Should Victoria and Saanich amalgamate? Citizens assembly says yes – BC [Video]

Should the Vancouver Island cities of Victoria and Saanich amalgamate?

It’s a question that will likely be on the ballot for voters during the 2026 municipal election. That’s after a citizens’ assembly formally recommended the merger following eight months of study and dozens of hours of deliberation.

“They weighed lots of concerns, lots of different issues – but ultimately, were persuaded that the two communities could be stronger together because amalgamation would allow them to plan for the future,” said Peter MacLeod, chair of the Victoria Saanich Citizens Assembly on Municipal Amalgamation.

There are 13 municipalities in the Capital Regional District, and locals have informally debated the potential merits of merging some of them for decades.

In the case of Victoria and Saanich, that debate became a lot more serious after voters of both municipalities in a 2018 referendum gave the green light for a citizens’ assembly to truly consider …