Three members of the public used the participation period to challenge Council’s handling of suspended volunteer advisory committees and, separately, the province’s housing targets for North Saanich. Speakers said committee members had been left without answers about the alleged conduct concerns, while one argued that the targets—419 new homes by July 2029 and 2,493 over 20 years—were not adequately justified against regional growth plans. Council’s official minutes record that it carried a motion to move the rest of the meeting in camera, to discuss personal information and solicitor-client privileged advice. The transcript ends before that decision is announced or the closed session begins.
Generated from the recording's captions and the official minutes.
Three members of the public spoke. Two addressed the suspension of the volunteer advisory committees, asking what prompted the review of possible code-of-conduct breaches, whether the concern remained, and when the process would end. One speaker noted that some members had been allowed to resume work through working groups and asked whether the remaining committee members were still under suspicion. A third speaker challenged the province’s housing targets for North Saanich: 419 net new homes by July 2029 and a plan for 2,493 more over 20 years. The speaker argued that the figures were poorly documented, not reconciled with the Capital Regional District’s regional growth strategy or the urban containment boundary, and far above some local growth projections. No Council response to these comments appears in the transcript.
Agreement
The two speakers discussing the committees both called for clearer information and a timely resolution of the suspension and review.
Disagreement
The committee speakers objected to the suspension and public suggestion of possible misconduct, and questioned the lack of answers and safeguards for privacy and due process.
The housing speaker disputed the province’s target figures and the way they were set, arguing that North Saanich should not negotiate on the basis of targets the speaker considered inadequately supported.
6 MOTION TO GO IN CAMERA
governance
The agenda proposed moving the remainder of the meeting behind closed doors to consider personal information about an identifiable person holding or being considered for a municipal appointment, and advice protected by solicitor-client privilege. The official minutes record that Council carried the motion. The transcript ends during the public participation period, before the motion or result is heard.
Carried, unanimous291Item 6
Move the rest of the meeting behind closed doors to discuss personal information about someone who holds or is being considered for a municipal position, and confidential legal advice.
Official wording: That in accordance with Section 90(1) of the Community Charter the remainder of the meeting will be held In Camera to consider:
1. personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the municipality or another position appointed by the municipality [Section 90(1)(a)]; and,
2. the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose [Section 90(1)(i)].