Different areas, same situation, different outcomes
On Saturday, November 15, 2014, local government elections were held across British Columbia. Several municipalities on Vancouver Island had non-binding referendum amalgamation questions on the ballot. Two regions and their municipal amalgamation processes to date are examined:
In the Cowichan Valley:
Residents of Duncan voted on the following question:
“Are you in favour of spending time and resources to study the costs and benefits of the amalgamation of the municipalities of North Cowichan and the City of Duncan?”
554 Yes (52.4%)
502 No (47.6%)
Residents of North Cowichan voted on the following question:
“Are you in favour of conducting a study to explore the costs and benefits of the amalgamation of the municipalities of North Cowichan and Duncan?”
4,446 Yes (68.3%)
2,065 No (31.7%)
The City of Duncan and District of North Cowichan have held a number of meetings since the election. They have established a Citizens’ Assembly to study the ramifications of merging the two municipalities, received up to $47,000 from the Province to undertake the study, and recently engaged Urban Systems Inc. as consultants to the Citizen Assembly.
On January 23, 2017, the City of Duncan approved a contract with Urban Systems for $59,500 to act as technical consultants to the Citizen Assembly, to be jointly funded by the two municipalities and funds from the Province. The District of North Cowichan approved the contract at their Special Council Meeting on January 30, 2017. The mandate of the Citizens’ Assembly is to complete their investigation and report before the end of the current election cycle (November 2018).
The previous councils of Duncan and North Cowichan formulated clear reciprocal referendum questions and the current councils have listened to residents. They are carrying through on a comprehensive, citizen-lead study of amalgamation with fulsome public involvement. In addition to the 36 member Citizens’ Assembly, the Cowichan Valley initiative has held one open house for area residents and another is planned on April 6, 2017.
On the Saanich Peninsula:
Residents of the District of Central Saanich voted on the following question:
“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?”
3,588 Yes (70.7%)
1,489 No (29.3%)
Residents of the District of North Saanich voted on the following question:
“Are you in favour of a study, provincially funded, to investigate the feasibility, costs and implications of amalgamating the three municipalities on the Saanich Peninsula of Sidney, Central Saanich and North Saanich?”
2,881 Yes (62.5%)
1,727 No (37.5%)
Residents of the Town of Sidney voted on the following question:
“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?”
2,566 Yes (67.6%)
1,232 No (32.4%)
The previous councils of the three Peninsula municipalities are to be commended for formulating clear questions, following the direction they received from their electorate.
Now, why haven’t the councils elected in 2014 pushed ahead with an amalgamation study as approved by their electorate? Many campaigned on that promise. What has happened since the election?
During the first half of 2015, each of the three municipalities wrote to the (then) Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, Coralee Oakes, asking for funding and/or involvement in an amalgamation study of Sidney, Central Saanich and North Saanich.
Minister Oakes met with the mayors. However, on July 30, 2015, Premier Clark appointed Peter Fassbender as the new Minister of Community Sport and Cultural Development. Minister Fassbender was given a Mandate Letter by Premier Christy Clark
See item 6 in the letter.
Minister Fassbender, staff from the Ministry, and various mayors in the Capital Region District (CRD) have met numerous times, out of which emerged the current Capital Integrated Services and Governance Initiative (CISGI). This initiative is regional in scope, encompassing all 13 municipalities within the CRD and specifically excludes examining amalgamation of the three Peninsula municipalities, or any other amalgamation possibilities. On June 1, 2016 (17 months after the local government elections), Minister Fassbender announced funding of $95,400 to Urban Systems and Circle Square Solutions to deliver the CISGI project.
Unlike the Cowichan Valley amalgamation study (also partially funded by the Province), the CISGI project primarily involves local politicians, many of whom are on record as being opposed to studying any amalgamation models. Limited public involvement was provided through the website PlaceSpeak. There have been no town hall meetings or direct citizen involvement in this initiative. To date, there has been no progress on an amalgamation study of the three Peninsula municipalities. This ignores the majority of residents of those municipalities who voted for a study, after which a binding vote could be held in the November 2018 local elections.
SUMMARY and QUESTIONS:
Duncan and North Cowichan asked a referendum question and are acting to fulfil the mandate of their electorate. Why did the councils of the three Peninsula municipalities agree to ask their residents an amalgamation study question if they were not prepared to follow through with the results?
Why is the Ministry funding an amalgamation study between Duncan and North Cowichan, yet not doing so for the three Peninsula municipalities? The CISGI project is not a substitute for a comprehensive and unbiased amalgamation study.
