The Fox in the Henhouse? Chair of Development/Real Estate lobby Chapter/lobby Director, now reappointed to Saanich Mayor’s Committee, voted in favour of phases 2 and 3 of the District’s Housing Strategy. Council followed suit unanimously.
Mayor Murdock, has reappointed the Chair of the UDI Capital Region/UDI Director John Bourcet to the Saanich Housing Affordability Standing Committee, as “industry rep”, despite that the Committee’s Terms of Reference make no mention of “industry rep” as a position to be appointed to the committee, but rather that the Mayor may appoint a member of the “community at large”.
The Urban Development Institute, (UDI) is an actively registered lobbying organization on the BC Lobbyists Registry, for corporate interests in development and real estate.
By Sasha Izard
Dec 14, 2025
Ground control to Mayor Dean:
Recently, I wrote the following article:
The House that Mayor Dean Murdock built: Why was a UDI Director/UDI Capital Region Chair, appointed by Saanich’s Mayor, to the Saanich Housing Affordability Standing Committee? – CRD Watch Homepage
I asked Mayor Murdock about this at the Dec 8, 2025 Saanich Committee of the Whole. (See Appendix 1., at the end of the article)
Murdock did not deny it, rather he defended the decision at the meeting.
Saanich, we Have a Problem:
Unfortunately, there is only audio and no video of the meeting wherein was his response, posted on Saanich’s agenda’s page.
The Dec 8 meetings of Saanich Council could only be described as dysfunctioning.
I talked to legislative services by phone, after the meeting. Leg Services said that there is only audio recordings of the meetings. It took them 2 days after the meeting to post it. The reason they said for the lack of video of the meetings, was that there was no power going to the video recorder during the meeting, yet it should be noted that both video and audio was broadcast on MS Teams without a hitch, yet it wasn’t broadcasted on Saanich’s website, as is usual.
Audio despite functioning and recorded (unlike video), wasn’t broadcasted either on the Saanich website webcast. Why?
Above: Screenshot of the Dec 8, 2025 meetings being broadcast on Saanich’s website, taken by a member of the Saanich public.
There was no power outage (I was there), and the Deputy Corporate Officer noted that there was a technical problem at the very beginning of the meeting. If the video recording system was lacking power, couldn’t they have simply plugged it into a different outlet?
Will Saanich be repairing a faulty outlet or cord?
That wasn’t all that was odd about the meetings that evening. After the Committee of the Whole, there was a brief adjournment called at which every member of the public present left, and then didn’t return (something I’ve seen happen again and again).
I was thus, the only member of the public left in the room for the Special Council Meeting that followed, which was very surreal, as the video/audio was unviewable to watchers through Saanich’s website.
It was not only surreal, it was Kafkaesque. The format of the meeting opened only one topic open to public input (Item E.), of which it concerned verbal reports from Advisory Committee Chairs, with 2 attachments on the agenda with 2 titles and only blank pages following.
Thus the public if anyone was present, and I was the only one there, with no video recording taking place, would have to guess what the speakers would say before they said it, if to present public input on the agenda item. (See Appendix 2. at the end of this article, for my presentation despite that, outlining the absurdity of the situation and precedent setting problems of that format for public input.
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A Very Questionable Memo:
The following, is an excerpt from the Memo, which was deliberated on at the Dec 8, 2025 Saanich Committee of the Whole.
The excerpt reveals, how the Director of the Urban Development Institute/Chair of the UDI Capital Region Chapter, John Bourcet voted in favour of proposed Phase 2, and Phase 3 Housing Actions in Saanich’s Housing Strategy, along with 4 elected officials (Mayor Mudock, Councillors Harper, Brownoff and Phelps Bondaroff, alongside Virgina Holden of the Greater Victoria Housing Society, and Vera Wynn Williams (who served previously, on Saanich’s Housing Strategy Task Force).
