How does Kindred fit into this? Well for one, Kindred does not have off-street parking. And two, many streets in Vic West like Belton, have the RPO system in place. If the City expands its residential parking permit program, then street parking will become a more level playing field for residents as they would all be subject to the same price to park their vehicle on street, if they choose to. This would also make it easier for parking enforcement to check non-resident vehicles who may park on these streets.
It is worth remembering that the province’s Bill 44 legislation, introduced in 2023, allows small-scale multi-unit buildings (like Kindred) to not provide any off-street parking if they are within 400m of frequent transit. Kindred is within 200m of Craigflower Road, which is a frequent transit route. This means we will likely see more six-plex developments without any off-street parking in the future. Does that mean no residents will have vehicles? Not necessarily. They may have a vehicle and park on-street and the municipality could choose how best it wants to manage that parking. Residential parking permit systems are a sound—and fair—way to do this by properly pricing street parking.
Modo is part of a rapidly expanding car-share ecosystem.
A future residential parking permit program is also good news for carsharing, which Kindred has proudly championed. An electric Modo carshare vehicle is out front, which provides residents of Kindred—and others in the neighbourhood—with access to a vehicle. This contribution from Kindred adds to a growing carshare ecosystem that continues to have a positive impact on mobility choice for Victoria residents and beyond. According to data from Modo, from 2018 to 2025, the number of Modo vehicles and members has increased 89% and 64%, respectively. Also, Modo’s annual member survey reported the following:
51% report getting rid of at least one vehicle because they have joined Modo.
A further 20% would have purchased a vehicle without accessing Modo.
60% use Modo as their primary vehicle.
And in the City of Victoria specifically, just over 25% of Modo members commute to work by cycling, 14% by transit, and 5% by walking—that’s 44% by a sustainable mode! Only 11% use a personal vehicle to commute to work. This all supports lower vehicle ownership and reduces the need for parking.
These are not just statistics to celebrate for Victoria—they are trends that reinforce what Kindred has and will continue to offer to its residents and community: more mobility choice.
Modo’s Vehicle Inventory and Members in City of Victoria from 2018-2025. Credit: Modo
Let’s shift gears to cycling. The City of Victoria’s all ages and abilities cycling network now offers over 40 kilometres of cycling infrastructure across the city. That is an impressive achievement since the first protected bike lane was introduced on Pandora Avenue in 2017. Since that time, the City’s network has seen a year-over-year increase in use, which has increased safety, reduced serious traffic injuries and fatalities, improved access to key destinations, and encouraged a broader range of people to bike more often.
The cycling network expansion has occurred simultaneously with an electric bike revolution. And the data support that observation. According to the CRD’s 2022 Origin-Destination Household Travel Survey, 30% of bicycle trips are made by e-bikes, even though they make up only 10% of the stock of adult and children’s bicycles.
Kindred responds to these trends in ways that would make any design zealot envious. E-bikes, especially electric cargo bikes, need space for parking. And most bike garages and bike rooms do not provide that space. But Kindred’s thoughtfully designed bike garage not only offers a secure space but offers amenities that make it so easy to maintain and charge one’s bike.
This matters because we know that fear of bike theft is a top barrier for prospective e-bike owners. And providing secure bike parking can directly mitigate those fears and get more people on bikes. Kindred’s bike garage has 7 cargo stalls and widened aisles to allow converting standard stalls into additional cargo stalls. Cargo bikes are designed as car-replacements, effective at getting kids to school, grocery trips, errands around town, etc. This represents a significant step forward in helping people reduce their dependence on driving.
In summary, Kindred is all about mobility choice and that is something we should celebrate. Mobility choice is good for families, young adults, seniors, and more. It is only a matter of time until we realize how ahead of the curve it is, and how it will serve as a model for small scale multi-unit housing in the future—in Vic West, Victoria, and beyond.