A new group aims to advance the amalgamation debate.
The Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society, also known as Amalgamation Yes, questions the value of having 13 municipalities in the region. A Wednesday night public meeting launched the group’s new information centre at 577 Pembroke St., with supporters including Victoria Coun. Shellie Gudgeon and local festival organizer John Vickers in attendance.
Joining the crowd of about 80 were Victoria police Chief Jamie Graham and Victoria-Beacon Hill MLA Carole James.
Graham said he was there out of general interest, noting he is a proponent of regional policing.
“I know many of the people here are talking about regional government. I’m not an expert in that field so I don’t really have a view, but, certainly from a policing perspective, I’m a huge fan of one urban regional force.”
One of the group’s primary goals is to get a non-binding question about amalgamation on the ballot in the next municipal election, set for November 2014. Ultimately, group members would like to see fewer municipalities but are not backing any specific model for amalgamation, said Vickers, who is hopeful there could be a binding referendum on amalgamation within about three years.
Gudgeon said she has become progressively more in favour of amalgamation since being elected to council in 2011. The notion of different municipalities simply “working together” is fine, but she said partnerships don’t always last.
“We need to elevate the discourse and the dialogue,” she said, adding amalgamation should be looked at in detail because having so many municipalities doesn’t work. “This ‘siloed’ approach is damaging to our beloved region.”
Over the past few months, there’s been a push to “amalgamate the amalgamators,” which ultimately led to the creation of Amalgamation Yes.
The group’s website says its “mission is to achieve more effective and accountable governance within the Capital Regional District through municipal amalgamation.”
Gudgeon said she hopes a ballot question on amalgamation will lead to provincial funding that could be used to bring experts into the discussion. “Then we can all contribute our ideas of what we think the best way to govern our region would be.”
The cost of joining the fledgling amalgamation society is a symbolic $13, a nod to the region’s 13 municipal areas. The group’s website, amalgamationyes.ca, also includes a section called “13 Reasons in Support of Amalgamation.”
A key to success for Amalgamation Yes is gathering a solid base of supporters, Gudgeon said.
“I think the province needs to see this grassroots support and this grassroots initiative.”
The amalgamation discussion picked up steam after the 2011 municipal elections, when Gudgeon responded to a Twitter discussion on the subject. That led to people joining forces to put on a public forum on the subject in February 2012.
