The municipality of North Saanich is part of the Saanich Peninsula, located right by Sidney and north of Saanichton. This small/medium-sized municipality is mixed residential and commercial. It’s also home to the Victoria International Airport, Victoria’s only airport, which means there’s plenty of activity passing through.
The Patricia Bay Highway cuts right through the municipality from north to south, which connects downtown Victoria to the Saanich Peninsula, BC Ferries and the airport. Downtown Victoria is a straight shot down the highway for about 20 minutes when leaving from North Saanich.
Being located on the Saanich Peninsula, North Saanich residents have plenty of access to nature. On the east side you’ll find waterfront homes, Bed & Breakfasts and beachfront parks. On the west side is the entrance to John Dean Provincial Park. Perhaps you’re up for a little beach-combing. Check out the District of North Saanich website, it lists all of the trails, parks and beach accesses. Maybe you prefer to be on the water rather than beside it, North Saanich is riddled with marinas where you can moor your boat, and the protected waters of the Saanich Inlet are usually calm enough for even the smallest craft.
North Saanich residents also have easy access to Sidney, the stunning oceanside community with a vibrant commercial core. On Beacon Avenue, you’ll find plenty of shops, cafés, hotels and restaurants. Keep walking and you’ll reach the Sidney Pier and multiple beach entrance points.
North Saanich by the Numbers
Photo credit to North Saanich Marina
- The 2021 population was 12,235
- The municipality grew 8% from 2016-2021
- Population density of 329.2 per square kilometer
- 34% of the population is over the age of 65, making it one of Victoria’s oldest municipality
- Of the 5,010 private dwellings, 3,970 are single-detached houses
- In 2020, the median total income was $52,000
Neighbourhoods of North Saanich
North Saanich isn’t a huge municipality and the population is rather small. A large section of the area is taken up by the airport. However there are still a handful of distinct neighbourhoods that are commonly referred to. These are the main neighbourhoods contained in or touching the municipality of North Saanich:
- Ardmore
- Cloake Hill
- Dean Park
- Deep Cove
- Lands End
- Pat Bay
- Swartz Bay
Schools in North Saanich
Photo credit to Victoria Tourism
North Saanich is not a hub for schools – at least not public schools for children. At the airport, there are multiple aviation and flight training schools, but the municipality doesn’t have much as far as public education.
For younger children, the only school within the municipality is Kelset Elementary. For more options, students will have to travel north to Sidney Elementary or Deep Cove Elementary, or head south into Saanichton and the rest of Saanich.
For older children, there are no options within the municipality. However the two closest high schools, Stelly’s Secondary and Parkland Secondary, are not far away. There’s also Claremont Secondary just a bit further down the highway.
North Saanich Links
- North Saanich Resident Associations
- Panorama Recreation Centre
- Victoria International Airport
- BC Aviation Museum
- Kelset Elementary
