Canterbury could be split into two to four new governing bodies, ECan says
Thursday, 7 May 2026
Nobody was talking about Canterbury becoming a mega-district with Christchurch as its capital at an Environment Canterbury (ECan) briefing on Wednesday.
Instead, most councillors were thinking that Canterbury will be split into two, three or even four new entities, depending how the mayors and chief executives finalise negotiations over the next three months.
This week the Government said councils have just three months to submit proposals to amalgamate councils - or it will step in and do it for them.
Councillor Ian Mackenzie of Mid-Canterbury/Ōpākihi wanted to know if, for sake of argument, Christchurch could take Rolleston but not Ashburton.
ECan Chairperson Deon Swiggs said there was nothing sacrosanct about current boundaries. Splitting an existing district into parts for redistribution is “definitely on the table”, he said.
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On Tuesday, Swiggs noted that Kaikoura has its own distinct local identity that might not be served if swallowed up by a larger entity.
It is clear is that little Kaikoura and giant Christchurch will not be left alone, staff told the councillors.
Every council in Canterbury will be merged with at least one other council and become a unitary authority. These will have the combined powers of existing councils and ECan.
If the councils do not accomplish this themselves, central Government will do it for them, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop announced on Tuesday.
Councillors had other thoughts as well.
Peter Scott of South Canterbury/Ōtuhituhi wondered how the new entities would regulate farmers and what would happen to consistency. “We could end up with four unitary authorities across Canterbury,” he said.
Councillor Genevieve Robinson of Christchurch Central/Ōhoko has concerns about unfinished business. ECan has been grappling with coastal management reform for years and will likely pass the problem onto new unitary authorities unfinished.
Robinson spoke with “local government people” last week and they did not understand they would soon be responsible for coastlines, she said.
Meanwhile, ECan is legally obliged to pass a long term plan (largely a budget) for 2027-37 and then will cease to exist at the end of December 2028.
Several councillors asked what the purpose of that was, but staff did not know.
Councillor Joe Davies of Christchurch North East/Ōrei said he is committed to serving ratepayers during the transition.
“We stood here in October and we swore an oath to serve the region. I think that that's what we have to do. And I, for one, will be coming here for the next two and a half years, and doing that.”
ECan had to be the “most open and transparent partners we can be with our territories”, Davies said.