North Saanich approves UVic Dunsmuir plan

UVic’s plan to sell the former Dunsmuir Lodge and lands to Homewood Health and the Pauquachin First Nation is a step closer to completion with re-zoning and subdivision approval from the District of North Saanich.

Following a lengthy public hearing Dec. 7, North Saanich council voted 6-1 in favour of UVic’s application for rezoning and subdivision of the 100-acre property on the slopes of Mount Newton.

Once final conditions of the conditional sales agreements with Homewood Health and the Pauquachin First Nation are met, UVic expects to complete the sale of the Dunsmuir property. Closing of the transaction will see Homewood Health acquire the lodge building and surrounding 25 acres of forest, and the Pauquachin First Nation acquire the remaining 75 acres of woodlands, wetlands and meadows.

“The University of Victoria is pleased that the District of North Saanich has approved its application for the Dunsmuir lands, allowing arrangements for its future use to proceed. This has taken a long time, but the wait is worth it, as the result is a return of the land to the Pauquachin First Nations, an opportunity to partner with Homewood Health and significant benefits for the community,” says Gayle Gorrill, UVic vice president of finance and operations.

Benefits include: 

• A Vancouver Island location for Homewood Health, which will provide a much-needed mental-health facility for addictions treatment for corporate clients
• Permanent community access to new trails to be built by UVic and right of way for parking on Homewood property
• Opportunity for Pauquachin First Nation to preserve traditional land, respecting the spiritual significance and cultural history of the property
• Local employment and educational opportunities with Homewood Health
• Educational opportunities for local students, UVic and other post-secondary students
• Research opportunities for UVic faculty and graduate students in mental health and addiction
• Occupancy and use of vacant lodge building, providing enhanced safety and security of the surrounding community
• Agreement from the Pauquachin First Nation to enter into a no-development covenant for the property
• Property tax revenue—estimated at $150,000 annually—for the District of North Saanich
• Support for UVic’s educational mission with proceeds from the sale of Dunsmuir

UVic’s partners in the Dunsmuir application are gratified that the North Saanich approvals now allow for the property transfers to proceed.

“We’d like to extend our gratitude to the community and to the District of North Saanich Council for their support as well as express how honored we are to be collaborating with the Pauquachin, and other First Nations communities,” says Jagoda Pike, president and CEO of Homewood Health. “We are looking forward to providing our much needed services to individuals challenged by mental health and addiction conditions and to joining our new neighbors on the Saanich Peninsula.”

“Today I raise my hands up to the District of North Saanich Mayor and council. What we witnessed here is a great start to building our government to government relationship,” says Pauquachin First Nation Chief Rebecca Harris. “With the support of our respected Elders who stood with our WSÁNEC leadership and local Chiefs, it was a historic day to hear the approval that will now allow Pauquachin to re-acquire the Dunsmuir lands. Although it will be held in fee simple, Pauquachin Nation will continue to be the recognized caretakers of the sacred land—an important xaxe-sencoten part of our identity as WSÁNEC people.”

Read Chief Rebecca Harris's full statement.

UVic has held continuing discussions about the Dunsmuir lands with the Pauquachin First Nation since the lodge closed in 2009. Homewood Health expressed interest in the former lodge building in early 2015 and has entered into an agreement with the Pauquachin First Nation that outlines opportunities to collaborate on recognizing the historical and cultural heritage of the location, and providing opportunities for employment, education and health services. The neighboring First Nation communities of Tsawout, Tseycum, and Tsartlip First Nations have also been given an opportunity to participate in this unique agreement.

After more than 20 years of operation as a conference centre and location for continuing education courses, UVic made the difficult decision to close the facility due to decreased use, the significant future investments required to upgrade the property, and high annual maintenance costs. The lodge has been vacant for the last seven years.

UVic acquired Dunsmuir Lodge and the 100 acres (40.5 hectares) of surrounding woodlands in North Saanich as a donation from the late George Poole in 1985. Poole specified that the property was not to be a financial burden to UVic and gave permission to sell it after four years if the university’s best financial interests were not met. In seeking a financial return to the university, UVic remains true to the intent behind the original donation by Poole to support the educational mission of UVic.

Visit the Dunsmuir website for more information.