Here are some of the most frequent questions we receive.
What is the Save Our Saanich Electoral Organization?
The SOS Elector Organization (SOSEO) is separate from the SOS Neighbourhoods Society. The primary purpose of the SOSEO is to support endorsed independent candidates for Mayor and Council in the October 2026 municipal election who share the SOSEO's priorities for Saanich:
- Public Engagement and Transparency
- Respectful Planning, Growth, Development and Density
- Practical Roads and Transportation
- Fiscal Responsibility
- Protecting the Environment
The SOSEO grew out of the SOS grassroots group of neighbours working together to make Saanich a better place. SOS came together in late 2024 in response to Saanich-led initiatives that would massively change 40% of Saanich's residential neighbourhoods by facilitating rezoning to 6-12 storey densities. Change is inevitable, but not so drastically. Gentle densification with laneway houses, duplexes and townhouses in established neighbourhoods is preferable to 6-12 storey buildings in peaceful neighbourhoods.
Most significantly, SOS also successfully halted Saanich's attempt via the Alternative Approval Process (AAP) to borrow $150 million without public approval via a referendum.
SOS created a website and Facebook profile and soon became a registered society with hundreds of members and thousands of Facebook followers. Multiple posts daily provide viewers with up-to-date information, public opinions and coverage of both local and provincial news regarding municipal land planning.
What is your vision for our taxes and utility rates?
Every Saanich taxpayer feels the pain of high taxes and utility rates that continue to rise at what seems like an ever-increasing pace. Property taxes have risen over 30% in the past 5 years, far above the rate of cumulative inflation. Utility rates have likewise spiked, and promised cost balancing has not materialized. Current municipal spending does not reflect the state of the economy and taxpayers' budgets. Saanich needs to operate within the means of its taxpayers. Saanich Council must seek to balance its budget without relying on exorbitant taxes on its citizens. Effective and professional planning and oversight could avoid cost overruns and hence punishing taxes.
What do you think about the bike lanes?
The current and expensive "all bike lanes" approach which now congests vehicle traffic and frustrates residents needs to change. In short: bike lanes where necessary, but not necessarily bike lanes.
We are not opposed to bike lanes in general, but we need to be much more sensible and judicious in our planning. Many experienced cyclists observe that the safest routes are located on side streets where you encounter the fewest cars, calmer traffic, ample road room, and limited driver distractions. There are many popular cycling routes that follow networked side streets, go through parks, or by way of cut-throughs, and which enhance the main Goose, Lochside and other multi-use trails. Side street cycling routes can be as efficient, and are much less dangerous and more enjoyable, than busy major vehicle thoroughfares, including major vehicle roads with bike lanes.
What do you envision for growth in Saanich?
How Saanich changes is the key. We all recognize Saanich will change, new buildings should be built, and more people will populate Saanich. However, we prefer change that is not massively commercialized but is manageable and human scaled, and affordable. We oppose development projects that prioritize developer profits over the day-to-day lives of Saanich residents, and that don't actually create more affordable housing. We support the idea of major construction projects on sites where impacts to neighbourhoods are limited (e.g., industrial areas and high-traffic areas like Saanich Core) and we support smaller-scale densification that does not compromise the character of the communities we call home. Gentle densification is actually more cost-effective and ultimately more affordable to renters and other first-time buyers, rather than paying excruciatingly high prices for tiny condominiums in high-rises.
How does Saanich currently develop their plans, and what are the issues?
Saanich continues to develop extensive plans which include high-rise density in existing residential neighbourhoods, and the closing of road lanes without providing adequate modelling to demonstrate how that makes sense. Saanich claims that these plans were developed after adequate public consultation, including online surveys, and based on data, however they decline to provide the data. But consultation is only as good as the questions asked and the evaluation of the data gathered, to the extent it is available.
Saanich's consultation and surveys are also formulated and evaluated by the same teams who developed the plans. The structure and content of the consultations appeared biased towards obtaining answers that support the philosophy that the majority of Saanich Council seems to want, rather than what the public wants, and this was not part of their respective platforms when they sought election in 2022. SOS's door-to-door canvassers reported that the majority of residents were not only unaware of these consultations, but also unaware of the very existence and potential impacts of plans like the Quadra McKenzie Plan. It is the responsibility of Saanich Council and staff to ensure that the community is robustly consulted in good faith when major changes are proposed.
Saanich says there are many protections to existing neighbourhoods under their plans. Is this good enough?
No, the "protections" are quite flexible. Saanich's Mayor, Council, and policy may claim to protect neighbourhoods, but actions speak louder than words. Bylaw exemptions are commonly approved in favour of large developer wishes. Examples include:
- Council allowing a high-density development at the corner of Saanich Road and McKenzie Avenue which will result in the total loss of a complete Garry Oak grove (28 bylaw-protected trees).
- The Old Saanich Municipal Hall (heritage-designated since 1979) narrowly escaping de-designation to allow an 18-storey high-rise tower. It was only strong and fact-based resident opposition that countered the developer's arguments.
Protected Garry Oaks and built heritage need not be cut or bulldozed in the name of progress. Any neighbourhood protections will be at risk if we don't change course and elect a Saanich Council that sees the value of maintaining what makes Saanich a fantastic place to live.
Does Saanich need high-rises?
No. There may be locations where major construction projects could be justified, but these need to be considered very carefully and with utmost concern for limiting neighbourhood impacts. In general, we do not want to promote the construction of "high-rises" in Saanich. In our opinion, affordable housing need not be achieved through over-scale and overshadowing developments. We treasure our natural areas, migratory and resident bird populations, insects, wildlife, flora, and open vistas, and want to maintain them for future generations.
Does SOS oppose the possible amalgamation of Victoria and Saanich?
We note that the previously planned binding referendum question has been removed from the October ballot for Saanich and Victoria, and hence this is practically a dead issue for the short-to-medium term. Nonetheless, SOSEO generally opposes an amalgamation unless there is clear evidence that Saanich would benefit from it. Saanich's mayor himself recently stated that he did not see a net benefit to Saanich as a result of the Citizen's Assembly and related report and analyses.
You keep talking about Garry Oak trees. What's so important about them?
Garry Oaks are very rare and thrive in our local climate, which is in itself unique. Some of the large mature trees you see are many hundreds of years old but are endangered because of habitat loss. In fact, less than 5% of the original Garry Oak ecosystem in the world survives today. Garry Oaks provide necessary canopy for birds, insects, and animals, including humans. Important stands of Garry Oaks exist throughout urban Saanich, right in the centre of planned developments, in neighbourhoods, and in parks. We need to protect these fragile ecosystems, especially as the pressure from developers becomes increasingly intense.
Good development can co-exist with the current Garry Oak mature tree canopy, but developers must get creative with construction and design, crafting dwellings in amongst the trees to minimize tree loss. Saanich staff have created strategies and priorities for our urban forest, and Garry Oaks are bylaw protected, but staff and Council must do more than pay lip service to tree protection and hold developers accountable.
Why are Heritage buildings so important? Can't a developer just request de-Designation?
Saanich's Designated Heritage buildings are not just visible reminders of our past. They help preserve our sense of community. They are cultural touchstones that survive while everything around us changes. Heritage buildings help tell the stories of Saanich families and communities, businesses and connections. They include houses, schools, churches, commercial buildings and farm buildings.
These heritage buildings sit on the original properties they were built on. Their locations, the landscapes and the relationships to other buildings, to roads, railways and early settlements, provide crucial contexts. Requests for de-Designation are rare and usually tied to a potential land development.
No amount of promised signage or commemorative plaques can compensate for a Heritage loss.
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