Saanich’s residents have united in a remarkable and inspiring push for democracy, challenging the alternative approval process (AAP) for borrowing $150 million to redevelop the Saanich Operations Centre (SOC).
Save Our Saanich Neighbourhoods Society (SOS) submitted 8,276 elector response forms on June 25, with additional forms submitted through Saanich. Some residents were compelled to door-knock to inform their neighbours who may have been unaware of the AAP process, distributing and collecting elector response forms.
This movement has galvanized and activated the community, demanding accountability and transparency in what many Saanich residents view as an undemocratic AAP, a negative billing process that imposes tax hikes through assumed consent that most people are not even aware of is happening.
Democracy must be accessible for robust participation. Only the tally will reveal the full scope of the Saanich community’s resolve.
The AAP, which assumes consent unless residents opt out, is no way to decide a $150 million loan that will raise property taxes by 0.85% annually for four years and increase utility bills by $3.60 for water, $4 for sewer, and $1.70 for solid waste yearly. The SOC development also eliminates the valued garden waste drop-off program and includes a 99-year lease for market development on land near the SOC, ideal for affordable housing.
Some residents I spoke to were unaware of these changes. The AAP’s elector response form process was inaccessible to many. Technical challenges and strict deadlines hindered participation. Some residents reported difficulties downloading and submitting forms. Democracy must be accessible to all. Silence is not consent.
The SOC at 1040 McKenzie Ave. is outdated, housing over 300 staff in substandard conditions that hinder essential services like transportation, water, and waste management. Upgrading it is critical, but the process must be transparent. Using the AAP for borrowing such a large sum sets a precedent residents who filled out elector response forms reject.
The province’s decision on June 9 to double municipal borrowing limits from 5% to 10% of revenue without elector approval means the loan now falls within the new threshold.
The province has taken the wind out of the community’s sails, with this mid-process action undermining community trust. The 8,276 forms from SOS, plus others, reflect frustration with the AAP’s lack of transparency, not the SOC project itself. Public skepticism, fueled by an $8 million over-assessed property purchase tied to the SOC, demands a better approach.
A referendum, though costing $300,000, would ensure clear democratic support. Alternatively, placing the question on the 2026 municipal election ballot could save costs while amplifying every voice.
With AAP results expected by mid-July, council must act. After annual property tax increases and ongoing affordability pressures, adding debt without explicit consent is unacceptable.
The SOC is about trust as much as infrastructure. The decision on how to move forward now lies with Saanich council. If the current AAP is defeated, will council follow through with a referendum or will they try to push it through without elector approval?
The community’s response sends a clear message: no more tax hikes through undemocratic processes. Transparency and accountability are the keystones of good governance.
Democracy must be accessible to all, whether residents own a computer or not.
Only the tally will tell, but together, we can build a Saanich where every resident is informed and heard.
Nathalie Chambers
Saanich councillor
