Zac de Vries

Since first being elected in 2018, I have consistently worked to make climate action and environmental stewardship an overriding priority and part of all of Saanich’s decision-making.

• I have supported implementation of Saanich’s Climate Action Plan and worked to integrate climate considerations into initiatives across the municipality.
• As Council Liaison, I helped bring the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy to completion and have been a strong advocate for funding its implementation.
• I apply a climate and environmental lens to decisions on housing, land use, transportation, infrastructure, economic development and municipal budgets, looking for opportunities to advance multiple objectives together.
• I have chaired committees covering housing, planning, transportation and economic development, where I have consistently brought climate, sustainability and environmental considerations into the work.
• I have pushed for other organizations like the South Island Prosperity Partnership to have sustainability and climate action imbedded in their work
• I also believe leadership starts with our own choices. Personally, and as a family, we are mindful of our environmental footprint by prioritizing energy efficiency in our home, reducing energy use, conserving water, choosing sustainable transportation whenever possible, and reducing food waste.

For me, climate action is not a standalone issue. It is a responsibility that should be reflected in the decisions we make every day, both as individuals and as a municipality.

I support implementing Saanich’s updated Climate Action Plan, Urban Forrest Strategy, and Biodiversity Conservation Strategy. Over the next four years, my top priorities would be:

• Sustainable land use and housing: Implement the Official Community Plan and advance Centre, Corridor and Village Plans to support more sustainable, complete communities where people can live closer to services, jobs and transportation.
• Transit and active transportation: Expand transit and improve walking, cycling and rolling networks, while integrating climate resilience and biodiversity into the design of our transportation infrastructure.
• Low-carbon and resilient buildings: Support new zero-carbon buildings and accelerate energy-efficiency and resilience retrofits for existing buildings, with a particular focus on helping homes transition away from oil heating.
• Protecting natural assets: Treat forests, wetlands, watersheds, agricultural lands and other natural assets as critical infrastructure. Protect and restore natural systems so they can continue providing important ecological services and adapt to a changing climate.
• Climate-ready infrastructure: Ensure new and replacement infrastructure is designed for the climate we are experiencing and the conditions we expect in the future, reducing long-term risks and costs to residents.

Together, these priorities can reduce emissions, strengthen Saanich’s resilience and protect the natural systems that make our community such a special place to live.

Climate action should not be treated as a separate priority that competes with housing, affordability, transportation or fiscal responsibility. It should be a lens we apply to all of those decisions.

There are significant risks, impacts and costs associated with inaction, and Council needs to consider those long-term costs alongside the immediate costs of a decision. What may appear to be an incremental cost today can sometimes help avoid much larger costs in the future, whether through more resilient infrastructure, energy-efficient buildings, better transportation options or protection from climate-related impacts.

As Mayor, I would work with Council to consistently bring this lens into our discussions and ask key questions across our decisions: What are the climate and resilience implications? Are we locking in costs or vulnerabilities for decades, or building flexibility and resilience? How can we achieve multiple objectives at once?

We should continue investing in discrete climate initiatives, while also embedding climate considerations into our budgeting, transportation, housing, infrastructure, land-use planning and emergency preparedness. This approach allows us to pursue meaningful climate action while recognizing the other priorities and financial pressures facing our community.

Meaningful climate action requires turning our targets into measurable results while making sure the transition works for residents, businesses and future generations.

Saanich has made important progress, including significant reductions in corporate emissions, investments in active transportation and building electrification, and stronger climate resilience. But we are not yet on track to meet our community-wide targets, so we need to accelerate implementation and continue to focus on the actions that will have the greatest impact.

We are at an important juncture and must stay the course on meaningful climate action in Saanich; that means funding our climate action plan, urban forest strategy, and biodiversity conservation strategy.

We have an incredible sustainability team in Saanich, and as Mayor I would continue to support their work and enable them to partner across the organization. Climate action and resilience should be embedded in the work of every department, from transportation and infrastructure to planning, parks and emergency management.

I would also strengthen accountability by regularly measuring progress against our climate targets, identifying where we are falling behind and ensuring Council has the information needed to make informed decisions. I would work with neighbouring municipalities, the CRD, First Nations, senior governments, businesses and community organizations to advance regional solutions, particularly on transportation and building emissions.

Climate action should be ambitious, practical, funded, and focused on results.