Thanks to everyone who attended Saanich' s Town Hall Tuesday night and who spoke. 

A couple of us from Cordova Bay spoke to the Mayor and Council about our concerns regarding the Aragon development and I had a chance to speak to the mayor and most councilors in the one hour one on one portion of the evening after the two-hour open mic session.

I can tell you that the Mayor and Saanich Council are well aware of  the Aragon development and how our community feels about it. I got some very favorable feedback from them as well.  

They “get it”.  I would like to believe that we have built a strong case that Aragon has simply gone too far on this one. The Mayor and Council know we have a strong foundation of community support and they know we are not going away. This is further supported by the unanimous opposition vote by the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs, submitted to Saanich in October. 

 So, I am feeling a bit better on all this as our development is by the far the most “inappropriate” of all current ones in Saanich right now.  Will this ultimately matter in our goal to get this development reduced? I would love to think so.

In the meantime, we continue moving forward and continue to support our opposition to this development in its current form.

Please find a summary of the Town Hall meeting from last Tuesday, December 2, 2025.

Town Hall Meeting Summary & Development Concerns - This summary covers a well-attended town hall meeting in Saanich, primarily focusing on concerns about over-development, and provides updates on development processes and a specific large-scale project (Aragon).

Town Hall Highlights

Attendance: The meeting had a full room of attendees.

Format: It followed a similar format to the previous one, with two hours for speakers followed by one hour for one-on-one questions with Council Members.

Conduct: The dialogue was described as respectful, with no outbursts. The Mayor required attendees to clap for all speakers if they clapped for one.

Council Response: Council Members seemed attentive, and the Mayor acknowledged concerns and provided some clarifications.

Future Meetings: The Mayor indicated this would be the last town hall before the next municipal election.

Core Community Concerns - Participants: Most speakers were from the Gordon Head area, with a few from Cordova Bay.

Key Issue (Over-Development): Residents expressed major concerns about over-development and extreme density in their established, family-dedicated communities, arguing that current infrastructure (transportation, schools, community services) cannot support it.

Proposed Solution: Speakers acknowledged the need for housing but requested it be restricted to corridors better equipped to handle transportation, like Shelbourne/Mackenzie.

Specific Worries: Major safety concerns were raised regarding traffic chaos, gridlock, and street safety for children walking to school. Concerns were also voiced about inadequate on-site parking leading to street overflow and safety issues for emergency vehicles.

Plea to Council: Residents urged the Mayor and Council to be more mindful of the quality of life for existing Saanich residents rather than just meeting provincial housing quotas.

Bill M216: The Director of Legislative Services, Angila Bains, indicated that the Municipality had responded to the bill. She believes it is unlikely to pass this session due to a lack of time and significant opposition.

The Large Development Application Process (e.g., Aragon):

The path for large (1000+ unit) applications is not definitive and depends on factors like OCP compliance, rezoning needs, and required variances.
These factors determine the type of public input allowed (e.g., public hearing vs. feedback at a Council meeting).

Election Year Timeline: Bains suggested Council would likely stop approving large applications around May next year due to the election. Given the size and review needs of the Aragon development, she believes it is unlikely to come before the current Council for a decision before May, meaning it may be decided by the new Council elected next November.

Correspondence Protocol:

Correspondence sent to staff stays with staff and is not forwarded to Mayor and Council.

Correspondence sent to Mayor and Council goes directly to all of them.

Suggestion: Copy Mayor and Council on any information sent to staff to keep them informed.

Thank you everyone! Please continue to keep this mega development in your sights, tell your neighbors who may still be unaware, and continue to contact Saanich with your concerns.

Dan Horth