Central SaanichBritish Columbia

TownGrade

#151 of 2,556

18,184 people live in this town in British Columbia. It belongs to the Victoria metropolitan area.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Ken Walker · CC BY 2.5

Population

18,184

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

49.6

years · British Columbia’s towns: 48

Postsecondary

62%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

10%

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

Is Central Saanich a good place to live?

The everyday basics are strong; the price of a home is the catch. Health is where it shines (A+). What holds it back is cost of living (D−). Overall, that makes an A, better than 92% of Canadian towns. In the ranking it comes #4 of 250 in British Columbia.

Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.

StrongestA⁺Jobs & income A⁺Health ASafetyWeakestD⁻Cost of living

How Central Saanich grades

Each subject compares Central Saanich with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentA⁺Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesD⁻Open →HealthIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA⁺Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentAOpen →SchoolsSchools rank among the strongest comparedA⁻Open →WalkabilityAmong the best of the towns comparedA⁻Open →Hazard riskAbout average among the towns comparedC⁺Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Central Saanich stand out

The 3 things Central Saanich does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Immigrants

Who lives here

16% are immigrants

Half of Canadian towns are above 6%, half below

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Jobs & income

Better than 99%

of Canadian towns on jobs & income

Its jobs & income grade: A+.

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

8.7 times household income

Against 4.7 for the median of Canadian towns

Median owner’s estimate $900,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Central Saanich.

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁺

Trips to work from Central Saanich are shorter than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 22 min on average

10%walk, cycle or take transit

The car took 87% of commuters, in line with British Columbia’s towns (87%) and Canadian towns (89%).

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van87%

Walk5%

Public transit3%

Bicycle2%

Census 2021	Central Saanich	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	22 min	26 min	26 min
Car or van	87%	87%	89%

$103,000

median household income, 2020

27%

worked from home, May 2021

34%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageCentral Saanich’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment4.9% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work10% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to1,000 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Victoria

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.

HousingCost of living D⁻

Measured against local pay, Central Saanich costs more to live in than 97% of Canadian towns

$900,000median home value, 2021D⁻Cost of living Grade

A year’s rent came to 25% of the median household income, near British Columbia’s towns (24%) and higher than Canadian towns (20%). Households that own their home make up 80%. Central Saanich doesn’t get its own rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom figures; the ones here come from the Victoria metro area.

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Central Saanich$900,000

British Columbia$720,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Central Saanich	British Columbia	Canada
Rent as a share of income	25%	24%	20%
Households owning their home	80%	76%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	18%	21%	18%

$2,121

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,260

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageCentral Saanich’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Cost of living8.7 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $900,000, against the median household income Renting$2,121 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey Owners and renters80% own their home

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.

HealthHealth A⁺

Health in Central Saanich beats 97% of Canadian towns

55%very good or excellent healthA⁺Health Grade

Measured across the South Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery Area: health survey and life expectancy

Arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure affect 14% of the region’s adults on average, below British Columbia’s towns (15%) and Canadian towns (17%) alike; what’s more, the region has fewer smokers than British Columbia, 6% of adults to 8.9%. Adults here are more upbeat about their health than the province: 55% very good or excellent, against 50% in British Columbia. Lives in the region last 82.7 years on average (2022/2024): 84.9 for women, 80.5 for men.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Central Saanich55%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Central Saanich	British Columbia	Canada
Smokers	6%	9%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	14%	15%	17%
Very good or excellent health	55%	50%	52%
Life expectancy at birth	82.7	81.0	81.5

82.7

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

of adults smoke, age-standardised

1.1 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageCentral Saanich’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey55% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care3.0 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 1.1 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 84.9, men 80.5 Conditions and habits14% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

SafetySafety A

Violent crime weighs less on Central Saanich than on British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 33

35Crime Severity Index

Property crime ran at 15.4 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, below British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike. Violent crime runs at 7.2 per 1,000 residents a year.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202334

202429

202540

2023–2025	Central Saanich	British Columbia	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	15.4	31	31.2
Violent Crime Severity Index	33	76	86
Violent crime	7.2	12.5	12

non-violent Crime Severity Index

35%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageCentral Saanich’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety35 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Central Saanich’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Central Saanich safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

SchoolsSchools A⁻

Of Central Saanich’s 7 tested schools, 3 sit above the middle in British Columbia and 2 below

8schools within 3 kmA⁻Schools Grade

Taken together, Central Saanich and its 3 km edge hold 5 elementary schools, 1 secondary school, 1 school for every grade and 1 alternative or adult school.

