Press Release – Make Saanich Swimmable Again

Posted

September 18, 2026

Written By

Nichola

Nathalie Chambers launches third campaign for Saanich Council and seeks a CRD Board position with a regional call to make Saanich and the CRD swimmable again.


CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Cadboro-Gyro Park, Sinclair Road, Saanich
In attendance: Eric Pelkey (WEC’KINEM), Tsawout Hereditary Chief and W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council Community Engagement Coordinator


SAANICH, B.C. – Two-term Saanich Councillor Nathalie Chambers will launch her campaign for a third term and a position on the CRD Board at Cadboro-Gyro Park under the banner “Bring Back the Splash – Make Saanich and the CRD Swimmable Again.” Eric Pelkey (WEC’KINEM), Hereditary Chief of the Tsawout of the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation and Community Engagement Coordinator for the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council, will be in attendance.

“We live surrounded by some of the most beautiful water in Canada. Our children should be able to swim at our beaches and lakes without wondering whether the water is safe. Protecting water starts upstream – with our streets, storm drains, creeks, farms, septic systems and watersheds.”

Saanich’s beaches, lakes and creeks are connected. Cadboro Bay, Cordova Bay, Elk and Beaver Lakes, Tod Creek, Colquitz Creek, Portage Inlet and the Gorge Waterway all receive water from surrounding neighbourhoods and watersheds. Beach closures and water-quality advisories show why source control matters: stormwater, sewer cross-connections, nutrients and contaminated runoff can all move downstream into places where people swim and wildlife depends on clean water.

Chambers is seeking a position on the CRD Board to push a stronger regional approach through Saanich and the CRD, focused on:
 stormwater source control and wet-weather / first-flush monitoring;
 investigation of sewer cross-connections, overflows and failing infrastructure;
 watershed-based planning for lakes, creeks, beaches and marine receiving waters;
 clear public reporting of water-quality results, pollution sources and corrective action; and
 measurable regional targets to keep recreational waters safe for swimming while improving fish and wildlife habitat.

“Putting up a beach-closed sign after pollution reaches the water is not source control,” Chambers said. “Bring Back the Splash means finding and fixing the pollution before it reaches the beach.”

Chambers is a Saanich farmer, business owner, restoration ecologist, conservation fundraiser, author and two-term councillor. Her 2026 campaign seeks re-election to Saanich Council and a position on the CRD Board, linking protection of natural assets with fiscal responsibility, neighbourhoods and stronger regional cooperation.

MEDIA CONTACT: Nathalie Chambers | 250-893-4505 | madronafarmgirl@gmail.com | https://nathaliechambers.ca/

Dr. Peter D. Carter Endorses Nathalie Chambers

Posted

September 11, 2026

Written By

Nichola

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Nathalie Chambers is a most sincere, conscientious and hard-working supporter of her community, both human and natural. As a farmer, she has a deep understanding of sustainability and its importance in our lives. I happily endorse Nathalie as a Distruct of Saanich councillor.

Andy McKinnon Endorses Nathalie Chambers

Posted

September 11, 2026

Written By

Nichola

I am a forest ecologist and a recovering municipal politician. Protection of the natural environment should be at the to[ of the list for Saanich voters this October. Development pressure never lets up. Saanich needs a councillor who will defend the agricultural fields, forests, wetlands, and Garry oak meadows that drew people here in the first place. Nathalie Chambers has shown, again and again. that she is that person. I encourage you to re-elect her to Saanich Council and to the CRD

Nathalie gets My Vote

Posted

September 7, 2026

Written By

Nichola

Natalie has been our landlord for this lovely heritage home in Saanich for roughly three years, and we have been very fortunate to have her as our landlord.

All of our communication with Natalie has been easy, open, and respectful. She is very attentive to our needs and requests and is always quick to respond. We have really appreciated how communicative, approachable, and responsive she has been throughout our time here.

Given our experience with Natalie, I would not hesitate to vote for her. She genuinely listens to your needs, is thoughtful in her approach, and works to do what is best for both the people she serves and the community.

Thank you, Natalie, for being such a wonderful landlord and for everything you do. 

Howard Steves Endorses Nathalie Chambers

Posted

September 1, 2026

Written By

Nichola

We need Nathalie Chambers’ voice on Saanich Council and the CRD to speak for the environment, sustainability and food security for our urban population.

