Victoria & Saanich: Stronger Together

A campaign website by Amalgamation Yes (Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society), a volunteer network helping Greater Victoria residents prepare for the potential Victoria–Saanich amalgamation vote on October 17, 2026.

Our goal is simple: connect communities, share verified facts, and ensure every voter understands what’s at stake.

Learn from the 2024/2025 Citizens’ Assembly Study Report
Support Amalgamation
Visit our legacy website
YES: Get involved
Illustrating a map of Saanich and a map of Victoria moving together into one

The 2026 Vote
“A Moment That Matters”

Residents have been given the opportunity to decide, on the October 17th local election ballot, whether to proceed with a merger of the municipalities of Victoria and Saanich.

In July 2025, the Victoria–Saanich Citizens’ Assembly (VSCA) recommended amalgamation after a study that considered the costs, benefits and disadvantages; they concluded “In the course of our deliberations, we ultimately concluded that amalgamation as a unified city would be the best form of government for our two municipalities.” (pg 43 VSCA Final Report).

Join our campaign of positivity, evidence, facts and figures. Say YES to proving that politics can be the art of the possible, and belong to us, the people. Vote YES.

Benefits of Voting YES for Victoria-Saanich Amalgamation on October 17, 2026

A merger reflects the reality that we already live together
Better transportation, utilities, other infrastructure & emergency services (through rationalised delivery & planning)
Integrated environmental objectives and standards, and response to climate change (supporting effective decarbonisation & resilient adaptation)
Stronger voice: in the region, and for the region (at the provincial and national levels)

One Capital City

“The administrative border between the two municipalities is invisible, our lives are intertwined and it’s time for a governance structure to reflect this reality.” (VSCA Final Report pg 43).

Consider that where we sleep and pay rent & taxes is not necessarily where we work, play, learn or shop; and not usually where we visit all our local friends & family. Together our shared urban core and green spaces (including urban tree cover, extensive ocean shoreline and other waterways) provide a common sense of place, recognised by residents and visitors alike.

BC legislature
satellite map of area

Our Shared Urban Core

Apart from Quebec City, together we are the most unique and special small city in Canada. Together, our urban core provides a sense of place and offers a full range of economic and civic services necessary for a modern urban centre, particularly as our provincial capital city and gateway to Vancouver Island.

  • International reputation & tourism
  • Seat of regional & provincial governance
  • Transportation hub & modal diversity
  • Coastal gateway & premier destination
  • Education institutions & health sector
  • Retail, commercial & public services
  • Natural beauty & outdoor experiences
  • Entertainment & culinary experiences
  • Local foods & drinks, festivals & events
  • Art, science, culture & sport complexes
  • Indigenous knowledge & partnerships
  • Technology, commerce & trade
  • Coast guard & marine research
  • Nearby naval base & aeronautical facilities

Moreover, the farms, forests, parks, waterways and green spaces — especially prominent in Saanich — are already protected, and will continue to be protected, as part of our regional sustainability strategy (and mandated by the Province).

Saanich and Victoria Are Already Connected

Our existing border travels across multiple watersheds; and serves as a locus for regional vehicle, BC Transit, bicycle and business traffic (especially the junction of Highways 1 & 17 and the Galloping Goose Network). This infrastructure serves to connect us (and others) between Uptown and Downtown, the Westshore (and up-island) and the Peninsula (en route to airport & ferries).

The Inner Harbour is an international destination for floatplanes, helicopter, whale-watching, fishing, yachts, cruise ships and US ferries, connecting up the Gorge Waterway beyond Selkirk to the Craigflower Bridge (connecting Saanich to View Royal and Esquimalt), as well as the shipyard. Via Johnson street, Victoria meanders northeast toward the Saanich Panhandle (Jubilee Hospital tri-city neighbourhood jointly bordering Oak Bay) and ultimately the Shelbourne Valley, UVic, Gordon Head and beyond.

The Gorge / Burnside / Douglas corridor provides over 1400 small business, light industrial, commercial business and other enterprises. It serves as a major employment centre (14,000 workers) located nearby and accessible to our shared population over 200,000 strong, and provides a stable, significant and contiguous tax base. Moreover, this regional spine also hosts the award-winning BOMA BC portfolio of commercial real estate known as the Greater Victoria 2030 District, launched and supported by both Saanich and Victoria, featuring low-carbon office buildings, retail properties, civic amenities and multi-unit family structures.