The following is the Memo in full, which was attached to the Committee of the Whole, Agenda Item C. 1 Saanich Housing Strategy: Priorities Plan 2026-2028.Memo of the Housing Affordability Standing Committee dated November 10, 2025.
Note: Although the administrative note at top right of the memo states Dec 15, 2025 – that date was not accurate. It was likely intended originally for the Dec 15, 2025 meeting, but the memo was used for the Dec 8, 2025 meeting (Still Item C).
In turn, following in the footsteps/advice of the Nov 10 Committee memo – at the Dec 8, 2025 Saanich Council meeting, the elected officials at the meeting, voted unanimously in favour of Phase 2 and Phase 3 Actions in the Housing Strategy, that had been voted in favour of earlier at the Nov 10 Committee, by the Chair of the UDI Capital Region. Councillor Chambers was absent from the Dec 8, 2025 meeting.
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Now, on the agenda for the upcoming Dec 15, 2025 Saanich Council Meeting is the reappointment by Saanich’s Mayor Dean Murdock, of the Chair of the UDI Capital Region, John Bourcet to the Housing Affordability Standing Committee, as a member “of the community at large”.
Apparently the definition of “community at large” has been stretched by the Mayor, to include from the development community at large. (The Director of its lobby and Chair Chapter of it).
See the Committee Terms of reference for how appointments of members to the Committee are made by the Mayor: Wayback Machine
The following is from Saanich’s agenda for the Monday Dec 15, 2025 meeting:
Note, that Item C.1 the Rise and Report, is not open to public input at the meeting.
The following excerpt is from the top page of the agenda attachment to Item C.1:
As can be seen, UDI Capital Region Chair/UDI Director John Bourcet has been appointed again to the Housing Affordability Standing Committee (with industry rep), next to his name.
Yet, according to the Committee Terms of Reference (TOR), his appointment by the Mayor is supposed to be for a member “of the community at large”. Only one Committee member is listed as “community rep.”
The Committee’s full terms of reference can be seen in Attachment 3., at the end of this article.
Excerpt from the Terms of Reference:
Note: The Committee Terms of References states that the Mayor may appoint four members of the community at large. It says nothing about the Mayor being able to appoint an industry representative to the committee, yet the Mayor mentioned that position an in industry representative is appointed to the Committee, during his response to my question at the Dec 8, 2025 Saanich Council meeting.
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The Committee TOR notes that “The Housing Affordability Standing Committee is established in accordance with Section 141 of the Community Charter.”
The following Section 141 of the Community Charter:
“Standing committees of council
141 (1) The Mayor must establish standing committees for matters the mayor considers would be better dealt with by committee and must appoint persons to those committees.
(2) At least half of the members of a standing committee must be council members.
(3) Subject to subsection (2), persons who are not council members may be appointed to a standing committee.”
According the Housing Affordability Standing Committee Terms of Reference:
“The Housing Affordability Standing Committee will make recommendations to Council on how best to address housing affordability and supply within the District of Saanich, both now and over the long term. Housing affordability and supply will be considered holistically in light of other significant costs of living for residents such as transportation and required care for family members (ex. child, partner, parent).
This work will be done in the context of key policy documents, such as but not limited to: the Official Community Plan; the Regional Housing Affordability Strategy; the Regional Growth Strategy; the Climate Action Plan; the Active Transportation Plan; the Housing Strategy, the Housing Needs Report and the Childcare Strategy. The work of the committee will also take into consideration policies and actions relating to affordable housing, previously implemented by the
District of Saanich.
The Standing Committee will engage the public stakeholders and subject matter experts as necessary to develop its recommendations.”
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Note: the Committee TOR said it will engage the public stakeholders and subject matter experts, not a private stakeholder representing the development industry.
So, as per Section 141 of the Community Charter: “The Mayor must establish standing committees for matters the mayor considers would be better dealt with by committee and must appoint persons to those committees.” – then, as per his action in this regard, Saanich’s Mayor must have considered that the matters of housing affordability and supply are better dealt with a committee with the Director and Chapter Chair of a development/real estate lobby, sitting as a member on it.
