On Tuesday, the District of Saanich approved a decades-long plan to develop the Uptown corridor, which spans from just north of the Saanich Municipal Hall to the border of the City of Victoria.
The long-term version, called the Uptown-Douglas Plan (UDP), outlines goals for the next 20 to 30 years.
The goals include adding affordable and diverse housing options, expanding access to different types of transportation, and redesigning major roadways.
According to the district, more than 4,400 people live in the Uptown-Douglas corridor, with the population in the area increasing by about four per cent annually over the past several years.
Saanich says over the next 20 years, it wants to ensure that a range of different housing options are constructed, including mixed-use high rises and residential buildings.
The district also wants to ensure that different transportation options are supported as housing density increases – such as improving walkability, widening the Galloping Goose Trail, and redesigning major streets so they can accommodate bikes, public transit, and personal vehicles.
"The Uptown Douglas area is increasingly recognized as the heart of Saanich, and I couldn’t be more excited about the approval of a long-term plan for this area," said Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes in a statement Wednesday.
"The area is also uniquely positioned as the geographic centre of the Capital Regional District, and I’m looking forward to seeing an increase in diverse housing, employment, transit, green spaces and amenities for pedestrians and many other opportunities come to life around this hub over the next 20 to 30 years," he said.
According to Saanich, more than 10,000 people work in the Uptown-Douglas corridor, and roughly 30,000 transit riders travel through the area every day.
The district says it plans to "retain and strengthen the area’s current employment role" in the municipality while making the corridor a public transit hub.
Saanich has recently come under fire for not keeping up with housing demand, according to a local advocacy group.
On Tuesday, Haynes said the current Uptown-Douglas Plan is slated to add around 4,000 new units of housing over the years.
