For immediate release:
Need for change never more evident, says Amalgamation Yes
February 4, 2017
More than two years after the municipal election we are still waiting for the report on governance in the Capital Regional District. Meanwhile evidence of the failures in the current system continue to mount.
Almost weekly the media call for reviews of issues such as housing, transit, land use, traffic, emergency services, with despair at the lack of regional focus to address these pressing issues.
The Province has promised a report on integration in the region, which was due in October, 2016. This report will not look at amalgamation as an option. The Capital Integrated Services and Governance Initiative (CISGI) task force mandate was restricted and given truncated focus to concentrate on shared service delivery by means other than amalgamation.
“During the last municipal election, the public made their wishes known. Yet Provincial and municipal politicians continue to ignore the democratic direction of the public to conduct a thorough governance study for the region” said John Vickers spokesperson for AmalgamationYes. “Under the current system CRD members must serve two masters: their municipality and the region. Time after time the region loses. It is clear, as with many other situations, one cannot serve two masters.”
For several years Greater Victoria residents have been concerned about the governance model for the Capital Region and its failure to deliver adequate services, and for municipal and regional leaders to be held accountable. The Victoria Chamber of Commerce, the Victoria Residential Builders Association, local business leaders, community groups, some local police chiefs and other officials have expressed similar observations.
“Our local politicians have failed us. They made promises to listen to the electorate in the last election but have continued to put up roadblocks to looking at governance in the region. The Premier mandated the Minister to look at amalgamation as an option and four of the mayors in the core city made public statements that they would honor the will of the electorate. The public deserves better from the provincial and municipal elected officials.” added John Vickers.
“It is time to consider a core city in the Capital Region that will truly be the capital city that the Province deserves.” concluded John Vickers.
In the July 2014 Angus Reid public opinion poll approximately 90% favoured a study into reducing the number of municipalities in the Capital Region (84% favoured amalgamation).
The results were confirmed by the electorate in the municipal elections in the fall of 2014, where 75% of the votes cast (in 8 municipalities representing 89% of the regional population) were in favour of fewer municipalities or a formal study to that end. Poll after polli conducted by local print and media outlets has resulted in consistently favourable responses (typically over 80 percentile) to local government reform.
Amalgamation Yes continues to advocate for a comprehensive governance study in Greater Victoria to fulfill the mandate provided by the electorate in 2014.
Contact Information:
John Vickers: Vice Chair and Spokesperson, AmalgamationYes 250-661-5350
www.amalgamationyes.ca
i http://www.amalgamationyes.ca/polls.html
Need for change never more evident, says Amalgamation Yes
February 4, 2017
More than two years after the municipal election we are still waiting for the report on governance in the Capital Regional District. Meanwhile evidence of the failures in the current system continue to mount.
- The Regional Growth Strategy approved by the CRD board has been rejected by seven municipalities—an obvious disconnect. Once again this will require the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development to step in and find a solution – just as they had to with sewage treatment.
- The two fastest growing municipalities of Colwood and Langford refuse to support the South Island Prosperity Project, the agency created to promote regional economic development in Greater Victoria south of the Malahat.
- Several municipalities refuse to support the creation of a regional transportation authority to resolve current traffic congestions. The CRD Regional Transportation Plan approved in 2014 cannot be implemented.
- There is an absence of leadership to identify opportunities for rail service as a viable option for the region. Yet priority is given to funding other projects that merely promote more motor vehicle use.
- A proposed new $12 million 9-1-1 emergency dispatch centre won’t include fire service for 15 separate departments.
- Economic growth and particularly the supply of market housing supply is constrained by a confusing duplicative system of 23 sets of building codes, zoning bylaws and inspection regimes. And almost all councils approve an annual increase in taxes and fees that discourage business investments and add to cost of living.
- Colwood and Langford have asked for a review of CRD budgeting, as they feel funds are not going to projects and their communities as allocated.
Almost weekly the media call for reviews of issues such as housing, transit, land use, traffic, emergency services, with despair at the lack of regional focus to address these pressing issues.
The Province has promised a report on integration in the region, which was due in October, 2016. This report will not look at amalgamation as an option. The Capital Integrated Services and Governance Initiative (CISGI) task force mandate was restricted and given truncated focus to concentrate on shared service delivery by means other than amalgamation.
“During the last municipal election, the public made their wishes known. Yet Provincial and municipal politicians continue to ignore the democratic direction of the public to conduct a thorough governance study for the region” said John Vickers spokesperson for AmalgamationYes. “Under the current system CRD members must serve two masters: their municipality and the region. Time after time the region loses. It is clear, as with many other situations, one cannot serve two masters.”
For several years Greater Victoria residents have been concerned about the governance model for the Capital Region and its failure to deliver adequate services, and for municipal and regional leaders to be held accountable. The Victoria Chamber of Commerce, the Victoria Residential Builders Association, local business leaders, community groups, some local police chiefs and other officials have expressed similar observations.
“Our local politicians have failed us. They made promises to listen to the electorate in the last election but have continued to put up roadblocks to looking at governance in the region. The Premier mandated the Minister to look at amalgamation as an option and four of the mayors in the core city made public statements that they would honor the will of the electorate. The public deserves better from the provincial and municipal elected officials.” added John Vickers.
“It is time to consider a core city in the Capital Region that will truly be the capital city that the Province deserves.” concluded John Vickers.
In the July 2014 Angus Reid public opinion poll approximately 90% favoured a study into reducing the number of municipalities in the Capital Region (84% favoured amalgamation).
The results were confirmed by the electorate in the municipal elections in the fall of 2014, where 75% of the votes cast (in 8 municipalities representing 89% of the regional population) were in favour of fewer municipalities or a formal study to that end. Poll after polli conducted by local print and media outlets has resulted in consistently favourable responses (typically over 80 percentile) to local government reform.
Amalgamation Yes continues to advocate for a comprehensive governance study in Greater Victoria to fulfill the mandate provided by the electorate in 2014.
Contact Information:
John Vickers: Vice Chair and Spokesperson, AmalgamationYes 250-661-5350
www.amalgamationyes.ca
i http://www.amalgamationyes.ca/polls.html