Media Release re Universal Declaration of Tree Rights

Posted

July 27, 2026

Written By

admin

Trees Are Not an Obstacle to Development

After Saanich’s defeated vote, a clearer and legally grounded path forward By Nathalie Chambers, Saanich Councillor

A defeated motion is not a final verdict. It should compel us to return with the official texts, exact attribution, legal clarity and
a practical route forward.

Recently, Saanich Council rejected my motion concerning the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights. I was disappointed, but this conversation must not end there. In Saanich, trees are living infrastructure: they cool neighbourhoods, manage water, store carbon, stabilize soils and protect biodiversity. Protecting
them is not an obstacle to development. It is part of responsible development.

Housing and tree protection are not competing public goods. Responsible growth requires us to plan homes, infrastructure and ecological systems together, measuring consequences across decades rather than one permit, one parcel or one election cycle.

Saanich’s 2019 LiDAR analysis identified at least 742,000 trees. More than 537,000 are located on private property, and roughly four-fifths of the urban forest canopy lies on land not directly managed by the municipality. That canopy covered 43 per cent of Saanich in 2019; the Urban Forest Strategy sets a target of 44 per cent by 2064. The Coastal Douglas-fir zone is British Columbia’s smallest climatic zone and its most at risk. Garry oak ecosystems survive across only a small part of the District, while more than one hundred associated species face the risk of extinction.

This distinction matters. Trees on private property are not outside municipal concern; they are outside the District’s direct ownership and day-to-day management. Their future depends on municipal bylaws and land-use decisions, but also on the knowledge, participation and support of owners. Saanich has many residents who already act as careful stewards. A practical owner-stewardship program, informed by the Declaration, could reinforce that work through education, technical assistance, public recognition
and appropriately designed incentives.
These figures do not mean that every tree is unprotected or that every project will cause ecological collapse. They do mean that decisions must account for cumulative loss, ecological rarity and the limits of replacement.        More….

Click Here for the full Media Release

 

Provincial threats to municipal authority

Posted

May 28, 2025

Written By

admin

As a Saanich councillor, I am compelled to voice urgent opposition to Bill 14 (Renewable Energy Projects Streamlined Permitting Act) and Bill 15 (Infrastructure Projects Act), currently at the committee stage with a final vote looming by May 28. These bills represent a profound threat to the authority of municipally elected governments and the rights of First Nations.
I call on residents of Saanich, the Capital Regional District (CRD), and local governments across British Columbia to join me in demanding the immediate withdrawal or significant amendment of these bills.
Bill 14 and Bill 15 grant the provincial cabinet sweeping powers to designate projects as “provincially significant” and fast-track them by bypassing critical environmental assessments, municipal permitting processes, and First Nations consultation. The term “provincially significant” remains undefined, leaving the door wide open for abuse of power. This vagueness undermines the ability of local governments to represent their communities’ interests, eroding the democratic foundation enshrined in the Community Charter, which mandates local government input. Worse, these bills were developed without meaningful consultation with First Nations, municipalities, or the public.
The First Nations Leadership Council, in an emergency meeting with Premier David Eby, unanimously rejected Bills 14 and 15, citing their direct threat to Indigenous title, rights, and jurisdiction. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, condemned the province’s unilateral approach, stating, “Unilateralism is not acceptable.” He warned that these bills, far from expediting projects, are “setting the stage for bigger fights” by violating the province’s own Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.The Union of B.C. Municipalities, environmental organizations, the B.C. Green Party, and the B.C. Conservatives have also raised alarms. UBCM president Trish Mandewo called Bill 15 an “unnecessary overreach” into local decision-making, while the B.C. Greens’ interim leader Jeremy Valeriote criticized its “sweeping powers” to bypass environmental and Indigenous oversight. Environmental groups like Wildsight warn that these bills could greenlight projects with insufficient scrutiny, risking lands, waters, and ecosystems.
The province claims these bills will speed up critical infrastructure like hospitals and schools, but the lack of transparency and consultation undermines trust. Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma admitted the government erred in not consulting First Nations adequately, yet Premier Eby refuses to withdraw or amend the bills.
This dismissal of legitimate concerns, coupled with a rushed legislative timeline, as House Leader Mike Farnworth’s time allocation motion ensures a vote within days, suggests a government prioritizing expediency over accountability.
As Saanich residents and local governments, we cannot stand idly by. These bills threaten our ability to shape our communities, protect our environment, and honour our commitments to reconciliation. They risk entrenching a system where provincial fiat overrides local democracy and Indigenous rights, with no guarantee that future governments will wield these powers responsibly.
I urge residents of Saanich and the CRD to act now. Contact Premier Eby, your MLA, and local media to demand the withdrawal of Bills 14 and 15 or, at minimum, substantial amendments to ensure robust consultation, clear definitions, and protections for municipal and Indigenous authority. Local governments across B.C. must unite with the UBCM and First Nations to amplify this call.
Together, we can stop these bills and ensure that governance in B.C. respects the rights and voices of all communities. Let us stand with First Nations, municipalities, and concerned citizens to demand better.
Nathalie Chambers

