The Victoria-Saanich Citizens’ Assembly on Municipal Amalgamation released its report on July 10.
The Assembly had announced its recommendation – amalgamate – in April, before the report was written.
The report is over 100 pages long, and I’ve looked over several sections so far, and will read it all by the 17th when it is discussed with Council.
One section that jumped out at me was Minority Reports. Four minority reports disagreed with the recommendation to amalgamate* for a variety of reasons. These reasons go to the heart of many arguments commonly made in favour of amalgamation. They could be a useful tool to help evaluate the arguments and conclusions of the main report.
I encourage anyone interested to read the full version of these minority reports (pages 57-59 of the main report) as well as the rest of the report. Meantime, here are some excerpts of the reasons in the minority reports:
1. There is no compelling argument that amalgamation would address issues
“Our Assembly’s research, analysis and discussion did not result in a definitive, compelling argument in favour of amalgamation as a means of addressing the important issues and concerns raised, including: inefficient service delivery; cost-sharing for services; inconsistent zoning and permitting policies; disjointed police and fire services; transit planning; and environmental sustainability. In our deliberations we could not confirm that the merging of two incorporated municipalities into one would address most if any of these issues.”
2. Amalgamation means less representation of citizens and local needs
“A single amalgamated municipality would see the per capita council representation cut in half, and greatly expand the scope of territory and issues each councillor would need to be attending to. This might lead to councillors having a less intimate knowledge and understanding of the needs and issues of the local communities, and less time to meet with and listen to the needs of their citizens.”
3. Significant financial costs of amalgamation, and no significant savings
“In our exploration, we learned that past Canadian civic amalgamations resulted in significant financial costs passed on to taxpayers and consumers of services. Contrary to what people assume, amalgamations do not save money. … I did not see enough clear evidence that amalgamation would lead to multiple or substantial benefits for the people. While some Assembly members guess or imagine that there will be significant benefits, there were not enough concrete indicators to give me the confidence to declare that we should take on absolute amalgamation.”
“Presenters to the Assembly generally agreed that amalgamation does not reduce costs significantly, if at all.”
4. We already have an effective mechanism for regional services
“Unlike jurisdictions that have experienced amalgamations of separate services such as water, sewers, transit, library, etc., the Capital Regional District already provides these services. Other CRD committees and commissions with municipal representation also provide services (for example, hospitals, housing, regional arts facilities, and Indigenous relations) as well as advisory assistance to Victoria, Saanich, and other CRD members. Amalgamation is not needed to provide such services already available. Municipalities can access them now.”
“Rather than merging into a single large entity, we can build stronger partnerships with neighbouring communities to share resources, improve services, and tackle regional issues together. This approach would allow us to maintain our sovereignty, preserve our local identities, and still benefit from the efficiencies that come with regional collaboration.”
“In our current model, we have living proof that Victoria and Saanich are great neighbours. We frequently cooperate, collaborate, and share services. We also retain an independence from each other that lets us coexist side-by-side when that is most suitable. Why take on the risks associated with rebuilding a system that already works well, when adequate benefits may never materialize? It’s preferable to continue to strive to integrate services in the areas where it is evident we could do better as a single unit, as it is with policing, and leave the rest alone.”
5. We risk losing what makes our region special
“While collaboration between the two municipalities is essential, merging them into one large entity could undermine the very qualities that make our region unique. … If we simply amalgamate without a clear plan, we risk losing the essence of what makes our region special—our unique balance between urban, suburban, and rural landscapes, and our ability to maintain a sense of local ownership and pride.”
This is a sampling of some points raised in the minority reports. I will reflect on how the main report handles these points, and others, when reading it.
* Note: A couple of minority reports addressed other topics. One stated that municipalities should have access to more revenue sources, and that other levels of government need to boost their services. Another stated that having a ward system (which the Assembly studied) would exacerbate the housing crisis.