Saanich, British Columbia

Municipality in British Columbia, Canada

For other uses, see Saanich (disambiguation).

District municipality in British Columbia, Canada

Saanich

District municipality

The Corporation of the District of Saanich[1]

Aerial view of Saanich and Cadboro Bay

Coat of arms

Saanich

Location of Saanich within the Capital Regional District

Saanich

Location of Saanich within British Columbia

Show map of Vancouver Island

Saanich

Saanich (British Columbia)

Show map of British Columbia

Coordinates: 48°29′02″N 123°22′52″W﻿ / ﻿48.484°N 123.381°W﻿ / 48.484; -123.381
Country| Canada
Province| British Columbia
Regional district| Capital
Incorporated| 1906
Government

• Mayor| Dean Murdock
• Governing body| Saanich District Council
• MP|

List of MPs

* Randall Garrison (NDP)
* Elizabeth May (Green)
* Laurel Collins (NDP)

• MLA|

List of MLAs

* Rob Fleming (NDP)
* Grace Lore (NDP)
* Lana Popham (NDP)
* Murray Rankin (NDP)

Area

[2]

• Total| 103.78 km2 (40.07 sq mi)
• Land| 103.59 km2 (40.00 sq mi)
Elevation

| 23 m (75 ft)
Population

(2021)[2]

• Total| 117,735 (49th)
• Density| 1,136.6/km2 (2,944/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC−08:00 (PST)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−07:00 (PDT)
Postal code span|

V8N-V8Z

Area code(s)| 250, 778, 236
Website| www.saanich.ca

Saanich (/ˈsænɪtʃ/ SAN-itch) is a district municipality on the southern end of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, within the Greater Victoria area. The population was 117,735 at the 2021 census, making it the most populous municipality in the Capital Regional District and Vancouver Island, and the eighth-most populous in the province.[2] With an area of 103.44 square kilometres (39.94 sq mi), Saanich is also the largest municipality in Greater Victoria. The district adopted its name after the Saanich First Nation, meaning "emerging land" or "emerging people".[3]

Saanich contains a mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas stretching north to the Saanich Peninsula with a wide variety of features including ocean coastlines, freshwater lakes, small rivers, small mountains, rainforests, and agriculture ranging from hay to vineyards.The municipality's topography is undulating with many glacially scoured rock outcroppings. Elevations range from sea level to 229 metres (751 ft). There are 8.1749 square kilometres (3.1563 sq mi) of freshwater lakes and 29.61 kilometres (18.40 mi) of marine shoreline.

Saanich is also home to the northern half of the University of Victoria (with the neighbouring district municipality of Oak Bay home to the southern half), both campuses of Camosun College, and the Vancouver Island Technology Park.

## History

[edit]

Saanich has been the home to First Nations people for thousands of years. Saanich is on the territory of the Lək̓ʷəŋən peoples known today as Songhees & Esquimalt Nations, the Malahat Nation and the Saanich Peoples.[4] These Indigenous peoples have connections to the land and those traditions are carried on to this day. Non-Indigenous history begins with the arrival of the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1840s.

The Craigflower Schoolhouse (originally called Maple Point School), the oldest surviving school building in Western Canada, was built on orders from Kenneth MacKenzie. He came from Scotland with his family in 1852, on the Hudson's Bay Company ship, Norman Morison, to establish a farm for the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, a subsidiary of the Hudson's Bay Company. A school was needed for the children of farm employees, as well as those of arriving settlers.

The Municipality of Saanich was incorporated on March 1, 1906. The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory telescope was designed by John Stanley Plaskett, an astronomer with the Department of the Interior in Ottawa. The 180-centimetre (72 in) reflecting telescope was the largest of its kind in the world when it was built, though this was only the case for a few short months in 1918. The District of Saanich contains a long shoreline with sandy beaches located at several ocean bays. Two of the beaches are Cadboro Bay Beach and Cordova Bay Beach. Cadboro Bay is known as the home of the "Cadborosaurus", a mythical cryptid. Saanich's notable parks include PKOLS (Mount Douglas Park), Mount Tolmie Park (with viewpoints), and Cadboro-Gyro Park.[citation needed]

## W̱SÁNEĆ peoples

[edit]

Further information: Saanich people

### Groups

[edit]

The W̱SÁNEĆ (weh-saanich) peoples are represented by the Tsartlip (Sart-Lip), Pauquachin (Paw-Qua-Chin), Tsawout (Say-Out), Tseycum (Sigh-Come) and Malahat (Mal-a-hat) Nations.[5] The W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council Society consists of three of theses Nations: Tsartlip, Tseycum and Tsawout.[6] These W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations remain on their ancestral lands and continue to prosper today.

