by Roger Stonebanks, citizen reporter

Optimism radiated following a meeting between Community Minister Peter Fassbender and Capital Region mayors on issues of governance.

“We have all agreed – all of the mayors and myself – that we had a very productive meeting,” Fassbender told Saanich Voice Online. “There’s measureable value in sitting together to discuss issues of common interest and concern.

“Our goal coming out of the meeting was to look for ways to move forward. The Province has committed to providing a facilitation process to specifically identify what the real issues are that are being faced by all of the communities. Following that outcome, we have committed to meet again.

“We will ensure that the public is kept informed of the work we undertake.”

In inviting the mayors to the meeting on Dec. 3, 2015, Fassbender said “ . . . there may be benefit to the region from local governments exploring further the question of how to better integrate services and governance.”

Sidney Mayor Steve Price told SVO, “We had a very productive meeting with Minister Fassbender. All of the region’s mayors were in attendance and each one raised individual ideas and thoughts on what was working well in their individual municipalities and also what services were already integrated, how that was working and are there potentially any other efficiencies we could be looking at region-wide.

“The minister and his staff took detailed notes and will come back to us at some point in the new year to arrange another meeting to further discuss some of the points that were raised.”

Mayor Alice Finall of North Saanich also told SVO, “ … it was a productive meeting. The Minister was very clear that the province would not force amalgamation of the Regional municipalities. He did suggest a future meeting of the mayors to consider possible further efficiencies in delivery of services and also to be sure that everyone had the same information. No date is yet set for such a future meeting nor the format.”

Mayors Richard Atwell of Saanich and Ryan Windsor of Central Saanich did not respond with comments by the SVO’s press time.

Meanwhile, the 13-member residents committee that will examine Saanich governance is expected to be named and start work in January on a minimum 18-month project. Council has implemented the non-binding (expression of opinion) referendum on Nov. 15, 2014, when voters answered “Yes” to this question: “Do you support Council initiating a community-based review of the governance structure and policies within Saanich and our partnerships within the Region?”

You’ll find more on this subject by using the SVO search feature:  amalgamation and/or governance