The technology sector on Vancouver Island is centred amongst the University of Victoria (in Saanich), Downtown (Victoria) and the Tech Park at Camosun College (interurban campus in Rural Saanich). Many entrepreneurs, volunteer societies, service providers and local small enterprises and shops do business in both Victoria and Saanich. Restaurants expand or move locations, and open their next set of doors in the complementary municipality, and then send food deliveries back across the border to busy parents, who finally enjoy that meal back in the original municipality when dropping kids off at evening sports and activities.

Common Features of our Capital City

On a daily basis, over 60,000 folks enter the urban core of Victoria-Saanich from elsewhere, by means of one mode or another. We provide and maintain those roads & linkages.

At the same time, any given day our two municipalities serve up tens of millions of litres of water through our shared pipes in Saanich and Victoria.

James Bay Victoria toward Saanich

We criss-cross the border constantly

– Live at Prospect Lake, Work in Jubilee
– Live in Fernwood, Study at UVic
– Daycare at Tillicum, Business lunch Downtown, Dinner in Royal Oak
– School at SMUS, Soccer at Topaz, Concert in Gordon Head, Sleep in James Bay
– Jog Bowker Creek, Oaklands, Cedar Hill; Cycle Tolmie, Burnside, Harriet; then Paddle to Banfield Park.
– 200,000 of us live within 20 minutes of each other

Together, we protect natural areas

– Forest cover, ecosystems, watersheds, lakes, waterways (Dallas, Gorge, Panama, Rithet’s, Swan Lake; Bowker, Colquitz…)
– Farmland & wetlands
– Scenic & historic sites
– Shorelines & structures
– Viewpoints & public access (Mt. Tolmie, Doug/PKOLS, Beacon Hill, Breakwater)
– Regional Urban Containment Boundary
– Provincial Agricultural Land Reserve

We Share a Full Range of Regional Services

– BC Transit (Victoria Regional Transit Commission) & maintenance facilities
– Greater Victoria Public Libraries
– Greater Victoria Harbour Authority
– School Districts (#61 and some 63)
– Galloping Goose corridor
– water and sanitary sewer pipes and pumps
– Royal & McPherson Theatres
– roads and traffic controls
– active mobility networks
– some emergency resources

Beacon Hill Victoria with Vic West & Saanich in background

Each Municipality Contributes Valuable Components (to residents & visitors)

Saanich

– University of Victoria (UVic), Camosun College Interurban; Spectrum, Reynolds, Lambrick, Mount Douglas & Claremont Secondary Schools; PCS, St. Andrews, etc.
– Horticultural Centre of the Pacific, Commonwealth Place Recreation Centre, Pacific Institute for Sporting Excellence, Gordon Head Recreation Centre, Centre of the Universe (Observatory, Herzberg Astronomy/Astrophysics)
– Mount Douglas (PKOLS), Mount Tolmie, Beckwith Park, Braefoot Park, Layritz Park, Swan Lake-Christmas Hill, Panama Flats, Rithet’s Bog, Rural Saanich, Blenkinsop Valley, Cadboro-Gyro Park, Elk & Beaver Lakes
– Queen Alexandra Children’s Health
– Hartland recycling & landfill
– Broadmead/Royal Oak/Glanford, Quadra, McKenzie and Shelbourne Valley commercial corridors.
– Centennial Trails, Interurban Rail corridor
– Greek Fest, Strawberry Fest, Music in the Park

On the Victoria Border:
– Cedar Hill Recreation & Golf Course, Pearkes Recreation Centre & Saanich Centennial Library, Hampton Park, Rutledge Park, Rudd Park; Lochside Trail junction from Galloping Goose.
– Uptown, Tillicum & Tennyson/Harriet commercial districts
– Nigel Valley community (BC Housing, Garth Homer Society, etc)
– Ukrainian cultural centre
– St. Michaels University, Camosun Lansdowne
– BC Ambulance on Kelvin; Rogers/Shaw facility

Victoria

– Sprott Shaw College, Pearson College, Pacific Design Academy; Victoria High School; Glenlyon Norfolk
– Legislative Buildings, Royal BC Museum, Art Gallery, Craigdarroch Castle, Langham Court Theatre, Belfry Theatre, Alix Goolden Hall, Royal & McPherson Theatres
– Memorial Centre Arena, Royal Athletic Park; Victoria Convention Centre
– Crystal Pool, Beacon Hill Children’s Farm, Ogden Point, Hollywood Park, Pemberton Park, Ross Bay Cemetery, Gonzales Hill Park, Banfield Dock, Selkirk Trestle, Fisherman’s Wharf, Songhees Walkway, Ship Point, Inner Harbour, Chinatown & Old Town
– Cook Street commercial & medical district
– Rock Bay & Point Ellice; Fernwood & North Park
– E&N Corridor; Dallas Road & Breakwater
– Da Vinci Italian Cultural Centre
– Street festivals, markets & open-air entertainment

