A broad coalition of local academics, policy specialists, politicians and organizers will come together this weekend to address the need for a regionally minded policy vision for the Capital region.
From transportation to water to food security and governance, the Common Vision Common Action conference, set to take place this weekend at the University of Victoria, seeks to address regional issues more cohesively, and more collaboratively.
“With 13 municipalities making up the CRD (for a total of 14 jurisdictions), this idea sprung from the desire to provide a forum for aspiring local leaders and lawmakers to come together and create a vision to work toward in next year’s municipal elections,” said Trevor Hancock, professor and scholar in the School of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria.
Hancock and Laurel Collins are two of the lead event organizers among a broader team entirely consisting of volunteers, some of whom are used to working on opposing electoral efforts.
“We’ve reached out to multiple non-profit organizations, elected officials and community members with various backgrounds to help develop a policy vision that encompasses continued human development that is socially equitable and ecologically sustainable. It’s an exciting exercise in collaborative democracy, and hopefully it’s just the beginning,” said Collins, instructor of political sociology at the University of Victoria.
Aiming to be revenue neutral and as accessible as possible, the registration fee for the weekend is set at just $30. More information can be found at http://www.commonaction.ca/.
