Saanich Transit Centre

With Greater Victoria’s population growing and transportation trips expected to increase by 40 percent, an additional operations and maintenance facility is needed. This will allow BC Transit to expand its fleet, keep buses running smoothly, and ensure our customers get the quality transit service they depend on. Long-term, an additional operations and maintenance facility is needed to support an expanded fleet to meet local service demands and the expansion of the Victoria Regional Transit System.

Join us for an upcoming open house

Site preparation and demolition are now confirmed to take place from July to the end of 2026. Prior to any significant work taking place, BC Transit is holding two open houses for local neighbours and business owners to learn more about building demolition and site activities planned at the project site located between Glanford Avenue and Commerce Circle.

These open houses will offer the public a chance to meet the project team and ask questions prior to on-site activities. Neighbours and anyone interested are encouraged to drop-by for coffee and light snacks at 4196 Glanford Ave (former Wilson’s Transportation location).

Thursday, June 18 – 10am – 1pm

Saturday June 20 – 10am – 1pm 

View the display boards from the open houses

Future Saanich Transit Centre 

As announced in December of 2023, BC Transit plans to utilize several BC Transit-owned properties to create a five-acre site between Glanford Avenue and Commerce Circle for a future Saanich Transit Centre. The central location is well-positioned for an additional operations and maintenance facility to support increasing transit service for the Victoria Region. The location and prior use of a portion of the site for BC Transit’s handyDART operations make it well-suited to transition to a fixed route operations and maintenance facility. It is industrially zoned for this use.

Site preparation  

Upcoming site activities

This early site preparation work and demolition of five buildings is necessary to ensure the site is ready for future facility construction when funding is secured. The first building to be taken down will be the former Wilson’s Transportation building on the south end of the 5-acre site.

Once the buildings are removed, civil work will be completed to ensure the site is ready for future construction. During construction, a traffic management plan will ensure there are minimal impacts to local road users, and the majority of construction activities will be managed within the property boundaries. All construction activities will take place within all District of Saanich bylaws.

Kinetic Construction is overseeing the construction activities. The timeline for demolition and site grading is estimated to be six months.

Tree protection in mid-June

Following a tree inventory completed by a professional arborist, the public will soon notice tree protection going up around the site over the next few weeks as the contractor puts fencing in place to protect several trees adjacent to the project site. No protected trees will be removed.

While the five properties do not have many trees, to improve sightlines, safely complete utility upgrades, and carry out building demolition, some established shrubs and trees will be pruned or removed. Nesting surveys will be completed prior to tree work and removed trees and shrubs will be reused locally as mulch and woodchips.

The technical studies that have been completed are available here: Saanich Transit Centre Technical Studies.

What’s planned for this site

Administration and maintenance building

A modern hub for operations, secure parking and bus maintenance, ensuring smooth day-to-day transit operations. Regional transit centres accommodate maintenance bays, cleaning and fueling.

Sustainability

• Future buildings would be designed to reflect a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and energy efficiency.  
  • LEED principles outline best management practices to reduce energy, chemical use, water, air pollution, solid waste, and/or runoff associated with the building site.  
  • Battery Electric Bus (BEB) ready to support future electric bus fleet.  
  • Facility will be designed to meet Dark Skies Guidelines, limiting light trespass/pollution from the site.  

Environmental protection and monitoring 

Environmental protection is a key planning principle applied to site design and operational planning. The development will meet or exceed all municipal, provincial and federal standards for environmental protection.

McElhanney has been retained as the design consultant and Aqua-Tex Scientific has been retained as the independent environmental monitor to oversee the site preparation and planning for building demolition that will occur later this year. The contractor will also have an environmental monitor on their team.

Funding 

Funding for preliminary site preparation has been provided by the Government of Canada and the Province of B.C. Future construction will require significant additional investment.

Community and Indigenous engagement 

Community and Indigenous engagement will inform each phase of planning and design. Open houses were held in 2025 and more will be offered throughout 2026.