Feb 11 - Saanich may rethink Quadra-McKenzie Plan

Good morning !

Today we’ve got an update on Saanich’s Quadra-McKenzie Plan and details on this year’s Victoria Film Festival. There are a lot of films screening this year—more than 100—so if you’re looking for a reason to get out of the cold, check out one of the local or international flicks in town.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

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NEWS

Saanich staff says the council should revisit Quadra-McKenzie plan, amid public outcry

Saanich City Council is rethinking its approach to the Quadra-McKenzie Plan (QMP) following substantial backlash from residents. After months of heated debate, staff has introduced proposed changes and will ask this week for further consultation before any final decisions are made. 

The Quadra-McKenzie area, identified as a Primary Growth Area (PGA) by regional planners, was slated for significant redevelopment as part of a wider strategy to address housing supply, diversity, and affordability. 

At an Oct. 21 2024 council meeting, Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock said he was impressed by the level of public engagement in Phase II of the QMP and encouraged people to continue to be involved in the process.  

“This is your document. It is what will guide Saanich over the coming decades for these major corridors,” he said.

Based on public feedback, a staff report prepared for the council’s Feb. 11 meeting recommends the plan be re-examined and requests the council considers, among other things, adding more parcels for three- and four-storey buildings rather than six-storey buildings. 

The goal of the original plan was to create a sustainable, transit-oriented community along the major corridors of Quadra Street and McKenzie Avenue, with a mix of housing, businesses, and public spaces. However, the proposal sparked some intense opposition from residents who expressed concerns about traffic, the preservation of neighbourhood character, and the proposed scale of development.

Read more about the concerns from residents and the alternative proposals expected from Saanich staff today.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Saanich Roadwork: Cedar Hill Road single-lane alternating today to fix water leak. 8:30am-3:30pm. [Details]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

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NEWS

Victoria Film Festival is screening all week

The Victoria Film Festival is underway after kicking off on Fri., and it's delivering an array of comedies, dramas, documentaries, and thrillers to theatres across the city. 

The festival has been running for 31 years now—and this winter’s lineup might be its biggest yet, with 92 feature films and 28 shorts for people to catch throughout the week.

While this year may not have the celebrity guest appearances of years past, it does mark the return to Sidney’s revamped Star Cinema. Screenings will also happen at the Vic Theatre, Capitol 6, Cinecenta, and the pop-up venue Toaster Rocket.

With stories from far away—like A Samurai in Time, following an Edo-period samurai who wakes up to find himself in modern-day Japan—to those closer to home—like Forbidden Music, a documentary about Kwakwaka’wakw Chief Mungo Martin and Jewish ethnomusicologist Dr. Ida Halpern who, in the 1950s, preserved hundreds of Indigenous songs at risk of being lost to cultural genocide—the festival explores many different tales. 

A recent bit of Island history is on display in Fairy Creek, a documentary by BC filmmaker Jen Muranetz about the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history, which happened in Port Renfrew from 2020 to 2022. It follows the community of protesters, their dynamic with the RCMP, and the tactics used during the blockades to protect old-growth forests.

Buzzier titles include Riff Raff, starring Ed Harris and Jennifer Coolidge, Meet the Barbarians, a satire directed by and starring Julie Delpy, and Bring Them Down, a thriller starring Irish actor Barry Keoghan. 

Check out the full calendar of films—including time and venue—here.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

📷 The Art of the Landscape: New photo book on Vancouver Island.

👪 Royal BC Museum admission by donation and $2 IMAX docs. [Mon. is Family Day]

🏮 Lunar New Year: See footage of this year’s festivities in Chinatown, capping off the two-week festival. [Colin Smith Photos]

🗞️ In Other News

Cold weather compels city to open emergency shelter again last night
That makes eight successive nights the warming hub—at the Cook Street Village Activity Centre—has been made available to people seeking shelter from the unseasonal cold. The centre has been near or at its capacity of approximately 30 people for seven straight nights, city spokesperson Colleen Mycroft told Capital Daily. City warming centres are opened when all other shelters are full, there is a risk of exposure, and people in need have nowhere else to seek shelter, according to the City of Victoria’s website.

Island teacher suspended for ‘inappropriate physical contact’ in gym class
The teacher and former vice-principal of a Ucluelet secondary school has been suspended for four days for rough contact during gym classes, taught between 2014 and 2019. The teacher would have students play a game involving tackling and flipping other students on the ground. The teacher often designated himself as a tackler, flipping students, including girls. Students say they were uncomfortable but played the game to get participation marks. The teacher is now prohibited from teaching PE and must take a course on professional boundaries. [Times Colonist]

US imposes 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, including Canada’s
US President Donald Trump announced the tariffs Sun., signing the tariff order Mon. night. Canadian government officials said they were waiting to see the order in writing before responding. Canadian steel represents 20% of steel imports to the US; American steel represents 40% of steel imports to Canada. These tariffs are reminiscent of the ones placed on Canadian steel and aluminum in 2018, which were dropped in 2019. Trump said other tariffs are coming soon. [CBC]

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Rising Economy is almost sold out

Get your tickets before they're gone for Rising Economy, the business event for business insiders. Get intel on pressing issues and emerging trends and meet local innovators. The conference is March 4 - 6 at the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort and is sponsored by Vancity, RBC and PacifiCan.

🗓️ Things to do

🎂 Cake Decoration Workshop: Join this fun and creative evening, learning new decorating techniques at Flourish BeauTea in Langford tonight. 6:15pm. [Info]

 🍺❓Trivia Night: Test your knowledge and grab a drink at Swift Beer tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🌱 Seedy Saturday: Join the seed exchange and get inspiration for your garden at Crystal Garden. Sat. 11am-4pm. [Info]

Looking for more local events? Subscribe to This Week in Vic to get a free weekly events rundown in your inbox. 

👀 In Case You Missed It

Monday’s headlines: Philippine Mars water bomber is now state-side; BC Hydro reports record-high number of storm-related power outages; Central Saanich needs 1K+ new homes in next four years. [Feb. 10]

Crystal Pool referendum: Yes to the North. [Capital Daily]

Sunset over Witty's Lagoon. [Doug Clement photo]

Lunar New Year parade draws crowds to Vic’s Chinatown. [Times Colonist]

Victoria’s Nelly Furtado performs at Invictus Games opening in Vancouver. [CHEK]

Dramatic Island standoff detailed in investigative report. [CTV]

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