Zac de Vries

In this case, six storys is what it takes to build homes for people looking to get their start in our community, settle down, or age in place!

For more than a decade, this site sat as a hole in the ground, contributing nothing to the community except uncertainty and unease.

The original proposal simply wasn’t economically viable. That’s why community plans today must account for real-world economics, not arbitrary designations.

Kurt and Eloise want to help their daughter buy a home. How can they free up cash? The retirees have three different pools of investments, all with different tax implications upon withdrawal

Getting your start and settling down in your community should not depend on family wealth.

This is why we need to plan inclusive neighborhoods with a greater diversity of housing to meet our communities housing needs!

www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/pe...

The District of Saanich is shifting a larger share of water utility fees to a fixed rate. This approach minimizes the risk of the water and sewer budgets going into a deficit and stabilizes rate increases. Read more: https://ow.ly/zpi450XTf77

CRD housing corporation sets target of 5,000 rental homes by 2045 - Victoria News $85M borrowing authority advances regional housing opportunities

The CRHC 2045: A Path to 5000 Framework lays out how the Capital Region Housing Corporation can massively expand non-profit housing in the region, aiming for 5000 affordable homes by 2045.

✅1000+ homes are already underway for 2027–2030
✅up to 2000 more for 2031–2045

vicnews.com/2025/12/03/c...

Have you registered to participate and share your thoughts with Council at the Saanich town hall meeting on December 2?

saanich.ca/townhall

Ever heard of a Neighbourhood Bikeway?

Today is the first pop-up event for the Neighbourhood Bikeways Identification and Prioritization Project! We'll be at Saanich Commonwealth Place from 12 to 2 p.m.

Can't make it? Click the link for next pop-up dates and take the survey: saanich.ca/helloNB

Grow your career with the District of Saanich!

We offer training, development and opportunities across 10 departments and 11 locations — parks, engineering, recreation, public safety and more.

Visit saanich.ca/careers for current employment opportunities and information about how to apply!

We elect an executive each year that meets throughout the year.

That being said I think the president amor executive should have their signature at the bottom so we know who okayed this!

Inviting input is a good thing, releasing a statement filled with hyperbole and fear mongering is not so good…

Many Municipalities already use Certified Professional Programs and have for quite some time. Nothing wrong with some consistency.

New waterslide at Saanich Commonwealth Place opening date eyed for next week The new waterslide at Saanich Commonwealth Place has finally been installed, with volunteers taking on the first test runs on Wednesday.

The new waterslide at Saanich Commonwealth Place has finally been installed, with volunteers taking on the first test runs on Wednesday.

The deadline is next Wednesday, November 26th! #Saanich kids, get your holiday card entries in… the winner gets to be Mayor for the Morning! 😊

Saanich Council has approved 125 housing units at McKenzie and Rainbow.

Close to transit, shops, parks,schools, and active transportation connections.

A cantilevered sidewalk will make sure that we deliver a sidewalk AND protect 8 significant Garry Oaks while delivering the housing people need!

Step 1: deliberately scare people with misinformation and lies about what a proposed policy or plan will do. Step2: wait for misinformed people to complain. Step 3: say that “clearly people are concerned,“ so we should “listen to the people“ and reject the plan. The Populist Playbook

Step 4: mainstream media “reports the controversy” rather than the fact it was manufactured, and the amplify the quotes of those who manufactured it.. Step5: other elected leaders who know the truth, still vote against the good plan or policy, because they’re too afraid of the “heat.“

Have you heard of “The Populist Playbook?”

A few years ago, I posted what I still consider one of my most important messages.

It was about “The Populist Playbook” that I’ve watched play out often over my 33+ years of city planning.

Since then, it’s only gotten worse.

Do the steps sound familiar?

Great to see. Zac and Jeremy have been not only consistently strong housing champions but more importantly back that up with action

Congratulations to @zacdevries.bsky.social for serving again this year as Chair of the CRHC. It's been my pleasure working with him as Vice Chair.

Together, we are overseeing a massive expansion of affordable housing across the region.

Congratulations to @jeremycaradonnayyj.bsky.social on being re-turned to the Vice-Chair position at the CRHC for a 3rd year.

It has been great working with you to push the dial on one of the most important issues facing our communities and region!

I’m honoured to have been returned as Chair of the Capital Region Housing Corporation for a fourth year.

Thank you to my colleagues on the CRHC Board for your confidence & collaboration. Together, we’ll keep advancing the delivery of more affordable housing to the region!

The short answer to whether there are easy to cut or delay board directed initiatives is no.

Most budget increases come from the cost of core service delivery.

See the breakdown on the projected requisition increase for your community in Column D

An area of concern, and future budget pressure, is the drawing down on CRD reserve funds.

It is wise that there are annual transfers to reserves and the CRD has used debt strategically to smooth out costs for taxpayers.

Transfers to reserves need to be increased going forward.

CRD staff, based on board direction, looked to reduce the increase this year from potential double digits down to 6.3%, 4.7% if you exclude municipal debt (which is owned by each individual local government but flows through the CRD).

This is why delaying necessary projects is not fiscally responsible.

This graph shows CRD budget projections from 2026-2030.

Every year, based on board direction staff work hard to reduce expenditures where possible while continuing to deliver the services residents expect.

This is a great move by the City of Victoria to operate the YMCA/YWCA pool during the Crystal Pool construction.

This helps take pressure off Saanich’s pools and other public pools in the region.

That said the closure of pools over the years across the region is very concerning.

Saanich is making progress on our housing targets, but we need to do more.

Families are growing, existing residents circumstance and needs are changing, people are looking to settling in our region, meeting housing needs is a good thing for everyone.

More work to be done to get there!

Why! So disappointed in Colwood for denying 66 homes.

Colwood Corners is designated for high-density development according to the 2018 Official Community Plan.

What is the point of a community plan if everyone ignores it?

#yyjpoli #yyjpolitics #colwood #hfl #homesforliving #housingcrisis

Transportation is also a large line item, but is most often number 2. There’s some exceptions to this, especially if someone Rents a single room in a shared house.

Transportation is also a significant opportunity to address coat of living!

Housing is the largest line item in most people's budgets.

Housing is the foundation of affordability for individuals and families.

Building more homes of all types is the most effective way to tackle the cost of living!

Valid point here!

Interesting ideas! I will pass them onto staff.

Something to note is nothing is changing any time soon; changes will be made in response to traffic and congestion issues as they get worse in order to offer some relief for people and it will be tied to transit improvement and community and growth