2247 replies to this topic

[E2V]

As Victoria collapses from the ideology of it’s city council it becomes less appealing for any other parts of the CRD to want to join them.

[Mike K.]

As we had theorized, the writing on amalgamation is on the wall and Haynes tried to pull the plug before the Victoria/Saanich conversation could get started. The big question on everyone’s mind is where the province will start housing the Topaz and Pandora tent city groups, and whether the CoV’s actions will lead to impacts on neighbouring municipalities.

Another question is, will the UBCM go along with an amalgamation agenda?

[On the Level]

I am just wondering.  What does Amalgamation have to offer Langford?

 

 

The City of Victoria came in at 30th place, according to the report, behind Vancouver in 27th place.

 

https://vancouverisl...anada-1.5341583

Attached Images

• 

[Mattjvd]

I am just wondering. What does Amalgamation have to offer Langford

https://vancouverisl...anada-1.5341583

Probably nothing if it's entire region-wide amalgamation. But a Langford-Colwood-Metchosin-(half of) View Royal, with Langford in the driver's seat is probably attractive to them.

Edited by Mattjvd, 12 March 2021 - 11:37 AM.

[Nparker]

Region-wide amalgamation makes little sense. I believe a reduction from 13 fiefdoms to 3 or 4 still has merit.

[Victoria Watcher]

jack knox is pretty funny today.

 

 

 

 

 

In the Before Times, our calendar looked like this: Four months of rain, TC 10K, Victoria Day Parade, Swiftsure, tourist season, Peninsula strawberries, Jazzfest, no school, Inner Harbour Canada Day celebration/Fête du Régurgitation, Symphony Splash, Saanich fair, back to school, Peninsula corn, Rifflandia, raking leaves in the rain, Christmas.

 

Tomorrow, for example, we would normally trundle out into the 15 C weather (or, as we Islanders like to call it, “a scorcher”) and line Douglas Street for the first seven or eight hours of the parade. It’s one of those things true Victorians traditionally do, just like thanking bus drivers or stealing umbrellas.

https://www.timescol...-out-1.24322137

[On the Level]

Victoria is a mess, and we are seeing more special interest group councillors gaining traction in Saanich. 

 

 

Attached Images

• 

[Barrrister]

What a waste of 750k, whose pockets is this money going to line?

[Mike K.]

From the CoV:
 

Nathan Cullen, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Lisa Helps, mayor of Victoria, and Fred Haynes, mayor of Saanich, have released the following statement about moving forward with the citizens assembly to investigate potential amalgamation between the City of Victoria and the District of Saanich:

 

"We are committed to exploring our citizens views on amalgamating the City of Victoria and the District of Saanich and now that we can hold large gatherings in person again, we are planning to move forward.

 

"We have all agreed to each contribute $250,000, for a total of $750,000, toward the cost of a citizens assembly and to explore the possible outcomes, costs, benefits and disadvantages of amalgamation so that residents have a more complete understanding of what amalgamation may involve.

 

"We recognize there are strong opinions regarding amalgamation, and we want to ensure people have an opportunity to provide input in an open forum and a subsequent decision is well-informed and evidence-based.

 

"Given the upcoming general local elections in October and our shared commitment to a thorough and well-run process for considering this issue, we anticipate the launch of the citizens assembly will occur after the general local elections."

[Victoria Watcher]

Poll here:

https://www.saanichn...h-and-victoria/

[Spy Black]

I, along with all of my neighbours here in Saanich (the ones I've talked to) will most definitely vote "NO" on any form of amalgamation with Victoria.

 

There was a time not too long ago that I was in favour of amalgamation, but the reality is that for me (and I suspect many others in the region) any alignment with the City of Victoria has been completely derailed by the multi-year antics of Helps and her band of Councillors over those same years.

 

The issue with amalgamation involving the COV is that, even with a different, post-Helps city government, the issues and problems that Helps and friends created will take years (if not decades) to actually fix.

The cost of fixing those problems will likely be shocking when the final tally is examined a decade or so from now. 

The concept of amalgamating with the COV, and suddenly inheriting all of those costs, issues and problems is one that, I suspect, will completely derail any efforts at amalgamation in the region.

 

Any potential for amalgamation has been destroyed by the never-ending antics of the COV government of Helps, Loveday, Isitt, Dubow, Potts, and a few of the other "flexible" policy Councillors who have occupied City Hall over the past decade or so.

[Mike K.]

All one has to do is look at Esquimalt and its policing budget.

[Spy Black]

All one has to do is look at Esquimalt and its policing budget.

Yes, it's a perfect example of the much larger issue, but in a nutshell.

[Barrrister]

I dont think the NDP government is planning on giving anyone a vote on this which is why they are doing it after the municipal election. This will be a decision by a hand picked committee. They are hoping to take over both city council this way.

[Mike K.]

Maybe, maybe not.

For them to muscle in without a broader vote showing support would be disastrous for election campaigns. First and foremost they have to remain electable, and the south Island is a huge source of political support for the NDP.

I think the first steps will more likely involve policing and perhaps fire fighting services. We might also see bylaw mergers and some cooperation on services like road crews and utilities.

But outright merger is not happening any time soon, unless an overwhelming majority of residents in both munis back it, and that’s not happening.

[Barrrister]

Mike, I hope you are right but that is not what I am hearing in the grape vine. The NDP feels that with a majority that they can push it through and people will forget about it come the next election. There would have to be resistance in their own base and that is not happening. 

[On the Level]

Remember when I said that Lisa Helps will try to rename the city as it is too colonial?  Perhaps Victoria will become "Saanich".  

[Victoria Watcher]

Remember when I said that Lisa Helps will try to rename the city as it is too colonial?  Perhaps Victoria will become "Saanich".  

 

South Saanich!  We can never have too many Saaniches.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 March 2022 - 08:35 AM.

[Spy Black]

Mike, I hope you are right but that is not what I am hearing in the grape vine. The NDP feels that with a majority that they can push it through and people will forget about it come the next election. There would have to be resistance in their own base and that is not happening. 

Saanich has a large number of long time, property tax paying homeowners, some who have been residents for many, many decades.

 

I don't think a Provincial Gov't forced merger between Saanich and Victoria is anything any Saanich voters would forget anytime soon! ... in fact, I'd posit many potential Saanich NDP voters will carry a grudge like that to their graves (especially after their taxes go up substantially in order to fund the massive reparations required in COV proper).

 

No ... I think you'll see the current NDP government stay as far away from this affair as is possible (without them blatantly abrogating their duties as municipal "managers").

[Barrrister]

If they wanted to stay away why throw 250k into the kitty.