Having lived on the Saanich Peninsula for over two decades, the debate over North Saanich’s review of their official community plan (OCP) is both informative and interesting.
Updating the OCP is important and it is time to move on. We need to preserve the rural-greenspace landscape as we adapt to climate change. We need to provide housing to address the needs of a changing, stressed society. We need to build a stronger relationship with the WSANEC people. And, we need to foster a healthy and sustainable environment for the future.
However. expecting North Saanich to address these critical, and often conflicting, interests alone perhaps isn’t fair. Given that Central Saanich, North Saanich and Sidney are each reviewing their official community plans, a growing number of people and organizations are suggesting that now is the time for the three municipalities to collaborate on a common vision and insert a coordinating framework into their OCPs that addresses these varied and critical issues collaboratively. Working together they can build a future environmental, economic and community health for the Saanich Peninsula for which we can all be proud.
What a leadership opportunity.
Bob Peart
North Saanich
