District of North Saanich voters will be going to the polls on Saturday October 17th and will have three options for mayor along with 11 choices for their six available council positions.
There is one elector organization, or political slate, in the municipality called North Saanich Strong.
According to North Saanich Strong, the five candidates they have endorsed aim to bring their own ideas and perspectives while sharing a commitment to constructive collaboration and to responsible, ethical and accountable leadership.
Their priorities include principled leadership, community-led planning, fiscal responsibility, agriculture and food security and building housing that meets the community’s needs.
Incumbent Mayor Peter Jones is running once again and there are also three incumbent councillors along with several newcomers.
Who is running for re-election?
Mayor Jones will be running for his second term and is running against Jack McClintock, a currently sitting councillor hoping for the mayor’s office.
The three incumbent councillors running are:
- Kristine Marshall
- Irene McConkey
- Sanjiv Shrivastava
- Phillip DiBattista
Candidates for mayor
Peter Jones, incumbent
Peter Jones is running independently for his second consecutive term as mayor of North Saanich.
In 2022, he successfully won the election with no prior experience on the District’s council.
He has lived in North Saanich for the past 27 years and was educated as an electrical and construction engineer.
Through his professional life, Jones has worked with federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, providing technical advice in regulating land values and improvements for property tax purposes.
Jones has no candidate website outlining his priorities and did not submit a candidate profile for the North Saanich website.
Felice Mazzoni
Felice Mazzoni is running for the first time in North Saanich this election and is affiliated with the North Saanich Strong slate.
He has worked for over 30 years as a municipal planner and community leader and from 2023 to October 2026, has served North Saanich as director of planning.
Through this role, he says he collaborated with North Saanich residents and facilitated the Official Community Plan (OCP) process coming to completion.
If elected mayor, Mazzoni says he will bring respectful, effective leadership to council; base decisions on evidence and community input; explain those decisions clearly; manage public resources responsibly; and keep municipal hall accountable to the people it serves.
Mazzoni’s priorities include those that North Saanich Strong is pushing for: principled leadership, community-led planning, fiscal responsibility, agriculture and food security and building housing that meets the community’s needs.
Just days before the election, on Tuesday, October 13th, Mazzoni was fired by the District due to behavioural issues he caused in the department he led.
Find more information on Mazzoni online here.
Jack McClintock
Jack McClintock is running as an independent candidate for mayor in North Saanich after having served a total of 12 years on council.
He has been part of council from 2014 to the present.
McClintock has had a 40-year career in policing, conservation and local government that has been guided by a commitment to public service, practical solutions and community responsibility.
As he completes his third term on North Saanich Council, he says he remains focused on protecting the rural character, agricultural lands, natural environment and quality of life that makes North Saanich unique.
He also wants to ensure the community remains welcoming and affordable for seniors and young families.
Through his years on council, McClintock says he has supported transparency, accountability, public consultation and open debate.
He believes major decisions should be discussed publicly, informed by evidence and shaped by meaningful community input.
His priorities include keeping taxes affordable, delivering strong core services, protecting the character of North Saanich, fostering open government, ensuring accountability in decision-making and strengthening relationships with neighbouring municipalities and community partners to advance shared interests.
Find more information on McClintock online here.
Candidates for North Saanich council
Jane Burnes
Jane Burnes is a newcomer this election who is running independently.
She has lived in North Saanich for over 30 years and has served on North Saanich’s Jubilee Committee, Community Stewardship Committee and Healthy Living Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the Saanich Peninsula Pipe Band.
Burnes has worked for over 40 years in public service and has led significant projects with municipal, provincial, federal and First Nations governments.
She says she believes in good governance and transparent decision-making, listening, collaboration and financial accountability
Her priorities include promoting agriculture, preserving the community’s rural character and protecting the environment, parks and trees.
Burnes does not have a candidate website.
Phillip DiBattista
Phillip DiBattista is running independently for his second term as councillor.
He has lived on the peninsula nearly his entire life, having been raised on a farm, and says he values everything the amazing community has to offer.
DiBattista has been a police officer for almost 25 years and has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Community Planning Committee, the Official Community Plan (OCP) Advisory Working Group and as a local hockey and lacrosse coach.
He believes North Saanich needs a real and sustainable plan for the future of the community that supports what residents love about the municipality and a practical plan for young families and seniors.
DiBattista does not have a candidate website sharing his priorities.
Gerald Hannig
Gerald Hannig is running for council as an independent candidate.
Records show that he has previously served council prior to 2022, but do not specify what years he was on council.
He has lived in the municipality since 2017 and has worked as a homebuilder throughout the community.
Hannig believes that North Saanich is a district, not an urban centre, and that it should be protected as such.
He has also said that while growth will be necessary, it must be organic, responsible and aligned with the values of residents.