Why did the Mayor, consider that matters of housing affordability and supply, are better dealt with a committee with the Director and Chapter Chair of a development/real estate lobby, sitting as a member on it – than if such matters were dealt with directly, by Saanich’s Council and staff?
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On Dec 14, 2024 I sent the following email to Saanich’s CAO,
Hello Mr. Reems (Saanich CAO),
I am writing in regard to the reappointment of Mr. John Bourcet to Saanich’s Housing Affordability Standing Committee, as “Industry Rep”, according to Item C1. Rise and Report on the agenda for Dec 15, 2025 Saanich Council Meeting.
Mr. Bourcet is the current Chair of the UDI Capital Region, in addition to being a UDI Director. The UDI, as you know is a registered lobbying organization on the BC Lobbyists Registry that advances the interests of its many paying corporate members involved in real estate and development.
The Terms of Reference for the Saanich Housing Affordability Standing Committee states:
“Membership
The Mayor will appoint four elected members of Council to the Housing Affordability Standing Committee and may appoint four members of the “community at large.”
The Terms of Reference makes no mention of appointing an industry representative to the committee, rather the appointments to the non-elected members of the committee are according to the Terms of Reference, are to be members of the “community at large.”
However, according to the Rise and Report mentioned, John Bourcet has been appointed to the committee by the Mayor as “industry representative”.
Question 1: Is Mr. Bourcet a resident of Saanich?
Question 2: Why was Mr. Bourcet appointed to the committee as an industry representative, when the Committee’s Terms of Reference states that appointment of unelected members of the committee are to be members of the “community at large”?
Thank you,
Sasha Izard
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As members of the public, I encourage you to write Saanich’s Mayor and ask the same questions, and then please let me know the response.
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Conclusion
During the election of 2022, Dean Murdock ran for Mayor with a platform plank that if elected, he would introduce an Ethics Commissioner to the District. Instead, once elected, the Mayor appointed the head of the most powerful branch of a development lobby on the island to his committee on housing affordability.
That is the tell tale difference between a politician’s campaign, and what they do once elected to office.
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Appendix 1: Presentation by Sasha Izard at the Dec 8, 2025 Saanich Committee of the Whole
Item C.1. Saanich Housing Strategy: Priorities Plan 2026-2028.Memo of the Housing Affordability Standing Committee dated November 10, 2025.
In the Memo, which is the 2025-12-15-housing-strategy document attached on the agenda to this item, are the following comments taken from the draft minutes of that committee meeting:
“J. Bourcet stated that many priorities currently lean toward non-market housing and cautioned against losing sight of market housing supply. He noted that adding amenities without nuance may limit developer flexibility and recommended an economic strategy with oversight. He also pointed out the conflict between protecting and promoting rental housing and the impacts of tenant assistance policies during redevelopment. To improve processes and timelines, he encouraged a shift toward incentive-based approaches, clearer staff support to help developers meet housing goals, and a review of development permit guidelines that may be extending processes and reducing certainty.”
Committee member John Bourcet is the current Chair of the UDI Capital Region, and a UDI Director for almost 2 years, according to UDI.org and his LinkedIn profile.
According to the Terms of Reference of the Housing Affordability Standing Committee, formerly known as the Mayor’s Housing Standing Committee on Affordability and Supply; the members of the committee are appointed by the Mayor of Saanich.
Why Mr. Mayor, did you appoint a UDI Director to this committee? Why is the Chair of the UDI Capital Region a member of this Committee?
Committee member Bourcet is not without interests in the District of Saanich.
9 days after this committee meeting, he was listed on the November 19, 2025 agenda for the Saanich Advisory Design panel, as the applicant for Woodsmere Holdings Corp., for a proposed two hundred and forty nine unit mixed-use commercial and rental development in the District, and seeking favourable zoning and variances to achieve that.
