Is it time for James Bay to split from the rest of Victoria?
That’s the question a former city councillor is posing in a letter to a local newspaper, and it’s stirring up some controversy.
Shellie Gudgeon said she penned the letter after getting frustrated with what she calls a “grossly unfair” system of governance in the region – despite supporting amalgamation while serving on council from 2011 to 2014.
“I wrote it tongue-in-cheek, but there’s a tremendous amount of seriousness to what I’m writing,” Gudgeon told CTV News Friday. “It’s about fairness.”
In a letter to the Victoria Times-Colonist, Gudgeon argued that Victoria taxpayers are supporting other regions, including the use of facilities like the Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena or social services used by the homeless population who venture into the city.
“I know our taxpayers put a tremendous amount of their tax dollars to help support the homeless,” she said. “They’re not the homeless of the City of Victoria, they are the homeless of the region who are coming to where the services are.”
Gudgeon also said James Bay is similar in population to Esquimalt and comes with its own “unique” set of circumstances and issues, but it does not “have a seat at any table,” while Esquimalt does.
“It seems to me right now that Esquimalt residents have more influence than those of the City of Victoria,” said Gudgeon. “Victoria bears a tremendous burden. Everything is for the region. Every decision that Victoria makes is with the region’s hat on.”
But what’s the solution? While Gudgeon floated the provocative idea of James Bay separating, she said what she really wants to see is the provincial government initiate an unbiased, collaborative study on whether or not the current governance system is unfair to Victoria.
If it’s found to be unfair, that could support a move toward amalgamation, she said.
Esquimalt Mayor Barbara Desjardins said her town is looking into amalgamation – and that Gudgeon’s proposal of further fracturing Victoria “may be counterproductive.”
“I don’t think that ultimately is the point of her article,” Desjardins explained. “I think she’s trying to make the point that we could continue to fracture out but should we? Or should we pull together?”
She said the public overwhelmingly indicated in last year’s non-binding election poll that they want to share more services with other municipalities.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island's Louise Hartland