Save Our Saanich

Save Our Saanich

• is formed of a growing group of Saanich residents, who are very worried about the survival of Saanich – especially those neighbourhoods in the area covered by the Quadra McKenzie Plan: (See Map below) Quadra Street, from Tolmie Avenue north to the Royal Oak interchange; and McKenzie Avenue, from the highway to UVic, and their surrounding neighbourhoods): an area 5.5 km from west to east; and 5km from north to south; housing 25,500 people.

Map showing the neighbourhoods affected by the Quadra McKenzie Plan. ALL the property has been rezoned. (See maps on our Quadra McKenzie Plan page). There is NO single-family zoning left. ALL the property is up for redevelopment, from 3-storey townhouses; four storey neighbourhood apartments; to Mid-Rise buildings (5 to 11 storeys); to Hi-Rise buildings (12 to 18 storeys).

Save Our Saanich

• We, the members of Save Our Saanich – all Saanich residents and volunteers – believe the Quadra McKenzie Plan is a disaster, which will alter Saanich, unrecognizably, forever.
• We believe no-one in Saanich who has purchased or who rents a home should have a condominium or high-rise building built in their backyard, adversely affecting the peaceful occupation of their property, taking away their privacy, and shading their homes and gardens.
• Already – before the Quadra McKenzie Plan is passed by Saanich Council – homeowners in the above areas are being approached – or “pestered” – about selling their homes to developers.
• We believe the proposed, large, high-density buildings (some already in development, with architects and engineers on the job) will destroy wildlife corridors and migratory bird patterns. Wildlife corridors exist between Mount Douglas/Pkols; Blenkinsop Lake; Beckwith Ponds; Christmas Hill; Swan Lake; and Rithet’s Bog; but are unrecognized in the Plan.
• We believe Saanich is beautiful because from most viewpoints you can see Mt. Douglas/Pkols; Mount Tolmie; Christmas Hill; and trees. Even the Sooke Hills and Little Saanich Mountain are visible from the yard at Braefoot School. Residents are connected to nature and the Saanich landscape. Tree preservation is not included in the Plan.
• We believe large Mid and High-rise condo buildings do not encourage families to move to the area or support our schools.
• Apart from two higher-density hubs along McKenzie Avenue – planned at Quadra Street and McKenzie Avenue (currently planned for 18 storeys, but we think should be lower); and at McKenzie Avenue and Shelbourne Street (currently planned for at least one 18-storey tower, but there are many objections to that plan) – we believe lower buildings: townhouses; co-ops with green spaces; apartments; fit into our community. Saanich is not a major city and we did not move here to live in one.
• We understand growth must occur and we support this, but Saanich must grow in a careful, thoughtful, well-planned manner. Growth should not result in the wholesale destruction of our homes, our neighbourhoods, and ecologically-important areas: the Saanich that we love.

Some Facts:

• 25,500 people live in the area affected by the Quadra McKenzie Plan – over 20% of Saanich’s population of 117,735.
• However, these people are taking the brunt of Saanich’s plans for growth, as 40% of the Densification of Saanich will be in the new Quadra McKenzie ‘Primary Growth Area’, which ignores many areas of natural beauty and ecological importance. Those natural areas had been identified in the previous Local Area Plans, but are now being overridden by the new Quadra McKenzie Plan.
• Homeowners and other property owners within the new Quadra McKenzie ‘Primary Growth Area’ will suffer devaluation of their properties, as unfettered development is allowed on their streets and in their neighbourhoods, blocking views, shading homes and gardens, reducing privacy, and increasing noise and congestion.

Please see the entire Plan (October 2024 version) and two future zoning maps on our Quadra McKenzie Plan page.

• Unlike the previous Local Area Plans, the new Quadra McKenzie Plan makes no provisions for ecological concerns; “buffering of parks”; park acquisition; gentle growth compatible with existing neighbourhoods; preservation of Saanich’s urban tree canopy or existing Heritage Buildings; or recognition of existing wildlife corridors.
• The Quadra McKenzie Plan rides roughshod over these existing neighbourhoods. Quadra North; McKenzie West; Quadra McKenzie Centre; Quadra South; Four corners; Braefoot; Shelbourne McKenzie Centre; or Gordon Head/McKenzie. (See map at top of this page)(Also see our Quadra McKenzie Plan page with additional maps showing colours.)
• The Plan makes no reference for ANY single-family homes.  The Plan’s many maps only show “Urban or Neighbourhood Townhomes ( 3 storeys); Neighbourhood Apartments (4 storeys); Mid-Rise buildings (5 to 11 storeys); and High-rise buildings (12 to 18 storeys). See proposed ‘zoning’ map (“Future Land Use Designations”) above.
  

This Plan is not ‘in the future’. It is happpening NOW:

• A 12-storey tower, with architectural plans prepared, is already proposed on Quadra Street at Nicholson Street.
• An 18-storey tower is planned (by Saanich) for the site of the Nellie McClung Library at McKenzie Avenue at Cedar Hill Road.
• Other projects, including two (or three) 6-storey towers in a Garry oak meadow (on top of a Heritage House, to be moved or demolished), in North Quadra, are already in the works. The property has been surveyed and staked.
• Saanich has already hired a consultant group to facilitate “two maximum 18-storey buildings on McKenzie Avenue and Borden Street” on the current Saanich Public Works yard (to be commercial units; offices; and residential with underground parking). Saanich Council is planning to borrow up to $150 million by an “Alternate Approval Method” (and not by a referendum to tax payers), to facilitate this work.
• These projects are imminent. They only wait for Saanich council to approve the Quadra McKenzie Plan in February 2025. (Changed from “January”.)

Not waiting for the Plan to be passed:

• Three single-family homes on Annie Street (982; 986; 988 Annie Street; and 975; 981; and 985 McKenzie Avenue) are to be rezoned from single-family and two-family dwelling zones to the RA-11 (Apartment) zone at the Monday, January 20, 2025 Council meeting for “two six-storey residential units with 122 units”, with multiple variances for setbacks and parking requirements. Saanich Council unanimously passed this development (for first three readings) on January 20. 2025.

• Will your Saanich neighbourhood be next?