Jan 22 - BC appoints housing adviser to North Saanich

Good morning !

Another Greater Victoria municipality has had a housing adviser appointed to it after failing to meet the province’s set targets. That’s our first story for today.

Plus, we look at planned road construction in Victoria that may cause a headache for some commuters.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

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NEWS

Province appoints housing adviser to North Saanich

After completing only 20% of its first-year housing target, North Saanich will need to work with a provincial adviser to determine how it will meet its annual goals for the next four years. 

The district completed 12 of its required 60 net new homes in its first year, and is not currently on track to meet its five-year goal of 419 units. The province says housing targets are set at 75% of a municipality’s housing need.

The peninsula town is the third municipality in BC to have a special adviser appointed, with Oak Bay and West Vancouver having gone through the process last year. 

The adviser will review the policies and steps North Saanich has taken to build housing, and will then provide a report with actionable recommendations. 

“The District of North Saanich has already done some initial work, and we want to make sure they have the support they need to meet their targets,” Christine Boyle, BC’s housing minister, said in a release.

“The adviser will work with the municipality to leave no stone unturned, helping open the door for more homes for seniors, young adults and growing families in the community.”

North Saanich Mayor Peter Jones said in a statement that the district “recognizes the urgency” of increasing its housing supply.

“We will co-operate constructively with the advisory process and look forward to recommendations that help address structural constraints and enable meaningful progress on housing delivery.”

Some of these constraints have been flagged by the district since it first received its five-year housing target in 2024.

One barrier to increasing density is the Official Community Plan (OCP), passed last summer after years of delays and rifts within the council. The most polarizing aspect of the OCP was housing, with some residents in favour of light densification and some against any changes to the town’s rural environment. 

In a December letter to Boyle, the North Saanich council urged the ministry, ahead of appointing an adviser, not to focus on changing or reevaluating municipal processes, such as the OCP, and instead work within those constraints. 

Another barrier flagged by the district is its sewage and storm-drain system. Roughly 60% of North Saanich is on septic fields, according to the district, and its drainage system “is in poor condition with increasing annual failures.” 

Land availability and lack of staffing resources were also a concern.

In December, Jones told the Peninsula New Review that he was concerned an adviser would pile on extra work for the small staff. He said he heard this was the case for Oak Bay’s staff during its advisory review.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Goldstream Provincial Park day-use area and trail to Niagara Falls are closed. [BC Parks]

Saanich road closure: 

• Kremlin between Kisber and Broadmead, 7:30am-3:30pm, through Feb. 27

• Near 1665 McRae, 8am-4pm today

• Inez between Vincent and Gorge West, 9am-4pm, today

Saanich single-lane traffic: Maddock West between Burnside West and Wascana, 7:30am-4:30pm, through Jan. 30 

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NEWS

Road work projects in Victoria to run through the summer

Two areas of town are going to be rife with lane closures, detours, and parking restrictions into and past the summer.

One has already begun, and the other is to start at the end of the month.

Work on Blanshard midtown, from Caledonia north to Kings, is already beginning to become a construction zone and will be that way until the summer. 

The work will involve installing half a dozen blocks of protected bike lanes from Caledonia to Kings, making accessibility upgrades at the Caledonia and Bay intersections, doing other maintenance, and paving that entire stretch of Blanshard. 

A new traffic light is also going in at Blanshard and Pembroke, and the city is removing a median to allow for left and right turns. 

“The corridors identified for this work are some of the highest collision corridors in the city, and the improvements will help move Victoria towards its goal of eliminating traffic-related deaths or serious injuries,” the city said on its website.

The notice also said residents should prepare for some temporary instances of construction noise, dust, and odours.

There’s been work on Cook for the last few months between the Cook Street Village and Pandora, in preparation for new residential and commercial developments, and bike lane construction is expected to start in the coming days.  

The city is putting in protected bike lanes on Cook from Bay to Tolmie as it continues to expand Victoria’s bike lane system.

“This work aligns with the City’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan priorities to expand the AAA bike and roll network and improve the ‘moving experience' of pedestrians, mobility device users, and the public generally,” the city said on its website.

As part of the project, two new crosswalks—at Cook and Kings and Cook and Vista Heights, near Cedar Hill—will be installed.

