Saanich, British Columbia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saanich W̱SÁNEĆ
District municipality
The Corporation of the District of Saanich
Aerial view of Saanich with Cadboro Bay in the foreground
Coat of arms
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Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Regional District	Capital
Incorporated	1906
Area
• Total	103.78 km2 (40.07 sq mi)
Elevation	23 m (75 ft)
Population  (2016)
• Total	114,148 (46th)
• Density	1,099.9/km2 (2,849/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
Postal code span	V8N-V8Z
Area code(s)	250, 778, 236
Website	www.saanich.ca/

The District of Saanich is a town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It's part of the larger Greater Victoria area. In 2016, about 114,148 people lived there. This makes Saanich the biggest town on Vancouver Island and the eighth largest in British Columbia.

The name "Saanich" comes from the Saanich First Nation. It means "emerging land" or "emerging people." Saanich is located just north of Victoria, British Columbia. Many people who work in Victoria live in Saanich.

Saanich is the largest town in the Greater Victoria area, covering about 103 square kilometers. It has both countryside and city areas. You can find many different neighborhoods here. Part of the University of Victoria is also located in Saanich. The land has rolling hills and rocky spots left by glaciers. It ranges from sea level up to 229 meters high. Water is a big part of Saanich, with freshwater lakes and almost 30 kilometers of ocean shoreline.

Saanich History: A Look Back

Saanich has been home to First Nations people for thousands of years. The land belongs to the Lək̓ʷəŋən peoples, now known as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. The Malahat Nation and the Saanich Peoples also have strong ties to this land. Their traditions are still important today.

Non-Indigenous history started when the Hudson's Bay Company arrived in the 1840s. The Craigflower Schoolhouse is the oldest school building still standing in Western Canada. It was built for the children of farm workers and new settlers.

Saanich officially became a municipality on March 1, 1906. The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory is in Saanich. It has a large telescope that was designed by Dr. John Stanley Plaskett. When it was built in 1918, it was the biggest of its kind in the world for a short time.

Saanich has many sandy beaches along its long coastline. Two popular beaches are Cadboro Bay Beach and Cordova Bay Beach. Cadboro Bay is famous for stories of the "Cadborosaurus," a mythical sea creature. Saanich also has great parks like Mount Douglas Park, Mount Tolmie Park (with amazing views), and Gyro Park.

W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples: Their Culture and Leadership

W̱SÁNEĆ Groups and Their Lands

The W̱SÁNEĆ (pronounced weh-saanich) peoples include several groups. These are the Tsartlip (Sart-Lip), Pauquachin (Paw-Qua-Chin), Tsawout (Say-Out), Tseycum (Sigh-Come), and Malahat (Mal-a-hat) Nations. The W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council Society includes three of these Nations: Tsartlip, Tseycum, and Tsawout. These W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations still live on their traditional lands and continue to thrive.

W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council

On May 7, 2018, the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council was formed. This council represents the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations to the government. It brought three Indigenous groups together and created a legal governing body. The council has started many projects to help the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations.

Some of their projects include:

• In January 2018, they asked the Government of Canada to make the council a legal governing body, which was accepted.
• They asked the federal government for money from the "National Rebuilding" program.
• They are working with the Capital Regional District on a joint project.

SENĆOŦEN: The W̱SÁNEĆ Language

The W̱SÁNEĆ language is called SENĆOŦEN. It is also known as the Saanich dialect. This language was brought back to life by the late John Elliot. He was a very important member of the W̱SÁNEĆ community.

Saanich Climate: Weather Throughout the Year

Saanich has cool winters with clear, crisp nights.

Saanich Government: How the Town is Run

The Saanich District Council is in charge of running the town of Saanich. The council has a Mayor and eight councillors. They make decisions for the community.

• Mayor: Fred Haynes
• Councillors: Rebecca Mersereau, Nathalie Chambers, Zac de Vries, Ned Taylor, Karen Harper, Colin Plant, Susan Brice & Judy Brownoff.

Saanich Neighbourhoods: Exploring Local Areas

Saanich is divided into twelve main areas for planning. Many of these areas also have community groups. These groups represent the people living in those neighborhoods.

• Blenkinsop: This is a mostly rural area in a valley. It's west of Mount Douglas. The Blenkinsop Valley Community Association represents this area.
• Cadboro Bay: A small village on the eastern side of Saanich. It's near Oak Bay and the University of Victoria. The Cadboro Bay Residents' Association helps this community.
• Carey: A suburban area in western Saanich. It's represented by two groups: the Residents Association of Strawberry Vale, Marigold and Glanford, and the Mount View Colquitz Community Association.
• Broadmead: This area was built to blend homes with nature. Large trees were kept to make the area feel like an urban forest. It's near Highway 17. The Broadmead Area Residents' Association (BARA) represents it.
• Cordova Bay: A community by the sea in northern Saanich. The Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs represents its residents.
• Gordon Head: A large suburban area north of the University of Victoria. The Gordon Head Residents' Association represents this community.
• North Quadra: A suburban area in the middle of Saanich. It's represented by the North Quadra Community Association.
• Quadra: A large urban and suburban area around the main part of Saanich. It includes the Cedar Hill Golf Course. The Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association represents it.
• Royal Oak: A suburban area on the edge of Saanich's rural parts. It's represented by the Royal Oak Community Association, Falaise Community Association, and the Broadmead Area Residents' Association.
• Rural Saanich: This is the largest area in Saanich, but it has fewer people. It's mostly countryside. The Prospect Lake and District Community Association represents part of it.
• Saanich Core: This is the main city center of Saanich. It includes Uptown and the town hall. Parts of the Mount View Community Association and Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association represent this area.
• Shelbourne: An urban and suburban area between the City of Victoria and the University of Victoria. It's represented by the Mount Tolmie Community Association and Camosun Community Association.
• Tillicum: An urban and suburban area along the Gorge in western Saanich. The Gorge Tillicum Community Association represents this community.

Saanich Education: Schools and Colleges

Saanich is home to part of the University of Victoria, a major university in British Columbia. The other part of the campus is in nearby Oak Bay. Saanich also has both main campuses of Camosun College: the Lansdowne campus and the Interurban campus.

Students in Saanich attend schools in two different school districts. These are School District 61 Greater Victoria and School District 63 Saanich. Saanich is also where the South Island Distance Education School is located. This school offers learning from a distance.

Saanich Population: Who Lives Here

In 2016, Saanich had a population of 114,148 people. This was a 4% increase since 2011. There were 46,652 homes, with about 2.4 people living in each one. Saanich covers about 103.78 square kilometers. This means there are about 1,099.9 people living in each square kilometer.

Surrounding Areas: Saanich's Neighbors

	Highlands, Malahat	Central Saanich	Gulf Islands, Strait of Georgia
	Highlands, Langford		Strait of Georgia, San Juan Islands, Skagit County, Washington
		Saanich
	View Royal, Colwood, Esquimalt	Victoria	Oak Bay