Mayor & Council
Agendas & Procedures

Agendas for upcoming and recent meetings are available below. For information on meeting procedures, click the hyperlink or scroll down.

Agendas with Packages

Please be patient - these files are optimized for web viewing, but downloading or opening them may take some time depending on your web service provider and computer system. Every effort will be made to ensure agenda packages are available on the preceding Friday.

Please contact Legislative Services at 250-475-1775 or e-mail enquiries/written comments to clerksec@saanich.ca.

Meeting Procedures

Saanich's Council Procedure Bylaw regulates the proceedings of Council particularly with respect to meeting procedures and is used as a reference document.

Scroll down for information on Council and Committee of the Whole Meetings, or click the hyperlink for information on Public Hearings.

Council and Committee of the Whole Meetings

• Council presently meets Monday evenings and conducts the majority of its business as Committee of the Whole. The agenda format has the Council meeting first followed by the Committee of the Whole meeting. Decisions made in Committee of the Whole that require Council approval are normally ratified at the next Council meeting.
• Special Committee of the Whole meetings are occasionally held for matters that are controversial or will attract a large volume of speakers and are usually held on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening.
• In Camera meetings are normally held following Committee of the Whole. In Camera meetings are held in the absence of the public and generally deal with property transactions, personnel matters and legal matters as outlined in the Procedure Bylaw.
• Council, Committee of the Whole, Special Council and Special Committee of the Whole meetings are open to the public. Members of the public have the opportunity for input on the various agenda items at all open meetings, except for Council.

How do I submit an item for consideration at a Council Meeting?

1. If you have an issue you wish to be considered by Council, compose a letter addressed to Mayor and Council outlining your concerns.
2. Submit your letter either by mail or electronically to the following addresses: Mayor and Council, 770 Vernon Avenue, Victoria BC V8X 2W7 or clerksec@saanich.ca.
3. Your letter will be forwarded to the appropriate department for a direct response to you or for a report to Council.
4. If a report to Council is requested, the matter will be scheduled for consideration at a Committee of the Whole meeting once the report is received. The Legislative Division will advise you when the meeting has been scheduled in order that you may attend and make representation to Council if you so wish.

Public Hearings

• A Public Hearing is actually a special Council meeting; it is chaired by the Mayor or the Acting Mayor. Presently, Public Hearings are held approximately twice per month on Tuesday evenings, depending on the volume of applications.
• Amendments to the Zoning Bylaw and Official Community Plan, and proposed heritage designations are required to be considered at Public Hearings.  Where development permits, development variance permits or temporary commercial/industrial use permits accompany Zoning or OCP amendments the permits are also considered at a Public Hearing. Amendments to land use contracts and restrictive covenants are also sometimes considered, depending on the type of amendment and how the application was originally dealt with.
• Council welcomes your participation at Public Hearings. These Hearings are subject to some formal rules and procedures and the following information is intended to help you better understand the process.
• At a Public Hearing, any person present who believes that he or she is affected by a proposed bylaw and/or permit will be given an opportunity to speak or to present a written submission. You do not have to register to speak at a Public Hearing.
• If you do not wish to speak at the Hearing or simply cannot attend, you may submit a letter by mail, fax (250) 475-5440 or e-mail. All correspondence received until 4:30pm the date of the Hearing will be provided to each member of Council.

What happens at a Public Hearing?

1. The Municipal Clerk introduces each item, after which the Council is given an opportunity to ask questions of staff.
2. The applicant is asked to detail the proposal to Council and the public.
3. A request for public input is called a total of 3 times for those persons wishing to be heard either in favour or in opposition to the application.
4. If you wish to speak on the item being considered, come to the microphone, state your name and address and then give your comments. Please be aware that inappropriate language, outbursts or criticisms aimed at individuals or groups will not be condoned. Once the call for public input has been given 3 times, no further input from the public can be considered.
5. After all persons wishing to address Council have been heard, the applicant is asked to respond to any questions, new information or factual matters raised.
6. Once the applicant has been provided an opportunity to respond, the Public Hearing is closed and Council is asked to debate the matter. No further submissions or public input may be received by Council.