Sunday March 29, 2026 | SAANICH, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The District of Saanich continues its work to support the creation of more housing in Saanich.
As part of that, the municipality has launched a new online tool to share progress with the public, as outlined in a news release last week.
Saanich has launched a Housing Dashboard that provides a comprehensive view of new residential construction and future development across the District. It brings together data on Development Permit approvals, Building Permit approvals and Occupancy Permit approvals, to help users track development activity and new housing that is being delivered.
Data in the platform will be refreshed monthly.
Through interactive charts and filters, users can explore development activity by housing type, tenure and completion date at all stages of the development pipeline. The dashboard is updated regularly to ensure current and reliable information on housing activity is available.
“Saanich has been working really hard to update its planning framework and development review process to better meet the housing needs of its residents,” says Lindsay Chase, Director of Planning for the District of Saanich.
“This tool will let everyone see the significant progress that is being made, at all stages of the approval pipeline. We are supporting the creation of a whole range of new homes for Saanich residents including family oriented, non-profit affordable, and secure rental options. These are much-needed and top priorities for the District.”
Housing Strategy Progress Report:
The launch of the new dashboard coincides with the release of the District’s annual Housing Strategy Progress Report, presented to Council on March 23, 2026. Here are some of the highlights over the past year:
- 582 new units received occupancy permits and were completed (a 63% increase from 356 units in 2024)
- There was a marked increase in the number of building permits issued for the Houseplex form of Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) (99 permits in 2025, versus just 4 in 2024).
- Significant progress has been made to support the creation of more non-market housing, with 1,146 units currently under review or under construction. Under the Rapid Deployment of Non-Market Housing Program, projects can receive approvals in under 8 months as compared to 3 to 5 years previously.
More details can be accessed through the Saanich Housing Strategy page as well as their Housing Progress Dashboard.
“This new dashboard, which builds on the Council Voting Dashboard Tool that was launched last year, represents another step forward in how Saanich shares information with our community,” says Trevor Hurst, Chief Information Officer for the District of Saanich.
“By making key data easier to find, easier to understand, and available in one place, we’re improving transparency and helping residents track progress on the issues that matter to them,” says Hurst.
===== RELATED: