Category: #LauraIpForRegionalCouncil

Who will control Regional Council?

~ Laura Ip ~ 1 Comment

Let’s have a look.

In Bob Gale’s letter to Minister Flack of Wednesday, March 4, 2026, he recommended the following voting system:

Weighted voting based on population 

That each mayor’s vote at Regional Council be weighted according to population in increments of 15,000 residents (e.g., a municipality of 100,000 residents would have six votes; a municipality of 6,000 residents would have one vote), reflecting both representation by population and municipal diversity. 

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The math on eliminating representation

~ Laura Ip ~ Leave a comment

Earlier this week, I posted this about the (not at all) *huge savings* to be had by eliminating positions on local Councils.

Yesterday, as I fully suspected was the plan, Bob Gale sent a letter to Minister Flack recommending the elimination of a total of 35 municipally-elected council seats.

Regional Council composition 

That Regional Council be composed of the 12 municipal mayors plus a Regional Chair, directly addressing concerns that the current body is too large to operate efficiently while maintaining a clear voice for every municipality. 

and

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A tale of two letters

~ Laura Ip ~ 1 Comment

I was at work when all of this went down yesterday, but I’m going to try to provide the best overview I can of the events of yesterday.

First, at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, February 26, 2026, where – if I’m not mistaken – only one Councillor was absent (they were out of the country), Council passed a motion that included this resolution:

That Regional Council DIRECTS Chair Gale to refrain from any further action and utilization of any further Regional resources or staff time, with the exception of the above, in connection with a review of Regional governance or municipal amalgamation.

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