North Saanich
Aptly named, the District of North Saanich occupies the northernmost part of the Saanich Peninsula. The character of North Saanich may be summed up in three words: rural, agricultural, and marine.
From it’s southern border with Central Saanich it is surrounded by water, broken only by a 3.5 km stretch within Sidney’s corporate boundaries.
The waterfront is generally rugged and steep, with small pockets of beach here and there. Waterfront homes on sizable lots occupy most of the shoreline between the few residential communities interspersed along the water. The BC Ferries Terminal at Swartz Bay, the federal Institute of Ocean Sciences on Patricia Bay, two First Nations Reserves, on on Patricia Bay and the other on Coles Bay further to the south, and five commercial marinas, occupy North Saanich’s remaining shoreline
The established residential communities include Deep Cove to the west, Cloake Hill to the north, Cuteis Point to the east, and Dean Park to the south. These residential communities are just that – residential – not commercial. Commerce is not a high priority in North Saanich, which is content to rely on nearby Sidney to provide needed services. There are several eateries here and there, including the world class Deep Cove Chalet, a couple of local small grocery stores, a couple of gas stations, and not much else in the way of services.
Something else you won’t find in the built up communities – apartments. About 85% of all dwelling units in North Saanich are single family units.
Moving inland, what isn’t agricultural is primarily rural, with hobby farms and residences in a rural setting. The ‘rural’ area provide a buffer between agriculture and everything else, and contribute to the beauty of the District’s landscape. The Victoria International Airport is located virtually in the centre of the District.
According to their recently updated Official Community Plan (OCP), there is no intent to pursue or encourage extensive commercial development, although some limited, community-scale commercial activity in existing residential areas may be approved. Industry must remain in the ‘light’ category.
As for residential growth, North Saanich anticipates a need for not more that about 150 new dwelling units in the next five years. That growth could easily be accommodated in the four designated Special Development Areas the District has designated, but none of those areas are anticipated to be developed within this time frame. Therefore, the modest demand for new housing will likely be accommodated through development of existing lots and by way of subdivision.
The overarching development principle, residential or otherwise, is to ‘retain the present rural, agricultural and marine character of the community’. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that every new residential unit will add the existing stock of single family homes. North Saanich has designated some areas as suitable for multi-family development, and expects development in those areas will be needed to address special needs, such as seniors’ and affordable housing. Of course, multi-family developments
must be a good ‘fit’ within the existing community in which they may be built.
If you like tall buildings, North Saanich may not be for you. But if it’s peace and quiet you seek, or waterfront, or a hobby farm, or a bed and breakfast business, take a look. Maybe you will join the other 10,500 or so people who call North Saanich home.