### Leadership Council

[edit]

On May 7, 2018, the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council was created as a representation of the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations to the Government. The creation of this council not only brought three Indigenous groups together, but it also established a legal governing body. With this council, came many proposals and projects to benefit the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations.

Includes:[6]

* January 2018, the submission of a proposal for the Government of Canada to make the council a legal governing body (accepted).
* Submission of funding to the federal government's "National Rebuilding" program.
* Negotiations of a government to government project with the Capital Regional District.

### Language

[edit]

The W̱SÁNEĆ language or Saanich dialect is called SENĆOŦEN.[7] This dialect was revitalized by the late John Elliot, an important member of the W̱SÁNEĆ community and peoples.

## Climate

[edit]

Climate data for University of Victoria (Oak Bay / Saanich)
WMO ID: 71783; coordinates 48°27′25″N 123°18′17″W﻿ / ﻿48.45694°N 123.30472°W﻿ / 48.45694; -123.30472﻿ (University of Victoria); elevation: 60.1 m (197 ft); 1991-2020 normals

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high humidex | 19.6  | 16.6  | 21.9  | 25.3  | 31.3  | 35.2  | 40.4  | 35.0  | 33.4  | 31.1  | 20.5  | 20.9  | 40.4
Record high °C (°F)  | 15.2
(59.4)  | 16.5
(61.7)  | 21.0
(69.8)  | 25.0
(77.0)  | 28.8
(83.8)  | 32.2
(90.0)  | 37.6
(99.7)  | 34.5
(94.1)  | 30.2
(86.4)  | 23.5
(74.3)  | 19.0
(66.2)  | 16.5
(61.7)  | 37.6
(99.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 8.2
(46.8)  | 8.8
(47.8)  | 11.0
(51.8)  | 14.0
(57.2)  | 17.9
(64.2)  | 20.6
(69.1)  | 23.7
(74.7)  | 23.5
(74.3)  | 20.0
(68.0)  | 14.3
(57.7)  | 10.3
(50.5)  | 8.0
(46.4)  | 15.0
(59.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | 5.8
(42.4)  | 5.9
(42.6)  | 7.5
(45.5)  | 9.8
(49.6)  | 12.9
(55.2)  | 15.4
(59.7)  | 17.7
(63.9)  | 17.7
(63.9)  | 15.0
(59.0)  | 10.7
(51.3)  | 7.6
(45.7)  | 5.5
(41.9)  | 11.0
(51.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 3.4
(38.1)  | 2.9
(37.2)  | 3.9
(39.0)  | 5.5
(41.9)  | 7.9
(46.2)  | 10.2
(50.4)  | 11.7
(53.1)  | 11.8
(53.2)  | 10.1
(50.2)  | 7.2
(45.0)  | 4.7
(40.5)  | 3.1
(37.6)  | 6.9
(44.4)
Record low °C (°F)  | −7.5
(18.5)  | −7.2
(19.0)  | −4.1
(24.6)  | −0.6
(30.9)  | 0.2
(32.4)  | 5.1
(41.2)  | 6.2
(43.2)  | 7.2
(45.0)  | 3.6
(38.5)  | −2.1
(28.2)  | −9.5
(14.9)  | −11.2
(11.8)  | −11.2
(11.8)
Record low wind chill | −15.4  | −11.8  | −9.0  | −1.7  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | −3.3  | −12.4  | −14.5  | −15.4
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 109.6
(4.31)  | 59.6
(2.35)  | 52.6
(2.07)  | 35.6
(1.40)  | 29.2
(1.15)  | 19.7
(0.78)  | 10.7
(0.42)  | 15.6
(0.61)  | 30.4
(1.20)  | 77.2
(3.04)  | 123.2
(4.85)  | 97.8
(3.85)  | 661.2
(26.03)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 18.7  | 15.1  | 17.2  | 13.2  | 11.2  | 9.1  | 4.8  | 5.2  | 11.1  | 17.8  | 21.4  | 19.3  | 164.0
Average relative humidity (%) (at 1500 LST) | 83.3  | 75.5  | 70.5  | 63.8  | 60.8  | 58.0  | 55.5  | 57.8  | 65.7  | 76.6  | 81.9  | 82.8  | 69.3
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada[8] (June extreme maximum)

## Government

[edit]

The Saanich District Council is the governing body of the municipality of Saanich. The council consists of the Mayor and eight councillors.[9]

* Mayor: Dean Murdock
* Councillors: Colin Plant, Susan Brice, Zac de Vries, Judy Brownoff, Mena Westhaver, Nathalie Chambers, Karen Harper, & Teale Phelps Bondaroff

## Neighbourhoods

[edit]

