caddy

Affectionately known as "Caddy"  after have been
seen in Cadboro Bay immediately north of
Oak Bay, sightings of large serpentine marine animals
have been reported off the waters of Vancouver Island since the early 1930's. Descriptions of Caddy have been remarkably similar for generations.
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Message from the Mayor

Dear Visitor,

 Welcome to the District of Oak Bay. We are a maritime community of 18,000 with a long tradition of local government, dating from 1906 when a prominent group of property owners including the well-known architect Francis Rattenbury petitioned the Province for the incorporation of a new district municipality.

 I feel very privileged to have been serving this community since 1987 when I was first elected to Council. I became Mayor in 1996, and I have been very fortunate to have worked with Council colleagues who have always been motivated by the best interests of the community.

 In my role as Mayor, I also serve as Chair of the Oak Bay Police Board, which is the civilian oversight body for our municipal police department – one of only ten in British Columbia. One of the greatest changes I have seen in my time on Council is the increasing complexity of policing, and it is very important to me that we strike a balance between providing responsive community policing on the one hand, and being able to cope with investigations that require the resources of a large organization on the other.

 Policing is a good example of a service where the “virtual municipal hall” concept will never be a substitute for personal contact. And to some extent, I like to think that this applies to municipal services across the board. Oak Bay tries to be a good corporate citizen of the region on issues which transcend municipal boundaries – we are extremely sensitive to the need to be seen as pulling our weight in a regional context. On the other hand, in those areas where local administration works best, we try to provide a human face, a quick turnaround time, and sensitivity to the little things that would not receive much attention in a larger organization, but which have a considerable impact on quality of life none the less.

 As both an individual municipality and as part of the Capital Regional District, we face many challenges in the future, particularly in the funding of the infrastructure needs that accompany population growth. There will not always be agreement on the best method of dealing with these challenges, but you can be assured that your locally elected representatives will approach them with your interests at the forefront, and that we will listen carefully to your views.

Christopher M. Causton, Mayor
District of Oak Bay