Upanup Launches Multiple Community Websites for BC’s Capital Regional District (CRD), Allowing for Improved Access, Alerts and Engagement

Press Release

VICTORIA, BC, April 3, 2025 Upanup, offering digital website solutions that prioritize user experience, is pleased to announce the launch of the new Capital Regional District (CRD) websites.

The CRD is one of the largest projects that Upanup has worked on to date, building a total of six new websites that serve over 440,000 people in the 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

Following feedback from the community, Upanup worked with the CRD team to create a new modernised main site that’s more user friendly, dynamic and accessible as well as several sub-sites as part of its portfolio of services within the region including:

• Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) a non-profit subsidiary of the CRD and largest social housing provider in the region
• Panorama Recreation
• Sooke and Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Commission
• Salt Spring Island Parks, Arts Recreation & Culture
• Prepare Yourself, an emergency preparedness site for residents across Southern Vancouver Island

“We’re extremely happy with the launch of our new websites and how they will serve residents for years to come thanks to the great team at Upanup,” said Andy Orr, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications and Engagement for the CRD. “Our residents told us we needed to make information easier to find and access, and Upanup has helped us deliver an improved experience with new ways to stay up to date on everything going on in their community.”

The new sites provide an improved experience for service alerts as CRD previously focused heavily on rotating site-wide banners, which created usability and accessibility issues. Their new website allows staff to publish alerts to their home page while also setting them to appear on related community and service pages to maximize visibility. The website also allows visitors to subscribe for email notifications through an integration with CRD’s email marketing software which also handles automated notifications for alerts as well as public notices and news.

“Residents in each of the region’s municipalities and in rural areas have slightly different needs from each other as each area participates in a different suite of services. When visiting the website, users can find their own dedicated community pages to help understand what is relevant to them,” said Richard Hammond, COO of Upanup. “Now information about services, projects, relevant committees and commissions, news, and alerts can be provided for a single location rather than the whole region.”

The new websites represent a shift in how the CRD delivers information and services online.

“This was a new approach for us to listen to our users and include them in the design process,” says Zoë Gray, Manager, Website & Public Engagement. “Upanup had valuable experience in this area and worked with us to test our sitemaps and designs with community members early on. This process changed our designs for the better and inspired us to keep seeking input from residents, who are ultimately our neighbours.”

The new websites also include a new feedback form on all pages across all sites. The web team plans to routinely review submissions and prioritize areas for improvement where user needs align with business needs.

All sites are fully responsive, available on all devices. They also meet WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards to ensure access for all residents, including those using assistive technologies.

For more information, please visit crd.ca and upanup.com

About Upanup

Founded in 2012 by Peter Knapp and Richard Hammond, Upanup employs thirty dedicated designers, developers, marketing professionals and strategists in offices across Waterloo, Ontario; Calgary, Alberta; and Victoria, British Columbia. With clients in Canada and the United States, Upanup offers expertise in digital website solutions that prioritize user experience, accessibility and community engagement.

About Capital Regional District (CRD)

The CRD delivers regional, sub-regional and local services to 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Governed by a 24-member Board of Directors, the CRD works collaboratively with First Nations and government partners to enable sustainable growth, foster community well-being, and develop cost-effective infrastructure while continuing to provide core services to residents throughout the region. Visit us online at www.crd.ca.

Media Contact:

Colin Trethewey, PRmediaNow Communications: Colin@PRmediaNow.com

ILR4