FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (February 10, 2016)
As Province embarks on regional integration review, City of Victoria strategic plan includes amalgamation
At the Committee of the Whole on February 9, Victoria City Council has reaffirmed the need to include amalgamation
in addition to a sole review on regional integration.
Councilor Geoff Young, in proposing an amendment to include amalgamation stated, “Most of the strategic plan is stuff we made up. This is one we can’t change. On this matter we had clear instruction straight from our voters who are a higher authority than the Minister. We have to honour the direction given to us and to many municipal governments in this region. There has been a lot of twisting around the issue and it has not moved forward quickly.”
Young also noted that the public sees problems with our current regional governance as demonstrated by the current sewage initiate, that the public might be seeking more effective regional governance or a single region government and one of the possibilities could be amalgamation.
John Vickers, spokesman for AmalgamationYes said “I am pleased to see Victoria City Council continue with amalgamation. Section 13 of the strategic plan will now include 'the possibility of amalgamation’ and at a minimum, the overwhelming will of the people will be recognized. The same voters on the same day who elected the Victoria City Council also spoke very clearly on reviewing amalgamation. As Councilor Young highlighted, this expression of democracy is, for the Council, a higher authority than the Minister himself.”
“We now call upon other city councils to respect the will of their constituents and inform the Minister that any regional review must also include amalgamation. The Angus Reid poll conducted in 2014, indicated just 7% regional support for maintaining thirteen municipalities. Elected representatives from across this region need to remind the Minister of the election results and ask him to extend to Capital Region residents an amalgamation study.” He added
“The Provincial government promised it would conduct an amalgamation study after the municipal election and then modified its stand to 'facilitating a governance review with the mayors'. Then, in the meeting with mayors, Minister Fassbender took amalgamation off the table and said it wasn’t up for discussion and there would only be an integration review. You can’t have it both ways, Premier Clark, asking your Minister to report on amalgamation while refusing democracy and an amalgamation study across Greater Victoria. We need the Premier to be the 'yes government' and proceed with a study.” Vickers concluded.
Victoria residents voted 80% Yes to amalgamating the number of municipalities in Greater Victoria region in November, 2014.
Contact Information:
John Vickers:
AmalgamationYes, Vice Chair and Spokesperson, 250-661-5350
www.amalgamationyes.ca
As Province embarks on regional integration review, City of Victoria strategic plan includes amalgamation
At the Committee of the Whole on February 9, Victoria City Council has reaffirmed the need to include amalgamation
in addition to a sole review on regional integration.
Councilor Geoff Young, in proposing an amendment to include amalgamation stated, “Most of the strategic plan is stuff we made up. This is one we can’t change. On this matter we had clear instruction straight from our voters who are a higher authority than the Minister. We have to honour the direction given to us and to many municipal governments in this region. There has been a lot of twisting around the issue and it has not moved forward quickly.”
Young also noted that the public sees problems with our current regional governance as demonstrated by the current sewage initiate, that the public might be seeking more effective regional governance or a single region government and one of the possibilities could be amalgamation.
John Vickers, spokesman for AmalgamationYes said “I am pleased to see Victoria City Council continue with amalgamation. Section 13 of the strategic plan will now include 'the possibility of amalgamation’ and at a minimum, the overwhelming will of the people will be recognized. The same voters on the same day who elected the Victoria City Council also spoke very clearly on reviewing amalgamation. As Councilor Young highlighted, this expression of democracy is, for the Council, a higher authority than the Minister himself.”
“We now call upon other city councils to respect the will of their constituents and inform the Minister that any regional review must also include amalgamation. The Angus Reid poll conducted in 2014, indicated just 7% regional support for maintaining thirteen municipalities. Elected representatives from across this region need to remind the Minister of the election results and ask him to extend to Capital Region residents an amalgamation study.” He added
“The Provincial government promised it would conduct an amalgamation study after the municipal election and then modified its stand to 'facilitating a governance review with the mayors'. Then, in the meeting with mayors, Minister Fassbender took amalgamation off the table and said it wasn’t up for discussion and there would only be an integration review. You can’t have it both ways, Premier Clark, asking your Minister to report on amalgamation while refusing democracy and an amalgamation study across Greater Victoria. We need the Premier to be the 'yes government' and proceed with a study.” Vickers concluded.
Victoria residents voted 80% Yes to amalgamating the number of municipalities in Greater Victoria region in November, 2014.
Contact Information:
John Vickers:
AmalgamationYes, Vice Chair and Spokesperson, 250-661-5350
www.amalgamationyes.ca
