18 - Wednesday, July 28, 1993, North Shore News Special Supplement Amalgamation: boom or bust “T HAVE never looked on the matter of amalgamation as anything but a long-term benefit and one which in all like- lihood would not be realized in my lifetime. I urge council to try to look to the 21st century and let their imagination loose.”’ Prophetic words from North Vancouver District councillor Peter Powell in 1977 while sitting on a joint city/district committee investigating the possibility of amaigamating the two municipalities. Turning the clock back over 100 years and recreating a_ single municipality of North Vancouver is a concept that continues to ap- peal to some voters and politicians who see the possibility of reducing duplication of services and, therefore, cutting costs. One 1963 North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce (NVCC) study, completed in conjunction with the West Vancouver Board . of Trade, concluded that the amalgamation of all three North Shore municipalities ‘‘would not only provide more: efficient utilization of existing services, but also considerable financial savings to the taxpayers of these com- munities.” District engineer John Bremner acknowledged to the News last year that amalgamation would result in ‘‘a loss of duplication and an economy of scale’’ as well. as savings in senior staff posi- tions. But Bremner also said’ any fi- nancial savings from amalgama- tion are hard to quantify, especially since union agreements ‘would prevent job losses except through attrition. West Vancouver municipal By Martin Millerchip Contributing Writer planner Steve ’ ‘Nicholls | suggests that amalgamation does not offer any obvious /advantages from a planning perspective. “You tend to group planning initiatives into smaller, more nat- ural planning areas than the entire North Shore,"’ said Nicholls. “In any case we do cooperate with the other municipalities in cross-border areas like roads and cultural facilities," he continued. District planner Jim Masterton agreed. “t's going to be a_ political decision anyhow but somebody will have to identify the benefits. Smaller planning units can often provide policies tailored to local needs,’’ said Masterton. Councillors who favor the con- cept are usually to be found in North Vancouver District. But as Coun. Paul Turner said recently at a public meeting, ‘Marriage sounds like a great idea but it re- quires consent. West Vancouver consider themselves a_ distinct society so we are down to one’ possible partner. ‘We've asked. She said no. Until she does (say yes) we can’t.”” North Vancouver City ad- ministrator Gerry Brewer told the News last year, “‘We’re really not interested in discussing this further but there seems to be a continuing district interest in raising the issue. “They have been told we are not interested but they seem un- willing or unable to consider the intent behind the words." District Coun. Ernie Crist says that amalgamation makes sense but won’t happen without the in- ‘volvement of the business com- munity. “They feel the city is far more efficiently run and they are right,”’ says Crist. NVCC Managing and Business Information Officer Judi Ainsworth says the chamber's position is that amalgaination ‘‘is far more an issue for the tax- payers and residents.’’ Without the support of either the city or West Vancouver, the province will not get invclved in any discussions about amalgama- tion. This contrasts with 1967 when Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Campbell stated that unless the city and district initiated a referendum the province would act unilaterally. Under the .terms of the Municipal Act a_ referendum would be required before amalgamation could take place but the format and approval per- centage would be set by the minister upon the advice of the affected municipalities. All councils would have to agree to jointly study the implica- tions of amalgamation and ap- praise and discuss with the public the political and financial implica- tions of their findings before any vote would ‘be considered by the minister. 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