Rationale for Motion - CRD Arts Funding change (Councillor John Rogers)
A document providing rationale for a motion to change the Town's CRD Arts participation group and create a local arts reserve fund.
MOTION: Request change from Group 1 to Group 2 for CRD Arts. Create a new “Westshore Arts / Culture facility” reserve account
Request bylaw amendment to change View Royal’s participating area from Group 1 ($131,538 for 2026 or 25.98 per average assessment) to Group 2 (approx. $41,603 or $7.00 per average assessment) by 2027
Once done, allocate the difference (about $70k/year and rising) each year in a reserve account dedicated towards a Westshore Arts and Culture Centre EACH YEAR
A) AMEND “Encourage all Westshore municipalities to become Group 2 members in the CRD Arts Service and create their own Westshore Arts Facility reserve account. OR B) Recommend the CRD create an Arts Programming Regional Service, similar to the recent regional service for arts facilities by 2027.
RATIONALE
For the same reasons that UVic is building a satellite learning centre in the Westshore, the region needs an ARTS centre in the Westshore. This provides much greater and easier access to MORE local and regional art programs avoiding the traffic congestion travelling to/from downtown, as well as the increasing costs and lack of parking in Victoria. This plan also supports local businesses and encourages in the Westshore. It is also a significant amenity to promote tourism into the Western communities.
Back in the 1990s View Royal opted to be part of the core with the Regional Strategy. Since then, our “mutual Westshore support” for recreation, sport, police, fire, library, AND arts is getting ever stronger. It is time to shift our municipal Regional Growth Context from the “Core” to addressing the “Westshore” shortfall.
When View Royal joined the CRD Arts Commission (2007) we opted into the “core” group with Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt as “Group 1 participating area”. This is a higher cost per residential assessment than Group 2 participating areas (Highlands, Metchosin, Sooke, Southern Gulf Islands who pay 30%.)
Given there is now a Regional Service for Arts Facilities, it is time to make arts programming a regional service with full municipal participation… every resident contributing as we do with parks acquisition fund etc.
Thank you,
Councillor John Rogers
June 13, 2026 (originally tabled: August 28, 2024)