Victoria and Saanich could soon become one.
On Saturday, April 5th, the Victoria-Saanich Citizens’ Assembly concluded eight months of deliberations in which they decided to recommend the two municipalities amalgamate.
The next steps will be for the Assembly to present a report with their findings to each municipal council next month, detailing why the two municipalities should consider amalgamation.
Following that, should Saanich and Victoria accept the report and move forward, a robust information campaign will commence, then a referendum will be held during the 2026 local elections.
“Having considered the costs, benefits and disadvantages to the best of our abilities and with the information available to us, we recommend the amalgamation of Victoria and Saanich,” said the Assembly in a statement on the amalgamation.
“In the course of our deliberations, we ultimately concluded that amalgamating and becoming a unified city is the best form of government for our two municipalities.”
During a presentation at the closing ceremonies of the Assembly, the 48 members of the group read a draft version of their findings to representatives from both municipalities.
Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto says she looks forward to seeing the final report and discussing it with her colleagues.
“Thank you to all of you who have been a part of this, for giving your time, for giving thought to these issues on behalf of the public,” Alto said at the ceremony.
“Thank you to the Assembly members for your contributions and efforts. We’re entering a new era, one that requires us to be more creative and efficient in serving the best interests of residents, and we look forward to seeing … the final report,” added Saanich Councillor Susan Brice, speaking on behalf of Mayor Dean Murdock.
The Assembly’s final report will include their detailed rationale for the recommendation, a comprehensive list of the issues and questions they considered, the profiles of the Assembly’s members, the values they considered and further recommendations for councils to address.
Some of the further considerations each council will have to consider is how they would go about combining resources on:
- Municipal planning and services
- Police and fire services
- Housing affordability
- Climate change planning and resilience
- Agricultural and rural lands protection
- Governance and representation
- Indigenous engagement and reconciliation
- Conducting a public referendum on amalgamation
“The assembly did a commendable job listening to and representing the varied perspectives of residents, and reached a clear recommendation that looks to the future,” said Assembly Chair Peter MacLeod.
“The members took care to weigh the information provided by more than twenty guests and experts, as well as the public submissions they received. They also listened closely to residents who participated in a series of public and online open meetings.”
MacLeod added that ultimately the Assembly concluded that both communities would benefit from integrating to provide broader services to the two communities.
However, this amalgamation will not happen overnight.
The Victoria-Saanich Citizens’ Assembly was just one stage in a process before the ball is put into each respective municipalities’ courts.
The Assembly says that if the councils decide to endorse their recommendation for a public referendum on amalgamation, the municipalities will then have to work with the Province of British Columbia to initiate it.
They say it is likely the prospect of a referendum could happen with the next municipal elections in 2026.
