District of Oak Bay selects Proponent for Marina Lease Negotiations 

After careful review and public input, and following scoring of technical, community amenity and financial proposals, Council is pleased to announce it has selected Proponent 1 as the preferred party with whom to commence negotiations for a lease of Turkey Head. The District of Oak Bay’s current lease expires at the end of 2022. 

In 2020, after structural and environmental assessments were completed, the District issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a leasehold operator of the District-owned lands, adjacent water lots, marina, and commercial facilities. The intent of this process was to identify a proponent with whom to negotiate a lease for use and operation of the area for the next lease period (2023 to 2052).   

Council recognizes that the Turkey Head property is of keen interest to the community both locally and regionally, and therefore has provided for meaningful public input within the RFP process. Early in 2021, Community Amenity Proposals from two proponents (anonymized as Proponent A and Proponent 1) were made available for public review and comment via an online questionnaire and at a Committee of the Whole meeting. The public input process, which was heavily advertised and promoted through local community groups, was open for input for almost a month and allowed for both specific and general comments to help guide the project priorities and values.  The District received over 600 responses to the questionnaire and more input through emails and at the special Committee of the Whole. The input received can be viewed on the District’s website. The community input was instrumental in informing Council’s scoring of the proposals and will continue to be referenced during negotiations. 

“Turkey Head has significance beyond the marina, retail, and restaurant operations” says Mayor Kevin Murdoch. “Among hundreds of good ideas heard through the public engagement process, some consistent themes emerged, including the importance of ocean environmental protection, seeking opportunities for First Nations reconciliation, access to beaches, supporting small craft watersports, all-ages walkability, opportunities for gatherings, and of course ensuring the District sees revenue proportional to the high value of the property. As we enter the next phase of negotiations, these values will be top of mind, and I can’t thank the community enough for taking the time to share their experiences, expertise, and ideas to help guide and inform this process.”

It is anticipated that lease negotiations will start shortly and may last into 2022. Lease negotiations are part of a formal procurement process and such processes are limited in their ability to provide for ongoing public input, however the District will provide updates to the public as often as possible within this framework and formal notice will be given prior to Council giving approval to a lease. Those interested are invited to visit www.oakbay.ca/marina-lease-negotiations for further information. 

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Kevin Murdoch, Mayor 
District of Oak Bay 
250-896-4983
mayor@oakbay.ca