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public7

Independent1

School	Level	Students	System
Bayside Middle School Fourth fifth in British ColumbiaIn Central SaanichElementary	Elementary	–	English public
Stelly's Secondary Middle fifth in British ColumbiaIn Central SaanichSecondary	Secondary	–	English public

See all 8 schools →

0.7 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageCentral Saanich’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Results3 of 7 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Every school8 schools within 3 km · 5 elementary schools, 1 secondary school, 1 school for every grade and 1 alternative or adult school Language0 of 8 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia Questions“What schools are there in Central Saanich?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

Climate

Winters are mild in Central Saanich: January nights hold at 1.6°C, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

22.7°CJuly afternoons

July afternoons reach 22.7°C on average, near British Columbia’s towns (23.1°C) and lower than Canadian towns (25.5°C). Gardeners get 213 frost-free days, from 4 April to 4 November. Most of the snow comes in December, about 12 cm. The most precipitation falls in January: 155 mm in a normal year.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter7.8°C

Spring14.0°C

Summer21.8°C

Autumn14.6°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Central Saanich	British Columbia	Canada
Days with frost a year	45	60	159
January night low	1.6°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C
July afternoon high	22.7°C	23.1°C	25.5°C
Snowfall a year	39 cm	51 cm	141 cm

39 cm

of snow a year

days with frost a year

213

frost-free days, 4 Apr to 4 Nov

119

days with precipitation a year

Full pageCentral Saanich’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 22.7°C, January lows 1.6°C Rain and snow901 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow39 cm of snow a year Weather station8.7 km to the station · Victoria (Airport)

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Victoria (Airport))

Outdoors

Within 3.5 km of Central Saanich: Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

9.2%of the land within 10 km protected

For walks, 2 named routes run within 2 km, such as the Brentwood Bay Seaside Walk and Interurban Rail Trail. Within 10 km, nearly a tenth of the land is protected, above British Columbia’s towns (6.7%) and Canadian towns (2.3%) alike. CPCAD lists 35 protected areas within 10 km.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Central Saanich9.2%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Central Saanich	British Columbia	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	9.2%	6.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	21	14	4

3.5 km

to Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

At the edge

to Ƚáu,Welṉew̱/John Dean Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageCentral Saanich’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas35 protected areas within 10 km · Gulf Islands National Park Reserve National & provincial parks3.5 km to a national park · Gulf Islands National Park Reserve Footpaths & routes2 named routes · Brentwood Bay Seaside Walk

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Natural hazardsHazard risk C⁺

Central Saanich has one of Canada’s highest earthquake risks: $0.86 a year per $1,000, 29 times the typical town’s

Lowwildfire bandC⁺Hazard risk Grade

The radon tests numbers here cover the South Vancouver Island health region

Wildfire is rare near Central Saanich: 0.2% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.004% a year. In Health Canada’s survey, just 1.8% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). Flood mapping exists: a study by Capital Regional District.

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Central Saanich1.8%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Central Saanich	British Columbia	Canada
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.86	$0.36	$0.030
Radon tests above the guideline	1.8%	1.8%	6.6%

$0.86

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Low

wildfire band

6.1 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood study on the national inventory

Full pageCentral Saanich’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Earthquakes$0.86 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 WildfireLow wildfire band · 0.2% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodOne flood study on record Radon1.8% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

Who lives here

An older town: 27% of people in Central Saanich are 65 or over, more than in both British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

49.6median age

Children under 15 make up 14%, close to British Columbia’s towns (14%) and below Canadian towns (16%). Visible minorities make up 8.4% of the population, close to British Columbia’s towns (8.6%) and below Canadian towns (15%).

Central SaanichBritish ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

27%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree10%

Postsecondary qualification62%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 51.7% of Central Saanich

By the 2021 count the town had 8,985 women and 8,400 men, while Canada has 50.9% women.

Who lives in Central Saanich
	Central Saanich	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	14%	14%	16%
15 to 64	59%	64%	64%
65+	27%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	9.7%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	62%	56%	56%

Full pageCentral Saanich’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages49.6 median age · 27% are 65 or over Households7,105 households · 2.4 people per household Immigrants16% are immigrants · 8% belong to a visible minority English and French10% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Weather

Central Saanich in November: highs near 10°C, lows near 3°C

10°Ca normal November afternoon

Rain and snow over a typical November come to 146 mm. The month after, December, normally sees 7°C afternoons and 2°C nights. The year peaks in July (23°C) and bottoms out in February (1°C). ECCC’s forecast for Victoria (Hartland) is on the Weather page, hour by hour.

