Saanich calls on province to reinstate ‘urgently needed’ housing fund
Victoria News, June 19, 2025
Saanich council is urging the province to reinstate its Community Housing Fund (CHF), warning that the pause on new funding intakes is putting affordable housing projects at risk locally and across the province. The motion, put forward by Couns. Teale Phelps Bondaroff and Zac de Vries, follows the province's decision to indefinitely pause new intakes to the program, which supports affordable rental housing. De Vries added that the program has been a key tool in delivering "badly needed" affordable housing in the municipality.
"We cannot tackle the housing crisis without the CHF," he said. "Deeply affordable housing requires public investment and partnerships."
Saanich finding rays of hope amid housing clouds
Times Colonist, March 21, 2024
The red marker note at the top of the page might have read "needs improvement," but the mayor of Saanich still managed to find reason for optimism amid the middling grades on the district's latest housing report card. Though the annual report made it clear affordability remains a foreign word in Saanich and supply still lags demand, Dean Murdock noted there is a change in the landscape.
Coun. Zac de Vries noted the report makes it clear Saanich’s housing strategy is fighting a tough battle, as it is pushing against and trying to make up for a 30-year development deficit.