The Capital Regional District (CRD) is a local government administrative district encompassing the southern tip of Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The CRD is one of several regional districts in British Columbia and had an official population of 345,164 as of the Canada 2006 Census.[1]
The CRD encompasses the thirteen municipalities of Greater Victoria and the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area on Vancouver Island, the Salt Spring Electoral Area, and the Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area. Its headquarters is in the City of Victoria, although there are many office and operational facilities throughout the region. The total land area is 2,341.11 km2 (903.91 sq mi).
The CRD was formed in 1966 as a federation of seven municipalities and five electoral areas to provide coordination of regional issues and local government in rural areas in the Greater Victoria region.[2]
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*(Map of member municipalities)
The board of directors are either directly elected officials or are appointed from within the region's elected municipal councils.[3]
The CRD's responsibilities include recycling, operating the regional landfill, building and operating sewage treatment plants, a sewer source control program, regional water supply, funding for non-profit arts groups, regional planning, funding health facilities, and overseeing thirty regional parks, trails, and regional park reserves encompassing over 100 km². The CRD is the sole shareholder of the Capital Region Housing Corporation, which owns and operates over 1200 rental housing units. In certain areas, the CRD can pass bylaws that are binding on a portion of the geogaphical area or the entire geographical area. These include a "clean air bylaw" smoking ban in all public places and patios in restaurants/pubs.
The CRD assumes responsibilities ordinarily undertaken by municipalities in unincorporated areas of the CRD. These responsibilities include animal control, building inspection, fire protection, and bylaw enforcement. Some of the region's municipalities avail themselves of some of these services in a contractual arrangement with the CRD.
The CRHD's primary responsibility is to provide the region's share of capital funding for the region’s health facilities and equipment. The region's health care delivery is the responsibility of the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA). The CRHD shares the same Board of Directors with the CRD.[4]
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