The District of North Saanich is located on the Saanich Peninsula of British Columbia, approximately 25 km north of Victoria on southern Vancouver Island. It is one of the 13 Greater Victoria municipalities. The district is surrounded on three sides by 20 km of ocean shoreline, and consists of rural/residential areas and a large agricultural base. It is home to the Victoria International Airport and the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal.

History

In July 1905, North Saanich, then including the townsite of Sidney, was incorporated with the original Municipal Hall located in Sidney. Lacking population and a firm tax base, the municipality was dissolved in 1911. In 1940, the site of the present Victoria International Airport was selected as a military forces base and the area boomed with the influx of 10,000 military personnel, leading to incorporation for the Village of Sidney in 1952. Four years later, the residents of the North Saanich unorganized area, numbering 2,865, requested that letters patent be issued to form the "North Saanich Fire Prevention District" with power to own property, to tax and to borrow. In 1965, after a favourable public vote, the letters patent were withdrawn and the North Saanich Municipal District was established with offices at the present location on Mills Road.

Geography

Climate

North Saanich has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) with short, warm, and dry summers and long, cool, and wet winters.

Demographics

In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, North Saanich had a population of 12,235 living in 5,010 of its 5,235 total private dwellings, a change of NaN% from its 2016 population of 11,249. With a land area of 37.16 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Ethnicity

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in North Saanich included:

Government

The 2022 – 2026 council is: The next election is scheduled for October 17, 2026, following provincial law. All municipalities in British Columbia will also hold elections on this date (the third Saturday of October every 4 years). Voters will vote for councilors, school board trustees and the mayor on the same ballot.

Attractions

Notable people