Opposition to Bills 14 and 15: A Call to Action for Saanich, CRD, and Local Governments

Posted

May 26, 2025

Written By

admin

As a Saanich Councillor, I am compelled to voice urgent opposition to Bill 14 (Renewable Energy Projects Streamlined Permitting Act) and Bill 15 (Infrastructure Projects Act), currently at the Committee stage with a final vote looming by 8 p.m. on May 28, 2025. These bills represent a profound threat to the authority of municipally elected governments, and the rights of First Nations.
I call on residents of Saanich, the Capital Regional District (CRD), and local governments across British Columbia to join me in demanding the immediate withdrawal or significant amendment of these bills.
Bill 14 and Bill 15 grant the provincial cabinet sweeping powers to designate projects as “provincially significant” and fast-track them by bypassing critical environmental assessments, municipal permitting processes, and First Nations consultation. The term “provincially significant” remains undefined, leaving the door wide open for abuse of power. This vagueness undermines the ability of local governments to represent their communities’ interests, eroding the democratic foundation enshrined in the Community Charter, which mandates local government input. Worse, these bills were developed without meaningful consultation with First Nations, municipalities, or the public, repeating the troubling precedent set by Bills 44, 46, and 47.
The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC), in an emergency meeting with Premier David Eby, unanimously rejected Bills 14 and 15, citing their direct threat to Indigenous title, rights, and jurisdiction. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, condemned the province’s unilateral approach, stating, “Unilateralism is not acceptable.” He warned that these bills, far from expediting projects, are “setting the stage for bigger fights” by violating the province’s own Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). Regional Chief Terry Teegee echoed this, calling the bills a “serious setback” to reconciliation, while Cheryl Casimer, Nasuʔkin of ʔaq̓am, described them as a “direct threat to our sovereignty” and a betrayal of the reconciliation framework.
The Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM), environmental organizations, the B.C. Green Party, and the B.C. Conservatives have also raised alarms. UBCM President Trish Mandewo called Bill 15 an “unnecessary overreach” into local decision-making, while the B.C. Greens’ Interim Leader Jeremy Valeriote criticized its “sweeping powers” to bypass environmental and Indigenous oversight. Environmental groups like Wildsight warn that these bills could greenlight projects with insufficient scrutiny, risking lands, waters, and ecosystems. “Wilderness Committee condemns BC NDP’s Bill 15,
“Using essential public services and housing as a scapegoat to facilitate private projects that will push us far behind our climate goals is a gross political move”.
The province claims these bills will speed up critical infrastructure like hospitals and schools, but the lack of transparency and consultation undermines trust.
Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma admitted the government erred in not consulting First Nations adequately, yet Premier Eby refuses to withdraw or amend the bills.
This dismissal of legitimate concerns, coupled with a rushed legislative timeline, as House Leader Mike Farnworth’s time allocation motion ensures a vote within days, suggests a government prioritizing expediency over accountability.
As Saanich residents and local governments, we cannot stand idly by. These bills threaten our ability to shape our communities, protect our environment, and honor our commitments to reconciliation. They risk entrenching a system where provincial fiat overrides local democracy and Indigenous rights, with no guarantee that future governments will wield these powers responsibly.
Call to Action: I urge residents of Saanich and the CRD to act now. Contact Premier Eby, your MLA, and local media to demand the withdrawal of Bills 14 and 15 or, at minimum, substantial amendments to ensure robust consultation, clear definitions, and protections for municipal and Indigenous authority. Local governments across B.C. must unite with the UBCM and First Nations to amplify this call. Time is critical, act today to defend our democracy, our environment, and our shared commitment to reconciliation.
Together, we can stop these bills and ensure that governance in B.C. respects the rights and voices of all communities.
Let us stand with First Nations, municipalities, and concerned citizens to demand better.
Nathalie Chambers