Victoria city staff have repeatedly stated that there has been robust public engagement for the Official Community Plan update, but there has not been public engagement throughout the process.

Before preparing the OCP update document, the city staff and consultants undertook various forms of public engagement from March to the end of August 2024.

No formal public engagement was undertaken on subsequent phases of the process. In my experience the amount of informal engagement has not been great either.

I have written two letters to council and received only one reply, from Coun. Stephen Hammond.

Similar-sized municipalities such as Langford, Kamloops and White Rock have engaged with residents throughout the OCP process, including after the draft OCP document was prepared. Kamloops formed an OCP planning advisory group.

Residents will highlight many issues and concerns to city staff and council during the public hearing scheduled to start on Thursday.

Such as: Overstated population growth and required housing unit requirements; massive upzoning with up to six-storey buildings in residential areas throughout the city; housing affordability; tenant protection; loss of heritage assets; loss of planning at the neighbourhood level; preservation and enhancement of the urban environment; proposed tree canopy inequity; commercialization along the Dallas Road waterfront that would threaten sensitive coastal ecosystems.

Will city council demonstrate courage, goodwill and good governance and go back to the drawing board? Saanich council listened to their residents and will revamp the Quadra-McKenzie plan.

Will Victoria councillors please do the same?

Jacklyn Jolicoeur

Victoria

I went to that Quadra-McKenzie plan survey on the My Saanich website, and tried to take it.

I could not in good conscience complete even the first question, because in doing so I would be giving the very limited options a “public acceptance,” as there was no option to disagree.

The first question was basically asking where within the plan would one like to see heavily increased density. This will basically result in survey takers voting which area within the Quadra-McKenzie plan will be sacrificed first.

The survey, in my eyes, is flawed, intentionally, in a way to make its results look like public acceptance........

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