Saanich, British Columbia, is a district municipality located on Vancouver Island, within the Greater Victoria area. With a population of 117,735 as per the 2021 census, it stands as the most populous municipality in the Capital Regional District and Vancouver Island, and the eighth-most populous in the province. The district, named after the Saanich First Nation, meaning "emerging land" or "emerging people", serves as a bedroom community immediately to the north of Victoria, British Columbia.
Saanich spans an area of 103.44 square kilometres, making it the largest municipality in Greater Victoria. The municipality boasts a diverse range of rural and urban landscapes and neighbourhoods stretching north to the Saanich Peninsula. It is home to part of the University of Victoria and both campuses of Camosun College. The topography of Saanich is undulating with many glacially scoured rock outcroppings, and elevations range from sea level to 229 metres. The physical setting is greatly influenced by water, with 8.1749 square kilometres of freshwater lakes and 29.61 kilometres of marine shoreline.
Saanich has been home to First Nations people for thousands of years. The territory belongs to the Lək̓ʷəŋən peoples, known today as Songhees & Esquimalt Nations, the Malahat Nation, and the Saanich Peoples. Non-Indigenous history begins with the arrival of the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1840s. The Craigflower Schoolhouse, the oldest surviving school building in Western Canada, was built on orders from Kenneth MacKenzie in 1852. The Municipality of Saanich was incorporated on March 1, 1906. The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory telescope, designed by John Stanley Plaskett, was the largest of its kind in the world when it was built in 1918.
The District of Saanich boasts a long shoreline with sandy beaches located at several ocean bays, including Cadboro Bay Beach and Cordova Bay Beach. Saanich's notable parks include Mount Douglas Park, Mount Tolmie Park, and Gyro Park.
Saanich is divided into twelve local areas for planning purposes, each with its own unique character and charm. These include Blenkinsop, Cadboro Bay, Carey, Broadmead, Cordova Bay, Gordon Head, North Quadra, Quadra, Royal Oak, Rural Saanich, Saanich Core, Shelbourne, and Tillicum.
In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Saanich had a population of 117,735 living in 48,048 of its 50,064 total private dwellings, a change of 3.1% from its 2016 population of 114,148. With a land area of 103.59 square kilometres, it had a population density of 1,136.5/km2 in 2021.
Saanich, British Columbia, is a culturally diverse community with residents of multiple origins, contributing to a rich and vibrant cultural mosaic.
Saanich is surrounded by a number of municipalities and communities, each offering its own unique attractions and experiences.
