REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: March 23, 2016 Report No. ADM-16-007
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Anja Nurvo, Director of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Draft Capital Region Amalgamation Study Guidelines and ProcessEnd
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That, following the receipt of public input, Council:
1) finalize the Capital Region Amalgamation Study Guidelines and direct staff to forward the Guidelines to the Province for consideration; and
2) provide comments to Minister Fassbender on the draft Framework for Discussion.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Local Government Act
Community Charter
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
This Request for Decision relates to relationships with our neighbours and other levels of government.
BACKGROUND:
At the Committee of the Whole (COTW) meeting on April 20, 2015, Council reviewed the letter from Mayor Helps dated February 17, 2015 and the letter from Tony Heemskerk, Chair, Amalgamation Yes, dated January 7, 2015, together with draft proposed Capital Region Amalgamation Study Guidelines. The COTW discussed several revisions to the draft Guidelines. As directed by the COTW at that meeting, staff wrote to Minister Oakes, the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, regarding the Governance Review process and advised that Esquimalt will be conducting further public consultation prior to Council making a decision and addressing the proposed Guidelines for the Study.
The draft Guidelines, revised in accordance with the COTW discussion, were reviewed by Council at its meeting on May 4th, 2015. At that time, Council directed staff to schedule at Town Hall meeting in the Fall in order to obtain public input into the draft Guidelines. The Town Hall meeting was postponed pending release of a report on amalgamation by Professor Bisch, which was expected to be released by the Fraser Institute early in 2016.
The Township received correspondence from Minister Fassbender, the new Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, dated January 29, 2016 enclosing a draft Framework for Discussion, and requesting comments by early February. The Mayor responded by letter to Minister Fassbender, advising of our upcoming public consultation, and advised that we would provide comments following completion of consultation with our residents. We received a subsequent letter from Minister Fassbender dated February 11, 2016 which again enclosed a copy of the draft Framework for Discussion and requested comments by February 23, 2016.
Attached are the following:
1. Draft Capital Region Amalgamation Study Guidelines as discussed by Council at the April 20th COTW and May 4th Council meetings;
2. Summary of 2014 Election Results on the Non-binding Referendum Questions;
3. Letter from Amalgamation Yes dated January 7, 2015, and their proposed guidelines;
4. Letter from City of Victoria dated February 17, 2015, and draft guidelines as approved by the City of Victoria;
5. Letters with the Province, together with the draft Framework for Discussion; and
6. Public comments received on this issue to the date of writing this report.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
Prior to providing the Province with recommended Capital Region Amalgamation Study Guidelines and comments on the Province’s draft Framework for Discussion, Council wished to provide the opportunity for residents of Esquimalt to provide additional input to Council on the proposed Guidelines. This Special Council meeting has been scheduled specifically for this purpose.
2. Organizational Implications
There are no organizational implications.
3. Financial Implications
There are no financial implications of providing approved Capital Region Amalgamation Study Guidelines to the Province. The Guidelines include a clause that the Study of governance options for the Capital Region must evaluate the economic, social, environmental and cultural merits of each option.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
There are no sustainability or environmental implications.
5. Communication & Engagement
A copy of this Staff Report, with all attachments, has been posted to the Township’s website for two weeks prior to this Special Council meeting, inviting residents to attend to provide comments or alternatively to provide written input to Council.
Copies of comments received from the public to the date of preparing this Staff Report are attached. Copies of any additional written comments received prior to the Special Council meeting will be provided to Council at the meeting as Late Items.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That, following the receipt of public input, Council:
1) finalize the Capital Region Amalgamation Study Guidelines and direct staff to forward the Guidelines to the Province for consideration; and
2) provide comments to Minister Fassbender on the draft Framework for Discussion.
2. That Council direct staff to prepare revised draft Guidelines and draft comments on the Framework for Discussion for Council’s consideration at the next Regular Council meeting.