Dean Murdock

Murdock ran again for council in the 2008 British Columbia municipal elections on platform of "making an efficient transportation network, a healthy ecosystem and protection for green space and agricultural land".^[1] In the election, Murdock was finally elected to council, winning 9,079 votes, in sixth position.^[12]

Murdock endorsed Mike Farnworth's campaign in the 2011 British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election.^[13]

Murdock was re-elected to council in the 2011 municipal elections, winning 11,899 votes, in fifth spot.^[14] He ran again in the 2014 municipal elections, running on a platform of creating a "variety of new housing options", addressing transportation needs, and "standing up for farmland" in the district.^[15] In the election, Murdock topped the poll, winning 14,781 votes.^[16] While on council, he served as a director on the Capital Regional District from 2017 to 2018.^[6] His main focus as a councillor was on housing affordability, food security issues, emission reductions, and safety for pedestrians and cyclists.^[17]

Murdock did not run for re-election in the 2018 municipal elections, citing family reasons.^[18] After his term on council, he created a group called "Better Mobility Saanich" in an effort to identify dangerous walking and cycling routes to schools in order to improve active transportation infrastructure.^[19] He also hosted a podcast called Amazing Places.^[17]

Murdock announced his intentions to run for mayor of Saanich in October 2021, a full year before the 2022 mayoral election. At his campaign launch, he announced "It's time for new leadership at city hall". He was endorsed by former councillors Carol Pickup and David Cubberley.^[17]

Murdock was elected mayor of Saanich in the 2022 election, defeating incumbent mayor Fred Haynes by just 152 votes.^[20] Murdock ran on a platform of tackling housing affordability, creating accessible and walkable neighbourhoods and protecting against climate change.^[6] During the campaign, Murdock criticized Haynes for "the slow pace of progress.. on the affordability crisis".^[21]

As mayor, one of the main issues Murdock has had to deal with is balancing the province's mandate of building more housing and residents' opposition and concerns about new projects in the municipality.^[22] Murdock supports the provincial government's housing targets.^[23] Another issue in Saanich that Murdock has had to deal with as mayor include calls from the police department for an increase in their budget due to "lack of bodies responding to calls" causing a reduction is safety for officers.^[24]

In February 2026, Murdock announced that he would not seek re-election as mayor in the 2026 municipal election, citing the demands of public service.^[25][26]