Former politicians weigh in on renewed push for amalgamation

Advocates are working once again to amalgamate Waterloo Region into a single government. 

The push comes as the province intends to appoint a facilitator to determine the most appropriate roles for the regions eight local governing bodies. 

Anticipation around this provincial facilitator has become one of many reasons local amalgamation advocates are re-examining the possibility of merging the regions governments into one. 

A number of supporters met recently to discuss the potential of merging including Karen Coviello, a former City of Waterloo councillor. 

Coviello appeared on the Mike Farwell Show on CityNews 570 and said she's in support of the push for a single tier government citing recent issues of homelessness as a solvable problem if the change were to occur. 

“In Waterloo Region, there's no good reason why people do not have roofs over their heads. I have to believe that we can move past this fractious animosity we have between our communities. We have to push past that nonsense and become an efficient, effective and powerful city.” 

Melissa Durrell, a former councillor with the City of Waterloo also spoke on the Mike Farwell Show highlighting the economic benefits of merging.

She believes it would be easier to attract businesses to the region with a streamlined governing body. 

“Waterloo is competing with Toronto. It's competing with New York City when it comes to tech and silicon valley and Waterloo can't do that on its own. We need the tenth largest city to be speaking with one voice and communicating that [way] around the rest of the world.”

A past criticism of amalgamation was the worry of losing one's identity living in a particular city or township. 

Durrell however, was quick to address this concern as well;

“Whatever we change to the upper level community and after we amalgamate nothing's going to change on King Street. People aren't going to feel different about their jobs, about their neighbours, about anything. It's going to be the same neighbourhood you've always lived in, the same restaurant you've always gone to but, what it is going to do is create a much better, efficient community where we speak with one voice.” 

Former Mayor of Waterloo Brenda Halloran also weighed in on the discussion showing clear support for merging governments and her worries about misconceptions when it comes to understanding the limits of local government. 

“We should not be having separate government entities working on big ticket issues that they can't afford. People assume that the City of Waterloo can build 300 houses tomorrow and that's a big problem because there's so much misinformation. It's time to move this community forward and be efficient.” 

Halloran added her belief that voter turnout plays a big part in deciding whether to amalgamate or not.

She said, a lack of youth vote has led to large majority of senior citizens deciding for the rest of the community, a group that has historically been resistant to change. 

In past polls residents across the region have been divided on the issue with some supporting amalgamation while others wish to keep the status quo. 

Waterloo Region currently has 59 elected politicians in eight councils representing nearly ten thousand residents each. 

By comparison London has only 15 politicians representing nearly 30 thousand residents each.