RURAL SAANICH: GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT
Rural Saanich is different. It is not just the landscape. It is the way of life. It makes up more than half of Saanich’s land with a much smaller population. Its roads, properties, farms, forests, wetlands, and neighbourhoods require solutions that recognize those differences. Here are some of the issues incoming Council needs to get right.
I have had the privilege of connecting with rural Saanich residents over the course of my campaign. One of my oldest friends lives in rural Saanich, his son and family live in the main house and he lives the secondary suite. From rural Saanich candidate coffees through the summer and into this week, to joining the Prospect Lake Walking School bus on the first day of school, to attending hosted events, connecting with my wetland coalition friends and reading the Livable Roads for Rural Saanich newsletter, I care about rural Saanich and Protecting What Matters for its residents.
🚗 SAFE RURAL ROADS
Rural roads are different. They can be narrow, winding and shared by cars, cyclists, pedestrians, horses, farm vehicles, and emergency responders. Residents have shared their concerns about speeding, poor sightlines, and the challenge of sharing roads with trucks and other traffic. Safety must come first.
Rural roads often simply cannot accommodate the same infrastructure used in urban areas. That does not mean accepting unsafe conditions. It means addressing problem areas based on evidence and local knowledge, using the right tools for the road: appropriate speed limits, traffic calming, better signage, targeted enforcement, and other practical measures that improve safety without unnecessary expense. I want transportation decisions that improve safety and reliability while respecting how people move around rural Saanich.
🌧️ DRAINAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE
For rural residents, basic infrastructure matters. Roadside drainage, culverts, road maintenance, flooding, and emergency access are not abstract policy issues. They affect people’s homes, property, and ability to get around safely. It can mean standing water, damaged roads, flooded properties, failing culverts, groundwater concerns, and difficult access during severe weather.
My professional career has included project management, infrastructure, asset management, financial systems, and local-government modernization. Incoming Council needs to understand the full lifecycle cost of infrastructure, as well as the cost of building something today. It needs to maintain what we already have and make sure new decisions do not create problems downstream.
🌳 PROTECTING RURAL SAANICH
Rural Saanich contains some of Saanich’s most important natural and agricultural areas.
My experience advocating for Panama Flats has taught me that environmental protection takes persistence, evidence, collaboration, and long-term planning. I will bring that same approach to rural Saanich. I want to protect wetlands, watersheds, farmland, forests, lakes, and natural areas while making practical decisions about how Saanich grows. I do not believe environmental protection and responsible growth are opposing goals: they must be planned together.
🏡 GROWTH THAT FITS THE COMMUNITY
I support housing choice, including suites and garden suites that can help families and homeowners; however, rural Saanich is unique and should not be treated like a suburban neighbourhood or urban centre. Before approving growth, incoming Council needs to consider infrastructure capacity, roads, drainage, environmental impacts, emergency services, and neighbourhood character.
Good planning asks: Can people afford to live here, and can the community support the growth?
💰 MAKING EVERY TAXPAYER DOLLAR COUNT
I hear residents asking a simple question: Are we getting good value for our tax dollars?
Saanich needs to maintain the infrastructure it already has, prioritize essential services, understand lifecycle costs, and scrutinize major spending decisions. Being fiscally responsible does not mean saying no to everything. It means knowing what we can afford, what we need most, and whether we are getting the results for which we are paying. My approach is straightforward: Core services first.
I hear frustration from residents who feel taxes are increasing while basic infrastructure still needs attention. Incoming Council needs to look for efficiencies before asking taxpayers for more. It needs to measure whether projects are delivering what was promised and be transparent to citizens with the results.
My Information Technology and Management Consulting career has included financial systems, provincial and municipal government, project management, business analysis, and local-government modernization projects. I know that responsible fiscal management and financial accountability is not about saying yes to everything or no to everything. It is about setting priorities and delivering results.
👂 AND LISTENING TO RURAL RESIDENTS
One thing I have learned through more than 22 years of community advocacy is that lasting solutions start with listening. I have collaborated with residents, community associations, municipal staff, engineers, planners, and various levels of government to deliver projects from road infrastructure through environmental protection in our community: I know what it takes get things done, because I have done it.
I do not believe Council needs more ideology. It needs informed, independent people who will listen, ask questions, understand the facts and different perspectives and work towards practical solutions. That is the kind of councillor I will be.
Rural Saanich deserves a strong voice at the Council table, one that understands what makes it unique and is prepared to protect what matters.
That is why I am running.
If you live in rural Saanich, I would love to hear from you: What is the one issue you most want incoming Council to get right for Rural Saanich?