IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (September 30th, 2014)
Oak Bay places amalgamation question on the November 2014 municipal ballot.
Oak Bay Council passed a motion to place an amalgamation question on the ballot at its council meeting on September 29th 2014 citing the democratic right of the public to have its say on this issue.
“We are pleased that Oak Bay has chosen to join other municipalities to survey community interest on amalgamation with a non-binding ballot question this November. Oak Bay council has shown leadership on this issue and we now look forward to hearing what the views of Oak Bay residents are on a tremendously important regional matter – reducing the level of governance here on the South Island”, said John Vickers spokesperson for AmalgamationYes.
Six municipalities are now placing a non-binding amalgamation question on the ballot: Oak Bay, Central Saanich, Langford, Esquimalt, Victoria and Sidney, This means that municipalities with 52% of the capital regions population have opted to hear residents’ voices on this important issue.
“There is still time for the other municipalities to extend the same right to their citizens. We urge Saanich, Colwood, View Royal, Metchosin, Highlands, North Saanich and Sooke to follow suit and let their citizens join the conversation on amalgamation,” stated John Vickers.
Amalgamation Yes will continue to encourage all municipalities in the region to put an amalgamation question on the ballot. The non-binding question proposed by AmalgamationYes is “Are you in favour of reducing the number of municipalities in the Capital Regional District through amalgamation?” A positive result would motivate the Province of BC to commission an expert study to compare various municipal amalgamation models against the status quo and trigger community engagement about how we wish to be governed.
“The public wants to vote on the matter of amalgamation as evidenced by the recent Angus Reid poll where 89% of those surveyed felt the question should be on the November ballot, by the discussion in the media and in signatures gathered by AmalgamationYes on its petition. Now is the time for elected officials to act and place the matter before the electorate in November," added John Vickers.
Contact Information:
John Vickers: Amalgamation Yes Vice Chair and Spokesperson, 250-661-5350
www.amalgamationyes.ca
Oak Bay places amalgamation question on the November 2014 municipal ballot.
Oak Bay Council passed a motion to place an amalgamation question on the ballot at its council meeting on September 29th 2014 citing the democratic right of the public to have its say on this issue.
“We are pleased that Oak Bay has chosen to join other municipalities to survey community interest on amalgamation with a non-binding ballot question this November. Oak Bay council has shown leadership on this issue and we now look forward to hearing what the views of Oak Bay residents are on a tremendously important regional matter – reducing the level of governance here on the South Island”, said John Vickers spokesperson for AmalgamationYes.
Six municipalities are now placing a non-binding amalgamation question on the ballot: Oak Bay, Central Saanich, Langford, Esquimalt, Victoria and Sidney, This means that municipalities with 52% of the capital regions population have opted to hear residents’ voices on this important issue.
“There is still time for the other municipalities to extend the same right to their citizens. We urge Saanich, Colwood, View Royal, Metchosin, Highlands, North Saanich and Sooke to follow suit and let their citizens join the conversation on amalgamation,” stated John Vickers.
Amalgamation Yes will continue to encourage all municipalities in the region to put an amalgamation question on the ballot. The non-binding question proposed by AmalgamationYes is “Are you in favour of reducing the number of municipalities in the Capital Regional District through amalgamation?” A positive result would motivate the Province of BC to commission an expert study to compare various municipal amalgamation models against the status quo and trigger community engagement about how we wish to be governed.
“The public wants to vote on the matter of amalgamation as evidenced by the recent Angus Reid poll where 89% of those surveyed felt the question should be on the November ballot, by the discussion in the media and in signatures gathered by AmalgamationYes on its petition. Now is the time for elected officials to act and place the matter before the electorate in November," added John Vickers.
Contact Information:
John Vickers: Amalgamation Yes Vice Chair and Spokesperson, 250-661-5350
www.amalgamationyes.ca