The UDI to which he is a Director and to which he Chairs the Capital Region Branch, is an actively registered lobbying organization on the BC Lobbyists Registry, and is regarded by many as the most powerful and influential lobby for development and real estate interests in the province.
In the May 26, 2025 minutes of this Saanich Committee he was the only non-elected individual taking part as a member, and he was seconding motions of elected officials.
The comments by Mr. Bourcet outlined in the November 10, 2025 draft committee minutes that I read from, appear to me to be indistinguishable from lobbying for his own interests.
Mr. Mayor, is this an appropriate way to do business in this District?
Mr. Mayor, we the public, deserve answers. Why again was UDI lobby Director and Capital Region Chair Bourcet, appointed by you to this Committee to advise Saanich; and why is he in a position to advise Saanich on its housing strategy, while he is simultaneously seeking favourable zoning and variances for his company’s proposed 249-unit commercial and rental build?
Finally, the attached Staff report to this agenda item, speaks much of the Housing Target Order from the Province. The UDI lobbied housing targets to the Province, they advised the Province on them, and their top lobbyists signed non-disclosure agreements when they advised them on it.
It appears to me that housing policy in this Province is coming from the UDI lobby, and tonight’s agenda item regarding Saanich’s Housing Strategy, illustrates that perfectly.
Thank you.
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Appendix 2: Presentation by Sasha Izard to the Dec 8, 2025 Saanich Special Council Meeting which followed the Committee of the Whole, after a brief adjournment:
The agenda for this Special Council Meeting states:
A. PUBLIC INPUT ON BUSINESS ITEM E
There is only one business item open to public input.
What is it?
E. REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
and the subheading:
1. VERBAL REPORTS FROM SAANICH ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIRS
If you click on the attached pdfs, there is nothing in them, but those titles and 2 blank pages.
The reports are provided after public input. Therefore, the public, if they want to address the only issue open to public input, must guess what the speakers will say before they say it.
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This is a farce. It is a mockery of informing the public and allowing them to respond to the reports. It is democracy in name, and nothing in content.
Even worse, It is operating without accountability and without transparency; and this sets a very bad precedent.
Why are these reports not in written form as reports usually are? The public cannot respond to the content as a result, because there is none to be seen, and neither can those who took part in the Advisory Committees, other than the Chairs, who presumably are all elected officials, given that Item E. is quote “Reports From Members of Council”.
So the Chairs are free to say whatever it is they want to say to sum up a Committee’s activities and there is no way for the public and the others who took part on the committees, to question that narrative before the council.
Is this a mistake, or is this intentional? To me it looks intentional. Who dreamed it up? Correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I understand, the Mayor, the CAO and the Corporate Officer need to all sign off on an agenda for it to be posted, so from my understanding it is their responsibility for this. They need to answer to the public why this is in this format and explain to the public the reason for it, and explain how the public are not being mocked by it.
Thank you
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References:
Terms of Reference for the Saanich Housing Affordability Standing Committee:
Wayback Machine
Microsoft Word – Housing Affordability SC.docx
Urban Development Institute / Anne McMullin, President & CEO – 12-Month Lobbying Summary – Lobbyists Registry – Office of the Registrar or Lobbying of BC
The House that Mayor Dean Murdock built: Why was a UDI Director/UDI Capital Region Chair, appointed by Saanich’s Mayor, to the Saanich Housing Affordability Standing Committee? – CRD Watch Homepage
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See also:
Snapshot of Deanmurdock.ca in Aug 2020: “Facilitation and engagement specialist”, leads to questions about the focus of Murdock’s consultation business, prior to his becoming the Mayor of Saanich. – CRD Watch Homepage
FOI Request to BC Transit yields information about the UDI event: “Pathways to Progress: Uniting Land Use and Transit Strategies for Sustainable Growth” which took place the same day that Saanich adopted its new Official Community Plan and rendered its Local Area Plans legally non-binding. – CRD Watch Homepage
CRD Watch Homepage 
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