{{Short description|Canadian politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Dean Murdock | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = October 8, 1981 | birth_place = Vancouver | office = Mayor of Saanich, British Columbia | term_start = November 7, 2022 | term_end = | predecessor = Fred Haynes | successor = | party = | spouse = Keeley (m. 2004;<ref name="elxn08">{{cite news|title=Spotlight on Murdock|date=November 28, 2008|newspaper=Saanich News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/saanich-news/147085345/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> div.)<ref name="newcomer">{{cite news|title=Meet Saanich council newcomers: an 'old millennial,' a founder of a running charity and a sea cucumber crime fighter|date=October 23, 2022|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/meet-saanich-council-newcomers-an-old-millennial-a-founder-of-a-running-charity-and-a-sea-cucumber-crime-fighter-5994460|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> <br/> Rachel Deloughery (m. 2021)<ref name="newcomer"/> | children = 2<ref name="personbio"/> | occupation = Civil servant, instructor }}
'''Colin Dean Murdock''' (born October 8, 1981)<ref name="birth"/><ref>{{cite news|title=COUNCIL CANDIDATE: Dean Murdock|date=October 20, 2011|website=Saanich News|url=https://www.saanichnews.com/news/council-candidate-dean-murdock-228223|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> is a Canadian politician. He has served as the mayor of Saanich, British Columbia since 2022.
==Early life and career== Murdock was born at the Vancouver General Hospital to parents Randy and Linda Murdock ({{nee}} Carswell),<ref name="birth">{{cite news|title=MURDOCK|date=October 10, 1981|page=46|newspaper=Vancouver Sun|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun/147082075/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> though he credits his birthplace as Richmond, British Columbia.<ref name="personbio"/> His father was a safety inspector for a Molson brewery.<ref name="newcomer"/> The family moved to Saanich<ref name="personbio"/> in 1993.<ref name="candidatebio">{{cite news|title=Dean Murdock - Saanich mayor candidate 2022|date=October 2, 2022|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/2022-civic-election/dean-murdock-saanich-mayor-candidate-2022-5898900|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> Murdock grew up in the Cordova Bay neighbourhood,<ref name="personbio">{{cite web|url=https://deanmurdock.ca/meet-dean|title=Meet Dean}}</ref> and attended Royal Oak Middle School and Claremont Secondary School.<ref name="citybio"/> He attended Camosun College, and then the University of Victoria, where he took social sciences.<ref name="personbio"/> He graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2003 and a Masters in 2007.<ref name="citybio">{{cite web|url=https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/local-government/mayor-council/meet-your-council/dean-murdock.html|title= Dean Murdock}}</ref> After university, he lived in Japan where he taught English.<ref name="personbio"/>
Prior to his election as mayor, Murdock worked as a political science instructor at Camosun College for three years,<ref name="candidatebio"/> and worked for the BC Ministry of Health and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.<ref name="citybio"/> He worked in the Ministry of Health for 17 years.<ref name="newcomer"/> Murdock served as chair of the Sierra Club Victoria from 2007 to 2008.<ref name="citybio"/>
==Early electoral experience== Murdock first ran for office in 1999 at the age of 18,<ref name="elxn08"/> when he ran for school board representing School District 63 Saanich Peninsula. He earned 1,477 votes in the Saanich zone, missing a spot on the board by 59 votes.<ref>{{cite news|title=School Boards|date=November 21, 1999|page=4|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147083397/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Correction|date=November 24, 1999|page=2|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147083685/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref>
While a student at the University of Victoria, Murdock ran for a council by-election in Saanich in 2001 caused by the resignation of Sheila Orr, who was elected to the BC Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saanich: Variety of issues|date=September 20, 2001|page=28|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147082793/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> He ran for council again in the 2002 municipal elections, winning 4,667 votes, finishing 11th on the 8 seat body.<ref>{{cite news|title=Local Election Results 2002|date=November 18, 2002|page=11|newspaper=The Province|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province/147084052/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref>
==District Council== 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".<ref name="elxn08"/> In the election, Murdock was finally elected to council, winning 9,079 votes, in sixth position.<ref>{{cite news|title=Serving the People|date=November 19, 2008|newspaper=Saanich News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/saanich-news/147085898/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref>
