Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Coralee Oakes issued the following statement today:

“With local government elections approaching on Nov. 15, 2014, provincial citizens and candidates will be publicly discussing a number of important local issues, including how citizens are best governed at the local level.

“In the Capital Region, a number of local governments have signalled they intend to use the upcoming election to ask the public about their views on governance and integration of services, including whether citizens support more exploration of amalgamation.

“There is always value in constructive and balanced dialogue within local governments about whether current government structures are best meeting local community needs. There is only one taxpayer paying for important public services and it is the responsibility of all levels of government to eliminate service duplication and ensure the most efficient and effective delivery of public services.

“On behalf of our government, I congratulate local governments who are fostering this dialogue in the region. A fundamental principle of our local government structure is that citizens must be consulted and community opinion weighed to guide any changes.

“I look forward to the outcome of the results. For those communities who are interested in continuing to examine governance structures, following the election results, I will make ministry staff available to provide necessary resources and support.”

Media Contacts:

Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250 889-9441