The City of North Vancouver will not pursue an amalgamation study with the District of North Vancouver at this time.
That was city council’s decision during Monday’s meeting after being presented with a number of options from staff that looked at possible next steps since the district has been exploring another attempt at amalgamation of the two North Vancouvers.
“I don’t think there is any interest around this table in the city doing public consultation on this,” said Coun. Craig Keating. “I certainly don’t feel that the city should be expending public resources on that question.”
Last month, the district published an open letter outlining their case for reunification with the city and rolled out a survey to both district and city residents to test the waters when it comes to possible amalgamation.
The district’s hope is that the results of the survey – which was conducted between April 23 and May 1 using a sample size of 600 respondents from North Vancouver – will convince the city to participate in a joint detailed study on reunification.
“Here in the city we have lots of benefits of being small and compact,” argued Mayor Darrell Mussatto. “It’s a lot more efficient to run services to our residents through a compact municipality. We have one fire hall that serves our 54,000 people. The district has five fire halls because it’s much bigger, so who’s going to get eaten up in that equation? Who’s going to pay more?”
The city separated from the district in 1907. During the preceding 111 years there have been various studies and surveys conducted on amalgamation, as well as a referendum on the subject that was held 50 years ago that was supported by 90 per cent of district voters and approximately 50 per cent of city voters, falling short of the 60 per cent threshold that was required at the time.
District of North Vancouver Coun. Roger Bassam noted last month that if the results of the district’s survey show vast support for reunification, a question on the matter could be added to the 2018 municipal election ballots. “I think this is an excellent opportunity for elected officials to listen to their community and to take direction and to get a mandate,” Bassam stated.
City Coun. Holly Back said the district’s push for reunification was evidence it was an election year.
“I also don’t want to see the city spend any money on yet another report or study on amalgamation,” she said. “I think we need to put this one to bed.”
Coun. Don Bell was the lone voice on council who supported the city moving forward with an amalgamation study with the district, adding that he believed that from a planning perspective it made sense for the two municipalities to work together.
“I think the issue here, the real question is: do you want to have an impartial study to get the facts? The request from the district at this point to join with them isn’t that we agree to amalgamation, but we agree to get the facts on amalgamation,” he said.
Coun. Rod Clark, who pronounced that the district should “Get stuffed” when the subject of amalgamation was first broached last month, said: “I continue to believe that should be our policy.”
Council voted 6-1 in favour of not pursing an amalgamation study with the district at this time.
The results of the district’s initial public survey on reunification are expected to be delivered later this month.
- with files from Brent Richter
