Shelbourne Valley Plan

Thank you for your interest and participation in the Shelbourne Valley Plan.

The Shelbourne Valley Plan (SVP) was officially adopted on May 25, 2026, and is part of Official Community Plan Bylaw.

Project Timeline and Overview

The Plan update followed a five-stage process that began in August 2024, after Council endorsed the project’s Terms of Reference, and concluded with final adoption in May 2026. The project was undertaken to align the 2017 Shelbourne Valley Action Plan with the new Official Community Plan, incorporate recently adopted Saanich plans and strategies, and reflect updated census data, evolving community needs, and District-wide priorities. The public was engaged throughout the planning process, and the updated Plan reflects both community input and further revisions by staff.

Plan Overview

The Shelbourne Valley Plan sets a 30-year strategy to guide land use and transportation decisions in the area with aim to achieve improved housing, mobility, economic growth, stronger community spaces, and a distinct sense of place for all ages and abilities, while protecting the environment and addressing climate change.

Key highlights of the SVP include:

Updated land use designations for all properties in the SVP area, in line with the OCP land use framework and Housing Needs Report and reflecting public input;
Improved History, Demographic, Housing, Transportation and Mobility, and Heritage sections to reflect up-to-date information;
Updated information on the Short-term Mobility Actions and other implementation items identified in the 2017 Shelbourne Valley Action Plan;
New section on Climate Planning to advance District-wide climate goals;
Directions from the Urban Forest Strategy, Biodiversity Conservation Strategy, updated Bowker Creek Blueprint (on-going) and Daylighting Feasibility Study, to enhance the environment and improve watershed health in the Plan area; and
New goals to: Increase housing and employment density within walking distance of the Frequent Transit Network; and improve watershed health and function.

A summary of the SVP is available here.

Contact Us

Joseph Abiola, Planner

Community Planning

E-mail: planning@saanich.ca

Phone: 250-475-5494 ext. 3470

Next Steps

The Plan will provide guidance to evaluate land use changes and capital investments in the area; it will be reviewed approximately every five years to ensure its continued relevance.

Relationship with the Official Community Plan

The Shelbourne Valley Plan supplements the Official Community Plan (OCP), which is the main policy document for managing land use and growth in Saanich. The Plan will address the OCP concept and vision for Primary Growth Areas, including Centres, Corridors and Villages within the Shelbourne Valley.

Project Background

The Shelbourne Valley Action Plan was originally adopted in May 2017, following a series of engagements with the public and other stakeholders, technical analysis and Council consideration. The plan sets a 30-year strategy to guide transportation and land use decisions in the area with aim to achieve improved housing, transportation, and economic growth, stronger community spaces, a distinct sense of place for all ages and abilities while protecting the environment and addressing climate change.

On September 23, 2024, Council endorsed the Terms of Reference to update the Plan. The process aims to ensure continued relevance of the Plan in guiding land use and transportation decisions in Shelbourne Valley and working towards transforming the area into a complete community. See the workplan for Centre, Corridor, and Village Plans for more details.