Citizens' group recommends Victoria-Saanich amalgamation

After eight months of research, a citizens' assembly of residents from Saanich and Victoria, B.C., said both municipalities would be better off if they were to become one. 

Saanich and Victoria are the two most populous municipalities on southern Vancouver Island, with populations of 117,735 and 91,867, respectively, according to 2021 census numbers from Statistics Canada.  

While they share some regional services, they are governed separately — with separate mayors and councils, separate police forces, and more. 

In a non-binding referendum in 2018, residents approved each municipality spending up to $250,000 to study whether they would benefit from joining forces. 

The process was delayed by the pandemic but finally began last year. 

The Victoria-Saanich Citizens' Assembly, made up of 48 randomly selected residents from the two municipalities, released its recommendation this weekend.

This is Vancouver Island14:42Sictoria? Vaanich? The Victoria-Saanich Amalgamation discussion is finally about to begin

Nearly six years ago, voters in Saanich and Victoria said yes to an independent study of the pros, cons, and costs of amalgamation — after decades of debate and discussion of the idea. Now, invites are set to go out to join the citizen’s assembly. The body of randomly selected residents will spend eight Saturdays studying the matter, and then come up with a recommendation: to become one city, or not. In this episode, we hear how organizers are trying to make sure everyone has a chance at joining the assembly, including people who are unhoused. We’ll also get some of the arguments for and against combining Victoria and Saanich.

Peter MacLeod chaired the assembly on behalf of MASS LBP, a Toronto-based organization that organizes citizens' assemblies around the world. 

He told On the Island host Gregor Craigie the assembly members studied how the municipalities work and heard from residents about what mattered most to them.

He said they saw that Victoria and Saanich are similar in size, spending, and services, and therefore would be better off operating as one in everything from land use to economic development to planning for climate change.

"So when they took a look at the wide swath of issues that they heard from residents that matter, they felt that the time is now to start preparing for the future together," said MacLeod.

Next steps 

The assembly will deliver a final report to the Victoria and Saanich councils next month, which will include specifics as to why they made their recommendation. 

Matt Dell is a councillor in Victoria, and told CBC News he's excited to see the report. 

"I'm particularly interested to see what they have to say about fire and policing services, but it'll be interesting to hear things about parks and recreation, for example, arts and culture, funding pools, that type of stuff as well."

Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock said both councils have committed to putting the question to the public in a referendum. 

"It will be up to the voters on whether or not we accept the recommendation from the assembly,  and if we're going to move forward with what a single municipality would look like or not," Murdock told CBC News. 

The referendum question will likely be added to the ballot during the B.C. municipal elections in October 2026.