Living in Esquimalt

Esquimalt's identity is shaped by two things: the harbour and the base. CFB Esquimalt is the municipality's largest employer and a defining presence. Saxe Point, West Bay, and the Gorge Waterway give residents more accessible shoreline per capita than almost anywhere else in the CRD. The town centre is compact and functional, with a recreation complex, library, and transit connections that make a car optional for many residents.

The housing stock spans post-war character homes, newer infill townhomes, and a growing condo inventory near the town centre. Prices run noticeably below equivalent properties in neighbouring Victoria and Oak Bay. First-time buyers, military families connected to the base, and investors drawn to rental demand are the consistent buyer profiles here.

Esquimalt rewards buyers willing to look past its underdog reputation. The combination of location, waterfront access, and price point is real. What you're giving up relative to Victoria proper is more limited walkable retail, a smaller school selection, and a town centre that is still mid-evolution. Those who see the trajectory tend to buy here early.