Dean Murdock

Early life and career Murdock was born at the Vancouver General Hospital to parents Randy and Linda Murdock ( Carswell), though he credits his birthplace as Richmond, British Columbia. Murdock grew up in the Cordova Bay neighbourhood, and attended Royal Oak Middle School and Claremont Secondary School. After university, he lived in Japan where he taught English.

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. He ran for council again in the 2002 municipal elections, winning 4,667 votes, finishing 11th on the 8 seat body.

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".

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

Murdock was re-elected to council in the 2011 municipal elections, winning 11,899 votes, in fifth spot. 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. In the election, Murdock topped the poll, winning 14,781 votes. While on council, he served as a director on the Capital Regional District from 2017 to 2018.

Murdock did not run for re-election in the 2018 municipal elections, citing family reasons. 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. He also hosted a podcast called Amazing Places. Murdock ran on a platform of tackling housing affordability, creating accessible and walkable neighbourhoods and protecting against climate change.

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. Murdock supports the provincial government's housing targets. 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.

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.