– by Deborah Rogers –
Over the last three issues of Seaside we have been investigating the state of housing on the Saanich Peninsula. Looking at the three municipalities, we’ve talked with developers, architects and municipal representatives. To finish our investigation we wanted to turn the conversation over to the people who live and work on the Peninsula, to find out what our readers think are the key issues with housing. With many responses to draw from, cost of housing is clearly the number one concern. Whilst there are programs in place that are addressing housing needs for low-income families or individuals, the topic of affordable, workforce housing is not as visible.
Affordable housing is defined as housing that doesn’t exceed 30% of annual income, it’s not to say there isn’t a need for social housing, or real targets for homelessness, but there is a large portion of the working population of this area who are not defined as low-income, yet are still unable to afford to buy, or even rent here. It is not a new topic, or something that has occurred suddenly, but despite local efforts the sense is that currently very little is being done to affect a change.
For the past 2 years Elizabeth May, MP for Saanich Gulf-Islands, has convened regular meetings of an informal group of more than 50 stakeholders, addressing the multi-jurisdictional challenge and the high cost of housing in our area. The group consisted of mayors and councillors from all three Peninsula municipalities, community members including architects, business leaders, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, Industrial Group members and concerned residents. Early on in the process there was consensus around the objective: “to facilitate appropriate housing projects to help those who work on our peninsula afford to live here”. In addition a Housing Strategy Implementation Plan commissioned by North Saanich Council in 2012 came to the conclusion: “There is a dire and immediate need to provide workforce housing for the industries and
businesses in North Saanich-Sidney area. There is a real concern that the high proportion of commuters coming to work in North Saanich on a daily basis does not support sustainability for business and the Capital Region as a whole”.
What happens if this issue isn’t addressed? Read over the page for some different perspectives on this essential topic.
We asked Saanich Peninsula businesses and residents to respond to a number of questions, their answers show the genuine concern around the issue of housing and the composition of our population. (Answers have been edited for length and to eliminate repetition.)
Seaside Magazine’s questions:
1) What problems do you perceive when thinking about housing on the Saanich Peninsula?
2) How has this affected you personally or at your business?
3) What changes would make a difference to you/your employees?
4) What do you see as the implications if there isn’t more variety of housing built on the Saanich Peninsula?
5) Do you think that the issue is being addressed?
Elizabeth May, MP, Green Party Leader and Member of Parliament for Saanich Gulf Islands
1) There is clearly a lot of concern about housing and affordability of housing on the Saanich Peninsula. I was struck by the fact that affordable housing was one of the Chamber of Commerce’s top issues, not something I’ve seen elsewhere in Canada. It speaks to the fact that without access to affordable housing our great manufacturing base here, and the local economy in general, becomes vulnerable. It also impacts the health of the community – we need younger people and families and the current level of house prices and lack of rental housing is a barrier to that demographic. I believe that people should be able to afford to live in the community in which they work, but for a large sector of our workforce, especially the care workers who are essential for the large population of seniors who chose Sidney to live in, that is not a possibility. We also need to be cognisant that transportation is related to this issue and also needs to be addressed.
2) As the representative for Saanich/Gulf islands, community concerns are my concerns. I’m sympathetic to the developers who relate how difficult it can be to get new proposals passed by council here and choose instead to build elsewhere. I’m also a resident here and unable to purchase my own property. I am happy to rent, but aware that there is not enough good rental property. For a family to own their own home is a reasonable goal in a wealthy community like ours.
5) I don’t think that the issue is being addressed adequately across Canada, and that is something I can work to bring up at a federal level. But locally I’m encouraged by how positive the conversation has been. I was happy to convene the Saanich Peninsula Housing Round table talks and was impressed by the number of people who regularly came out to exchange ideas and work together to come up with some solutions.
Johanne Chouinard, Teacher, Deep Cove Elementary
1) We have a big problem on our hands with affordability. Our municipality doesn’t provide access to families to move in this area because of the 1/2 acre law and no affordable housing. We have schools closing all the time … no children.
2) We are looking at ways to encourage parents to send their children to our school by offering great programs such as French Immersion. We have less and less children in the English Program. Without French Immersion, our school would not exist anymore. We need more families in the area.
3) IF we change the lot size rule this would allow people to buy at a better price and live here. I am afraid my own children will never be able to live here.
4) Look at the numbers of international students at Parkland, and in Saanich 63 in general. This is the ONLY way, with money from other countries, that we are doing well. Many teachers have had to leave us in order to be able to survive.
Michael Hall, Director of Customer Support, Viking Air Limited
1) The lack of housing options on the Saanich Peninsula is the biggest challenge group member companies’ face when recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce – which in turn is a major factor constraining future business growth.
2) The environmental costs alone of so many people commuting each day up and down the Pat Bay highway are not inconsequential. Industrial Group member companies play an important role in the local economy, and more importantly, the local community. As such, I am disappointed that despite consistently highlighting this critical issue, there remains significant opposition to the development of new housing options, especially in North Saanich.
4) The consequence of not providing a variety of housing options to meet the needs of a reasonable cross section of the local working population in any particular area, is that we end up with a society which is unnecessarily and undesirably stratified and heterogeneous. The outcome of this is what we have today – the minority of folks who can afford a $750,000 single family home on a half-acre lot are able to live on the north end of the Saanich Peninsula, but the majority of people who actually work there have to live further afield – in Saanich, the West Shore and beyond – and commute upwards of 60 minutes each day to work. This is not the foundation of a cohesive, inclusive and sustainable society. And it has a real and detrimental impact on those people who would much prefer to live closer to where they work, and make a full and positive contribution to the local community, but are unable to do so due to the lack of housing options which they can afford on the Saanich Peninsula – in particular in North Saanich.
