Saanich—Gulf Islands

Saanich—Gulf Islands encompasses the northern half of the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island and a chain of Southern Gulf Islands scattered across the Strait of Georgia. The riding includes the municipalities of Central Saanich, North Saanich, and Sidney on the peninsula, the northern portion of the Municipality of Saanich east of the Patricia Bay Highway, and the islands of Salt Spring, Galiano, Mayne, Pender (North and South), and Saturna. With a 2021 population of approximately 113,541, the riding has a median age of 52.4—the highest of any federal riding in Canada—and more than 31% of residents are over 65, giving it the third-largest senior population share nationally. The riding covers 516 square kilometres and is connected by BC Ferries, with the Swartz Bay terminal in North Saanich serving as the primary link between Vancouver Island and the mainland.

Candidates

Elizabeth May (Green Party) Born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1954, May moved to Canada as a young person and graduated from Dalhousie University's law school in 1983. She served as a policy advisor in the government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney from 1986 to 1988, then spent 17 years as founding executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada. Elected Green Party leader in 2006, she won Saanich—Gulf Islands in 2011—becoming the first Green Party member elected to the House of Commons—and has held the seat since. She was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2005.

David Busch (Conservative) A lawyer based in Saanich for over a decade, Busch previously worked as a critical care nurse before obtaining his law degree. He operates his own law firm and ran as the Conservative candidate in both the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

Sherri Moore-Arbour (Liberal) A public relations consultant based on Galiano Island, Moore-Arbour is a Métis woman who previously served as a locally elected school trustee. She is a mother of two, including a child with a disability, and her campaign emphasized climate action, reconciliation, and greater representation of Indigenous people and women in Parliament.

Sabina Singh (NDP) A political science instructor at the University of Victoria, Singh is a teacher, academic, and artist who returned to Vancouver Island after living in Kamloops to raise her family. She has been active in campaigns for electoral reform and justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

About the Riding

Saanich—Gulf Islands is characterized by an older, well-educated, and environmentally conscious electorate. Average family income sits at approximately $119,500, and the unemployment rate hovered around 6.4% heading into the 2021 election. Over 21% of residents are immigrants, primarily from the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States rather than the Asian-origin immigration streams more typical of Metro Vancouver ridings. The riding's demographic profile—affluent retirees, artists, small-scale farmers, and academics—has made it uniquely receptive to the Green Party, which has held the seat since 2011.

The Southern Gulf Islands face distinct challenges. Ferry service operated by BC Ferries is a lifeline for island residents, and fares, scheduling, and vessel reliability were perennial sources of frustration. Salt Spring Island, the largest of the Gulf Islands with approximately 11,000 residents, struggles with limited freshwater supplies, a housing shortage exacerbated by vacation rental conversions, and the high cost of goods that must be transported by ferry. Health care access is constrained on the islands, with residents often required to travel to Sidney or Victoria for medical appointments.

On the peninsula, the agricultural land of Central Saanich and North Saanich supports farms, vineyards, and the Saanich Fair—the oldest continuously running agricultural fair in western Canada. Sidney, a seaside town of roughly 12,000, serves as a commercial hub and the gateway to the Washington State ferry service to Anacortes. The riding's natural beauty—including the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, established in 2003—and its temperate climate make it a popular retirement destination, but also drive housing costs well above what younger families and service workers can afford.