The new strategy comes seven years after the death of the controversial Environmental Development Permit Area bylaw, which council repealed in 2017
The District of Saanich is hoping a new biodiversity conservation strategy will be able to do what its controversial predecessor couldn’t — maintain and enhance biodiversity in Saanich for the next 10 to 20 years.
That bylaw, in place for five years, was intended to protect sensitive ecosystems by restricting changes on properties within the EDPA’s boundaries.The goal of the new strategy is to take steps to conserve existing biodiversity and ecosystems and create incentive programs “that will help restore and enhance that biodiversity,” Mayor Dean Murdock said.
Priority actions to be looked at over the mid-term include implementing a marine shoreline development permit area to reduce the impact of waterfront development and restore degraded foreshore, expanding programs to encourage biodiversity stewardship and education, and educating private landowners on their obligations to natural-state covenants.
The strategy was pulled together through extensive engagement, the Resilient Saanich Technical Committee and the help of Diamond Head Consulting from Vancouver. Murdock said residents will not likely see much immediate impact of the strategy, as the initial focus will be on policy work to provide clarity and direction.
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