Opinion Question on the 2014 General Local Election Ballot – Amalgamation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Municipal Council of the District of Oak Bay, at their regular Council meeting on Monday, September 29, 2014, passed the following resolution:

“WHEREAS in the last two years a community group has actively promoted the awareness of amalgamation within Greater Victoria;

WHEREAS that community group has requested that a clear question be asked of residents as to their support of amalgamation;

WHEREAS Council may seek community opinion on a question that it believes affects the municipality;

WHEREAS Amalgamation can be demonstrated to affect the municipality, as by definition amalgamation would require the dissolution of Oak Bay Municipality and the provision of city services and regulations through a larger amalgamated municipality;

WHEREAS seeking community opinion may inform Council funding and staff resource allocation priorities; and

WHEREAS placing a non-binding opinion question on a general local election ballot is considerably less expensive than a stand alone process;

THERFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the following non-binding opinion question be placed on the November 15, 2014 General Local Election ballot:

“Are you in favour of the District of Oak Bay being amalgamated into a larger regional municipality?  YES or NO.””

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