5) Regrettably, some elected officials on the current North Saanich municipal council are on record as stating that they want to see bylaw 1352 rolled back or significantly amended. In fact, Mayor Alice Finall was quoted in the February 2015 issue of Seaside Magazine as saying: “I am against increasing density in North Saanich with no benefit to the community”, and; “I have just been re-elected on my policies. The majority of residents in this municipality do not want change”. For the record, Mayor Finall was elected with 2416 votes – representing less than 25% of North Saanich residents. Until all municipal elected officials are willing to recognize the very real problem that is lack of available workforce housing on the Saanich Peninsula, and to use their positions of authority to make land-use and planning decisions to address the problem, our community, and our society, will be forever poorer.
Niki Mcllveen, Reservations Receptionist, Sidney Waterfront Inn
2) For me, my husband and kids (a family of 5) both working parents, we will never be able to afford to purchase a house here on the peninsula (where I have lived my entire life) and would love my children to grow up here as the community is a close knit one with low crime and great people. If we ever want to purchase a house we will have to move away. And we aren’t the first ones to do this. If young families keep moving away then that affects the entire community.
Todd Sjerven, Manager, OHS & Facilities, Viking Air Limited
1) I think a strong community understands that it needs to provide for its citizens. I find it extremely hypocritical for North Saanich to have businesses investing in their municipality yet the leaders refuse to invest in housing for people who would like to live where they work. It is people of all ages that are affected. Several years ago my parents who were retired were looking for a piece of property to build a small house on. They couldn’t find anything on the peninsula and had to move up to Cowichan Bay to find anything suitable. Young people starting out have few options. Even finding rental availability is very difficult.
2) Personally I have lived on the Peninsula for 35 years. 17 years in Central Saanich, 7 years in North Saanich and the last 11 years in Sidney. I have worked at Viking for the past 27 years. I’ve got some time in here on the Peninsula! I have 4 children (3 are adults now) ranging in age from 14 – 20 years old, all born and raised on the peninsula and really not interested in living anywhere else. I encourage them to move elsewhere due to the high cost of housing (my wife doesn’t like it when I do that) but so far they have chosen to stay at home. My oldest will be 21 in July, has a very good job and saves every penny to put towards the purchase of a house one day. With the amount needed for a down payment I fear he is going to be with us for some time yet!
From a business perspective, I was quite involved in recruiting for Viking during our growth years. The high cost of living made it extremely challenging to attract aerospace professionals from other Canadian aerospace centres like Winnipeg and Montreal. Very difficult to convince a 40 something worker who has just paid off their $200K home in Winnipeg to sell it, move to Victoria and take out another $250K mortgage to buy the same house here for $450K.
3) Personally I walk to work. I wish everyone was able to leave their front door and breathe fresh air while walking a short distance to work. By ensuring there are housing options for all age groups in the different stages of life, close by commercial centres, communities could make a huge change in the lives of many and the environment as a whole.
Ian Brown, Manager, Tower Kitchens and Millwork
2) Both of my sons working in our business have had to move into Victoria – one into a condo and the other into a micro-unit – and now commute to North Saanich daily. And as we grow we find it increasingly difficult to hire people willing to make the commute for the wages we can afford to pay. At some point we’ll have to consider moving closer to the workers.
5) The Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has been talking about this since 2009 and now at least the topic is front and centre. One small lot project has been built and we’re stating to see a few micro-units being approved. But no town homes
Robin Richardson, V.P. Operations, Scott Plastics Ltd
1) We need a range of workforce housing. Starting from rental apartments/suites, to purchasable condos/apartments/town houses to family homes to homes with mortgage helpers. we have staff at $15/hour going up to trades/professionals and to managers at $60-$90,000, therefore property that is valued between $250,000 to $500,000 and everything in between.Affordability depends on the particular individual and if they have a working partner. None of these staff however can afford the average house price out on the Peninsula that is between $750,000 and $800,000.
2) The majority of our staff (75%) chose to commute. Some would not move, but a number would if suitable housing was available. We have recently lost a senior employee, and a prime reason was the long daily commute.
4) Our wish is to see a sustainable community on the Peninsula, we need people to have the opportunity to live where they work. Sidney is struggling with an aging community and retailers are finding it tough to make a living as a result. Young people with families spend money, but they are living and spending it elsewhere.
Denis Paquette, Owner, Sidney Waterfront Inn
4) Sidney will die on the vine if there are no young people to fill local jobs.Or all our staff will have to commute from elsewhere and will not live in the area, this is a recipe for diminishing returns.
Ilona Harder, Sample Receiver / Lab Tech, Sidney
1) The amount of housing and its spacing is fantastic, if not a little crowded. The number of residences added makes it quite difficult at times for travelling throughout Sidney, and even more difficult to park at local businesses safely so I believe it is important not to increase the housing.
3) For residents trying to stay clear of the busy roads and walk to their destinations, it would be great to have more paths that cross the highway to the businesses West of it. Easier access and more businesses on the West side rather than more housing, including surrounding areas of Sidney. This would thin out the traffic within the town centre and offer more employment opportunities for the local residents, who would not have to drive to work. I sincerely hope that housing does not get increased, as it would have the opposite effect.
4) If there was more variety of housing, such as apartments for younger generations, I believe the atmosphere of the now peaceful community would deteriorate. It is very precious to have a town that is mainly senior residents with beautiful town houses who take pride in their community, their housing, and respect their town. This cannot be said for a lot of younger folks and an increase of housing would have great negative effects on the peninsula.
Thank you to everyone who responded to our Q & A.
