FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (May 28, 2014)

Sewage issue results from dysfunctional CRD, improper governance model

“The current waste water treatment debacle can be laid squarely at the feet of our current model of governance” says Amalgamation Yes spokesperson John Vickers

Amalgamation Yes believes the problem rests with the fact that the CRD is not directly accountable to the resident body of Greater Victoria.

CRD Board members are appointed from 13 municipal councils as representatives of their municipality, not as representatives of the region. Not one of the 15 Directors on the CRD Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee is answerable to the residents of all 7 municipalities involved with this project, yet they made significant decisions that impacted one of their member municipalities, Esquimalt. This is not accountability. This is a broken system of governance.

“The idea of 7 municipalities working through the CRD in this fashion has been a colossal failure” said Vickers.

“Given current circumstances and at a minimum, residents in each of the 13 municipalities should have an opportunity to express their view on whether there is desire for a formalized study on a level of regional amalgamation. That can happen if there is a non-binding referendum question on the November 15 municipal ballot. We believe unless we evolve into a new governance structure, the dysfunction the region currently finds itself in, will continue", concluded Vickers.



Contact Information:
Susan Jones: Amalgamation Yes Chair, 250-217-5340
John Vickers: Amalgamation Yes Spokesperson, 250-661-5350
www.amalgamationyes.ca