In a recent turn of events, Saanich council has voted to permit secondary suites in rural areas, reversing their earlier stance. Initially, the council had sought an exemption from the province to avoid adhering to new regulations mandating such changes. However, this request was rejected, compelling the council to comply with a 7 to 2 vote.

Coun. Susan Brice, who introduced the motion, voiced her concerns, arguing that this decision doesn’t address housing affordability and risks the integrity of the urban containment boundary. Mayor Dean Murdock and several councillors generally support provincial housing policies but view the rural secondary suite requirement as an outlier. Murdock emphasized the urban containment boundary’s role in managing growth and protecting rural lands. However, the provincial housing minister, Ravi Kahlon, assured that secondary suites wouldn’t drastically increase density but would fit well within single-family neighborhoods.

A group advocating for more lenient rules argued that rural properties often feature detached units. Despite this, the council firmly opposed expanding the regulations to include accessory dwellings.