A monthly meetup with the mayor is an easy and more relaxed way to get the community involved in local governance. Most months since she took office, Metchosin Mayor Marie-Terese Little has met with constituents in council chambers over coffee, tea and cookies to talk about whatever they’re keen on.
“We instituted this right at the turn of election as soon as we were sworn in,” said Little, a council member since 2018 who earned the mayor’s seat in 2022. “Some people don’t feel comfortable coming to the microphone so this just allows them this opportunity to interact with the mayor and acting mayor.”
Whether it’s bylaw questions or bigger ticket items such as the planned new fire hall or the significant jump in policing costs, all subjects are on the table.
Policing continues to be one issue residents grapple with since Metchosin has been on the hook for covering the costs since April 1, 2022. The district covers 70 per cent of its policing costs after the 2021 census showed the population at 5,067, surpassing the 5,000 threshold. The remainder is paid by the federal government. But it’s an issue that comes up every year.
“It’s huge… and then all of the ancillary costs that come with that,” Little said, noting dispatch and Vancouver Island Major Crimes Unit are added costs.
Those are the questions that come up, and the crowd can vary from a dozen residents to three dozen.
Little also brings regional answers to the table as the mayor serves on the Capital Regional District Board (as vice chair); CRD Hospital Board; CRD Housing Corporation; Greater Victoria Labour Relations Board; Victoria Family Court and Youth Justice Committee; Te’mexw Treaty Advisory Committee and Victoria Regional Transit Commission.
“I don’t come to these meetings with an agenda or a topic,” she said. “It’s a good way of communicating and keeping a pulse on the community.”
The next Coffee with the Mayor is Nov. 14 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Metchosin council chambers at 4450 Happy Valley Rd.
