Comments on: Changes to governance difficult

By: Darryl Roy Owens

Darryl Roy Owens — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 15:37:54 +0000

Thank you so much for finally explaining how the 13 municipalities in Greater Victoria was created some 50 years ago, “for service delivery agencies for participating municipalities ,and electoral districts, not as additional levels of local government”. After living here for nearly 15 years it’s good to find out why these 13 municipalities came about as separate entities in Greater Victoria.
Well, here we go again……..Budget Time in our 13 municipalities. Seems like 10% tax increase is around the norm this year; how pathetic especially in these times when the future with other countries is so very important. One would hope some consistency in group thinking and savings to the residents would occur. Thinking outside the Box is a non starter for all our governments municipal, provincial or federal. Unfortunately it appears that will not be the case and again we have consecutive budget increase year after year. Last year my municipality imposed a 6.6% property tax increase, yet when my final property tax bill arrived it was a net 14 % increase from the prior year. It’s not only municipal tax increases but school tax, Transit increases etc. etc.

By: Elizabeth Borek

Elizabeth Borek — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 19:20:13 +0000

I lived through amalgamation in Toronto. The financial cost savings never materialized; taxes never declined. The worst part was a significant loss of local representation.
Prior to amalgamation we could go to our local councilor regarding issues in our community such as parks improvements, safety, etc. and the councilor was responsive.
Post amalgamation we had to present our concerns to a committee, most members of which had little knowledge of our community and often seemingly had no interest. Members of the committee often chatted amongst themselves while taxpayers presented well researched and written deputations. There was definitely a loss of local representation. Previously charming individual neighborhoods seemed to get homogenized into neighborhoods similar to all the others. In the CRD, including Saanich and Victoria, there are many very charming little neighborhoods which will likely be lost/diminished if amalgamation occurs.
I remember reading at the time that the Halifax experience with amalgamation was not successful either by many standards.
Amalgamation is a well intentioned concept but I have yet to see a successful implementation.
What might be possible without causing a deterioration of representation and neighborhood identity is the amalgamation of the some services such as fire or police.

By: Shauna

Shauna — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 18:30:03 +0000

I never knew or thought about this. Definitely, streamlining services for such a small population seems in the best interests of the people, but not the over populated politicians. How can we pressure politicians to do what’s best for the people???

By: Bert Cowan

Bert Cowan — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 17:53:05 +0000

Excellent comments John and bang on.