North Saanich Community Voices: Housing Minister's Proposed Directives 2026

Excerpt from a post written by investigative journalist Terry Gould, and posted by Leslie Gould on NextDoor ·28 Jun 2026 [Used with Author's permission]

https://ca.nextdoor.com/profile/04mHwb8T99LXzZ2mr/?is=feed_commenter

Vital Info about the proposed urbanization of North Saanich: Have a look at the three proposed urban zones at the bottom of this post. They will be developed within our mostly rural and agricultural community if NDP Housing Minister Christine Boyle's June 16 suggested directives are not effectively opposed. (The highlighted maps below are published on pgs. 50-52 of the real estate investment firm CBRE's "Provincial Advisor Report" that Boyle relies on for her urbanization recommendations.)

     EXPLANATION: On June 16 Boyle sent a letter to our District Council that contains proposed directives that would develop three areas of North Saanich into dense urban zones, with a combination of six-storey towers, sixplexes, and fourplexes, plus allowing four to six housing units on single family lots in much of the community. 
     The first urbanization zone map below comprises the Dean Park Estates and Terraces area, extending from the shoreline to the border of John Dean Park, roughly 3 kilometres east to west, and 1.5 kilometres north to south.
     The second urbanization zone map comprises the McTavish area, from the shoreline to far-west of East Saanich Rd., roughly 2 kilometres east to west and 1 kilometre north to south.
     The third urbanization zone map comprises the Tsehum Harbour area, from the shoreline to the highway.
        The new urban centres in these zones will have a density equivalent to development nodes in Surrey, and a density higher than the floor space ratios found in Sidney and Central Saanich. . .
      Boyle's June 16 letter to Council is a major assault on democracy, as it asserts that the Province is prepared to over-ride the recently adopted Official Community Plan developed over 4 years with significant resident involvement.
     Furthermore, Boyle informed Council that they should avoid the normal process to amend the CRD’s Regional Growth Strategy by proposing that these extensive areas be handled as “minor amendments.”  (B.C.'s legislation allows  “minor" changes to the Regional Growth Strategy to be fast-tracked.  The contention that these vast urban changes to North Saanich are "minor" meets the definition of political deception.)
      In addition to dictating major changes to these neighbourhoods, the Province is demanding immediate changes to allow more suites, carriage houses and cottages in essentially all rural residential neighbourhoods, as well as reduced lot sizes and reduced off-street parking requirements.
      If Boyle's proposed directives are not effectively opposed, it will only be a matter of time before the three urban centres encroach on our precious heritage of agricultural land.