Thank you so much for your thoughtful examination of our urgent need for amalgamation.
With the recent municipal elections bringing fewer changes than we had hoped the current inertia will continue. Meanwhile, at just about every dinner party or social gathering recently I have found most people very enthusiastic about amalgamation. A recent quick CHEK tv news poll (November of this year) had viewers 70 per cent in favour of amalgamation.
Your idea of four regional municipalities has much merit. The anti-amalgamation forces argue that Oak Bay has little or nothing in common with East Sooke and are quick to point out the mixed results in both Toronto and Montreal.
Your perspective has much to offer. The one caveat I have is that scrapping the CRD might give carte blanche to the developers who would not hesitate to pave the entire Saanich penninsula. I have railed at CRD members for not fulfilling their mandates (Vic Derman is a sterling exception). Without some kind of greater authority overseeing a regional plan the potential for uncurtailed suburban growth without proper infrastructure planning makes me shudder.
Again, my thanks for your article and I hope it provokes a great deal of interest. I hasten to add that I have absolutely no background in urban planning (I am a painter) but will follow this with great interest and will share it with others.
Sylvia Bews-Wright
Victoria