As 2024 comes to an end, Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock reflected on what he described as a B次元官网网址渧ery busy yearB次元官网网址� for both council and district staff.

B次元官网网址淸ThereB次元官网网址檚] lots of great work underway,B次元官网网址� said Murdock in a phone interview with Saanich B次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淲e're a growing community and the secret is out, Saanich is a great place to be, and more people are looking to put down roots here.B次元官网网址�

The mayor highlighted that with a growing municipality comes the challenge of meeting various demands, particularly surrounding housing, which remains the districtB次元官网网址檚 chief concern. 

B次元官网网址淲e need to focus on creating more homes and making sure that [they] meet people's needs and fit their budgets,B次元官网网址� said Murdock. 

Despite , Murdock and his council remain hopeful about reaching next yearB次元官网网址檚 goal. Shifting focus to address the growing housing demand, the mayor noted that Saanich will soon see the results of these efforts.

B次元官网网址淭his year, we tripled the number of building permits compared to last year,B次元官网网址� said Murdock. B次元官网网址淎 third of those were for affordable non-market homes. We will continue to move forwardB次元官网网址� with an emphasis on affordability.B次元官网网址�

Having changed gear to address this need, Murdoch and his team are confident they can meet B次元官网网址渁nd ideally exceedB次元官网网址� the five-year provincial target of 4,610 new homes.

Achieving this goal, however, is a balancing act, Murdock recognizes. 

B次元官网网址淲hat goes along with building more homes... includes the services and amenities that people rely on to put down roots and build a life in this community,B次元官网网址� he said.

For Murdock, conscientious expansion is key to meeting the needs of a growing municipality, including adding parks and green spaces while protecting sensitive ecological areas. Enhancing road safety, increasing public transit, and protecting road users also rank among Murdock's top priorities.

While the past 12 months brought its share of challenges, Murdock learned some valuable lessons B次元官网网址� many stemming from the  B次元官网网址� that will influence his leadership in the new year. 

B次元官网网址淚've learned a lot about consultation [and] how our planning processes need to reflect a vision that everyone can be proud of,B次元官网网址� said Murdock. B次元官网网址淲e're gonna carry into 2025 an awareness of how we create a vision that ensures that everyone can get around conveniently but doesn't further frustrate folks who are commuting on our major corridors.

B次元官网网址淚 don't think we got it perfect in our first foray into the Quadra McKenzie plan, but I think there's an opportunity for us to learn from that and do better ultimately with the final version of that plan.B次元官网网址