by Sue Stroud

“The last amalgamation in BC was that of Abbotsford and Matsqui to form the City of Abbotsford in 1995,” explained civic educator Mona Brash speaking at the Residents and Ratepayers of Central Saanich Society (RRoCSS) meeting last spring. “Now, some in the newly-formed municipality are expressing concerns about unexpected social problems that arose because of that amalgmation.”

Brash explained that many problems arose from the increase in development that took place following Abbotsford’s amalgamation. The social problems included homelessness, caused by rapid growth and gentrification; and degradation of the area’s natural eco-systems: stream quality was affected, wildlife habitat threatened, tree retention lost.

Brash suggested that a great place to start when considering amalgamation is to consider what local government is, and what purpose it serves. She explained that it is often the civic level of government that is touted as the level of government closest and most directly impacting the daily lives of citizens. It is also the level at which c i t i z e n s have the most input into decision-making and can most easily hold politicians accountable.

Some of the questions that came up during discussion at Brash’s presentation included: “Would Central Saanich lose control over its farmland if it was amalgamated with North Saanich and Sidney? How many councillors would there be and from where? How would a change in councillor/citizen ratio impact local accountability and control? Would reducing 27 councillors to nine reduce local input? Who would such a change benefit?”

Some RRoCSS members expressed concern that it would be easier for developers to pressure councils if the councillors were from areas not impacted by the development. For example councillors from an urban area like Sidney might be less inclined to pay heed to concerns brought forward by citizens of rural Central Saanich where farmland preservation, stream protection and other issues are paramount. The loss of local councillors could equate to some loss of local autonomy and accountability.

Brash suggested that community organizations, like the Ratepayers, are wise to be out in front of the issue of amalgamation, so that special-interest groups from outside the community do not control the agenda. She noted that current BC legislation prohibits the provincial government from imposing amalgamation on local governments.

Brash concluded by suggesting to the Ratepayers that, “Your side on this issue is concerned with what happens to democracy and local control, the ‘yes’ emphasizes policing and other shared services and reduced costs.”

She added, “It’s time to make the ‘yes’ side provide fully documented local examples to prove their case.”

-30-

Community Mailboxes coming to Sidney this Fall.

by Roger Stonebanks, and Michele Murphy

Canada Post is expected to start installation shortly of community mailboxes in Sidney with full implementation in the fall for 3,300 addresses that now receive home delivery of mail. Affected residents in Sidney were advised of the change last May.

The news is contained in the minutes of the Sidney council meeting of July 13. The change is part of a nation-wide switch to community mailboxes.

Marnie Armstrong, director of municipal engagement for Canada Post, told Sidney council that the shift from paper to

digital correspondence means Canada Post must change the way it delivers mail. She said that two-thirds of Canadians now receive mail via community mailboxes.

But not everyone is happy with the change, nor do they agree that it is necessary.

A petition on Change.org is currently sitting with over 225,000 signatures, just 75,000 shy of its 300,000 goal. The petitioners claim that the impact on particular groups of Canadians hasn’t been properly considered, citing residents of areas with considerable snowfall, or sweltering heat, people with disabilities, and the elderly. The petition also cites the loss of a projected 8,000 jobs at the Crown Corporation, as well as neighbourhood degradation as reasons for reconsidering of the decision.

Residents in rural Saanich woke to find their community mailbox had been the target of another break-in. Photo courtesy Saanich South MLA Lana Popham.

Armstrong told SVO that Canadians are using the postal service much differently today – for example, mail volume has

dropped to 4.6 billion pieces in 2014 from six billion in 2006. Doorto-door delivery costs $289 per address compared with $111 for a community mailbox in 2014, she said.

But the Canadian Union of Postal Workers tells a different story. The union says that the financial situation of Canada Post

Corporation does not require such drastic service cutbacks. They claim that in the second quarter of 2014 the Canada Post Corporation reported $62 million in profit and has reported profits in 17 of the past 19 years.

While Sidney doesn’t suffer great snowfalls or sweltering heat, and is not home to a mail sorting plant and as such won’t suffer great job losses, it is home to a great many seniors. Most of the 11,000 plus people who live in Sidney are over 50 years old. In fact, the federal riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands is the third largest senior population in Canada and the highest median age.

What may be the most radical opposition to the mail delivery change came in August as Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre took a jackhammer to a newly poured community mailbox footing, a stunt that may see the mayor charged with a criminal offence. SVO has asked Sidney Mayor Price if he has plans to don a hard-hat and visi-vest in defence of his citizens’ rights to door mail delivery, but we have not heard back as yet.

Jonathon Dickie, in MP Elizabeth May’s office, said they received a flurry of feedback right after the initial announcement, “But constituents now seem resigned that there is little that can be done to reverse the decision until after the general election.”

The NDP, which is leading in the polls at the time of this posting, announced that, if elected, they will terminate Canada Post’s phase-out plan and restore service to those households that have already lost their home mail delivery.

-30-