Saanich, British Columbia
Saanich
W̱SÁNEĆ | |
|---|---|
District municipality | |
| The Corporation of the District of Saanich | |
View of Mount Douglas from the south | |
Location of Saanich within the Capital Regional District | |
| Coordinates: 48°29′02″N 123°22′52″W / 48.484°N 123.381°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Regional district | Capital |
| Incorporated | 1906 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Dean Murdock |
| • Governing body | Saanich District Council |
| • MP | List of MPs |
| • MLA | List of MLAs |
| Area | |
| • Land | 103.59 km2 (40.00 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 23 m (75 ft) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 117,735 (49th) |
| • Density | 1,136.6/km2 (2,944/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (PDT) |
| Postal code span | V8N-V8Z |
| Area code(s) | 250, 778, 236 |
| Website | www |
Saanich (/ˈsænɪtʃ/ SAN-ich) is a district municipality on the southern end of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, within the Greater Victoria area. The population was 117,735 at the 2021 census, making it the most populous municipality in the Capital Regional District and Vancouver Island, and the eighth-most populous in the province. With an area of 103.44 square kilometres (39.94 sq mi), Saanich is also the largest municipality in Greater Victoria. The district adopted its name after the Saanich First Nation, meaning "emerging land" or "emerging people".
Saanich contains a mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas stretching north to the Saanich Peninsula with a wide variety of features including ocean coastlines, freshwater lakes, small rivers, small mountains, rainforests, and agriculture ranging from hay to vineyards. The municipality's topography is undulating with many glacially scoured rock outcroppings. Elevations range from sea level to 229 metres (751 ft). There are 8.1749 square kilometres (3.1563 sq mi) of freshwater lakes and 29.61 kilometres (18.40 mi) of marine shoreline.
Saanich is also home to the northeastern half of the University of Victoria (with the neighbouring district municipality of Oak Bay home to the southwestern half), both campuses of Camosun College, and the Vancouver Island Technology Park.