Traffic congestion, especially coming from the West Shore, is getting so bad that some Capital Regional District elected officials are pushing to change committee meeting start times so they can avoid rush hour.
Parks committee chair Mike Hicks, who travels from Sooke to the CRD’s downtown Victoria offices on Fisgard Street, after consulting with members, changed the start time of this week’s meeting to 10 a.m. from 9:30 a.m.
“I come from Sooke and [councillors] Lanny Seaton and Denise Blackwell come from Langford. I can’t guarantee that I can be at the meeting by 9:30 now and I’m the chair of the committee, so I have to be there,” Hicks said.
“I really don’t see any downside to it and I see a big upside to it.”
Asked what kind of a message it sends to the typical commuter stuck in traffic, when local politicians simply shift their work start time to avoid the crawl, Hicks said: “I’m not trying to send a message. I’m just trying to have a meeting. My intent wasn’t to make a political statement.”
“I’m a fairly practical person, and being selfish and being from Sooke, [it only takes] one accident and then I’m not at the meeting,” Hicks said, adding: “I’d be all for moving the government offices out to Langford.”
CRD chair Barb Desjardins said Hicks’ email clarifying his authority to change the meeting start generated so much interest among other CRD directors that she has asked staff to report on the implications of more meeting-schedule changes.
“They’re spending a lot of time in traffic,” Desjardins said of CRD directors.
Desjardins said it’s not as simple as pushing back all committee start times, as several standing committee and board meetings are already scheduled many Wednesdays. So changing the start time of one meeting can have a domino effect.
“Obviously, if you push on one end of the day, you’re going to have to push out on the other end of the day,” Desjardins said, noting that meeting into the early evening would have staffing implications.
“We are already at capacity for meetings on Wednesdays so it is not as easy as just moving one meeting,” she said.
“There are the occasional times when you can make a change like Mike’s meeting on parks this time where it doesn’t have that ripple effect, but often we have three meetings back to back. …
“So it’s not as easy as just shifting a time.”
Desjardins said shifting meeting times is about running a more effective and productive organization.
“It isn’t just about getting the politicians or allowing the politicians to be moved away from traffic. There’s a whole structure of things that need to continue to occur. Decisions need to be made,” she said.
Desjardins said the problem underscores the need for a regional transportation authority.
“It really is a decision-making process around how are we going to look at this in a big picture and make some changes that are going to help the congestion.”
