Following the removal of the Greater Victoria School District board, the Township of Esquimalt is asking the Ministry of Education and Child Care to look at reforming the board's electoral model to better reflect the individual communities in Greater Victoria.

At the March 4 council meeting, council members voted unanimously in favour of writing to Education Minister Lisa Beare, asking for a task force to review the current election model, and to consider a trustee electoral area election model, or a "ward system," ahead of the 2026 education board elections.

B次元官网网址淢ore commonly referred to as a ward system for school boards, trustee electoral areas already exist throughout B.C. and basically ensure that no matter where you live or whichever family of schools you belong to, you will have a much better chance of guaranteed representation elected from your community by your community and for your community,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Tim Morrison in a news release.

At a council meeting in September, Morrison explained there were many more school districts in the 20th century before several districts were amalgamated into larger districts, which included more schools and municipalities.

He explained the amalgamation can be a problem for some school boards, where board members are voted for and elected at-large, which can miss representation from certain municipalities. He noted at the time he had never seen an Esquimalt representative on the SD61 board.

In January, the SD61 board was effectively fired by the ministry and replaced by a temporary trustee, which Morrison says has presented an opportunity for Esquimalt and other communities served by SD61 to advocate directly to the minister of education.

Morrison proposed the task force would create a list of designated SD61 electoral areas, and to invite input and consultation from stakeholders within the district.

 B次元官网网址淚t is hoped that such a change will finally resolve the significant disconnect that has existed between school trustees and the communities that they are supposed to serve," noted Morrison in the release.

In an emailed statement, Beare thanked the township for their interest in local representation in the district, and she noted she will be considering any proposal that follows their policies and guidelines for modifying trustee electoral areas.

B次元官网网址淪tudents are best supported when school districts create an environment where students, families, staff and community members are heard and are actively involved in decisions that affect them," noted Beare in the statement.