Saanich housing ‘needs’ versus housing ‘targets’ – a review is required to reassess what Gordon Head’s share should be:
Saanich’s housing needs report forecasts that Saanich will need between 1200 and 1500 new
units per year for the next several years, even though Saanich’s population is expected to grow
by less than 1300 per year. These housing needs projections are generally consistent with the
five year housing target set by the Province of 4610 net new units, or just under 1000 net new
units a year.
According to the 2021 census Gordon Head had 9135 dwelling units. Gordon Head accounts for between 20 and 25% of Saanich’s total population. Gordon Head appears to be receiving a disproportionately large share of this new housing construction. According to numbers compiled by the GHCA, there are 2415 new apartment, condo, and townhouse units that have been recently completed (146), under construction (655), recently approved (506), awaiting a decision by Saanich Council (216), or in the pre-application stage (892). This is over half the provincial five year target for the entire municipality, and represents an increase of over 25% of the 2021 census housing count. And it doesn’t include new single family houses, “small scale multi unit housing” (up to four units now allowed on single family zoned lots), lot splits, garden houses, or the University of Victoria’s housing plans for the Velox and Ian Stewart sites. These will likely add several hundred more new units in the coming years.
According to a 2022 GHCA survey of over 300 residents, traffic congestion and the lack of
sidewalks rank at the top of the negatives associated with living in Gordon Head. Yet we have
the Quadra-McKenzie planning study proposing even more residential densification while
reducing vehicle traffic capacity along McKenzie.
Now that Saanich’s housing target will likely be exceeded—at least for Gordon Head’s
share—we will continue to ask Saanich to take a harder look at new proposals, particularly the
high densities, minimal setbacks, and generous off-street parking reductions that have
characterized recent approvals. We will also continue to make the case for infrastructure
improvements like sidewalks, streetscape and park improvements, and recreation facilities that
would make the upcoming densification more acceptable to Gordon Head residents.
RECENT AND FUTURE GORDON HEAD PROJECTS
Who is going to live in all these new units? Seniors and the average worker from any place in Canada cannot afford them????? Maybe there should be a halt to many of the permits allowing construction so the people in leadership could plan for a more reasonable pace of change. The pace of evolution and change takes time for humans to deal with it. Let us slow the pace to allow calm and peaceful change for us sapiens.
This building phase is going too fast. Thank goodness you are looking at the infrastructure improvements. We need those traffic lights at Felton and Gordon Head, as well as sidewalks and parks. Lexington is a nightmare with cars parked on both sides of the street, it is dangerous to even try to drive on this street! Since the new builds often have reduced parking facilities, why not make sure that students, at least, infilling the suites in and around Lexington are not allowed on street parking.
That whole area is an easy walk to the university. Looking at areas from specific points of view can help make planning more appropriate. Ask: are bus travel choices available and convenient? Certainly they are around the university!
Thank you for your work. Very informative. Is there a map with “development pins’? (Sorry if I missed it)