Elected 2018 and 2022
Phone: 250-818-8089
Email: zac.devries@saanich.ca
Personal Summary
- Born, raised, and educated in Saanich
- Grew up in the Carey area, now living in the Quadra McKenzie Centre
- Advocate for affordability, better transportation options, and the environment, as well as senior and youth issues
- Social, Economic and Environmental sustainability are at the heart of my decision-making process
- I have a passion for planning and a love for the community I have grown up in, I want to keep Saanich vibrant for generations to come
- I love research, cycling, volunteering, the outdoors, as well as cross-cultural exchange
Career Experience
- Senior Program Developer—Ministry of Agriculture and Food
- I act as an advisor to executive and the Minister with regards to the food and beverage processing sector
- I offer subject matter expertise to a variety of teams in the Ministry, external partners, and industry
- I am the policy lead for Beverages
- I develop and deliver programming to enhance the competitiveness of local food and beverage companies
- AF Emergency Management Roster and Advanced Planning for Wildfires, Floods, and Covid-19
- Formerly worked as a Food and Beverage Processing Analyst at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries
- Formerly worked as a Cheese Specialist at Whole Foods Market Victoria
- Previous positions in a diverse range of precarious work
Saanich Council Appointments - Current
- Liaison, Resilient Saanich Technical Committee
- Liaison, University-Municipal Council Liaison Group
- Liaison, Peninsula and Area Agricultural Commission
Capital Regional District Appointments - Current
- Chair, Capital Region Housing Corporation Board
- Director, Capital Regional District Board
- Director, Capital Region Hospital District
- Chair, CRD Planning and Protective Services Committee
- Member, CRD Transportation Committee
- Member, CRD Housing and Hospitals Committee
- Member, CRD Core Area Waster
- Commissioner, Regional Water Supply Commission
- Commissioner, Regional Housing Trust Fund Commission
- Alternate Director, Capital Regional District Board
Saanich Council Past Appointments
- Chair, Housing Strategy Taskforce
- Chair, Planning, Transportation & Economic Development Advisory Committee
- Regional Economic Development appointments – current:
- Member, South Island Prosperity Partnership
- Member, Rising Economy Taskforce
- Chair, Mayor's Standing Committee on Housing Affordability and Supply
- Member, of the Mayor’s Standing Committee on Finance and Governance
Education
- Bachelor of Arts—University of Victoria, Class of 2017
- Double Major in Political Science and Geography
- Political Science focused on Political Economy, Geopolitics, Geographic/ Spatial Economy, and international relations
- Geography concentrated in Urban, Health, and Development Studies
- High School Diploma—Pacific Christian School, Class of 2012
Community/Volunteer Services
- One Planet Saanich
- Greater Victoria Acting Together
- Volunteering with at-risk youth
- Saanich South Electoral District Association
- Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke Electoral District Association