(For older Saanich news items, check our Saanich in the News Archive)
Information on this page is presented from associated websites and has not necessarily been reviewed or endorsed by the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs (CBA) board of directors.
Saanich in the News
This direct link to the Saanich Municipality website takes you to its home page where you can find the latest news or search for something specific. The home page also has a “Popular Links” column where you’ll find important information i.e. the new Pesticides Bylaw information, the Garbage Pick-up Services, Garden Waste dropoff, and the Refuse Collection Days schedule: www.saanich.ca
To find the useful “Active Planning Applications” feature – click first on “Doing Business.” on the home page.
To have a look at Council agendas, minutes of meetings, committees and boards etc, click here.
Mayor of Saanich’s inaugural address
New mayor of Saanich, Richard Atwell’s inaugural address – December 1, 2014.
Let Saanich know about projects
happening in “Our Backyard”
Our Backyard, is a quarterly newsletter that aims to increase the profile of community stewardship projects and environmental education in or relevant to the District of Saanich. Visit the very interesting, educational and informative Our Backyard webpage: www.ourbackyard.saanich.ca.
If you wish to submit an article, event announcement, call for volunteers, etc., please get in touch with:
Darren Copley
Saanich Environmental Education Officer.
Phone: 250-475-5579 and Email: darren.copley@saanich.ca
Legalized secondary suites for Cordova Bay
LATEST NEWS Oct 29, 2014: Click here.
OCTOBER 7, 2014 – Public hearing.
FOR THE MINUTES OF OCTOBER 7, 2014 MEETING – Click here.
September 15, 2014 – Council voted to call a public hearing (date to be set later) into its proposed introduction of legal secondary suites in the Urban Containment area north of McKenzie Avenue including Cordova Bay.
Sept. 11, 2014 – Times Colonist article.
MAJOR UPDATE ANNOUNCED SEPTEMBER 5, 2014 – To read, click here. NOTE MEETING IS ON SEPTEMBER 15.
And to read more on this issue – contributed by CBA member, Roger Stonebanks, click here.
Aggressive Regional Program Tackles
Invasive Knotweed
A regional knotweed control program is being run to eradicate invasive knotweeds from the Capital Region before they take hold.
For information, click here. The public is asked to report all outbreaks of knotweed.
Public Meeting re: CRD Parks application
to connect to the Saanich sewer system
Following a public meeting about CRD’s proposal to connect two facilities in Elk Lake Regional Park to the Saanich sewer system, a community association response to Saanich Council (and copied to CRD Parks) is encouraged since council will be considering these comments prior to signing-off on an Official Community Plan amendment. A response form was available at the public meeting. Residents will be able to provide their comments online up until July 10th 2014.
Details of the public meeting and next steps will be posted on our website very soon at: Elk-Beaver-lake-sewer-connection-proposal.
For information: Brad Drew, Parks and Environmental Services, Capital Regional District (CRD)
Ph: 250-360-3367. Cell: 250-818-0287. E-mail: bdrew@crd.bc.ca.
NEW Tree Protection Bylaw, No. 9278
On July 1, 2014, this new Bylaw came into place. The purpose of the Tree Protection Bylaw is to regulate cutting or pruning of trees, prohibit tree damaging activities and set requirements for replacement trees.
To read a summary of the Bylaw click here – bulletin.
The Bylaw, in its entirety, and related information can be found at: Saanich.ca/treebylaw.
Times Colonist article – July 28, 2013.
Victoria News article – July 29, 2013.
Municipality of Saanich 2013 Annual Report
Saanich has recently posted its annual report – 2013 Annual Report.
New Saanich Public GIS Map Service
November 12, 2013 – Saanich is excited to launch a new GIS Map Service designed to be fast, flexible and intuitive. Click here to read about it and take a tour of the map.
Invasive Species Management Strategy (ISMS)
The spread of invasive species (both plants and animals) has become a major concern for residents, ecologists, naturalists and land and water managers across BC. It’s second only to habitat loss, as the major cause of declining biodiversity. Read how the District of Saanich is committed to preventing new invasive species from becoming established and controlling those of major concern for human health and the health of natural ecosystems.
