Dean Murdock Saanich Councillor

Towers of recycling power at Saanich school
Saanich News - June 10, 2013

Recycling isn’t a passing fad at Royal Oak middle school, where students have taken it upon themselves to change the way the school – and the district – manages its waste output.

For four years now, students have taken recycling to the extreme, finding ways to keep paper, plastics and food waste out of the garbage.

The school now diverts 80 per cent of its waste from being tossed in a garbage can, destined for Hartland landfill. Instead, a series of 50 recycling towers are installed around the school

Saanich gives green-thumbs up to kitchen scrap collection
January 08, 2013 CFAX 1070

Saanich is the latest to take up curbside kitchen scrap collection.

Council voted Monday night to proceed with the plan. The program will be up and running in about 15-months (Spring 2014), with kitchen scraps picked up alongside garbage.

Councilor Dean Murdock says Saanich's system will be different than how the City of Victoria does it.

Sandy spurs Saanich, Victoria to talk sea change

Bill Cleverley , The Victoria Times Colonist November 25, 2012

Arguing recent events like hurricane Sandy can't be ignored, Victoria, Saanich and the Capital Regional District will team up to assess, map and start to prepare to manage effects of rising sea levels brought on by climate change.

Have you got a household oil tank? Better check it for leaks!

Don't know how? Check out these helpful tips: http://www.saanich.ca/living/environment/pdf/otank.pdf

Did you know that heating with oil produces more greenhouse gas emissions than natural gas or electricty? It can also be quite expensive!

Convert to a heat pump, natural gas, or hydro electricity and you could be eligible for up to $2,000 in rebates!
The provincial Livesmart and federal EcoEnergy programmes offer about $1250 to convert to natural gas and $2000 for a heat pump.

Saanich council passes local food motion
Colleen Kimmett, The Tyee

Saanich district council unanimously passed a motion last night to adopt a local food procurement policy.

Councillor Dean Murdock introduced the motion. He told The Tyee the policy would make locally-produced food a priority at district events and within its food services. It would apply to vendors at public festivals, for example, as well as catering at internal meetings. It would also apply to the cafe at the district's recreation centre, said Murdock.

Saanich council supports local food policy
CFAX 1070

Saanich Council passed a motion Monday night to support local food producers.

Councillor Dean Murdock says the recommendation from the Healthy Saanich Advisory Committee to develop a local food procurement policy was supported unanimously.

Saanich first in region to go 'local' on food
Kim Westad, Times Colonist

Saanich is set to become the first municipality in the region to focus on local food for its events, moving toward having the same for all its food services.

Coun. Dean Murdock, chairman of the Healthy Saanich Advisory Committee, said he's not aware of any other municipalities with such a local food procurement policy, although the University of Victoria does.

"With a population of about 20,000 students, that means they serve an awful lot of local food," Murdock said.

The food grown in your and your neighbours' backyards could soon be for sale at a festival or rec centre near you.
Saanich looks to use municipality's purchasing power to help local food producers
Kyle Slavin, Saanich News

The Healthy Saanich Advisory Committee is looking to create a food procurement policy that will give priority to local producers when catering is needed for municipal services or events.

Saanich needs to raise its green design standards for commercial and industrial buildings.

A recent application before Council highlighted the deficiency in our energy and environmental design standards. Council approved the redevelopment of a warehouse building in the Ardersier Road commercial-industrial park. The building is a larger upgrade to the existing structure that will create new space for additional tenants.