Colette Baty

My contribution to climate action comes from both my professional practice and my personal lifestyle choices. For over 30 years, my career has trained me to rely on evidence-based data, strict metrics, and collaborative problem-solving. I will bring this exact focus to municipal governance, ensuring environmental targets are backed by clear, objective data and measurable outcomes rather than empty rhetoric.

On a personal level, my family and I actively work to minimize our environmental impact and lead by example in Saanich. We have reduced our household transportation footprint by transitioning down to a single electric vehicle. Our home practices centre on resource conservation and local resilience. For example, we choose not to water our lawn to conserve our regional supply, maintain a personal garden to grow our own food, and I have adopted a meat-free diet.

While I am proud of these steps, I recognize that I have much to do and much to learn from local climate experts and our community members as environmental challenges evolve. By combining my professional experience in data-driven decision-making with a personal commitment to sustainability and a willingness to listen, I offer the practical, authentic leadership Saanich Council needs to protect our shared ecosystems.

My top priorities for the next four years would be:

True climate action requires bold, community-first leadership that integrates environmental stewardship into every decision we make about Saanich’s growth and municipal infrastructure. Over the next four years, my top climate and environmental priorities for Saanich include:

Strategic, Thoughtful Growth: I advocate for densifying housing around transit hubs rather than allowing urban sprawl. By focusing on smart density with stable, varied housing choices, including non-market and family-sized units, we can preserve Saanich's greenspaces and natural areas while lowering vehicle dependency.

Balanced Active Transportation: I support investing in a connected bike lane network, accessible and expanded transit service, and highly walkable communities. Prioritizing universal safety and utility makes alternative transit reliable and naturally lowers our community’s carbon footprint.

Fairer, Greener Water Rates: I champion a tiered water rate structure. This model ensures essential indoor household use remains affordable, while high-volume, discretionary seasonal use triggers a premium rate. This directly encourages conservation and builds a climate-resilient framework for our local resources.

Climate Plan & Canopy Expansion: I am committed to advancing the targets outlined in the Saanich Climate Plan. To build environmental resilience across all neighbourhoods, I support updating municipal regulations to require canopy-cover targets on development sites. This practical strategy ensures we preserve high-value mature trees and grow the urban forest fairly across all areas of Saanich.By focusing on smart development, sustainable infrastructure, and resource conservation, we can meet Saanich's climate goals without compromising household affordability.
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Applying a climate lens means moving away from viewing environmental goals as isolated initiatives and instead treating them as a core baseline for good governance. In a council environment with competing priorities, I will use my 30 years of experience in healthcare, community leadership, and non-profit management to build consensus around practical, integrated solutions.

Rather than treating climate goals, housing affordability, and infrastructure upgrades as separate, conflicting items, I look for areas where they overlap. Our response to the climate crisis is strengthened when we tie environmental metrics directly to our long-term capital and asset planning. When evaluating municipal decisions, I will work with my fellow representatives to ensure every project is weighed by both its immediate fiscal impact and its long-term carbon footprint.

Competing priorities are best managed through transparency, evidence-based data, and respectful collaboration. By framing climate targets as shared opportunities to improve neighbourhood livability, upgrade public transit, and protect our local ecosystems, we can find common ground on council. True environmental sustainability is achieved when municipal guidelines are clear, fiscally responsible, and built on community consensus.

By taking this collaborative approach, we can successfully advance Saanich’s climate strategy while maintaining household affordability and delivering the transparent local services our residents rely on.

True climate leadership requires municipal leaders to move past polarization and build a unified community commitment to lasting solutions. Over my 30 years of experience leading non-profit boards, serving as a critical care nurse, and working with community associations, I have learned that the most effective leadership is collaborative, transparent, and evidence-based. I will bring this exact approach to Saanich Council to ensure our climate goals are met with broad public buy-in and actionable results.

Rather than relying strictly on basic online surveys, I will lead by actively engaging residents through inclusive, map-based workshops. This approach brings diverse voices into the planning process early, helping communities co-design localized environmental solutions and build shared ownership over regional plans. Meaningful climate action moves faster and sticks when municipal guidelines are shaped by real community insight and clear, objective data.

Furthermore, leadership means ensuring municipal operations are modern, efficient, and fully accountable to our targets. I will advocate for tying our environmental milestones directly to long-term capital planning, asset management, and smart growth. By managing our municipal budget responsibly and growing our economic revenues, we secure the necessary capacity to invest in sustainable infrastructure, tree canopy targets, and transit options. This balanced leadership ensures Saanich advances its climate strategy decisively while preserving household affordability and local democracy for generations to come.