Because the Metro Vancouver Regional District faces ongoing scrutiny within the wake of a scathing report on its governance construction, one of many elder statesmen of British Columbia politics is throwing out a radical answer.
“I believe we must always go down to 6 to eight municipalities from 22-plus that we’ve now,” stated Mike Harcourt.
Harcourt served as B.C. premier from 1991 to 1996, and as mayor of Vancouver from 1980 to 1986, expertise he believes offers him perception into the regional authorities’s present woes.
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He stated with the Decrease Mainland’s inhabitants closing in on 3 million, it’s time to rethink the way in which the area is managed.
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“(We must always have) a regional police drive, and I believe we must always have a look at the truth that some mayors are incomes greater than the prime minister and the premier are,” he stated.
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“So there’s loads of points like that, and it’s time to have a recent have a look at it.”
Harcourt envisioned a collection of geographically pushed amalgamations. The Metropolis and District of North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Bowen Island and Lions Bay must be one municipality, he argued, as ought to Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and Anmore. Surrey and White Rock ought to recombine, and the 2 Langleys must be a single municipality, he argued.
These six to eight mayors would symbolize their municipalities on a re-envisioned Metro Vancouver regional council, he prompt, together with representatives which might be instantly elected by voters.
However Harcourt’s blue-sky pondering doesn’t seem destined to go wherever quick.
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Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon described the proposal as a “lofty thought,” however pressured that any amalgamation speak would “must be led by native governments.”
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He pointed to the case of Victoria and Saanich, which held a residents’ meeting that really useful a merger, a prospect that shall be put to voters within the close to future.
“I believe that’s the perfect plan of action to go ahead,” Kahlon stated.
Profitable buy-in from the affected municipalities is perhaps a tough promote.
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Amalgamation speak is nothing new to the 2 North Vancouvers, and at all times generates robust opinions. A referendum on a merger failed in 1968 regardless of overwhelming help within the District, and a District proposal to check the concept in 2018 was obtained coolly by the Metropolis — which cited considerations about preserving its decrease tax fee and surpluses.
The Metropolis of Langley, likewise, rejected a citizen-led proposal to merge with the Township in 2012; extra just lately, it was the Township pushing to additional cut up the communities because it triggered a breakup of the 2 municipalities’ shared policing settlement.
These and comparable roadblocks in different municipalities, nonetheless, haven’t stopped Harcourt from suggesting a recent have a look at the regional map.
“I’m not vehemently saying do it instantly,” he stated.
“However I believe its time to take a look at what would make good governance for that form of progress.”
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