Saanich council scales back Quadra McKenzie Plan after months of public debate

After a lengthy and often contentious planning process, Saanich council has directed further changes to the proposed Quadra McKenzie Plan (QMP), significantly scaling back several of its most debated elements.

Council resumed deliberations on the plan Monday night, voting to remove proposed transit lanes and road reconfigurations on Quadra Street, eliminate planned development hubs, and reduce building heights across parts of the corridor.

The most recent draft of the QMP was presented to council on January 26th, reflecting public feedback gathered during a consultation period last fall.

That version already included several notable revisions, including the removal of a proposed 24-storey height limit in the Quadra McKenzie Centre, replaced with an 18-storey maximum.

Other changes in the January draft included clearer identification of heritage properties within the plan area, revisions to land use near Leeds Park and the Beckwith area, and clarification that redevelopment in single-detached neighbourhoods would be property owner-initiated and market driven.

During Monday’s meeting, council directed staff to make additional adjustments before the plan returns for consideration later this spring.

One of the most significant decisions was the removal of Quadra Street cross-sections and lane reductions from the plan.

Earlier drafts had proposed transit-designated lanes, protected bike lanes and sidewalk upgrades along Quadra Street, but council voted to remove those elements, citing the need to consider the corridor as part of a future regional transportation planning process.

Councillors Zac de Vries and Teale Phelps Bondaroff opposed the decision to remove the transit lane, which had been one of the most controversial aspects of the plan since it was first introduced in late 2024.

Council also voted to eliminate the proposed Beckwith and Chatterton hubs, which were envisioned as areas with increased residential density, commercial services, public spaces and connections for multiple modes of travel.

Building heights along Quadra Street north of Saanich Road will now be capped at four storeys on both sides, effectively removing the hub concept from those locations.

Additional changes directed by council include:

• Re-designating areas of Quadra North to a maximum of four storeys
• Applying an Urban Townhome designation to lands between Nicholson Street, Borden Street, Willow Street and the Lochside Trail
• Removing Corridor designations from the Greenridge “Hump” area unless properties directly face Saanich Road or Annie Street
• Strengthening climate-related content and Bowker Creek considerations in the implementation plan
• Reviewing the Centre, Corridor and Village planning process to assess what is working and what requires improvement

District staff will now revise the current draft and bring it back to council for further consideration in the spring.

According to Saanich, the Quadra McKenzie Plan is intended to guide growth over the next 20 to 30 years, with a focus on housing diversity, public spaces, active transportation and access to services within walking distance.

More information on the plan is available online.