Saanich is divided into twelve local areas for planning purposes.[10] In addition, there are a number of community associations in the municipality that represent neighbourhoods largely overlapping with the local areas.[11] The Local Areas, and representative community associations, are listed below:[12]

* Blenkinsop. A primarily rural community in a valley situated west of Mount Douglas. Represented by the Blenkinsop Valley Community Association.
* Cadboro Bay. A small village located at the eastern edge of Saanich, bordering on Oak Bay near the University of Victoria. The community also includes the upscale waterfront neighbourhood of Ten Mile Point. Represented by the Cadboro Bay Residents' Association.
* Carey. A suburban community located in western Saanich. Represented by the Residents Association of Strawberry Vale, Marigold and Glanford in the north, and the Mount View Colquitz Community Association in the south.
* Broadmead. Originally developed from Broadmead Farms, it was designed as an architecturally controlled area. The focus of the development was to incorporate homes into the landscape. Large trees could not be cut down to accommodate the homes. Most of the area is considered to be in an urban forest. It is situated near Highway 17 and ends a few blocks west of Cordova Bay Road. The community is represented by the Broadmead Area Residents' Association, BARA.
* Cordova Bay. A seaside community in northern Saanich. Represented by the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs.
* Gordon Head. A large suburban community to the north of the University of Victoria. Represented by the Gordon Head Residents' Association.
* North Quadra. A suburban community in the centre of the municipality. Represented by the North Quadra Community Association.
* Quadra. A large urban and suburban community surrounding the urban core of Saanich. Contains the Cedar Hill Golf Course and is represented by the Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association.
* Royal Oak. A suburban community at the rural edge of Saanich. Represented by the Royal Oak Community Association, Falaise Community Association, and the Broadmead Area Residents' Association.
* Rural Saanich. The largest Local Area by area, this part of Saanich is sparsely populated and mostly rural. Represented in part by the Prospect Lake and District Community Association.
* Saanich Core. The urban centre of the District of Saanich. Contains Uptown and the municipal hall. Represented by part of the Mount View Community Association and part of the Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association.
* Shelbourne. An urban and suburban community stretching between the City of Victoria and the University of Victoria. Represented by the Mount Tolmie Community Association and Camosun Community Association.
* Tillicum. An urban and suburban community along the Gorge in western Saanich. Represented by the Gorge Tillicum Community Association.

## Education

[edit]

The northeastern half of British Columbia's third-largest university, the University of Victoria campus, is in Saanich, while the southwestern portion is in neighbouring Oak Bay. Saanich is also home to both major campuses of Camosun College, the original Lansdowne campus, and the Interurban campus.

Saanich is divided between two bordering school districts, School District 61 Greater Victoria and School District 63 Saanich. It is also the home of South Island Distance Education School.

## Demographics

[edit]

In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Saanich had a population of 117,735 living in 48,048 of its 50,064 total private dwellings, a change of 3.1% from its 2016 population of 114,148. With a land area of 103.59 square kilometres (40.00 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,136.5/km2 (2,943.6/sq mi) in 2021.[13]

### Ethnicity

[edit]

Panethnic groups in Saanich (2001–2021)  Panethnic group  | 2021[14] | 2016[15] | 2011[16] | 2006[17] | 2001[18]

|
|
|
|
|

Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | %
European[a] | 82,645  | 71.55%  | 83,595  | 74.75%  | 85,510  | 79.28%  | 88,240  | 82.37%  | 86,985  | 84.88%
East Asian[b] | 12,425  | 10.76%  | 11,730  | 10.49%  | 9,300  | 8.62%  | 8,710  | 8.13%  | 7,550  | 7.37%
South Asian | 6,605  | 5.72%  | 5,640  | 5.04%  | 4,125  | 3.82%  | 4,365  | 4.07%  | 3,760  | 3.67%
Southeast Asian[c] | 4,485  | 3.88%  | 3,435  | 3.07%  | 2,635  | 2.44%  | 1,615  | 1.51%  | 1,160  | 1.13%
Indigenous | 4,015  | 3.48%  | 3,490  | 3.12%  | 2,930  | 2.72%  | 1,990  | 1.86%  | 1,470  | 1.43%
African | 1,510  | 1.31%  | 1,155  | 1.03%  | 1,200  | 1.11%  | 550  | 0.51%  | 625  | 0.61%
Middle Eastern[d] | 1,415  | 1.23%  | 1,110  | 0.99%  | 725  | 0.67%  | 495  | 0.46%  | 315  | 0.31%
Latin American | 1,225  | 1.06%  | 815  | 0.73%  | 760  | 0.7%  | 720  | 0.67%  | 400  | 0.39%
Other[e] | 1,190  | 1.03%  | 870  | 0.78%  | 685  | 0.64%  | 440  | 0.41%  | 230  | 0.22%
Total responses  | 115,505  | 98.11%  | 111,835  | 97.97%  | 107,860  | 98.28%  | 107,120  | 98.94%  | 102,485  | 98.87%
Total population  | 117,735  | 100%  | 114,148  | 100%  | 109,752  | 100%  | 108,265  | 100%  | 103,654  | 100%

* Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.