- Colin Nielsen
Election results source: CivicInfoBC
On Saturday, November 15, 2014, local government elections were held across British Columbia. Several municipalities on Vancouver Island had non-binding referendum amalgamation questions on the ballot. Two regions and their municipal amalgamation processes to date are examined:
- Cowichan Valley: Duncan and North Cowichan municipalities
- Saanich Peninsula: Sidney, Central Saanich and North Saanich municipalities
In the Cowichan Valley:
Residents of Duncan voted on the following question:
“Are you in favour of spending time and resources to study the costs and benefits of the amalgamation of the municipalities of North Cowichan and the City of Duncan?”
554 Yes (52.4%)
502 No (47.6%)
Residents of North Cowichan voted on the following question:
“Are you in favour of conducting a study to explore the costs and benefits of the amalgamation of the municipalities of North Cowichan and Duncan?”
4,446 Yes (68.3%)
2,065 No (31.7%)
The City of Duncan and District of North Cowichan have held a number of meetings since the election. They have established a Citizens’ Assembly to study the ramifications of merging the two municipalities, received up to $47,000 from the Province to undertake the study, and recently engaged Urban Systems Inc. as consultants to the Citizen Assembly.
On January 23, 2017, the City of Duncan approved a contract with Urban Systems for $59,500 to act as technical consultants to the Citizen Assembly, to be jointly funded by the two municipalities and funds from the Province. The District of North Cowichan approved the contract at their Special Council Meeting on January 30, 2017. The mandate of the Citizens’ Assembly is to complete their investigation and report before the end of the current election cycle (November 2018).
The previous councils of Duncan and North Cowichan formulated clear reciprocal referendum questions and the current councils have listened to residents. They are carrying through on a comprehensive, citizen-lead study of amalgamation with fulsome public involvement. In addition to the 36 member Citizens’ Assembly, the Cowichan Valley initiative has held one open house for area residents and another is planned on April 6, 2017.
On the Saanich Peninsula:
Residents of the District of Central Saanich voted on the following question:
“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?”
3,588 Yes (70.7%)
1,489 No (29.3%)
Residents of the District of North Saanich voted on the following question:
“Are you in favour of a study, provincially funded, to investigate the feasibility, costs and implications of amalgamating the three municipalities on the Saanich Peninsula of Sidney, Central Saanich and North Saanich?”
2,881 Yes (62.5%)
1,727 No (37.5%)
Residents of the Town of Sidney voted on the following question:
“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?”
2,566 Yes (67.6%)
1,232 No (32.4%)
The previous councils of the three Peninsula municipalities are to be commended for formulating clear questions, following the direction they received from their electorate.
Now, why haven’t the councils elected in 2014 pushed ahead with an amalgamation study as approved by their electorate? Many campaigned on that promise. What has happened since the election?
During the first half of 2015, each of the three municipalities wrote to the (then) Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, Coralee Oakes, asking for funding and/or involvement in an amalgamation study of Sidney, Central Saanich and North Saanich.
Minister Oakes met with the mayors. However, on July 30, 2015, Premier Clark appointed Peter Fassbender as the new Minister of Community Sport and Cultural Development. Minister Fassbender was given a Mandate Letter by Premier Christy Clark
See item 6 in the letter.
Minister Fassbender, staff from the Ministry, and various mayors in the Capital Region District (CRD) have met numerous times, out of which emerged the current Capital Integrated Services and Governance Initiative (CISGI). This initiative is regional in scope, encompassing all 13 municipalities within the CRD and specifically excludes examining amalgamation of the three Peninsula municipalities, or any other amalgamation possibilities. On June 1, 2016 (17 months after the local government elections), Minister Fassbender announced funding of $95,400 to Urban Systems and Circle Square Solutions to deliver the CISGI project.
Unlike the Cowichan Valley amalgamation study (also partially funded by the Province), the CISGI project primarily involves local politicians, many of whom are on record as being opposed to studying any amalgamation models. Limited public involvement was provided through the website PlaceSpeak. There have been no town hall meetings or direct citizen involvement in this initiative. To date, there has been no progress on an amalgamation study of the three Peninsula municipalities. This ignores the majority of residents of those municipalities who voted for a study, after which a binding vote could be held in the November 2018 local elections.
SUMMARY and QUESTIONS:
Duncan and North Cowichan asked a referendum question and are acting to fulfil the mandate of their electorate. Why did the councils of the three Peninsula municipalities agree to ask their residents an amalgamation study question if they were not prepared to follow through with the results?
Why is the Ministry funding an amalgamation study between Duncan and North Cowichan, yet not doing so for the three Peninsula municipalities? The CISGI project is not a substitute for a comprehensive and unbiased amalgamation study.
- Colin Nielsen
Election results source: CivicInfoBC