Fall Update:
I hope this email finds you and your family well. Fall is upon us, and hope that you had the chance to enjoy a nature-filled summer in this beautiful municipality we call home.
Thank you, especially to all the stewards of Saanich, for your work.
I am your Independent, 100% not development-funded voice for a sustainable Saanich. I have never worked harder for people, planet, and place over profit. I stand for transparency, accountability, and good governance. This includes informing the public about the changes to our foundational documents and providing regular updates in the absence of a voting dashboard or lobby register.
Local government used to be the most important level of government for affordable housing and environmental sustainability via zoning. Zoning was our magic wand. In an unprecedented move, representing perhaps the biggest provincial download onto municipal government and local taxpayers, the province took over the municipal authority on zoning. In other words, they put us on the naughty list and took away our magic wands. This included banning public hearings on subdivisions and zoning applications.
It has changed our role as municipal councillors. Our votes are prescriptive, we can no longer represent Saanich residents on neighborhood zoning matters. Residents are consulted and informed by website and emails.
Here is a link to my last communication, which delves deeper into this issue:
Since my last communication, which informed residents about the opportunity to provide input on the new Official Community Plan (OCP), and attending the last public hearing on zoning, the new OCP has passed. The new OCP has incorporated the new definition of affordability into it (I voted against this definition) and the Local Area Plans (LAPs) have been decoupled from the OCP.
I am a long-time defender of the LAPS and voted against their suspension last term and voted against their decoupling from the new OCP this term.
Removing the LAP’S from the OCP has downgraded their legal status as enforceable bylaws to resolutions. The Local Area Plans represent 100+ years of civic engagement and were foundational to the District of Saanich. They contained the approved community plans and vision for a sustainable future for Saanich.
In 2018, many of us heard the importance of updating the LAP’S at the doorstep when door knocking. The ink was not even dry on the strategic plan when the former Mayor’s Housing Group recommended their suspension, and, one term later, they are now decoupled from the OCP. The new OCP was passed without the Biodiversity Strategy and Urban Forestry Strategy included. The committee that I chair, the Climate Action Advisory Committee, made recommendations for regular OCP updates so that, when the Biodiversity Strategy and Urban Forestry Strategy were completed, they could be added.
The Urban Forestry Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy have just been unanimously approved by council. Despite missing a stewardship program and other gaps, this is very good news. These are two components of our larger strategy on biodiversity conservation and sustainability, which will also include Natural Assets and Regional Watersheds. Both the Urban Forestry Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy will be implemented over 10 years. However, neither of these strategies have been funded yet in the 2025 budget. They are labeled as strategic initiatives and funding is not guaranteed.
Post–COVID, civic engagement has changed from being input-driven to the public being informed and consulted via email or the website. Council’s votes are now prescriptive and we are unable to represent the public on zoning matters. I hear many residents say they feel underrepresented and there are fewer and fewer opportunities for public engagement. The public feel democracy and public participation is at risk.
The provincial Bill 44, 46, 47 have made historic financial downloads on local government with losses to public participation and neighborhood representation, and impacts to safety, deficiencies in infrastructure, and impacting public amenities.
The latest challenge we face is potentially removing the Public Forum and replacing it with bi-annual Town Hall meetings.
This Public Forum item is on the September 23, 2024 agenda. Thankfully, our corporate officer has now separated the motions, so if council wishes they can vote for both. For once, the public could potentially have their cake and eat it too.
In conclusion, local government tax increases, decreasing environmental protections, ignoring Saanich’s foundational planning documents and decoupling LAPs from the OCP, and banning public hearings are all items to keep in mind for this provincial election.
It’s mid-term and I want to hear from you!
Sincerely yours,
Councillor Nathalie Chambers