Areas E and F of the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and the Town of Gibsons will remain separate areas as a result of the crushing defeat of the restructure referendum held Nov. 18.
For longtime supporter of the "no" vote, Area E (Elphinstone) director Lorne Lewis, the result was no surprise.
"[The result] represents what we felt was the support all along. We started [gauging] the "no" support in the summer of 2005. Consistently it broke down to two-thirds against restructuring," Lewis said.
The vote was divided along rural versus Town of Gibsons lines. Electors in the Town voted 61 per cent in favour of restructuring and the combined rural areas E and F (West Howe Sound) voted 70 per cent against restructuring. Votes were 2,178 against the referendum and 1,531 in favour.
The turnout was also much heavier in the rural areas. Although not broken down by the individual areas, the combined rural vote was 54 per cent, while only 40 per cent of the Town of Gibsons voters made their mark.
"In the rural areas this was a much more passionate issue," Lewis explained for the difference in turnout. "In the Town a lot of people didn't vote because they weren't enthused with the issue. They voted with their feet by not showing."
He said he was pleased with the rural turnout. "Anytime you get more than 50 per cent turnout in a referendum, that's excellent," Lewis said.
In 1986 when electors voted to restructure to the District of Sechelt, the voter turnout was 47 per cent. In last June's successful recreation referendum the turnout was 48 per cent.
The numbers are discouraging for Gibsons Mayor Barry Janyk who was a vocal proponent of restructuring.
"I'm sad but not surprised. I'm disappointed from a community-building perspective," Janyk said.
He said it was difficult for the Town to overcome the "no" side's claims that taxes would skyrocket. Janyk said that by the time the final report on the pros and cons of restructuring was tendered, people had already made up their minds to vote no."Some folks would not be dissuaded by the facts. How can you say you're opposed to something before you hear the facts?" he asked.
Regardless of the vote, Janyk said, things are going to change. "You either evolve or you go extinct," he stated. "Development will continue to arrive on our shores. [Restructuring] will come up again when the present generation is gone."
He said the low voter turnout from the Town indicated people were ambivalent, while those against restructuring "were rabid in their opposition."
As far as the province is concerned, the matter is now dead. "The voters have made their decision and they decided they want the status quo to continue. I respect that and it's important that we all do respect the wishes of the voters," said Ida Chong, Minister of Community Services in a phone message to with Coast Reporter Wednesday afternoon.
Chong acknowledged the seriousness of the referendum and praised those who took the time to vote.
"It is a democratic society we live in and so participating in a vote is very, very important," she said.
As to the future, Chong said the province "does not force any governance change on people."
Until I hear from [area residents], I put this matter aside," she said.
The minister added she hoped people would reflect on the issues that came up in the restructuring exercise and that area citizens would work together to find ways to build a common vision for the Sunshine Coast.
Had the referendum been successful, the overwhelming name choice of the electors for the new municipality would have been District of Gibsons as indicated by the votes on part two of the ballot.
