Public Participation

Working together: public participation at Saanich

You experience the results of our decisions every day. We believe in a two-way process that involves citizens in problem solving and decision making.

How can you have your say?

We use different tools to gather your input:

  • Open house events 
  • Public information sessions
  • Surveys
  • Focus groups
  • HelloSaanich
  • More!

You can also address Council. To make the most of your time, read our 9 Tips on Interacting with Council [PDF - 138 KB] handout.

Council Town Hall Meetings

In accordance with the 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, Council is initiating a public engagement strategy through town hall meetings. Council Town Hall meetings are held tri-annually at to be determined off-site locations.

Meeting Structure:

  • First hour:
    • Residents are invited to speak on topics of importance.
    • Input will be governed by the Council Procedure Bylaw, which allows a maximum of 3 minutes per speaker.
  • Second hour:
    • Informal engagement opportunities for residents to connect individually with Council members.

Additional Details:

  • Webcasting/Remote Participation: Not available for off-site meetings.

For any inquiries or to learn more about the format and restricted topics, please contact the Legislative and Protective Services. 

What is HelloSaanich?

We launched our new public engagement platform, HelloSaanich, in January 2024 to give citizens a central online hub to hear about project updates and opportunities to share feedback.

Register and complete your profile today to keep up with Saanich projects and have your say!

Why do we need public participation?

It’s simple. We make better decisions with your input. Our leaders and decision makers can also better understand your perspectives, opinions, and concerns when you share your thoughts.

It also helps us build trust, generate ideas and create community between citizens and local government.

Learning about our public participation process

Our Public Participation Handbook [PDF - 974 KB] shares a lot of information:

  • How Saanich makes decisions to give you the inside track
  • Tips on how to get your concerns and questions heard and answered
  • Tools to have your say
  • And more!