Hannig says financial management protects taxpayers while maintaining essential services and supporting local businesses, which is what he would bring to the table if elected.
He does not have a candidate website.
Walter Langer
Walter Langer is a first-time, independent council candidate in the upcoming North Saanich election.
He has called North Saanich home for 20 years, living on acreage near Horth Hill.
Langer works as a self-employed excavation contractor with a background in mechanical engineering.
Much of his work lies in ecological restoration, repairing land and waterways throughout the capital region.
He says he will protect the region’s farmland, nature and green-spaces while planning honestly for growth.
Langer also noted the Province’s housing targets and said that he is prepared to help guide where they end up being built in order to have the least impact on the rest of North Saanich.
He has no candidate website.
Stuart Mackinnon
Stuart Mackinnon is another independent candidate for council this election.
He was previously elected to the Vancouver Park Commission for 11 years, including three years as board chair, and has served as a Public Library Trustee and on several boards, including VanDusen Botanical Gardens, the Wilderness Committee and the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation.
Mackinnon had a 30-year teaching career and worked as a constituency advocate for both Jody Wilson-Raybould and Adam Olsen during federal and provincial elections.
He has not publicly shared his priorities and Mackinnon does not have a candidate website.
Kristine Marshall, incumbent
Kristine Marshall was elected as councillor in a 2023 byelection and is now seeking re-election as part of the North Saanich Strong slate.
She is a registered parliamentarian, strategic thinker, organization coach and evidence-based decision-maker with 20 years of experience working with boards and governance models.
She has also volunteered with Girl Guides of Canada and Search and Rescue, has rescued and rehabilitated injured raptors and has mentored young falconers.
Marshall’s priorities include those that North Saanich Strong is pushing for: principled leadership, community-led planning, fiscal responsibility, agriculture and food security and building housing that meets the community’s needs.
Find more on Marshall online here.
Irene McConkey
Irene McConkey is running with the North Saanich Strong slate and is hoping to win a second term as councillor.
She says she wants to protect what makes North Saanich special—the agricultural land and natural spaces that are central to the community’s identity and future.
McConkey also said that if elected, she would try to ensure North Saanich remains a community where neighbours help neighbours, people feel connected and the community preserves the character and quality of life that make it unique.
McConkey has a candidate website registered but as of this publication, the link is broken.
Brian Robinson
Brian Robinson is an independent candidate running for council for the first time.
He says he was born in Sidney and raised his family in North Saanich, which has given him an appreciation of what a special place the Saanich Peninsula is.
Robinson has an education in civil engineering and he has worked in local government for 38 years. For the last 28 years, he has been in managerial roles with North Saanich and the Town of Sidney.
As he nears retirement, he hopes to continue to be of service to the community as a council member.
Robinson is also chair of both the North Saanich Healthy Community Advisory Committee and volunteers for the Sidney Guide and Scout Hall Society.
If elected, he says he will try to ensure that council decisions represent the greater good of the residents of North Saanich as a rural residential, agricultural and marine based community.
Robinson has no candidate website.
Sanjiv Shrivastava, incumbent
Sanjiv Shrivastava is seeking his second term as councillor and is running as part of the North Saanich Strong slate.
He is a scientist and educator who chaired three working groups for the mayor’s Official Community Plan (OCP) through his first term as councillor.
If elected for a second term, he says he will prioritize protecting North Saanich’s land and waters, strengthening local food security and delivering open government, including a public dashboard where residents can track commitments, progress and costs.
See more on Shrivastava online here.
Greg Warner
Greg Warner is running as a first-time candidate as part of the North Saanich Strong elector organization.
He was a former chartered accountant, holds a commerce degree and has over 30 years of experience in finance and business.
Throughout his career, Warner says he has developed a disciplined approach to assessing risk, weighing options and making sound, long-term decisions.
He says he believes in responsible municipal spending, transparent decision-making, thoughtful planning and meaningful public consultation that will help residents have a clear understanding of the issues, options and implications behind council decisions.
His priorities include protecting North Saanich’s rural character, supporting local agriculture and food security and ensuring tax dollars are managed carefully.
Warner does not have a candidate website.
Jim Woolford
Jim Woolford is a newcomer this election and is running as an independent candidate.
Following his lengthy career in law enforcement, Jim and his wife established a residential contracting business, providing him with firsthand experience in construction, planning, infrastructure and the challenges facing homeowners and local businesses.
He has previously served as a Saanich School District 63 trustee and has volunteered extensively with the Special Olympics.
Woolford says he is running for council because he cares deeply about North Saanich and its future.
His priorities include protecting the community’s rural character and environment, responsible growth, fiscal accountability, improved communication with residents and transparent decision-making.
Woolford also does not have a candidate website.
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