Wednesday November 8, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
“It was an honour to be re-elected CRD Board Chair today,” says District of Saanich Councillor Colin Plant. This is his sixth consecutive term.
With Metchosin Mayor Marie-Térèse as the new vice-chair (she was newly elected to public office a year ago), that sees a large urban core municipality guiding things along with a distinctly rural municipality alongside.
Today, at the board meetings of the Capital Regional District (CRD), the Capital Regional Hospital District (CRHD) and the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC), Directors elected the Chairs and Vice-Chairs for the upcoming year.
Main board, plus hospital & housing:
The CRD, CRHD and CRHC Boards combine to lead decision-making on regional priorities and initiatives and provide oversight on a wide range of regional, sub-regional and local services.
The CRD Board Priorities were developed at the start of the Board term in 2022 and formed the basis of the CRD’s 2023-2026 Corporate Plan. The priorities cover transportation, housing, climate action and environment, First Nations, and governance.
The CRD’s Corporate Plan outlines actions to deliver on the CRD Board’s Priorities, approved plans and ongoing service commitments.
CRHD Board:
The CRHD, a corporation of the CRD, is committed to improving and sustaining the region’s health infrastructure through its partnership with Island Health.
- Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch has been acclaimed to serve as the CRHD Board Chair for a second year.
- Sidney Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith has been acclaimed as the CRHD Board Acting Chair for a second year.
Housing board:
“I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been reelected as Chair of the Capital Region Housing Corporation Board,” said Saanich Councillor Zac De Vries. Victoria Councillor Jeremy Caradonna has been acclaimed as the CRHC Board Vice-Chair for the first time.
The CRHC is a wholly-owned, non-profit corporation of the CRD, developing and managing affordable housing for low income families, seniors and persons living with disabilities across the region.
Strategic priorities:
“In our first year, we unanimously passed our Board Strategic Priorities and we recently passed our 2024 Provisional Budget. I believe we need to remain committed to achieving our goals as prescribed and I pledge to help us achieve them,” said Chair Plant in his candidacy remarks.
“I want to ensure that the progress we made isn’t just sustained but accelerated as we move into year two.”
24 members:
The CRD Board Chair leads a 24-member Board of Directors comprised of one or more elected officials from each of the 13 municipalities and three electoral areas within the CRD’s boundaries.
In accordance with provincial legislation, representation on the CRD Board balances varying population bases with shared community interests.
- Each local government receives one director for every 25,000 population and receives one vote for every 5,000 population for matters requiring a weighted vote such as financial plans.
- The chair establishes standing committees, formalizes committee structures, and appoints committee chairs and vice-chairs as part of its governance structure.
Commissions and Committees:
The CRD has more than 70 commissions and committees that oversee operations, some of which have delegated authority. This work involves many citizens who volunteer their services in the Southern Gulf Islands, Salt Spring Island and Juan de Fuca electoral areas.
The capital region spans the Territories of approximately 20 First Nations and the CRD is committed to respectfully and appropriately engaging those First Nations communities in regional strategies, decision-making and shared interests.
The full list of Board Directors:
- Colin Plant, CRD Chair
- Marie-Térèse Little, CRD Vice-Chair
- Kevin Murdoch, CRHD Chair
- Cliff McNeil-Smith, CRHD Acting Chair
- Zac de Vries, CRHC Chair
- Jeremy Caradonna, CRHC Vice-Chair
- Marianne Alto (Victoria Mayor)
- Paul Brent (Director – Southern Gulf Islands)
- Susan Brice (Saanich Councillor)
- Judy Brownoff (Saanich Councillor)
- Chris Coleman (Victoria Councillor)
- Barb Desjardins (Esquimalt Mayor, past board chair)
- Scott Goodmanson (Langford Mayor)
- Gary Holman (Salt Spring Island director)
- Peter Jones (North Saanich Mayor
- Doug Kobayashi (Colwood Mayor)
- Dean Murdock (Saanich Mayor)
- Lillian Szpak (Langford Councillor)
- Maja Tait (Sooke Mayor)
- Dave Thompson (Victoria Councillor)
- Sid Tobias (View Royal Mayor)
- Al Wickheim (Juan de Fuca Director)
- Ken Williams (Highlands Mayor)
- Ryan Windsor (Central Saanich Mayor)