Facilitating an Informed Vote on Municipal Amalgamation
CLIENT: City of Duncan + the Municipality of North Cowichan
PROJECT: Amalgamation Referendum Information Campaign
/ Services Provided
Media Training
Digital Advocacy
Branding + Design
/ Background
The idea of amalgamating the City of Duncan and the Municipality of North Cowichan has been debated for over a century, dating back to their original separation in 1912. In 2014, the municipalities revisited the question through a non-binding opinion poll, where the majority of residents voted in favour of further study. This led to the formation of the Citizens’ Assembly on Municipal Amalgamation and the commissioning of a technical study to evaluate the potential impacts.
In 2018, following the Assembly’s recommendation to move forward with a referendum, the Province officially called a vote for June 23. The decision would rest with the people, and both municipalities needed to vote in favour for amalgamation to proceed.
/ The Deliverables
- Communications Plan
- Government Relations Strategy
- Market Research
- Media Relations Plan
- Campaign Platform + Style Guide
- Daily Headline Curation
- Community Engagement
- Media Training
- Infographic + Animation Design
- Marketing Materials + Print Brochure
- News Conference
- Website
- Traditional + Digital Advertising
- Social Media Strategy + Implementation
/ Where We Came In
We were engaged by both municipalities to design and implement a non-partisan public education campaign in the lead-up to the referendum. Our mandate was to ensure that every resident had access to clear, accessible, and unbiased information to support informed decision-making, regardless of how they intended to vote.
We developed a comprehensive communications plan that included:
- A dedicated website
- Strategic media relations
- Direct mailers and email campaigns
- A 24/7 call-in service
- Social media platform setup and content planning
- A full visual identity and campaign brand
- A wide range of ad materials, including print, radio, digital, and billboards
Two weeks prior to the vote, we coordinated four open houses across the region. These sessions gave residents the opportunity to ask questions, hear from municipal representatives, and explore the facts behind the issue.
The campaign ran from May 7 to June 23, 2018.
/ The Result
Success for this campaign was defined by clarity and reach — not by the vote outcome. Our goal was to empower residents with the information they needed to make an informed choice.
Engagement and awareness metrics included:
- Website traffic: 28,978 page views
- Survey feedback: 80% of respondents said the site information was helpful
- Open house attendance: 340 residents across four sessions
- Exit surveys: 82% said their questions were answered
In the end, 68% of voters in Duncan opposed amalgamation, while 59% of voters in North Cowichan supported it. Since both municipalities needed to receive a vote of over 50% in favour, the measure did not pass.
Notably, this referendum saw the highest use of advance voting in either community in recent election history, a strong indicator of voter interest and awareness.
(millions)
(thousands)
