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We respond to all requests in accordance to the urgency of the request. Routine requests will be scheduled along with other routine maintenance requirements. Urgent and emergency requests will receive immediate attention. We rely upon you, the public, to notify us when you see something that requires our attention, and we appreciate your assistance in identifying problem areas.
We are here to serve the residents of Central Saanich. Your concern is our concern and we will provide the best response that we can, dependent upon the nature of the problem and our ability to respond in terms of labor, time and budget.
| Frequently Asked Questions |
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Recycle Boxes and Refuse Collection |
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Where do I get my recycle box and when is the recycle pickup for this area? When will my trash be collected? |
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Private contractors administer the recycle and refuse collection program. Consult the “Garbage Collectors” heading in the yellow pages for local disposal contractors. For information on the recycle program, contact the recycle hotline at 360-3030.
Municipal forces do remove trash from municipally installed receptacles at bus stops and parks every Friday. Occasionally, this frequency is insufficient. We will respond to specific requests in those fore mentioned areas as soon as we can do so. |
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Who attends to dead or injured animals? |
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The municipality contracts with the G. V. C. R. D. (Greater Victoria Capital Regional District) for this service. Telephone the C. R. D. at 478-0624, extension 3 (to leave a message for an Animal Control Officer), *55 (Animal Control Officer for: Central Saanich, North Saanich, Sidney).
However, if the dead or injured animal is on or near the Pat Bay Highway, please call Mainroad South Island Contracting at 391-7310 (7:30-4:00 M-F) or (604) 924-0224 (after hours). |
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What maintenance will you do on the boulevard trees? |
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The Roads/Drains Section will trim only those trees that meet any of the following criteria:
The tree is an obstruction to vehicular or pedestrian traffic, or
The tree is a danger to property such as houses and cars, or
The tree is in need of maintenance to ensure the continued health of the tree.
May I remove any boulevard trees?
The Roads/Drains Section will remove only those trees that meet any of the following criteria:
The tree affects traffic safety, or
The tree affects underground services, or
The tree is diseased or damaged and is a public hazard, or
The tree obstructs ditches or drains and is less than 8 inches in diameter.
Larger diameter trees or heritage trees require an evaluation by a certified arborist and approval by Council before any action can be taken. |
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Potholes and Broken Sidewalks |
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When will you repair potholes in the road or broken sidewalks? |
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The Roads/Drains Section repairs our streets and sidewalks on an ongoing basis, dependent upon the severity of the problem and the current workload. Although we check our roads continually and perform an annual survey, we appreciate your assistance in identifying potential hazards. |
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Dusty Roads/Construction Areas |
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When will you do something about the dusty road/ boulevards/ construction sites? |
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Excessive dust from construction sites, if not cleaned by the contractor/developer within a reasonable period of time, can be addressed to the bylaw enforcement officer to ensure compliance. We check our streets and boulevards constantly during the normal workday. The Roads/Drains section uses a street sweeper to clean curb & gutter roads on a regular basis. Once a year we also treat some specific areas of the non-traveled portion of the roadway to reduce the amount of dust. |
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When will you resurface my road with chipseal? Why do you have to chipseal my road? |
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Road resurfacing is an annual project. Roads are selected based on need as determined by the Pavement Management Plan and budgetary restrictions. Chipsealing has proven to be the most cost-effective in the long-term maintenance plan. The chipseal program is completed during the latter part of June and the early part of July. Every effort is made not to be disruptive as much as possible. However, driving at slow speeds will reduce the dust and the hazards from flying rocks. |
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My streetlight has not been working for awhile. When will you fix it? |
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The streetlights are surveyed annually at the end of September to determine if any maintenance is required before Halloween and the darker winter season. During the remainder of the year, we rely upon the public to notify us of any streetlights that are not working properly. Most problems are resolved as soon as possible. |
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Traffic Islands, Boulevards and Ditch Grass Cutting |
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When will you do something about the overgrown grass and bushes on the traffic islands and boulevards? |
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The Roads/Drains Section cuts non-manicured boulevards and ditches on an annual basis during the active growing season using a six to eight week cycle. Our equipment is a flail mower that will provide rough cutting only. Manicured treatment cannot be accomplished. The purposes of this program are to ensure adequate drainage flow, to reduce fire hazards and to improve vehicle sight lines. Aesthetic appeal is not a consideration. We also perform minor annual maintenance on traffic islands in accordance with our budgetary restraints. However, we will respond to those areas that are identified as a liability because of visibility problems, etc. as soon as possible.
The Roads/Drains Section also cleans those ditches that require cleaning once every year before the start of the rainy season. Specific requests will be addressed dependent upon the severity of the problem.
