Posts Tagged ‘Alice Finall’
Amalgamation Dims for the Capital Region
December 2, 2015 | 
Author by Roger Stonebanks, citizen journalist
Blue skies turned grey in November for amalgamation supporters as the BC government favoured “service and governance integration” within the Capital Region.
Community Minister Peter Fassbender has this written mandate from Premier Clark: “Develop and present options to Cabinet on potential processes under which local governments could either amalgamate or integrate service delivery by June, 2016.”
Public attention focussed on “amalgamate” in the mandate but neglected to heed the word “could” and the expressed alternative to amalgamation – “or integrate service delivery.”
Non-binding referendums (expressions of opinion) that accompanied some municipal election ballots last Nov. 15 did not provide a clear over-all result because – except on the Saanich Peninsula – the questions themselves were varied, and some municipalities did not have referendum questions at all.
Nevertheless, the campaign by the lobby group, Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society (known in short as Amalgamation Yes), continued, looking to the provincial government to take the lead and do a study on amalgamation.
It wasn’t to happen.
There were plenty of hints from last September that the provincial government favoured the approach of integrating service delivery over municipal amalgamation. And in early November Fassbender spelled it out in a letter to area mayors inviting them to attend a 90-minute meeting with him “… on the topic of service and governance integration in the Capital region.” Significantly, the word “amalgamation” was not mentioned in the letter. Neither was the word “study.”
“While individual interests and perspectives are diverse, there have been shared views on the common thread from the 2014 referenda results – namely, that there may be benefit to the region from local governments exploring further the question of how to better integrate services and governance,” Fassbender wrote.
“I know that informing the public and others about the current governance and services profile of the Capital region will be of continuing interest to many of you, especially the number of services already undertaken in shared or integrated way.”
Just after his letter became public, Fassbender addressed the pro-amalgamation Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. His subject was “CRD Governance – the way forward.” Missing, significantly, was the A-word.
Fassbender reiterated the comments in his letter seeing the government’s role as facilitator. He said there is “lots of good work going on” between municipalities and “I believe we can build on that.” He specifically stood by the section of the Community Charter – unique in Canada – which mandates that municipal amalgamations must be voter-approved – not imposed by the provincial government. There would be no forced amalgamations. (Find the link to his full speech online.)
Saanich Voice Online (SVO) asked Mayor Richard Atwell of Saanich and the three Saanich Peninsula mayors for their reactions. Here are their comments:
Mayor Atwell: “I am encouraged by the Minister’s offer to facilitate a meeting of all mayors in the region to give consideration to this subject. It is long overdue and a positive first step. The Province has said that it won’t force amalgamation but as the legislators behind the Community Charter and Local Government Act, they still must play a policy role that includes analysis of the status quo vs. an alternate model. Whether you called it an amalgamation study or a governance review, it is ultimately about discovering a better system of government through legislative changes, that benefits communities and the greater region as a whole.”
Mayor Ryan Windsor of Central Saanich: “My only comment at this time is I look forward to meeting with my colleagues from around the region in a discussion with the minister on a range of topics related to governance.”
Mayors Alice Finall of North Saanich and Steve Price of Sidney did not reply.
Meanwhile, Saanich will start its own voter-approved governance review with a 13-member residents committee in the new year. It is expected to last at least 18 months.
As SVO went to press, an on-line pro-amalgamation petition was initiated. Addressed to “Liberal Party of BC Hon. Christy Clark” it read: “Many residents in British Columbia municipalities have requested their Mayor and Councillors seek assistance from BC Province for study on amalgamation specific to their municipality with little success.
“I the undersigned request the BC Government put a question on the next Provincial election ballot that includes:
“Conduct a study in my municipality about amalgamation that will include but not limited: financial, social, environmental and options for municipal reconfiguration and governance.”
The next BC election will be in 2017.
-30-
UPDATE
After three weeks, the on-line petition by “Citizens for Amalgamation Study” had gathered four signatures.
For more articles on this subject, use SVO‘s search feature
Posted in Community News | 
Tags: Alice Finall, amalgamation, Amalgamation Yes, capital region, Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society, chamber of commerce, fassbender, governance, governance review, Richard Atwell, Ryan Windsor, victoria | 
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The ‘A’ Question
Who’s not asking and why and who’s asking – and what?
by Roger Stonebanks
Some residents in Greater Victoria will vote Nov. 15 on whether they want a study of amalgamation – or to express support for amalgamation. And some won’t. It depends on where we live. And also on what the ballot question actually says.
The amalgamation campaign is being pressed under the banner “Amalgamation Yes” by the Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society. (See www.amalgamationyes.ca).
On the Saanich Peninsula, Central Saanich and Sidney residents will have a non-binding referendum but North Saanich council turned down the idea. Saanich council won’t be balloting residents.