What is the Noxious Weeds Bylaw? Why does it need updating? Click here to find out.
The ISMS is available for review and comment.
Click here. Comments to Cory Manton: parks@saanich.ca.
Protect your home from Wildfire
Be Fire Smart!
Fire prevention reduces loss of life and property resulting from fire by eliminating fire hazards and enforcing the rules and regulations that are necessary for public safety. Click here for important information.
If you live in or near a forested region, sooner or later you may have to contend with the spread of a wildfire. The best protection against loss, damage or injury due to wildfire is prevention.
Frequently asked questions can be answered on: http://bcwildfire.ca/FAQ/
The Wildfire Information Phone Line is: 1-888-336-7378. And to report a forest fire, call: 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on your cell phone.
Breaking & entering and Theft – in Cordova Bay
If you are interested/concerned about crime in your neighbourhood, the CBA recommends contacting the Block Watch program run by the Saanich Police Department. There’s Block Watch information on the the department’s website: please click here.
The frequency of crime in our area is low compared to other areas in Saanich. To keep it that way, the challenge is to make it difficult for criminal activities to take place or succeed. Thieves are opportunists. Deciding to commit a crime on a condo property is a risk-versus-reward exercise for them. A special report has been prepared by: David Conn, Dawn Fyke and Ajit Singh with resources from: John Tomchick, Jawl Development and Cst. Petra Dornblut, Saanich Police Block Watch. To read it, please click here.
Please help by watching our parks
Saanich Parks Department would like all park users to be vigilant. If you see any illegal dumping, maintenance needs, a tree that has come down, refuse bins overflowing, call 250-475-5522 or e-mail: parks@saanich.ca. They would like to hear from you, however trivial you think the issue is.
What to do if you see graffiti on poles
in Cordova Bay
If you see offensive graffiti painted on to Hydro equipment (i.e. Hydro boxes and poles), call Hydro customer service direct: 1-800-224-9376. Report the incident and you will be directed to the correct department to give details of the location. If there is a number on the pole or box, make a note of it and pass it on to Hydro.
The police should be phoned only if the graffiti is on anything apart from Hydro equipment.
A useful web page from Saanich is: http://www.saanich.ca/services/graffiti.html where there is a list of contact numbers to enable you to contact the correct jurisdiction so that the graffiti can be removed.
Want to know what to do about potholes?
If there are some annoying potholes in the roads, don’t hesitate to contact the Saanich Roads Section directly at: 250-475-5596 or via email at: PPWRoads@saanich.ca to have them fixed.
Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan
The District of Saanich has developed a Master Plan to guide the direction of the Parks & Recreation Department over the next five-seven years. To obtain the Master Plan and get more information, click here.
Saanich Police Block Watch
Keeping Saanich Safe Since 1906
Did you know?
Saanich Police is committed to community involvement. It has one of the largest Block Watch programs in the province involving residents, businesses, parks and the University, and would like to hear from Saanich residents. Visit the website: www.saanichpolice.ca to offer your input, read up on local going-ons. For the latest Block Watch newsletter click here.
Home-heating Oil Tanks – what you should know
Do you have an underground, above-ground or basement heating oil tank on your residential property? If so, this information sheet could help you avoid costly and damaging oil tank leaks. Please click here.
Saanich archives now on line
Saanich Archives is pleased to announce that over 2,500 archival photographs are now available online at: http://saanicharchives.ca. The digitization project was made possible through generous funding from the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at UBC and the Municipality of Saanich.
Photographs of early pioneer life, cultural events, architecture, farming and the growth of the community can now be searched by keyword, subject and local area of Saanich. The images, selected from a collection of 15,000 photographs, slides, negatives and albums, have rarely been viewed by the public. They are now freely available via the Internet.
Saanich Archives collects and preserves archival material relating to the Municipality of Saanich and invites visitors to explore Saanich’s rich history online or in person. The collection includes photographs, maps, documents, oral histories, books and reference material from the earliest days of the municipality to recent times.
Saanich Archives is located in the Saanich Centennial Library at 3100 Tillicum Road and is open Monday to Friday, 10:00am to 4:30pm. For further information, please call: 250-475-1775 or visit our website at: http://saanicharchives.ca
