Saanich Councillor Zac de Vries announces candidacy for mayor

Saanich Councillor Zac de Vries has officially thrown his hat in the ring for the position of mayor of Saanich. 

After serving two terms as a councillor, de Vries believes he has proven himself to be a leader who has worked diligently to turn shared visions into practical results on housing affordability, transportation, climate action, financial sustainability and livability.

“I am running for Mayor because I love this community and believe Saanich should be a place where seniors can age in place, young people can get a start, and families can put down roots,” said de Vries. 

“That future requires experienced leadership, strong regional partnerships, and practical financial solutions—and that is what I bring to the table.” 

De Vries has been a lifelong resident of Saanich, and is now raising his own family in the community. 

He says he has seen Saanich grow and change over the years, he wants to contribute further to building a community that works for all residents.

Currently, de Vries also works full-time as a sector specialist for the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in the BC Public Service. 

In addition to his eight years on the Saanich council, he has served four years on the Capital Regional District Board. 

In his time on Saanich council, de Vries says he has worked to advance the District’s housing strategy, increase the number of affordable homes, help form a regional transportation strategy, expand parkland, improve parks and recreation facilities and save taxpayers money through proposed real estate initiatives. 

“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together in Saanich,” said de Vries.  

“We have moved forward on improving housing, transportation, climate action, parks, recreation, inclusion, and financial sustainability, but we know there is still more work to do.”

If elected mayor, de Vries says he would focus primarily on housing affordability, fighting back against rising costs, handling aging infrastructure, working to solve transportation pressures, tackling climate impacts and maintaining public services people rely on.

“Residents expect us to maintain the core services they rely on—roads, parks, recreation facilities, and infrastructure—while also planning for the future and taking action on the challenges impacting our community,” said de Vries. 

“Strong communities require vision, action, and responsible financial management. I plan to deliver on all of these objectives, and work with Saanich residents to build a community that works for everyone and future generations.”

De Vries will officially launch his campaign on Saturday, June 27th at 2p.m. at Beckwith Park.

Mayor Dean Murdock, Saanich’s current leader, announced in February that he would not be running for mayor in the upcoming local election. 

Murdock says he is shifting his focus to his family. 

In addition to de Vries’ candidacy for mayor of Saanich, Councillor Karen Harper is also running for the position. 

Harper has served nine years as a councillor in Saanich. 

As of this publication, Harper and de Vries are the only two to publicly announce their candidacy for mayor. 

The local elections will be held on October 17th.