Burlington Residents Working to Spread Awareness About Amalgamation

Published April 24, 2019 at 12:45 pm

The potential possibility of the Halton Region becoming one big city – more commonly referred to as amalgamation – was fir

The potential possibility of the Halton Region becoming one big city – more commonly referred to as amalgamation – was first presented when the provincial government announced that it would be reviewing the governance, decision-making, and service delivery functions of eight regional municipalities, and Simcoe County. 

This review includes the Halton Region.

The provincial government hasn’t promised anything as drastic as amalgamation quite yet, however, the review has still left many people concerned. 

Shortly after the review was announced, on Feb. 1, 2019, a Facebook group called ‘We Love Oakville – STOP Amalgamation’ came into existence. The goal of this Facebook group is to protect and stand up for the current government structure in the town.

Now, a similar group has come into existence for Burlington. This group, ‘We Love Burlington – STOP Amalgamation’, is made up of concerned residents who are fighting for the city. The Facebook group came into existence on March 24, 2019, following the formation of the group in Oakville.

“Here in Burlington, we support Oakville’s efforts and have met with their citizen group and have started our own Burlington chapter: We Love Burlington – STOP Amalgamation,” reads a post on the Facebook page. “We will continue to work with Oakville’s group to support our mutual cause and we urge Burlington residents to get involved, write to our MPPs Jane McKenna and Effie Triantafilopoulos and Premier Ford, look at the Oakville group’s website, and spread the word.”

In addition to supporting the Oakville group, the Burlington Facebook group also notes that many people think there are flaws with the provincial government’s review.

“There is a lack of transparency with respect to the province’s mandate and intentions; the study involves two individuals looking at 82 municipalities with vastly different circumstances, issues and challenges, in a period of only six months, which does not allow for a fulsome and detailed inquiry, assessment and analysis; and there is a lack of meaningful public consultation,” reads a Facebook post on the Facebook group. “A survey the Province has prepared does not go nearly far enough to inform the public and gather their feedback.”

Besides creating the Facebook group, We Love Burlington – STOP Amalgamation has taken other steps to get its message across to the government.

In addition, the group also has signs similar to those of the Oakville group. Signs are free, however, donations are welcome. 

This group is one that Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward supports.

“I support the efforts of this grassroots movement,” Meed Ward said in a recent blog post. “We don’t know where this regional government review will go, but it’s important we are all proactive in telling the province where we stand.

For more information about the group, and to stay updated, click here.

What do you think of the regional government review?

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising