2024 (Apr) – Public shocked by Council’s SECRET decision to expropriate private property

On April 12^th, 2024, the District of Central Saanich announced that it had initiated expropriation procedures to acquire privately owned property on Hovey Road, adjacent to Centennial Park. Unlike typical expropriations in which government bodies take possession of land to make way for roads or other critical right-of-way infrastructure, the District decided it wanted the land to build a new municipal hall complex. The owner of the property, Park Place Seniors Living of Vancouver had planned on building a seniors long-term care home on the site.

The decision to expropriate the land was without any input or knowledge of the public. Instead, the decision was based on a secretly commissioned consultant’s report that was approved by council in a secret behind-closed-doors in-camera meeting.

The price the District ‘decided to pay’ for the property was $3.1 million. Park Place immediately contested that price, and subsequent to what was termed a flawed initiate appraisal, the District was forced to pay an additional $1.5 million to the previous owner.

The reaction to the secret expropriation was immediate. Many in the community questioned the fact that they weren’t told the District was looking at building new facilities or that, in fact, the existing municipal complex needed anything more than basic upgrading and maintenance. Concerns among the community were particularly heightening due to the fact that the expropriation was at the expense of the previously planned seniors housing.