Information Bulletin                                                 
For immediate release

Saanich, BC – A new round of public engagement is launching to gather feedback on the first draft of the updated Shelbourne Valley Plan (SVP). This is your future and it’s a great opportunity to be part of the important process that will shape the long-term vision for the Shelbourne Valley area.

The SVP was originally adopted in 2017, guiding land use and transportation decisions in the Shelbourne Valley. Implementation led to many successes including the Shelbourne Street Improvements Project, hundreds of new homes, and the acknowledgment of Shelbourne Street as a Road of Remembrance.

Now, we’re inviting residents to help refine and improve the plan! Parts of the plan are being adjusted to better meet the needs of our community and to align with plans, policies and strategies that have been adopted since 2017, including the District’s Official Community Plan.

Residents are encouraged to review the updated SVP, complete the survey (available Sept 16 – Oct 13, 2025) on HelloSaanich, and attend one of our webinars, open houses, and pop-up events:

• Webinars – online at saanich.ca/SVP
  • Thursday, September 25, 2025, 12:00pm-1:30pm
  • Thursday, September 25, 2025, 7:00pm-8:30pm
• Open Houses
  • Thursday, October 2, 2025, 4:00pm-8:00pm 
  • Gordon Head Recreation Centre (4100 Lambrick Way)
• Saturday, October 4, 2025, 12:00pm-4:00pm
• Cedar Hill Recreation Centre (3220 Cedar Hill Road)
• Pop-Up Events
  • Refer to webpages for locations and times at Saanich.ca/SVP.

The SVP looks ahead to the next 20-30 years and lays the foundation for creating healthy communities that feature a diversity of housing options, active transportation infrastructure, vibrant public spaces, and services and amenities within walking distance for residents.

What’s new?

Updates to the draft Shelbourne Valley Plan focus on:

• Aligning with the Official Community Plan, notably the updated land use framework;
• Integrating recently adopted Saanich plans and strategies; and
• Reflecting up-to-date census data, community needs, and District-wide priorities.

The update is necessary to stay consistent with changing trends in demography, provincial legislation, community aspirations and Saanich’s Official Community Plan.

The Shelbourne Valley Plan is a Centre, Corridor and Village (CCV) Plan that provides guidance for change in areas with greater housing density, plentiful transportation options and services and amenities. The SVP overlaps with the Quadra McKenzie Plan, another CCV Plan, in the area of the Shelbourne McKenzie Centre. Land use guidance for this Centre is being addressed in the Quadra McKenzie Plan, which is currently being developed.

In Fall 2024, staff carried out Phase 2 engagement activities. The feedback and result of a technical analysis from Phase 2 informed the development of the draft updated plan.

The input received in this additional round of public engagement will be considered and may inform some further refinements to the plan. Be part of the update and have your say!

At the same time we're asking residents for feedback on the SVP, we're also asking for feedback on the Updated Quadra McKenzie Plan (QMP). Given that the two plan areas overlap, it’s helpful to discuss them in tandem so that the plans complement each other. These plans work towards the same Official Community Plan goals, while still reflecting the unique characteristics of each neighbourhood.

We appreciate the time you take to give your feedback on these two vital processes! You can view a calendar of all SVP and QMP engagements on our website.

 

Learn more
For the latest project information and updates, please visit our website at Saanich.ca/SVP or our HelloSaanich project page at Saanich.ca/helloSVP.

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Media contact:
Saanich Communications
media@saanich.ca