### Religion

[edit]

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Saanich included:[14]

* Irreligion (66,460 persons or 57.5%)
* Christianity (38,645 persons or 33.5%)
* Sikhism (3,250 persons or 2.8%)
* Islam (1,855 persons or 1.6%)
* Buddhism (1,520 persons or 1.3%)
* Hinduism (1,370 persons or 1.2%)
* Judaism (760 persons or 0.7%)
* Indigenous spirituality (100 persons or 0.1%)

## Surrounding municipalities and communities

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Saanich, British Columbia

| Highlands, Malahat | Central Saanich | Gulf Islands, Strait of Georgia

|
|

|  |
Highlands, Langford |

Saanich

| Strait of Georgia, San Juan Islands, Skagit County, Washington
|  |
View Royal, Colwood, Esquimalt | Victoria | Oak Bay

## See also

[edit]

* Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park
* Murder of Reena Virk
* Murder of Lindsay Buziak

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
2. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
3. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
4. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
5. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address" (XLS). British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
2. ^ a b c "Saanich, District municipality (DM) [Census subdivision], British Columbia and Capital, Regional district [Census division], British Columbia". Statistics Canada. January 30, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
3. ^ Elliott, John. "SENĆOŦEN Community Portal". www.firstvoices.ca. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
4. ^ "Indigenous Relations". Saanich. District of Saanich. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
5. ^ "Indigenous Relations". Saanich.ca. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
6. ^ a b "W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council". W̱SÁNEĆ. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
7. ^ SENĆOŦEN
8. ^ "Canadian Climate Normals 1991-2020 Data - University of Victoria". Environment and Climate Change Canada. June 27, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
9. ^ "2022 election results". www.saanich.ca.
10. ^ "Local Area Plans". Saanich. District of Saanich. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
11. ^ "Community Associations". Saanich. District of Saanich. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
12. ^ "Saanich Place Names" (PDF). Saanich Archives. Gazeteer. n.d. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
13. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), British Columbia". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
14. ^ a b Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (October 26, 2022). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
15. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (October 27, 2021). "Census Profile, 2016 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
16. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (November 27, 2015). "NHS Profile". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
17. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (August 20, 2019). "2006 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
18. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (July 2, 2019). "2001 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved November 7, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saanich, British Columbia.

* Official website

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Communities on Vancouver Island

* Ahousat
* Bamberton
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* Black Creek
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* Greater Victoria
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* View Royal
* Westholme
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* Woss
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* Yuquot (Friendly Cove)
* Zeballos

* v
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Members of the Capital Regional District

Municipalities|

* Central Saanich
* Colwood
* Esquimalt
* Highlands
* Langford
* Metchosin
* North Saanich
* Oak Bay
* Saanich
* Sidney
* Sooke
* Victoria
* View Royal

Electoral areas|

* B & D (Juan de Fuca)
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Neighbourhoods in Greater Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria|

* Chinatown
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* Fernwood
* Harris Green
* Hillside
* Humboldt Valley
* Gonzales
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* Victoria West

Saanich|

* Beaver Lake – Elk Lake
* Broadmead–Sunnymead
* Cadboro Bay
* Cedar Hill
* Cloverdale
* Cordova Bay
* Glanford
* Gordon Head
* Gorge–Tillicum,
* Interurban
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* Maplewood
* Marigold
* Mount Douglas
* Mount Tolmie
* Prospect Lake
* Royal Oak
* Saanichton
* Strawberry Vale
* Swan Lake
* Ten Mile Point
* Town and Country – Burnside
* West Saanich

West Shore|

* Bear Mountain
* Belmont Park
* Colwood
* Glen Lake
* Goldstream
* Happy Valley
* Hatley Park
* Langford
* Luxton
* Mill Hill
* Millstream
* Thetis Lake

Other areas|

* Brentwood Bay
* Broom Hill
* Cloak Hill
* Craigflower
* Dean Park
* Deep Cove
* Durrance Lake
* East Sooke
* Florence Lake
* Gorge Vale
* Island View
* Kemp Lake
* Lands End
* Matheson Lake
* Otter Point
* Pat Bay
* Ravenwood
* Rockheights
* Rocky Point
* Saseenos
* Songhees
* Sooke
* Swartz Bay
* Uplands
* Whiffen Spit
* William Head
* Willis Point
* Willows Beach
* Windsor Park
* Work Point

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Subdivisions|

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