About DAVI
Data and AI Vancouver Island is a regional ecosystem initiative centred on south Vancouver Island. We are building a dynamic data services cluster to support BC's and Canada's AI ecosystem, connecting the people, organisations, and assets that already exist here into something greater than the sum of its parts.
Our story
DAVI emerged from a structured consultation process that brought together 68 stakeholders across 100 invitations from industry, government, academia, and community organisations. Over six milestones between November 2025 and February 2026, participants mapped regional strengths, identified systemic risks, and co-designed the governance model that now guides the initiative. All events were conducted under Chatham House rules.
DAVI Briefing Published
Circle Innovation and Victoria Data Society released the founding briefing document outlining the vision for a data and AI cluster on south Vancouver Island, setting the stage for stakeholder consultation.
Roundtable 1
The first convening of regional stakeholders to map the data and AI landscape across south Vancouver Island. Participants from government, Crown corporations, academia, tech companies, and Indigenous organisations identified key assets, validated core assumptions, and began shaping the cluster strategy.
Roundtable 2
Deep dive into systemic risks and regional assets. Working groups formed around priority themes including ocean/marine technology, health informatics, data sovereignty, and AI literacy. Participants stress-tested the six founding assumptions and surfaced critical barriers to action.
Roundtable 3
Refinement of the cluster strategy, governance model, and near-term opportunities. Participants refined the five strategic priorities, explored the Constellation Model for governance, and identified quick-win projects including a professional services productivity pilot and ocean/marine data cluster formalisation.
Synthesis Report Published
A comprehensive 24-page synthesis of all three roundtables was published, analysing findings across the six founding assumptions, documenting strategic priorities, and providing recommendations for the upcoming Leaders Forum.
Leaders Forum
Hosted by CGI Canada and led by Diane Gutiw (VP, CGI Global AI Research), the forum transitioned DAVI from consultation to action. Attendees endorsed the Constellation Model governance, confirmed five strategic priorities, set an April 2026 launch target, and nominated themselves for the steering committee. The forum also aligned DAVI with Canada's 2026 federal AI strategy.
Official launch: April 2026
Documents and reports
The following documents capture the research, consultation, and decision-making that shaped DAVI. They are publicly available for anyone who wants to understand where this initiative came from and where it is headed.
The challenge
South Vancouver Island has remarkable assets: a 620+ company tech ecosystem generating $6 billion in annual revenue, nearly 400 MW of data centre power capacity, and deep sector expertise in ocean tech, defence, clean energy, and digital government. But the region faces structural headwinds that threaten to erode these strengths.
Brain drain
77% of BC out-migrants are under 40. The region is losing its youngest and most skilled workers to larger tech hubs.
Affordability crisis
Rising costs of living and doing business make it harder for startups and early-career professionals to establish roots on the Island.
Public sector overreliance
34% of household income in the region comes from public sector employment, creating vulnerability to government budget cycles.
Fragmented ecosystem
Despite 620+ companies generating $6B in revenue, the regional tech sector operates in silos with limited cross-sector coordination.
Our vision
Economic transformation
Shift the regional economy toward high-value data services and AI, reducing dependence on the public sector and creating resilient private-sector growth anchored in local strengths.
Talent retention
Build career pathways that give young professionals a reason to stay. When skilled graduates can find meaningful, well-paying work here, the brain drain reverses itself.
Cross-sector collaboration
Connect the dots between ocean tech, defence, clean energy, health, and digital government so that companies, researchers, and public agencies solve problems together instead of in isolation.
How we work: the Constellation Model
Traditional top-down governance does not suit a regional ecosystem where no single organisation is in charge. The Constellation Model, proven in complex multi-stakeholder initiatives across Canada, gives participants the freedom to self-organise while maintaining strategic alignment.
Action Teams
Self-organising groups of practitioners who form around specific deliverables. Each team sets its own pace and scope, disbanding or evolving as the work demands.
Stewardship Group
A light-touch governance body that maintains strategic coherence across the initiative. Stewards do not direct; they convene, connect, and safeguard shared principles.
Secretariat
The backbone support function that handles communications, coordination, and infrastructure so that Action Teams can focus on delivery.
Leadership
DAVI is co-led by two complementary organisations with deep roots in the Vancouver Island data and AI community, with strategic support from one of Canada's largest technology firms.
Circle Innovation
Loki Jorgenson, CTO & Director, Innovation
A consultancy specialising in innovation strategy, ecosystem development, and technology commercialisation. Circle Innovation brings structured methodology, strategic rigour, and experience leading complex multi-stakeholder initiatives.
Victoria Data Society
Cynthia Lynam, Vice-President
A community-driven organisation that has been building Victoria's data literacy and networking infrastructure for years. Victoria Data Society brings grassroots legitimacy, community reach, and a track record of convening diverse audiences around data topics.
Major supporter: CGI Canada
Diane Gutiw, VP of AI Research
CGI, one of the world's largest independent IT and business consulting services firms, provides strategic guidance and industry perspective to DAVI. Their involvement signals that national-scale players see south Vancouver Island as a credible location for data and AI growth.
Be part of what comes next
DAVI launches in April 2026, but the work is already underway. Whether you are a company, a researcher, a public servant, or someone who cares about the future of this region, there is a place for you.
Join the initiative