Governance… what does it mean to you?
There is a petition being circulated within the North Westside communities asking for a Provincially Funded “Governance Study” to model and cost a change in local government delivery. It is the same request as was made by the NWCA in 2015 resulting in the North Westside Services & Issues Review with no modeling or costs for our future just past unresolved issues now documented.
This new NWCA proposed study is not an “Incorporation Study” as in the Ministries process that would be the next, separate step in the path to self governance. It is important for the affected parties represented by the local residents and the Province who holds final responsibility to have as much information as is necessary to make and educated decision on what will be a communities most important decision for their future.
Here is the Notice from the NWCA Governance Committee:
Good Morning North Westside!
This is not a request to Incorporate…we are asking for the financial facts so we can make an informed decision on our future. There are thriving Municipalities out there with less residents than us. Size doesn’t matter, the financials do. Signing this petition in support of a Governance Study does not mean you are in favour of incorporation, it means you are in favour of finding out if this is a feasible option for us.
Petition Update: over 300 residents have signed to date
Here are the results of the Service Review that was conducted in 2017.
Now we are asking for the numbers. What does it financially look like under a Regional District and what would it look like and cost as a Municipality?
Here is a list of 14 comparable B.C. Municipalities with a population of 900 – 1500.
http://www.waynecarson.ca/issues/electoral-area-governace/governance-data/
Can the North Westside financially sustain itself? An independent feasibility study would provide us with the FACTS we need and put our questions to rest.
Sign the petition showing your support https://www.change.org/North-Westside-Independence
Staying with the RDCO may be the best option…
but what if it’s not?
For more info contact:
Callie Simpson
NWCA Governance Committee Coordinator
Here are the highlights for more go to the Ministry Site
Candidacy for Incorporation
Each community has a unique history, geography, economy, and demographic profile. While there is no one-size-fits-all “checklist” for incorporation, factors to consider for a sustainable and fiscally viable municipality include:
- Community population and growth trends
- Proximity to neighbouring municipalities
- Road networks
- Diversity of the property tax base (including a mix of residential, business and industry)
- Existing local services
- Community involvement
- Nature of the local economy and its prospects into the future
Considerations prior to incorporation:
- Are other governance options available? The Local Government Act provides regional districts with flexible governance and service delivery options for the unique needs of rural communities. For many of these communities, exploring issues and options within the regional district/electoral area framework may be more timely and less expensive to implement.
- Has the community voted against municipal incorporation in the past? If so, the provincial government will want to know what has changed to warrant revisiting the issue.
- Are the community’s issues related to the role of municipal government? While municipalities have a broad range of responsibilities, they do not deal with schools, public health, social services, income tax or areas of provincial jurisdiction, such as resource extraction and environmental management.
Incorporation Process
As the general local government for rural communities, regional districts sponsor the process to study the implications of incorporation. There must be agreement between the elected local representative(s) and the regional district to undertake this process.
- Learn more about the role of the provincial government in municipal incorporation
- Learn more about regional district restructure and local government boundary changes
In almost all other regards, municipalities operate under a common framework provided by the Community Charter the Local Government Act, with specific variations covered in letters Patent incorporating each municipality.
