Community associations will still exist in the foreseeable future as legitimate links between SaanichB次元官网网址檚 community-at-large and council, but things need to change.

That is the message from an informal round table with individuals familliar with the issues that confront community associations. They, according to SaanichB次元官网网址檚 web site, consist of Saanich residents that B次元官网网址減rovide valuable input to council and Saanich staff on items such as land use and planning proposals.B次元官网网址�

This status makes community associations democratic laboratories and important transmission points between the public-at-large in each of the 18 neighbourhoods that they represent, elected officials and other actors, including private enterprise, non-for-profit agencies and other members of local civil society.

John Schmuck, former chair of the Saanich Community Association Network (SCAN), said community assocations will still make important contributions, as it was the case in the fall of 2017 when

He made those comments after Illarion Gallant,

Schmuck is less pessimistic. B次元官网网址淏ut the hope is that we get some younger people involved,B次元官网网址� said Schmuck. B次元官网网址淥ne of the sad things is that Saanich is becoming a grey-haired community. Families have to move out [of Saanich] in order to buy a home. It is not an affordable area for younger families to come.B次元官网网址�

This sociology not only skews membership in community associations towards older individuals, but it also makes it more difficult to attract younger individuals, who may find it difficult to find the time for community involvement as they balance their professional lives with their personal lives, he said.

Susan Haddon, president of the Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association (QCHCA) would like to see stronger ties between the community associations and Saanich. B次元官网网址淭he connection with council and staff has to grow,B次元官网网址� she said.

Saanich, she said, counts on community associations to feel the temperature of their respective neighbourhoods in many areas. B次元官网网址淵et it is costly to truly get the measure of the community,B次元官网网址� she said.

Case in point B次元官网网址� development applications. Saanich gives community associations B次元官网网址� regardless of their size B次元官网网址� considerable weight in signing off on future developments, yet community associations differ in their respective resources when it comes to properly evaluating applications, said Haddon, who has in the past invited herself to planning meetings to understand SaanichB次元官网网址檚 process.

It is also not clear whether community associations can claim to genuinely represent the values and interests of their respective areas in light of the fact they represent only a fraction of those areas, said Haddon. B次元官网网址淪ome of us are feeling a little nervous about whether we are really representative,B次元官网网址� she said.

Peter Haddon, who sits on QCHCAB次元官网网址檚 board of directors, said community associations must do their part to stay relevant in the lives of area residents beyond hot-button issues that tend to cause temporary spikes in community association memberships and participation. B次元官网网址淏ut I do believe that Saanich can create more opportunities for us,B次元官网网址� he said.

While Saanich does have a budget to help community associations communicate with their outreach, more could be done, he said. B次元官网网址淵ou can go on and on about public participation, but until you put real effort into reaching out, it doesnB次元官网网址檛 happen,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淐ommunication with the public is a huge effort. ItB次元官网网址檚 time-consuming. It takes a lot of skill.B次元官网网址�

The final report of the Governance Review Citizen Advisory Committee addresses some of these issues. It asks Saanich to formalize community associations through terms of references that would also clarify their involvement in land use development applications. The review commmitteee also called on Saanich to follow VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 example in assigning councillors as liasions.

Saanich council last December forwarded both items to SCAN for additional discussion, and upcoming budget talks also promise to deepen ties between Saanich and the associations through a more participatory process.

Overall, it is hard to reach any conclusions about the general state of the community associations. They B次元官网网址� like Saanich itselfB次元官网网址� are diverse. B次元官网网址淪ome of them are functioning fine, and have a bit of money,B次元官网网址� said Sue Haddon. B次元官网网址淥thers, may be, are struggling, and are at that juncture, where they want to go that next step, and want more engagement.B次元官网网址