Have Your Say on Parking and Loading in Saanich
The Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations Update survey is now live. The survey supports the District’s comprehensive update to off-street parking and loading regulations.
The survey takes approximately 10–15 minutes to complete and will be open until midnight (Pacific Time) on March 8, 2026.
Your input will help the District better understand today’s off-street parking and loading experiences, challenges and needs for people who live, work, study, or access services in Saanich, and will inform updates to how much off-street parking and loading should be required in new and existing developments.
Background
The District of Saanich is updating its Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations to reflect modern transportation trends, support sustainable development, and align with housing and mobility goals in the Official Community Plan (OCP). This work includes both technical analysis and community/stakeholder engagement and is intended to inform updates to the off-street parking and loading sections of the Zoning Bylaw, 2003 (Sections 7 and 8).
The project is currently in Phase 2: Research and Engagement.
.png)
Key milestones
- March 2024 – Council direction: Council directed staff to implement interim zoning bylaw amendments and begin a comprehensive modernization of Saanich’s off-street parking and loading regulations.
- Fall 2024 – Interim amendments approved: Staff proposed and Council approved interim amendments to residential parking requirements, residential parking maximums, and on-site loading requirements.
- January 1, 2025 – Interim amendments take effect: The interim amendments applied to new development applications, with a short grace period for in-stream projects.
- March 10, 2025 – Grace period ends: In-stream projects could opt in to the new requirements or continue under previous requirements until this date.
- February 2025 – Terms of Reference finalized: Staff finalized the project plan outlining the scope, objectives, and phased approach for the comprehensive update.
- September 2025 – Phase 1 initiated: Work began on the Background Technical Report, and staff completed the Communications Plan and Engagement Strategy.
- December 2025 – Phase 2 begins: Staff continued technical work and prepared for engagement activities.
- February 2026 – Online Survey #1 Opens
Interim Zoning Bylaw amendments (adopted November 18, 2024)
On November 18, 2024, Saanich Council adopted interim amendments intended to modernize parking standards, support sustainable transportation options, and help expedite housing starts.
The interim measures include:
- Residential parking minimums: Lowered parking minimums to 1 stall per unit for residential projects of 12 units or less (note: some Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) zones may require a lower parking ratio depending on location).
- Residential parking maximums: Applied parking maximums of up to 1.5 stalls per unit for residential projects of more than 12 units.
- Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plans: Applied Transportation Demand Management Plans for residential projects of more than 12 units (except non-market housing developments). Each development must adopt at least two TDM Plan Packages (e.g., Transit, Cycling, Carshare, Unbundled Parking).
- On-site loading: Introduced requirements for residential buildings of more than 12 units to provide on-site loading zones to support safe, convenient servicing, deliveries, and pick-ups.
Next steps
Future work will follow the project’s Terms of Reference and includes a comprehensive update and modernization of Saanich’s off-street parking and loading regulations informed by:
- review of current best practices;
- technical analysis; and
- stakeholder and public engagement (including surveys, intercept surveys, stakeholder workshops, and website updates).
For project updates and to participate in engagement opportunities, please visit the project page on HelloSaanich.