The Water/Sewer Section performs annual maintenance on all municipal hydrants and may clear hedges and shrubs away from the operating area of the hydrant. The adjacent owner will be advised before we commence the trimming of bushes or hedges. |
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Ditch Enclosure/Culvert Installation |
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How do I go about getting my ditch enclosed? |
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The Official Community Plan does not generally support the enclosure of ditches so that water tables may be replenished through open ditches. If the ditch on your boulevard is of particular concern because of standing water, please contact the engineering department. Ditches may be enclosed in certain cases, but may need to be done so at the homeowner’s expense and in accordance with municipal specifications. |
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What can you do about offensive odours? |
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Complaints about offensive odours will be investigated as soon as possible. There is little we can do about agricultural land fertilization odours or Hartland landfill trash odours. However, sewer line odours are referred to the Water/Sewer Section. We work with the Capital Regional District to identify the cause and take steps to reduce or eliminate all offensive odours. |
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When will you remove the snow from my street? When will you salt/sand my icy street? |
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The Roads/Drains Section performs snow clearing and salting/sanding of icy roads as soon as we are made aware of the problem. When the arterial and secondary roads are cleared, our attention is given to residential roads. However, our equipment is limited and it is difficult to completely clear all residential roads at the same time. |
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Who repairs/replaces the bus stop signs? When will you repair the damaged bus shelters? |
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BC Transit is responsible for bus sign repairs/replacements. Phone BC Transit at 995-5616. The Roads/Drains Section inspects bus shelters every Friday. Maintenance is scheduled depending upon the severity of the damage and the current workload. Most repairs are completed within one week. Continual vandalism may result in the removal of the bus shelter. |
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Commercial Directional Signs |
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How do I go about getting a directional sign to tell customers where my business is located? |
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Apply for an installation through the Engineering Department at the Municipal Hall. An installation fee and a yearly maintenance fee will apply. The Roads/Drains Section will install directional signs when the Engineering Department approves and forwards the request. A typical request will require three to four weeks for completion of the installation. |
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There is a water leak near my meter box. What do I do? |
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The Water/Sewer Section will respond to your request as soon as we can, depending upon the severity of the leak. If you are concerned about flooding damage, we will respond immediately. Minor leaks can be tackled easily. We will investigate the problem and if necessary, we will shutoff the water. We will repair problems on the municipal side of the water service, which is typically up to, and including the meter box. The homeowner is responsible for repairs at or beyond the outlet of the water meter. You can shutoff the water yourself by lifting the lid off the box and turning the gate valve wheel counter clockwise. If there is not a gate valve, turn the rectangular piece of metal at the inlet of the water meter 90 degrees so that it is perpendicular to the water flow. |
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Sewer/Storm Inspection Caps |
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The inspection cap on my sewer/storm line is broken/missing. What do I do? |
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Every four months, the Water/Sewer Section reads the dials on water meters. At the same time, we notify homeowners of any defective sewer/storm caps that we notice. These caps are located on the homeowner’s property and are the responsibility of the homeowner. You can purchase these caps at any building supply retailer. |
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House Storm and Sewer Connections |
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How can I locate where my storm drain, sewer and water connections are at the property line? |
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In most cases, the District will have the location of your services on file and will provide photocopies showing the services with dimensions from a property pin. Any member of the Engineering Department can help you interpret the plans and assist with any concerns about your service connections. |
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Water Connections for Agricultural Use |
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Can I have additional water service connections for farm use? |
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Application forms are available from the Engineering Department at the Municipal Hall. Each application is reviewed to determine if sufficient water is available form the water main to provide a property with an agricultural supply. In some areas of the District it may not be possible to provide additional connections. |
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Connection to Municipal Sewers for Properties on Septic |
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Can I have my house connected to the municipal sewers? |
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Applications for each property are reviewed on a case by case basis. Properties (houses) must be included in the sewer collection area. Applications for inclusion into the sewer area are considered twice annually by Council. Inclusion into the sewer area is dependant on such conditions as zoning, OCP designation. VIHA orders, proximity to sewer, etc. Please contact the Engineering Department at the municipal hall to discuss your application. |
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Can I add a second driveway or increase the width of my current driveway? |
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If a homeowner wishes to add a second driveway to his property we require that they purchase a driveway permit. Prior to issuing the permit we need to consider the location of the proposed driveway in relation to boulevard trees, hydrants or other municipal services as well as the requirement for culverts.
In many cases it may suffice to widen the existing driveway on the homeowner’s side of the property line, leaving the boulevard area untouched. You should check with the Engineering Department prior to starting construction as a permit may or may not be required. |
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Permit to Work Within the Road Allowance |
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Do I need a permit to work within the road allowance? |
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A permit is required any time there will be construction using machinery for excavation outside of private property. Any works must be performed by an insured and licensed contractor and may only commence with 48 hours notice of commencing works. This allows sufficient time for municipal forced to locate and mark the location of any underground municipal services in the vicinity of the intended works. Contractors are required to contact CALL BEFORE YOU DIG at 474-6886 for the location of telephone, electrical and gas utilities and must provide an insurance certificate with minimum $2,000,000 public liability insurance at the time of application. Contact the Engineering Department at the Municipal Hall to receive a permit or for additional information. |
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Speeding and Traffic Issues |
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To whom do I submit complaints about excessive speeding on my street or other traffic complaints? |
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If the situation is such that vehicles are traveling at excessive speeds, or parking where they shouldn’t, please refer these complaints to the Police Department non emergency line at 652-4441. If the situation is such that safety is compromised due to road conditions, unusual traffic patterns, reduced sight visibility by trees, signs or other obstructions, please refer these complaints to the Engineering Department at the Municipal Hall. |
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What does the municipality do about controlling mosquitoes?
I am concerned about the West Nile virus. Who can answer my questions? |
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If you have known mosquito habitat on your property, and you know that the program biologists have already reviewed in the past, there is no need to call to report as they will have already been added to the site database and will be handled by staff over the course of the season.
If you have mosquito habitat that is on your property which is not already known by control personnel, please contact program staff through the District of Central Saanich, Public Works at 250-544-4224 ext 221 or 222 or the contractor, D G Regan and Associates Ltd. directly through their toll free number 1-800-681-3472. Please leave a message with your name, address, daytime contact or cellular numbers, and whether you are reporting annoyance or previously unknown mosquito habitat. Program control staff will follow up as field activities allow, usually within 48 hours. |
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Parks Facilities Reservations |
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How do I reserve parks facilities (shelters, ball diamonds, lacrosse box, tennis courts, etc.)?
What are the costs? |
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Please contact Community Services at 544-4218 or by e-mail. |
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