Explore how Graham will apply these priorities to everyday decisions affecting Saanich homes, streets, and parks.

Why These Priorities Matter

Graham’s platform focuses on the parts of local government residents feel every day: taxes, roads, housing, public spaces, and the natural environment. His priorities guide practical decisions—how budgets are set, which projects move first, and how growth is managed—so Saanich can stay financially sustainable, easier to get around, and a healthier place to live.

Deep Dive into the Top Five

 

1. Fiscal Responsibility & Cost Control

Saanich families, seniors, renters, and small businesses are facing rising costs. Council must treat every tax dollar with care.

Graham specifically (and his fellow teammates of the SOS Electoral Organization endorsed candidates) will advocate for:

  • Clear, disciplined budgeting and proper oversight of major spending
  • A focus on core municipal services and measurable results
  • Aim for maximum tax increases of 0% – 3% by eliminating waste, focusing on core services, staffing level reviews, and eliminating expensive external consultants
  • Seek public approval for any borrowing proposals or tax increases with simple and transparent explanations
  • Responsible long-term planning that avoids passing unnecessary costs to future residents
  • Regular reporting on major projects, costs, and outcomes

2. Efficient, Reality-Based Transportation

Saanich has a twisted, OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive (for all of us), Active Transportation Plan that will cripple our road infrastructure. Here is an adjusted pyramid that reflects the actual majority of road users that are being ignored by current council.

Please note that Graham does not consider any one person or group as a “Low Priority” but Saanich’s current plan does – and you are going to pay for it if we don’t act now.

The use of the PRIMARY TRAVEL SURFACE of our road network is reflected more accurately in this diagram:

The most able of all of us would love walking or riding everywhere. However, living in Canada (and in reality) that is not possible for over 90% of us at any given time. Our roads need the capacity for a growing number of vehicle users as our population grows. If the Active Transportation currently in place is followed, we will be $250,000,000 in debt and have the worst traffic conditions imaginable – deliberately!

Saanich needs transportation planning that reflects how people actually travel.

Graham will advocate for:

  • Protection of road capacity on key routes
  • Review, and where appropriate, removal of concrete bike lane projects where they create congestion or do not meet demonstrated local need
  • Better maintenance of roads, sidewalks, crossings, and transit connections
  • Practical solutions that support drivers while improving safe options for people who walk, cycle, or use transit
  • Planning and decisions based on science, local evidence, traffic flow and community input

The “Road Safety Contract”- Shared Responsibility, Practical Safety

Graham supports safer streets but not by adopting a one-size-fits-all approach that treats broad speed reductions and vehicle restrictions as the primary answer to every safety concern. Policies such as Vision Zero focus heavily on reducing vehicle speeds while giving insufficient attention to the behaviour, visibility, design, and responsibilities of EVERY person using the road.

Graham has written extensively in the Facebook Group “Greater Victoria Driver’s Association” about his idea for a Road Safety Contract built on 3 simple expectations for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians:

  1. Be visible! – use lights, reflective gear, clear crossings, and safe roadway design so people can see and be seen. (Top tip: don’t allow buildings with insufficient off-street parking like our current council has been deliberately approving to clutter the roadways)
  2. Be predictable! – follow traffic signs and signals, all parties must obey the rules of the road, lane markings and established, consistent, right-of-way expectations.
  3. Pay attention! – avoid distraction, impairment, and risky behaviour whether driving, cycling, or walking/rolling.

Practically speaking, every tragedy the ideologists use to advance their Vision Zero platform could be avoided through educational programs and strict outcome-based enforcement and restrictions. Their main defense is “if you hit someone at 30km/h they have a greater chance to live than if you hit them at 50km/h”. Meanwhile, if just ONE of the parties involved in a potential accident is following all 3 rules of the Road Safety Contract, the accident has an incredible chance of not happening at all! If both do, which happens 10s of thousands of times a day in Saanich, nobody is even in a vulnerable position to get hit at any speed. That’s the efficient, safe, fun Saanich that we should all be able to enjoy – not a bubble-wrapped roadway where drivers are scared they’ll get blamed for the next tragedy and e-bikes are traveling faster than cars.

3. Responsible, Community-Appropriate Development

Saanich needs housing, but growth must be manageable, well-planned, and compatible with existing neighbourhoods.

Graham will advocate for:

  • Development that respects adjacent homes, streets, privacy, sunlight, and neighbourhood character
  • Appropriate transitions between higher-density projects and lower-density residential areas
  • Adequate off-street parking and realistic planning for visitor, service, and resident needs - let's not let new development clog our neighbourhoods and negatively impact people that already live there
  • Clear expectations for developers and consistent enforcement of municipal standards
  • Infrastructure planning that keeps pace with growth, including roads, drainage, parks, and community services
  • Proper and sufficient contributions for community amenities (especially for and on behalf of renters) – everyone deserves access to community services that are not underfunded or overwhelmed

4. Transparent, Accountable Government

Residents should be able to reach their elected representatives, understand decisions, and have a meaningful opportunity to participate before major choices are made. We need to rebuild the trust that was lost over the past several years.

Local government should focus on the needs and values of Saanich residents, using practical, realistic, and cost-effective solutions that directly benefit our community.

Graham will advocate for:

  • Regular town halls and accessible opportunities to speak directly with council
  • Clear, neutral public surveys that present options fairly – see Graham’s idea for a Saanich smartphone app that would allow authenticated users direct and immediate feedback for any projects affecting them
  • Genuine consultation before major projects, borrowing, or significant policy changes
  • Plain-language information about proposals, costs, trade-offs, and timelines
  • Honest communication and public accountability from mayor and council

5. Protection of Saanich’s Natural Features

Saanich’s tree canopy, Garry Oak ecosystems, parks, and natural features are part of what makes this community unique. Growth must not come at the expense of irreplaceable natural assets.

Graham will advocate for:

  • Stronger protection of mature trees and meaningful replanting requirements
  • Careful review of development proposals affecting sensitive ecosystems
  • Clear and meaningful enforcement of environmental conditions attached to approvals
  • Reward development practices that maximize and preserve natural features, reject or restrict plans that don’t
  • Long-term stewardship of parks, green spaces, and urban forest health while preserving recreational use – find the compromises and make them work