PRIORITIES
Below are the priorities that sit at the heart of my campaign, but they are only part of the conversation.
They do not represent every issue I care about, or every decision Council will face.
As the campaign continues, I will use my journal to speak to other topics, and share what I'm hearing from connecting with residents.
In community,
Alli Deelstra
FAMILIES FIRST
Supporting safe, inclusive
neighbourhoods where our families
can thrive.
- Say no to amalgamation to protect the service quality of our local emergency services and community safety
- Make it easier for families to put down roots through attainable home-ownership programs like this one, non-market housing and practical options such as co-ops, townhomes and rowhomes
- Keep Saanich affordable by limiting property-tax pressure and considering the cumulative household cost of municipal decisions
- Build safer neighbourhoods: Better lighting and visibility, reduced speed zones in suburban neighbourhoods, safer pathways, controlled crossings and practical intersection improvements
- Increase cycling opportunities on side roads through painted shared-use roadways markings, acknowledging families and children use active transportation off main arteries
- Keep recreation accessible with quality programs and reasonable fees for families of all ages
- Plan meaningful growth around the housing families actually need, while ensuring children can move safely through the neighbourhoods they call home
Families First means making Saanich a place where people can afford to stay, raise their children, grow older, and feel safe in their own neighbourhoods.
Affordability starts at the household level.
Municipal fees, utility costs, infrastructure decisions and spending priorities all eventually reach residents - whether they are homeowners, renters, seniors, young families or people living on fixed incomes.
COMMUNITY DRIVEN
Listening to residents and
working together for a
stronger, more connected
Saanich.
- Give residents a meaningful voice before major decisions are made, not after the direction has already been set
- Engage earlier and communicate clearly, so residents understand the options, costs and trade-offs being considered
- Close the feedback loop by explaining what Council heard, what changed as a result, and why the final decision was made
- Make municipal information easier to understand, so residents can participate without having to be experts in local government
- Represent all of Saanich - urban, suburban and rural - recognizing that different communities can have very different needs
- Listen to disagreement as well as support, ask hard questions, and challenge recommendations when the evidence or community impact warrants it
- Strengthen transparency and accountability so residents know how and why decisions are being made
Community Driven means remembering who Council serves: You.
My job is to listen, represent, and work for you. If you choose to vote for me, you are placing your trust in my ability to make thoughtful decisions on behalf of Saanich, and I will honour that responsibility.
Good engagement means listening early, clearly explaining the trade-offs, and being willing to adjust when better, science-based information comes forward.
It also means making sure every part of Saanich - urban, suburban and rural - has a meaningful voice at the table.
PROTECT WHAT
MAKES SAANICH HOME
Thoughtful growth that
respects our natural spaces
and quality of life.
- Support thoughtful growth that respects established neighbourhood character and reflects the communities where development occurs
- Plan infrastructure for the long term so roads, utilities, parks and services can support population growth over the next 10, 20 and 30 years
- Consider the cumulative impacts of development on traffic, infrastructure, habitat, parks and quality of life
- Protect what cannot be replaced: Improve conservation efforts surrounding mature trees, sensitive ecosystems, forests, streams, wetlands, wildlife habitat, parks and trails
- Respect rural Saanich and agricultural lands, recognizing that Saanich is unique in containing urban, suburban and rural communities within one municipality
- Build conservation into growth from the beginning through more tree planting, native habitat restoration, green space and partnerships with volunteer organizations
- Ensure environmental protection is considered before damage occurs, rather than trying to mitigate everything afterward
Protect What Makes Saanich Home means allowing our community to grow without losing the neighbourhoods, natural spaces and rural character that make people want to live here in the first place.
We live in arguably the most beautiful place in Canada. Growth is inevitable. But losing what makes Saanich special is not.
It needs to be thoughtful, infrastructure-supported and sensitive to the cumulative impacts it has on our existing neighbourhoods. We need to understand the different competing interests between urban, suburban, and rural Saanich.
RESPONSIBLE
LEADERSHIP
Transparent decisions and responsible spending that prioritizes residents.
- Match growth with infrastructure capacity by maintaining and upgrading the systems residents already rely on before adding density that places further pressure on them
- Protect investments taxpayers have already made by maintaining existing infrastructure rather than removing functioning assets simply because priorities or political preferences change
- Respect evidence-based policy by avoiding unnecessary reopening or reversal of policies supported by sound science unless new evidence, outcomes or circumstances justify a change
- Require a clear public benefit before public works projects move forward, and ensure approval of major capital projects are done through referendum
- Consider the full life-cycle cost of projects, including future maintenance and operating expenses, not just the upfront price
- Scrutinize budgets, cost overruns and ongoing expenses so residents can clearly see the real value for their money
- Make municipal budgets easier to understand and clearly explain where public money is going
- Measure results so Council can show whether spending actually delivered what was promised to the residents
- Protect essential services while spending responsibly, directing resources where they provide the greatest benefit to residents
- Apply the same test to transportation spending: Safety, demonstrated need, long-term value and fairness to all road users
Responsible Leadership means respecting what residents have already paid for and what evidence already tells us.
It is not about simply spending less. It is about reflecting on Council's prior spending habits, and ensure we spend with purpose going forward.
Residents deserve to know what a project will cost, what benefit it will provide, and what financial obligations it will create years down the road. Good financial management means maintaining what we already have, planning ahead, and making sure today’s decisions do not become tomorrow’s unnecessary burden.
Residents should not have to choose between good services and responsible spending. Good governance requires both.