DocumentsOtherMar 30, 2026Pages 46–48
Notice of Motion: Expression of Preference for CRD Director (Introduced by Councillor Wagner)
Notice of Motion directing staff to prepare a report on options to include an expression of preference for CRD Director as part of the 2026 election, aligning appointment processes with other municipalities that have multiple CRD director positions.
Key facts
- Introduced: March 16, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
- Requested action: staff report on process to include CRD Director preference in 2026 election
- Context: Langford has 2 CRD Director positions; references Victoria and Saanich appointment procedures
- Goal: increase transparency and align with strategic plan Priority Five (Good Governance)
NOTICE OF MOTION
Expression of Preference for CRD Director
Introduced by: Councillor Wagner
Date Introduced: March 16, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
WHEREAS the position of CRD Director is one of significant regional governance and impact;
AND WHEREAS having a process for the public to provide input aligns with Priority Five of the Strategic Plan: Good Governance, increasing transparency and promoting democratic values;
AND WHEREAS allowing public input on a preference for this position is standard practice in other municipalities with more than one CRD Director position;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council direct staff to prepare a report on what the process would be to include an expression of preference for CRD Director as part of the 2026 election.
Background
The Capital Regional District (CRD) is the regional government for 13 municipalities and 3 electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The region serves about 460,000 people and includes traditional territories of many First Nations where 11 of these Nations hold reserve lands.
The CRD is governed by a 24-member Board of Directors. Each director sits on the Capital Regional District Board, Capital Regional Hospital District (CRHD) Board and the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) Board. The board establishes the CRD vision, sets priorities and provides direction on service delivery, collaboration, and partnerships. Various committees and commissions oversee delivery of services and report to these boards.
The CRD Board is made of one or more elected officials from each of the communities within the CRD's boundaries, where in the case of electoral areas, citizens elect one director to the Board during general local elections, and to represent municipalities, each council appoints one or more elected official to the Board. Typically, the Mayor of each municipality sits on the CRD Board. Additional Directors are appointed for every additional 25,000 population (or portion thereof). In the case of the City of Victoria there are 4 positions total, for the District of Saanich there are 5 positions total, and for the City of Langford there are 2 positions total.
Currently, the City of Langford Council Procedure Bylaw is silent on CRD Appointments. In contrast, both the City of Victoria and District of Saanich have processes outlined in their Council Procedure(s) Bylaws regarding appointments to the CRD Board of Directors. In both the City of Victoria and District of Saanich, candidates in a General Local Election choose if they wish to make a declaration of candidate for CRD Director as part of their Candidate Nomination Packages. In addition, at the time of voting, electors see an option to vote for their preferred candidate for CRD Director at the same time as casting their vote for Mayor or Councillor.
There are inherent benefits to the public with increased transparency, accountability and promoting democratic values. Following a rules-based approach to selection of the CRD Director position avoids internal politics in decision-making for this position and provides clarity for Councillors and the community. Raising awareness of Langford’s role at the CRD may also increase public engagement on services that are managed through the CRD such as regional parks, water, sewage, and solid waste management.
Furthermore, because the CRD requisitions funds to pay for services that are mandated to be collected by member municipalities on their behalf, the decisions of CRD Directors have a particularly significant impact on electors. Providing voters with an opportunity to show a preference for their representative at the CRD is the practice of the 2 larger municipalities that have more than one position on the board. Therefore, creating a clear process for the selection of CRD Director for Langford will be aligning our processes with the standard practices of the region.
By requesting a report through this Notice of Motion, City of Langford staff may explore the options of other CRD municipalities of Saanich and Victoria as well as looking abroad to other regional districts for best practices.
Submitted by: Councillor Mary Wagner
References:
For reference, the City of Victoria has the following provision in their Council Procedures Bylaw:
Appointments to the Capital Regional District Board of Directors
5 (1) Council must appoint the following by resolution as the City's municipal directors on the Board of the Capital Regional District: (a) the mayor; (b) the three persons, elected as Councillors at the general local election, who receive the most votes for the position of municipal director.
(2) Council must appoint, from Council members other than those appointed under subsection (1), the following by resolution as the City's alternate municipal director on the Board of the Capital Regional District: (a) as first alternate, the person elected as Councillor at the general local election who received the most votes for the position of municipal Councillor; (b) as second alternate, the person elected as Councillor at the general local election who received the second most votes for the position of municipal Councillor; (c) as third alternate, the person elected as Councillor at the general local election who received the third most votes for the position of municipal Councillor; (d) as fourth alternate, the person elected as Councillor at the general local election who received the fourth most votes for the position of municipal Councillor.
https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/council-procedures-bylaw-23-061-consolidated
For reference, the District of Saanich has the following provision in their Council Procedure Bylaw:
- (b) The Council shall appoint Directors to the Capital Regional District in accordance with the Local Government Act, and in so doing shall take into consideration the tradition of appointing the Mayor along with the four Councillors who received the most votes from the electors in response to ballot question on the subject during the most recent general local election.