2005 Candidates (as received from Elections B.C.):

• Susan Mary Brice, BC Liberal Party
• Douglas Christie, Western Canada Concept
• David Cubberley, New Democratic Party of B.C.
• Brett Hinch, DR BC
• Brandon McIntyre, Green Party of BC
• Kerry Steinemann, Independent

Maps from Elections B.C. will open in a new window.

Districts Profile:

Located just north of Victoria on Vancouver Island, this riding is bordered on the south in part by the Esquimalt township line, Tillicum Road, Kent Road, Lodge Avenue and Union Road; on the east by Blenkinsop Road and Cordova Bay; on the north by the Central Saanich district line; and on the west by the Highland and View Royal boundaries. The southern end of the riding contains suburbs of Victoria and a mixed population, the majority of whom are employed by various governments. The rest of the riding is a mix of rural and suburbia. The average family income is $72,636 – well above the B.C. average – while the unemployment rate of just 4.8 per cent is B.C.'s third lowest. Twenty per cent of people here are immigrants, while 16 per cent are over 65.

Political History:

The incumbent in Saanich South is Liberal Susan Brice, the minister of human resources. In 2001 she collected double the votes of runner-up David Cubberley of the NDP. Preceding Brice in this riding was New Democrat Andrew Petter, who won office in 1991 by defeating Liberal Lorne Peasland (by 1,945 votes) and was re-elected in 1996, repelling Liberal Frank Leonard (by 527 votes). This area was a Socred stronghold from the 1950s through 1991. MLAs during that period included J.D. Tisdale (1953-72), Hugh Curtis (who from 1972-75 sat as a Progressive Conservative before turning Socred from 1975-86) and, when this became a two-member riding in 1986, Mel Couvelier and Terry Huberts (both 1986-91).

In 2001, the voter turnout in Saanich South was 76 per cent – the fourth highest in the province.