North Saanich: Community Information
Surrounded by coastline on three sides, North Saanich has excellent views of the ocean, islands and mountains. It has lovely bays, parks and farmland along with residential and rural homes.
Estimated Distance / Travel Time from North Saanich:
- to Swartz Bay Ferry: 11 km / 15 min;
- to Victoria International Airport: 6 km / 10 min;
- to downtown Victoria: 30 km / 35 min.
Agricultural, residential and institutional uses are the primary land uses in North Saanich with only minor commercial or industrial uses (with the exception of the Victoria International Airport). The dominant agricultural/residential uses result in the highly valued rural atmosphere of North Saanich living.
Because of the community’s preference for retaining larger lot sizes and the rural nature of residential neighbourhoods, water supply is provided by wells or the municipal water system.
Population
The population of North Saanich is approximately 11,000.
Location
North Saanich is located 25 km north of Victoria, accessible via the Pat Bay Highway. It is home to the Victoria International Airport and the BC Ferries Swartz Bay Terminal. North Saanich is surrounded on 3 sides by 40 km of shoreline. Several community-like neighbourhoods make up the area and outline North Saanich’s rich agricultural interior which is protected by the Provincial Agricultural Land Reserve.
Schools
North Saanich is served by School District 63. Schools are available in the area from kindergarten to grade 12.
Recreation
North Saanich is a popular destination for cyclists due to its winding, scenic roads and ocean views. The Panorama Recreation Centre provides a pool, ice arena and indoor tennis. A golf course, boating, swimming, hiking, and beach combing are all popular recreational options in North Saanich.
Economy
Agriculture is very important to this municipality, as seen in the number of farms and roadside produce and flower stands. However, the Victoria International Airport is central to manufacturing such as Viking Air which builds and maintains DeHavilland Aircraft and Nicholson Engineering which builds major components for the off-shore oil industry. Thrifty Foods, a major grocery chain, is constructing its new distribution centre in the area. North Saanich is also home to the Ocean Sciences Institute, a major national research facility and the Federal Agricultural Research Station. Because of its close proximity to Victoria, many residents commute to BC’s capital. There are also a number of home-based businesses in the area.
North Saanich Real Estate
North Saanich is an island community that is a highly desirable rural-residential area. Long coastlines on three sides offer local homes an amazing view of the ocean, distant islands and mountains. North Saanich has beautiful views of hills and valleys. Here there is a generous feeling of open space.These features along with reliable air, land, and sea transportation to major urban centres make North Saanich one of the most appealing rural-residential areas in all of Canada.
Almost all the housing is classified as single detached homes. North Saanich Neighbourhoods: Cloak Hill, Dean Park, Deep Cove, Lands End, Patricia Bay (Pat Bay), and Swartz Bay.