That work is expected to be complete by this fall.

CORRECTION: A story that appeared here yesterday said a new shelter is being created in downtown Victoria. The shelter will be located in the Rock Bay area.

⭐️ Capital Picks

✨ Northern lights over Oak Bay. [Facebook photo]

🎩 Magic at the Museum tonight at RBCM.

🫧 Ice bubbles seen in Songhees/ Gorge area. [Facebook photos]

^{*Sponsored Listing}

🗞️ In Other News

Saanich council pauses Quadra-McKenzie plan decision for 2 weeks
The Monday night council spilled into Tuesday morning following six hours of public discussion, and the council pushed the vote to Feb. 2. The plan is a land and transportation strategy designed to manage growth along the two major corridors. It’s been a work in progress for three years, has been updated several times, and has been the subject of four rounds of public debate. The TC reports that 30K+ people have had their say at those consultations. [Times Colonist]

CRD’s environmental committee looks at all options for Hartland Landfill
The latest new area for waste—cell 4—just opened, giving the Saanich site about 25 years' worth of room to dump CRD garbage. The committee is looking into what happens after 2050, and it plans to ask staff to conceptualize an expanded area for a third phase; explore alternatives to landfilling, and include the thoughts and concerns of First Nations. Victoria Coun. Jeremy Caradonna, a board director, says the district can no longer “just bury things in the ground.” [Black Press]

Pacific FC to operate on a game-by-game basis as stadium negotiations with Langford stall
Langford has been in talks for a new contract with the soccer team since September, but it has yet to be struck. The city wants to outline a payment plan for the team’s unpaid debts and establish a timeline for unmet contractual obligations. Until a deal is made, the city will allow the team to use Starlight Stadium on a game-by-game basis, with payment for its use expected two weeks in advance. Pacific FC reps say the team is committed to remaining in Langford but feel the team and the city are interpreting their agreements differently. [CHEK]

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🗓️ Things To Do

🍝 Dine Around 2026 Gala Launch: Kick off Dine Around and Stay in Town with restaurant bites and delicious beverages from 60+ Greater Victoria eateries at Crystal Garden tonight. 5-8pm. [Info]

🎹 Ray Gallon: Drop Me Off in Harlem: Renowned NYC pianist Ray Gallon celebrates Harlem's rich musical legacy with a fresh, original style at Hermann's tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🎻 The Fretless: See the award-winning Canadian string quartet transform fiddle tunes and folk melodies into high-energy arrangements at Mary Winspear Centre tonight. 7:30pm. [Info]

😂 Fundraiser for U13 Grizzlies Hockey: Enjoy laughs and drinks to fundraise for U13 Grizzlies Hockey at Hecklers Bar & Grill tonight. 8pm. [Info]

🎵 Oliver Swain's BIG MACHINE & The Unfaithful Servants: The BC newgrass band will deliver explosive instrumentals, compelling storytelling, and high-powered vocals at Mary Winspear Centre tomorrow. 7:30pm. [Info] 

😂 Improve Comedy Live: See some of the best comedy improv Victoria has to offer at The Mint tomorrow. 8pm. [Info]

🐦 Mini Mariner Mornings: Bird is the Word: Learn about local birds and make your own pair of binoculars at Maritime Museum of BC. Sat. 10-11am. [Info]

🎼 The Planets: Symphony in Space: Blast off with music from out of this world, from Holst's The Planets to John Williams' Star Wars and beyond at Royal Theatre. Sat-Sun. Various times. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Wednesday’s headlines: Lighthouse Brewing to shut down, Phillips buying its line of beers; New all-day shelter coming to Rock Bay neighbourhood; Damage to PKOLS trails concerns conservation group. [Jan. 21]

Have your say: Saanich budget survey. 

Saanich teen out of coma after hit-and-run in Richmond. [Times Colonist]

Cold Comfort HQ opening soon in Victoria. [Victoria News]

Dine Around and Stay in Town begins today.

The Offspring with Bad Religion tonight at Save on Foods Memorial Centre. 

A short-eared owl, a species of special concern, was seen flying through the southeast Island. [Facebook photo]

That’s it!

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