Opponents of Saanich’s proposed plan for the Quadra and McKenzie corridors jeered and swore at speakers who favoured density and transit improvements in the area
Tensions ran high at Saanich council chambers Monday night, as some opponents of a proposed 20-year plan for development of the Quadra and McKenzie corridors jeered and swore at speakers who favoured more density and better transit in the area.
Saanich council agreed to move to another round of public consultation without making further changes to the plan after a two-and-a-half-hour public hearing marked by several calls to order.
The Quadra McKenzie plan, which has been in the works since 2023, will decide how a major chunk of Saanich centred around the two thoroughfares will be built out. Current plans call for allowing six-storey buildings near major roads and centres, with up-to-24-storey buildings allowed on select lots near the intersection of Quadra and McKenzie.
More than 100 people packed Saanich municipal hall, spilling out of the open chamber doors and into the lobby. Save Our Saanich pins could be seen dotted throughout.
Mayor Dean Murdock started the council meeting by asking those attending in person to listen quietly as speakers made their comments to council.
“I know this is a topic that for some of us, there’s strong feelings and that’s entirely understandable. But strong feelings doesn’t have to translate into strong voices,” Murdock said. “We want to make sure this is a place where everyone feels welcome.”
When Katherine Bridge, wearing a Save Our Saanich pin, introduced herself as a “proud NIMBY — Nature in My Backyard” and raised concerns about losing heritage-designated houses in the Quadra and McKenzie corridors, the crowd applauded. Murdock was booed when he asked people to stop the applause.
“We pay your taxes!” one person shouted from the back of the chambers. Another person swore.
Murdock threatened to clear the chamber of attendees if people could not stay quiet.
“Your viewpoint is welcome, but the commentary and the heckling is not. I mean it when I say this room will be cleared if we cannot maintain order tonight,” he said. “We’re going to treat each other with kindness and respect.”
Murdock reprimanded the crowd again when applause broke out after another speaker raised concerns about raising the building height limit along Quadra Street, but ultimately did not clear the room.
The majority of those addressing council were against the plan, citing concerns about increased density and potential damage to the environment. Several questioned whether previous feedback given to council had been heard.
Deborah Dickson, who criticized the plan’s emphasis on reducing vehicle lanes on Quadra to improve transit, accused council of being “out of touch with reality” and their constituents.
Christine Astle, who spoke in support of the plan on Monday through a video link, said she would not attend Saanich public meetings in person because she felt uncomfortable speaking there the last time.
Sam Holland, chair of Better Transit YYJ, who also spoke in favour of the plan, said the public feedback at council was “utterly poisoned” by misinformation and lies.
“This meeting is an abusive process and I and other working people should not need to be here,” he said. “This meeting is entirely for those with the time and privilege to obstruct and delay desperately needed housing and transit improvements.”
As he left council chambers, he was jeered at and insulted by some of the other attendees.
Andy Nezil, who was among those who didn’t take kindly to a group of young men who spoke at the council meeting in favour of the plan, told theTimes Colonistlater that “it was difficult not to” swear at a group of people he accused of being lobbyists for developers.
“I don’t know what those b****es are doing, but they certainly don’t represent people who live here,” he said in an interview.
Nezil, who opposes allowing 18-storey buildings in the Quadra McKenzie area, told council the plan would turn the area into a “dystopian nightmare.”
“You’re wrecking democracy here … and you’re not going to get away with it,” he said, shortly before he was cut off from speaking by the mayor for going off-topic.
Around 11 p.m., Coun. Plant asked to adjourn the meeting and resume talks on the plan on July 15, but was voted down by council.
Plant said he needed time to process the input, as he intended to introduce an amendment to the plan that would reduce the number of storeys allowed in the North Quadra area from six to four, remove the areas near Beckwith Park from densification plans and cut down permitted heights near the Quadra-McKenzie intersection from 24 stories t0 18.
However, Coun. Zac De Vries asked council to vote on moving forward with public consultation before Plant could introduce his amendment.
Plant said he could not support the plan in its current form and said the proceedings at council had become a “trainwreck.”
Nancy Di Castri, president of Save Our Saanich, an advocacy group that has collected more than 5,000 signatures opposing the plan, told theTimes Colonistthere is always major opposition whenever the Quadra McKenzie plan comes up in council.
“People are stressed because they don’t know what’s going to be happening … so many people are just worried sick.”
The move to go ahead with more public consultation passed just before midnight, with councillors Plant and Chambers voting against. Coun. Susan Brice was absent.
Council is expected to make a final decision on the plan in the winter of 2026.
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