Central Saanich voters will face this question on the ballot paper – “Should the District of Central Saanich petition the Province to fund a cost/benefit analysis of an amalgamation of Central Saanich, North Saanich and Sidney? Yes or No.”
Sidney voters will see this on Nov. 15 – “Are you in favour of a provincially-funded study to investigate the feasibility, costs and implications of amalgamating the three municipalities of the Saanich Peninsula?”
Retiring Sidney Mayor Larry Cross and some councillors are opposed to amalgamation but not to asking residents what they think. Amalgamation, said Cross, is “not in the best interests of Sidney.”
North Saanich council will not be putting any question to its residents.
“The main reasons were the opinion of most that amalgamation could only increase municipal cost, increase debt and increase taxes,” Mayor Alice Finall told Saanich Voice Online (SVO).
“With respect to my own opinion, I have had the opportunity to look into the extensive research on this question. This shows, with a number of examples, that contrary to popular belief, amalgamation does not save money but costs money, usually much more than anticipated. It also confirms that satisfactory levels of services tend to drop and access to local representatives is diminished. There are few economies of scale.”
She also said the peninsula municipalities already share certain services, a point echoed by Central Saanich Coun. Zeb King.
Saanich council, it is clear, won’t be putting the issue to residents.
“The current campaign to reduce the number of small municipalities is not a debate Saanich need be a part of,” Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard told SVO.
“We are one of the 10 largest municipalities in BC, are five times the geographic size of Victoria and our population of 115,000 is 40 per cent larger and we have 1,500 employees. The only larger local government in the region is the CRD and many would say that proves bigger isn’t better.
“Should ever a future council want to engage the public on this issue, I’d prefer one where there is factual information and a funded ‘yes’ and ‘no’ side. Currently this year the only information is from the advocates who have funding from the downtown business community.”
Coun. Susan Brice concurred with published comments by Mayor Leonard, in particular this one – “Saanich’s sprawling farms, parks and urban areas, lakes and streams take a small army of 1500 municipal employees and increasing those responsibilities won’t necessarily result in efficiencies.”
Another Saanich councillor, Vic Derman, said Saanich residents have not demonstrated wide support for putting the issue on the ballot and the question that Amalgamation Yes poses (asking if residents are in favour of reducing the number of municipalities) is “far too vague.” He said any decision on some form of amalgamation should be preceded by an “extensive process of public debate on the pros and cons. Only after such a debate could the general public make an informed decision.” Amalgamation Yes, he said, “has given no assurances of such a debate and are certainly not an appropriate organization to conduct one.”
Elsewhere in the region, Victoria (where the question will be, “Are you in favour of reducing the number of municipalities in Greater Victoria through amalgamation”), and Esquimalt and Langford residents, will get to express an opinion. Oak Bay residents might – a notice of motion will be before council on Sept. 29 which was after SVO’s deadline. In the “no vote” or unlikely to hold a vote category are Sooke, Highlands, View Royal, Metchosin and Colwood.
AMALGAMATION – UPDATED
Just as this issue of Saanich Voice Online came out, there were several new developments on the amalgamation question in the Nov. 15 municipal election:
Oak Bay council decided on Sept. 29, after SVO’s deadline, to ask voters on Nov. 15 this question – “Are you in favour of the District of Oak Bay being amalgamated into a larger regional municipality?”
Both votes would be non-binding and require simply “yes” or “no” from voters.
Esquimalt council decided on Sept. 29 (after SVO press-time) to put two non-binding questions to voters:
“1. Are you in favour of the Township of Esquimalt exploring options to achieve efficiencies by further sharing some services with other municipalities? Yes or No.
“2. Are you in favour of exploring the reduction of the number of municipalities within Greater Victoria through amalgamation? Yes or No.”
According to Langford Municipal Hall, they will have the following non-binding question on their November 15th ballot:
“Are you in favour of the City of Langford being amalgamated into a larger regional municipality? YES or NO
North Saanich had a change of heart as well – as of Monday, October 6th – Councillor McBride’s request to Council to consider adding a question regarding amalgamation to the ballot was granted. As a result, the following question will be added to the North Saanich ballot:
“Are you in favour of a study, provincially funded, to investigate the feasibility, costs and implications of amalgamating the municipalities of North Saanich, Central Saanich and Sidney.”
While the District of Saanich will be adding a question to their Nov 15th election ballots, it won’t be a amalgamation question. The Oct 6th Council meeting saw Saanich council unanimously endorsed Mayor Frank Leonard’s proposed addition of the question, “Do you support Council initiating a community-based review of the governance structure and policies within Saanich and our partnerships within the Region?”
Check back here for updates as they come in.
Posted in Community News | Tags: Alice Finall, amalgamation, Amalgamation Yes, Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society, central saanich, Frank Leonard, Mayor, non-binding referendum, north saanich, saanich, sidney, Susan Brice, Vic Derman, Zeb King | No Comments »
