Today I had one last chance to serve Thanksgiving lunch at Our Place as your Mayor! 🍂🦃 I’m incredibly grateful to the amazing staff and volunteers at Our Place who dedicate themselves to supporting our community. It’s been a privilege to help serve these special lunches over the years.

I leave the Mayor’s Office with a full heart—and with tremendous hope for the future. The best of Saanich is still ahead. ❤️

Everything we’ve accomplished is because people across Saanich care deeply about this place and about one another. I am profoundly grateful to have been part of that. Thank you, Saanich, for giving me the extraordinary gift of being your mayor. It’s the greatest honour of my life.

Thank you for showing up, speaking up, volunteering, asking hard questions, sharing your ideas and looking out for your neighbours. Thank you for trusting me to serve you, and for giving me the opportunity to work alongside you to make our community stronger, healthier, fairer and more sustainable.

From creating more affordable homes, to breaking ground on a new Nellie McClung Library and 210 affordable homes, to laying the foundation for a stronger regional transportation system. But above all, I want to thank the people of Saanich.

As my term as your mayor comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what an extraordinary privilege it has been to serve this community. We’ve faced difficult challenges and made important changes together—

We celebrate traditional Indigenous cultures and resiliency through song and dance. I had the privilege of representing the District of Saanich during the ceremonial Grand Entry along with Elders, Chiefs and Councils, community leaders and elected officials.

We gathered today at the South Island Powwow on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We remember and honour the children who never returned from residential schools and recognize the resilience of Survivors, their families and communities.

We remember those who have been lost in service to our communities. We stand with the families, friends and co-workers they leave behind. We are grateful to you and all who serve.

We gather today at the BC Law Enforcement Memorial We honour the police and peace officers whose courage and sacrifice keep our communities safe.

I’m so grateful to Rebecca and Saanich’s Sustainability Team, whose inspiring work is so deserving of this recognition.

In addition, Saanich’s Manager of Sustainability, Rebecca Newlove, received a Champion Award for the dedication and commitment she has demonstrated over her 10 years with the District to create meaningful change, inspire others, and support inclusive and equitable climate action.

I had the honour of accepting a Climate & Energy Action Award on behalf the District of Saanich. Saanich received an Action Award for infrastructure improvements. The Tillicum Green project helped make the neighbourhood more resilient to flood & extreme heat with social & environmental benefits.

The improvements make it safer and more convenient for people walking, biking, taking the bus, driving, and create a more inviting place to spend time.

Back then, Mayor Leondard announced the launch of the corridor planning process at the inaugural meeting of the term - the day I was sworn in. It’s fitting that 18 years later, one of my last acts as Mayor would be to cut the ribbon on the completed project. I’m so grateful I got to see it through.

This week, we celebrated the completion of the Shelbourne Street Improvement Project. The project completion is especially poignant for me. The project’s origins date back to the beginning of my first term as a councillor in 2008.