Spring 2026 Issue

Editorial – Spring in North Saanich

Ah, spring in North Saanich! When the light is brighter, the birds are chirpier, and blossoms are everywhere. Spring’s ephemeral beauty has long been a muse for artists and an inspiration for celebrations across cultures. This edition of North Saanich Currents embraces spring’s vibrant energy, a reminder of nature’s magnificence and resilience all around us.

We start with a photo-essay showcasing some of the delightful ducks that spend their winters in North Saanich. Suzanne Huot is an intrepid traveler whose breathtaking photographs capture stunning details of nature’s wonders from around the world. Staying with the theme of our avian friends, the next article brings you up close and personal with the most common hummer in North Saanich – the incredibly adaptive Anna’s Hummingbird. You can learn about how to attract Hummingbirds into your yard and how to keep them safe from the elements, and from each other.

The next story is about some of the last remaining Garry Oak meadows in North Saanich. Providers of food and medicine to the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, these rich biodiverse ecosystems are now a fraction of their historic size. Speaking of history, the article on the BC Electric Railway (which ran from Victoria to Deep Cove from 1913 to 1923) invites you to undertake a fascinating journey by following a thread from the long past which still connects our community as a whole.

Other articles include the review of Seventy-Two Seasons: A Memoir About Noticing, written by local author M.A.C. Farrant and reviewed by Jackie LaPlante. While Farrant’s memoir fondly focuses on various natural features in our neighbourhood, Beth McCormick’s love letter is devoted solely to the Dominion Brook Park for which she yearns from her prairie home. Continuing with the theme of amazing gardens in the district, we will tell you all about what’s happening at Noble Garden this season.

In this edition, you will also find an uplifting story of generosity shared by the Saanich Peninsula Hospital and Healthcare Foundation (SPHHF), as well as some very useful information about how to avoid ticks and what to do if one decides to hitch a ride on you or your fur-pal. And finally, Jillian’s Tour de Curteis Point will take you through yet another historic neighbourhood on a delightful (and delicious) jaunt.

Our next edition will appear around the summer solstice in June, which will include part II of the BCER journey, what you can do to help the Orcas, profile of a fascinating farming family, and much more. Please enjoy the issue, and as always, drop us an email at NSC.community@proton.me with comments and suggestions. Enjoy the spring and take good care of yourselves!

Your NSC Team