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November10°C

December7°C

January8°C

February9°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	8°C	2°C	386 mm
Spring	14°C	5°C	165 mm
Summer	22°C	11°C	73 mm
Autumn	15°C	6°C	278 mm

3°C

a normal November night

146 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageCentral Saanich’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest February

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Victoria (Airport)); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Elizabeth May (Green Party of Canada) represents Central Saanich in Ottawa as MP for Saanich—Gulf Islands

Of the 43 Commons seats from British Columbia, the Liberal Party of Canada holds 20.

Full pageCentral Saanich’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itDistrict Municipality Provincial legislatureSaanich North and the Islands

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B⁺

GVPL: Central Saanich Branch is Central Saanich’s public library

It stands 1.5 km from the centre of Central Saanich.

Full pageCentral Saanich’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

The libraries1 Libraries Places to belong2 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

History

Central Saanich’s 1 historic place is a top designation

1historic place

8.9% of its homes were built before 1961, below both British Columbia’s towns (11%) and Canadian towns (18%).

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations1

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings0

Among them

Butchart Gardens 1904

1904

oldest construction date on the record

8.9%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Central Saanich	British Columbia	Canada
Homes built before 1961	8.9%	11%	18%

Full pageCentral Saanich’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registersOne historic place inside the town Highest designations1 top designation · Butchart Gardens Older homes8.9% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Central Saanich have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Central Saanich

15pages on Central Saanich

The big questions

SafetyACrime Severity Index 35 Housing & costD⁻Homes 8.7 × income Property pricesSchoolsA⁻8 schools within 3 km HealthA⁺Life expectancy 82.7 in its region Work & commuteA⁺59% of adults in work Natural hazardsC⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors9.2% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 23°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 49.6 HistoryOne place on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Saanich Pioneer Museum and 12 more in and around Central Saanich

What there is to see in Central Saanich and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.

All attractions →

MuseumMuseumSaanich Pioneer Museumin town

MuseumBritish Columbia Aviation Museum3.2 km outside town, to the northeast

MuseumSidney Museum and Archives4.1 km outside town, to the northeast MuseumMuseumHeritage Acresin town AttractionAttractionVictoria Butterfly Gardensin town MuseumMuseumCentral Saanich Fire Museumin town

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (2)

British Columbia Aviation Museum: cliff1066, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sidney Museum and Archives: Sidney Museum, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Famous people from Central Saanich

5 notable people were born in Central Saanich.

See all 5 →

Daniel DiemerCanadian actor · born 1996

Micah Zandee-HartCanadian ice hockey player · born 1997

Adam OlsenCanadian politician · born 1976

Karen BrainCanadian Paralympic equestrian · born 1970

Iain BrambellCanadian rower · born 1973

Photo credits

Daniel Diemer: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Micah Zandee-Hart: Metropolitan Transportation Authority, CC BY 4.0 · Adam Olsen: BC NDP, CC BY 2.0 · Karen Brain: Nikki from Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0

About Central Saanich

Town in British Columbia

For Central Saanich, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in British Columbia, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 18,184 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Census division: Capital
Metro area: Victoria
Census subdivision: 5917015

Central Saanich’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

East Saanich 2HighlandsSidneyNorth SaanichSaanichElectoral Area A, Cowichan ValleyCentral Saanich

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Central Saanich	18,184	—	A	D⁻	A	A⁺
East Saanich 2	1,962	3.5	—	—	—	A⁺
Highlands	2,753	7.5	C⁻	D	C	A
Sidney	13,445	9.4	B⁺	D⁻	B⁻	A
North Saanich	12,986	10	A⁻	D	A	A
Saanich	126,011	12	A	D⁻	A⁻	A⁺
Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley	5,156	12	B⁻	D	B⁺	B⁻

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Central Saanich

What kind of homes are in Central Saanich?

Single-detached houses make up 54% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments.

Has Central Saanich grown?

Yes: the census counted 16,814 in 2016 and 17,385 in 2021, a rise of 3.4%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 18,184.

How old are the people of Central Saanich?

At 49.6, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 14% of the population and seniors 27%.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).