On the Saanich Border:
– Royal Jubilee Hospital, Gorge Road Hospital, The Cridge Centre
– Mayfair Shopping, Hillside Shopping
– Gorge & Burnside commercial corridors
– Topaz Park & Finlayson Field
– Khalsa Diwan Gurdwara, Kiwanis club campus.
– Lansdowne Middle School campuses
– Cecilia Ravine Park; Selkirk Waterfront
– Summit reservoir, Gorge waterway, Garbally Public Works Yard


Why a Merger Will Benefit Us

The Citizens’ Assembly recommended amalgamation in July 2025 after studying how collaboration could improve local governance. This October 17th, your ballot will decide whether Victoria and Saanich move forward together.

Taxation & Services

A unified city means better access to services and smarter distribution of tax dollars. Instead of overlapping budgets, every community benefits from shared investments in public works and safety.

Efficiency & Accountability

Amalgamation reduces ambiguity and duplication. Shared resources bring focus and fairness, streamlining decision-making. With one coordinated city government, projects and efforts face fewer internal barriers and accountability becomes clearer.

Climate & Housing

Working together lets Victoria and Saanich tackle shared challenges — like climate change and affordable housing — through coordinated & consistent planning, instead of fragmented policies & approaches. Sustainability efforts (transit, energy, nature conservation) become more impactful.

Emergency & Safety

Emergencies don’t recognise municipal boundaries. Unified police, fire, and emergency services mean faster coordination when every second counts. One coordinated response system saves time, resources, and lives – especially during a disaster.

Economic Growth & Opportunity

A united Capital City demands greater attention and attracts new investment, jobs, and innovation. One leading regional voice boosts Greater Victoria’s influence with provincial and federal partners. Businesses succeed when processes are aligned, familiar and user-friendly.

Civic Identity & Pride

Amalgamation strengthens our identity as citizens of British Columbia’s Capital City, and as members of our unique individual neighbourhoods. Together, we can celebrate our diversity while building a community that speaks with one voice.

Note to Our Readers

Amalgamation Advocacy is a dynamic and moving target. Longtime members and supporters of Amalgamation Yes (Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society) will recall our motto “13 is too many” and our 2018 slogan “YES: worth the study”.
Well, many might say “12 is still too many”. However, the resounding “YES to the study” vote in 2018 led (eventually!) to the 2024/2025 study, i.e. the Victoria-Saanich Citizens’ Assembly (VSCA), and that will be the focus of our work in 2026: advocating for their strong consensus recommendation.

As we move through phases of this project, this site will continue to evolve.

Meanwhile, our legacy website will remain intact, providing transparency and a living record of all the tremendous volunteer work, voluminous research and policy analysis from over the years – some of it focussed on Saanich-Victoria, some leaned toward 3-6 municipalities, and some toward one unified region. You can still visit that library if you’re interested. But this website will focus on the immediate future and what’s currently on offer.

Over the coming months, across our web presence (online assets) we’ll be contributing more commentary, articles, and perspectives to help residents better understand the benefits and challenges of amalgamation. We’ll also include letters, research, and differing points of view — including those who may not support amalgamation — to encourage open discussion and informed decision-making.

We believe strongly that the more you think about it, the more you will come to the same conclusion that a diverse and representative group of fellow citizens did. Accordingly, we want our 2026 political campaign to be positive, constructive, evidence-based, and level-headed.

But it’s not enough to simply sign up and vote. We need to win TWO REFERENDA. We need help mobilising efforts in two currently-separate jurisdictions during their respective local election seasons.
Victoria + Saanich = Success.
It will take two separate positive ballot contests.  The outcome of our campaigning efforts must yield YES+YES.

For additional information or updates, please check back soon or subscribe to our mailing list.

Your Voice, Your Choice

For decades, municipal governance has been shaped by politicians protecting their own boundaries. And that is not surprising. But now it’s time for residents to decide.
It’s your vote, not theirs. For the first time, voters have the direct opportunity to shape the future of our community.

Amalgamation FAQ

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