Victoria, BC– On December 14, the Capital Regional District (CRD) Board adopted bylaw No. 4507, establishing a Salt Spring Island (SSI) Local Community Commission (LCC), following voter endorsement by referendum.
The SSI LCC will be comprised of five members, one of whom will be the Electoral Area Director for Salt Spring Island, Gary Holman. In Spring 2023, a public election will be held for four commissioners in accordance with the Local Government Act (LGA). An LCC, with an elected membership, is the highest form of delegated commission contemplated in an electoral area under the LGA.
“Salt Spring Island is a diverse electoral area with a population of over 11,000 that requires and deserves more diverse, locally elected CRD representation,” said Gary Holman, Director of the Salt Spring Island Electoral Area. “I initiated the LCC proposal so that CRD decisions can be more reflective of the broader public interest on Salt Spring Island, more transparent and easier for residents to track, and to eliminate some of our governance silos.”
The LCC will oversee Salt Spring Island-wide services currently managed by existing appointed commissions, such as parks and recreation, transportation, economic development, and liquid waste disposal. The LCC will administer certain local services now overseen by staff and the Electoral Area Director, including street lighting, a livestock injury compensation service, and approval of grant-in-aid applications.
The CRD will now begin the planning process for a local election of four new Commissioners and the transition of existing commission business to the new LCC. Once elected, the members will serve on the LCC until the next British Columbia general local election.
Proud to be recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers and Canada’s Greenest Employers, the CRD delivers regional, sub-regional and local services to 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Governed by a 24-member Board of Directors, the CRD works collaboratively with First Nations and all levels of government to enable sustainable growth, foster community well-being, and develop cost-effective infrastructure while continuing to provide core services to residents throughout the region. Visit us online at www.crd.bc.ca.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Andy Orr, Senior Manager
CRD Corporate Communications
Tel: 250.360.3229
Cell: 250.216.5492