Celebrating the Wonderful Women of Victoria
International Women’s Day is coming up on March 8th– a day of immense importance to women and young girls around the world. This day offers the chance to reflect on the struggle for greater gender equality worldwide. It also allows us to commemorate the incredible achievements of women at all levels of the career ladder and in every industry in Victoria, Canada, and beyond.
This year, we challenge you to show support for women everywhere by reaching out, learning from, and reflecting on the powerful ladies in your life. Here’s to all women who keep the wheels of progress turning! Get empowered by the women that shape Greater Victoria as we know it.
RITUAL Nordic Spa
Kicking off our list, we have woman-owned Ritual Nordic Spa, a brand-new facility in Victoria dedicated to Nordic wellness and rejuvenation. Owner and founder, Marci Hotsenpiller grew up doing sauna sessions with her Finnish grandmother on the shores of Lake Muskoka in northern Ontario. As an internationally-ranked downhill skier, she rediscovered her love for the thrill of cold plunges in alpine spas, often seeking out thermal baths on the glaciers of Austria and Switzerland after training. It was through this love that RITUAL was born – Greater Victoria’s first hot-cold-relax cycle spa.
This Scandinavian-style spa features traditional cedar and basswood saunas, infrared saunas, a eucalyptus steam room, a cold plunge pool, Nordic bucket showers, salt lounge, and three beautiful patios in a modern downtown setting. Treat your fellow ladies: RITUAL is now taking bookings for their first-ever season!
Synergy Enterprises
Synergy Enterprises is a Victoria-based non-profit with the mission to improve Vancouver Island’s green-economy. CEO and Executive Director of the Synergy Foundation, Jill Doucette made waves across the industry with the founding of Synergy Enterprises in 2008, shortly after completing her studies in biology at the University of Victoria. She is an active writer and speaker with three published books, and is fully passionate about how business, industry, and communities can work harmoniously and efficiently towards a low-carbon future. Above all else, she is an incredible innovator and entrepreneur, with infectious enthusiasm and creativity – and it shines through her business.
The Synergy Sustainability Institute operates programs such as the Vancouver Island Green Business Collective, Food Eco District and Project Zero, and hosts many sustainability-focused events, including the annual Earth Day Power Hour and the Vancouver Island EcoStar Awards. In 2018, Synergy teamed up with three partners – tartanbond, Starrboard Enterprises Inc., and Destination Greater Victoria (…us!) to launch the IMPACT Sustainability Conference for Travel and Tourism.
That Girl in Victoria
That Girl in Victoria was born out of founder Michele Davis’ love for travel and for finding Victoria’s hidden gems. She curates charming tours based around the treasures our city has to offer, mixing in traditional sight-seeing with local shopping hotspots. As enthusiastic and knowledgeable as she is about our city, it may come as a surprise to some that she wasn’t born and raised in Victoria. Born in Alberta and having travelled frequently for her modelling career, Michele lived in Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, Kelowna, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, and Hawaii before making her way over to Victoria. It was in Hawaii where she became involved with the Travel and Tourism industry, and Victoria which sharpened her passion for it.
Michele offers both private guided-tours and self-guided audio tours for which she has developed an app that patrons can seamlessly follow along at their own pace while walking through Victoria. Both options are affordable, immersive, and enjoyable ways to discover our city. New to this spring season, That Girl in Victoria will be adding in an Artist Studio Tour featuring local galleries, with stops at Sea Cider and other vineyards. Enjoy exploring Victoria’s attractions and hearing its history, told through the eyes and charming personality of Michele!
Silk Road Tea
Silk Road Tea has been led by their founder and Chief Tea Ambassador Daniela Cubelic, hailed by the Globe & Mail as “Canada’s Queen of Tea”. Daniela was trained in the arts of traditional tea-brewing by Chinese & Taiwanese herbalists, as well as undergoing aromatherapy studies in France, to become well versed in creating exquisite tea blends, skin, and bodycare products to line Silk Road’s shelves.
She opened her first Silk Road in 1992 in Victoria’s historic Chinatown – also labeled the first Chinatown in Canada. Her expertise shines through in her craft – one sample of her award-winning organic teas, and you will see how that Daniela’s love for tea & tea culture is steeped in her veins.
Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse
Kristen Needham is the founder of Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse up in Saanichton, having inherited the family orchard as a teenager in 1986. At the time, she admits that she did not want to be involved with the orchard and was busy focusing on her studies in environmental management in Wales. Her career originally bloomed in that direction, and she spent several years working with farmers in rural Ethiopia on improving the nation’s food security. Almost 20 years later, she decided to replant her family orchard and conceived the idea of Sea Cider. She went back to school – this time, cider school! – and decided to build her own Ciderhouse on the family orchard now known as Sea Cider. It took about 5 years of preparation, but soon, her vision flourished – Kristen successfully sold cider to her first customer.
Visit Sea Cider up in Brentwood to be taken away by Kristen’s vision. Sip your delectable flight of ciders, carefully paired with organic cheeses and house-made mustard (arguably the best in Victoria), as you gaze upon the panoramic water views across the Haro Straight.
White Heather Tea Room
White Heather Tea Room has been serving up one of Victoria's best Afternoon Tea experiences for over 20 years. At White Heather, they carry the whimsy of the past throughout their incredible Hight Tea experience. Committed to quality and freshness, all of the food is prepared in-house daily, including their Le Cordon Bleu level pastries. White Heather's story starts with Agnes Campbell, who brought her Scottish Heritage to Victoria's high tea scene, and is still involved and visits the tea room to this day. Her commitment to heart-to-heart interactions has continued, each day, through everyone who has followed. Raise your teacup, pinkies up (of course!), to this pioneering Victoria icon.
White Heather Tea Room
Kwench Culture + Work Club
If there's one thing that can be said about the women of Victoria, as you've seen above, it's that they're hardworking (superwomen really!). And one of the spaces our mighty women get that work done is Kwench Culture + Work Club, who set the tone for productivity in our city. But don't think nose down to the grindstone, think warm, open spaces, big smiles, and mental & physical wellbeing. KWENCH offers a place that makes it easy to engage in activities that foster happiness and find a true sense of belonging. Founder, Tessa McLoughlin and team help foster this amazing space that keeps pushing all Victorians forward to achieve amazing things.
KWENCH Work + Culture ClubMeet the locals
Victoria is a thriving hub of artisans, creators, and innovators. Meet some of the women who put Victoria on the map and uncover the city through their unique perspectives.
Sarika Cullis-Suzuki
If you're Canadian, Sarika needs no introduction. As the host of CBC's The Nature of Things, Sarika has taken a place in our living rooms educating young and old about the wonders of science and nature. Discover Victoria through Sarika's eyes with her Learn from a Local profile.
Learn from a Local: Sarika Cullis-Suzuki
Tara Moss
If you're looking for a woman who's done it all, look no further than Tara Moss. Tara is an acclaimed author, documentary maker and presenter, journalist, UNICEF national ambassador for child survival, ambassador for the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, and former model. Learn how Tara likes to explore her home city with her Learn from a Local profile.
Learn from a Local: Tara Moss
Briony Penn
Another Jill-of-all-trades, Briony Penn is a naturalist, writer, broadcaster, and illustrator, whose passion for protecting endangered species and sensitive ecosystems has connected people from around the globe with the Salish Sea and our natural world. Uncover Briony's unique perspective on our region through her Learn from a Local profile
Briony Penn
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