Follow us on  Twitter or Contact Us
AMALGAMATION YES
  • Home
  • Research & Studies
    • Research & Studies
    • Saanich - Victoria Citizens' Assembly
    • Duncan - N. Cowichan Amalgamation
    • Politics >
      • Provincial Capital City Comparisons
      • Big City Mayors' Caucus
      • Integrated Service Delivery (ISD)
      • CRD inventory
      • Understanding the CRD - How decisions are made
      • How is the CRD Board Chair selected?
      • Postcards from London: a few lessons we could learn
      • Candidate Quotes, 2013 Prov. Election
      • CRD Weighted Voting
      • Halifax Central Library
    • Municipal Services >
      • 2016 CRD - Unequal Representation
      • CRD - MVRD Comparison
      • 91 Elected Municipal Officials CRD renumeration in 2013
      • Municipal Councilor Member Expenses
      • Municipal Service Matrix
      • Disaster Response & Emergency Management Plans
      • 9-1-1 Service
      • E & N rail summary
    • Maps & Populations
    • Polls
  • About Us
    • Mission & Founders
    • Board of Directors
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • Annual General Meeting 2020
    • Annual General Meeting 2019
    • Annual General Meeting 2018
    • Annual General Meeting 2017
    • Annual General Meeting 2016
    • Annual General Meeting 2015
    • Annual General Meeting 2014
    • Contact Us
  • Get Involved
    • Memberships & Donations
    • Volunteer
    • Keep in Touch & Comment
    • Contact your municipal council and media
    • Letters
  • Events & Media
    • Media Articles
    • AY Press Releases
    • BC Provincial election 2020
    • Victoria By-Election 2020
    • Municipal Election 2018
    • View Royal By-Election, 2017
    • Saanich By-Election 2017
    • BC Provincial election 2017
    • Municipal Election 2014
    • AY Events, News
  • Gallery
    • Abundance of Appointments
    • Bizarre Borders
    • Cacophony of Councils
    • Farrago of Fire Depts.
    • Heaps of Halls
    • Meet the Minister & MLAs
    • Multiplicity of Municipalities
    • Plethora of Police Depts.
    • Proliferation of Politicians
    • Travails of Transportation
    • Warren of Works Depts.
  • Blog
Two-tiered governance a dysfunctional system


Times Colonist
June 7, 2014

Re: "Victoria's Plan B - going alone on sewage," May 31.

When the seven municipalities began working toward a common sewage treatment plan, who would have thought that sewage would lay bare the problems of our dysfunctional two-tier local governance system?

A collective approach to sewage treatment might or might not make sense; however, when the second tier of local government (Capital Regional District) became involved, common sense and accountability went out the window. Why would an organization without accountability across the seven municipalities bother to seek a "social licence" for its decisions?

The 15 sewage treatment committee members are the same CRD directors who represent their municipalities on the CRD board. Not one is accountable in any of the seven municipalities. Saanich, being the most populous, has five directors and Victoria has four, giving those two municipalities a majority on both the sewage committee and on financial votes on sewage treatment.

Where else could local politicians from one municipality try to impose sewage treatment facilities on another? Where is the accountability? Can we, as a region, do better than the CRD and multiple municipalities? The public in all 13 municipalities should be given an opportunity for a "non-binding" vote to see if they support an objective study of other municipal structuring options.

Colin Nielsen

Victoria


© Copyright Times Colonist

Donate
Problems with the website? Email us
Copyright,
​ Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society
​1860 Greatford Place,
Victoria, BC, V8R 6M8.
Registered under the  BC Local Elections Campaign Financing Act

8SITE MAP 
Updated  April 16, 2022