Murdock endorsed Mike Farnworth's campaign in the 2011 British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Councillors back Farnworth bid to lead NDP|date=February 11, 2011|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147086501/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref>
Murdock was re-elected to council in the 2011 municipal elections, winning 11,899 votes, in fifth spot.<ref>{{cite news|title=Council (8 Seats)|date=November 20, 2011|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147086752/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dean Murdock|date=November 8, 2014|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147087335/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> In the election, Murdock topped the poll, winning 14,781 votes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saanich|date=November 16, 2014|newspaper=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist/147087567/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> While on council, he served as a director on the Capital Regional District from 2017 to 2018.<ref name="candidatebio"/> His main focus as a councillor was on housing affordability, food security issues, emission reductions, and safety for pedestrians and cyclists.<ref name="launch">{{cite news|title=Dean Murdock launches run for Saanich mayor|date=October 28, 2021|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/dean-murdock-launches-run-for-saanich-mayor-4701680|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref>
Murdock did not run for re-election in the 2018 municipal elections, citing family reasons.<ref name="family">{{cite news|title=Saanich councillor Dean Murdock not running again, cites family reasons|date=April 15, 2018|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/saanich-councillor-dean-murdock-not-running-again-cites-family-reasons-4660917|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saanich election results: Dean Murdock narrowly wins mayor's race|date=October 16, 2022|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/2022-civic-election/saanich-election-results-dean-murdock-narrowly-wins-mayors-seat-5962510|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> He also hosted a podcast called ''Amazing Places''.<ref name="launch"/>
==Mayoralty== 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.<ref name="launch"/>
Murdock was elected mayor of Saanich in the 2022 election, defeating incumbent mayor Fred Haynes by just 152 votes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dean Murdock elected Saanich mayor|date=October 16, 2022|website=CTV|url=https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/saanich-election-latest-updates-on-2022-municipal-vote-1.6109701|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015150227/https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/saanich-election-latest-updates-on-2022-municipal-vote-1.6109701|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 15, 2022|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> Murdock ran on a platform of tackling housing affordability, creating accessible and walkable neighbourhoods and protecting against climate change.<ref name="candidatebio"/> During the campaign, Murdock criticized Haynes for "the slow pace of progress.. on the affordability crisis".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saanich mayoral candidates face off in feisty debate|date=13 October 2022 |url=https://www.saanichnews.com/news/saanich-mayoral-candidates-face-off-in-feisty-debate-321272|access-date=2024-05-14}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saanich grapples with push for faster pace of change|date=December 27, 2023|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/saanich-grapples-with-push-for-faster-pace-of-change-8029505|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> Murdock supports the provincial government's housing targets.<ref>{{cite news|title=B.C. unveils housing targets|date=September 27, 2023|newspaper=The Province|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province/147088129/|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saanich grapples with push for faster pace of change|date=December 6, 2023|website=Victoria Times Colonist|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/chief-says-saanich-officers-dont-feel-safe-because-of-lack-of-bodies-responding-to-calls-7930116|access-date=May 11, 2024}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock will not run for re-election |work=CHEK News |date=February 9, 2026 |url=https://cheknews.ca/saanich-mayor-dean-murdock-will-not-run-for-re-election-1304641/ |access-date=17 February 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Duffy |first=Andrew A. |title=Dean Murdock won't run for re-election as mayor of Saanich |work=Victoria Times Colonist |date=February 10, 2026 |url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/dean-murdock-wont-seek-re-election-as-mayor-of-saanich-11856420 |access-date=17 February 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murdock, Dean}} Category:Living people Category:1981 births Category:People from the Capital Regional District Category:Politicians from Vancouver Category:People from Richmond, British Columbia Category:British Columbia civil servants Category:University of Victoria alumni Category:Camosun College alumni Category:Academic staff of Camosun College Category:Canadian emigrants to Japan Category:Sierra Club people Category:21st-century mayors of places in British Columbia