What is an Alternative Approval Process?
Under the
Community Charter, local governments, such as the City, can use an Alternative Approval Process (AAP) as a method to directly engage citizens about a proposed bylaw or other matter requiring elector approval. An AAP can be used for various initiatives, such as a proposed bylaw to undertake long-term borrowing or a boundary extension, or to establish a new regional district service or other matter requiring approval of the electorate.
How does it work?
A staff report is provided to City Council that describes the plan for conducting the AAP. It includes key information about the proposed elector approval process to ensure the elected officials fully understands the implications of using an AAP to obtain approval. The report also provides the staff with an opportunity to plan the process to conduct the potential AAP.
At a City Council meeting, Council will direct staff to proceed with obtaining the approval of a bylaw, agreement, or project by the electors through an Alternate Approval Process. Staff will then bring a report forward to City Council at an open meeting, which will outline the proposed advertising dates for the AAP, the proposed deadline for receipt of responses, the estimated number of electors, and the proposed “elector response form." Council must approve these by resolution, and following that, the response forms are made available to the electors.
A notice of an AAP will be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper distributed in the area defined for the process. Eligible electors have at least thirty (30) days from the publication of the second notice to submit elector response forms to the local government corporate officer before the AAP deadline. Forms received after the deadline has passed and cannot be counted. When 10% or more of the eligible electors sign and submit response forms, local governments cannot proceed with the proposed matter without first holding an assent vote (i.e. referendum).
Upcoming Alternative Approval Process Projects or Bylaws:
There are no Alternative Approval Processes scheduled at this time.
Alternative Approval Process #1: Mobile Equipment Financing
Alternative Approval Process #1:
Mobile Equipment Financing (Bylaw No. 8844, 2017)
The Mobile Equipment Replacement Financing Project proposes to proceed with mobile equipment purchases through loan agreements under the Equipment Financing program at the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA). The estimated cost of the Mobile Equipment Replacement Financing is the sum of four million two hundred and twenty two thousand three hundred and thirty dollars ($4,222,330).
The loan agreements with the Municipal Finance Authority will be for a term no longer than ten (10) years, to match the expected service life of the mobile equipment. The Finance Department advises that the annual debt servicing costs for borrowing the full amount of $4,222,330 will be approximately $466,213 to the General Operating Fund over ten (10) years and assumes an interest rate of 2.00%. It is estimated that the borrowing under Bylaw No. 8844 over ten (10) years will result in a tax increase for the average residential property of approximately $9.34 per year.
View Bylaw No. 8844, 2017
Download Elector Response Form – Bylaw No. 8844
Alternative Approval Process #2: Public Works Yard Development Loan Authorization
Alternative Approval Process #2:
Public Works Yard Development Loan Authorization (Bylaw No. 8845, 2017)
Located at 4050 18th Avenue, the Public Works Yard Development Project proposes to integrate the Parks Division into the main Engineering and Public Works building, where Roads, Fleet, Engineering and Civic Facilities currently reside. This project would enlarge the existing change room and washroom facilities to include outside Parks workers, as well as to create space for Parks administrative staff.
This loan agreement with the Municipal Finance Authority will be for a term no longer than twenty (20) years. The Finance Department advises the borrowing of $1,450,000 will result in annual debt servicing costs of $97,463 to the General Operating Fund over twenty (20) years and assumes an interest rate of 3.00% and a sinking fund rate of 3.00%. It is estimated that the borrowing under Bylaw No. 8845 over twenty (20) years will result in a tax increase for the average residential property of approximately $2.09 per year.
View Bylaw No. 8845, 2017
Download Elector Response Form – Bylaw No. 8845
Alternative Approval Process #3: Nechako Riverside Park Loan Authorization
Alternative Approval Process #3:
Nechako Riverside Park Loan Authorization (Bylaw No. 8846, 2017)
Located along the Nechako River, directly northeast of Foothills Bridge, the Nechako Riverside Park project proposes to formalize the park in order to provide safe and comfortable use by the public and to increase riparian habitat values. The project would include improved access, formalized parking, maintained trails and site grading, revegetation and site furnishings.
This loan agreement with the Municipal Finance Authority will be for a term no longer than twenty (20) years. The Finance Department advises that the borrowing of $630,000 will result in annual debt servicing costs of $42,346 to the General Fund over twenty (20) years and assumes an interest rate of 3.00% and a sinking fund rate of 3.00%. It is estimated that the borrowing under Bylaw No. 8846 over twenty (20) years will result in a tax increase for the average residential property of approximately $0.91 per year.
View Bylaw No. 8846, 2017
Download Elector Response Form – Bylaw No. 8846
Alternative Approval Process #4: Hart Industrial Storm Drainage Treatment Loan Authorization
Alternative Approval Process #4:
Hart Industrial Storm Drainage Treatment Loan Authorization (Bylaw No. 8848, 2017)
Located near Blueberry Road and Highway 97, the Hart Industrial Storm Drainage Treatment project proposes the construction of a storm drainage and treatment facility. Depending on availability of land, the structure may be either an open channel treatment or an enclosed structure. A diversions structure will also need to be developed to divert flow to this treatment facility. Investigations into the water quality of the storm water being discharged into the McMillan Creek Watershed have revealed that it contains compounds that are detrimental to aquatic life.
This loan agreement with the Municipal Finance Authority will be for a term no longer than twenty (20) years. The Finance Department advises that the borrowing of $1,470,000 will result in annual debt servicing costs of $98,807 to the General Fund over twenty (20) years and assumes an interest rate of 3.00% and a sinking fund rate of 3.00%. It is estimated that the borrowing under Bylaw No. 8848 over twenty (20) years will result in a tax increase for the average residential property of approximately $2.12 per year.
View Bylaw No. 8848, 2017
Download Elector Response Form – Bylaw No. 8848
Additional Information
More detailed information is available for the above bylaws and projects, including:
You can also request printed copies from the 5th floor at City Hall, Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8:30am and 5:00pm, excluding holidays.
Elector Eligibility and Applicable Area
To participate in the alternate approval process, the Elector must be located in the applicable area and meet the criteria to sign the Elector Response Form as a resident elector or non-resident property elector.
Applicable Area
All four (4) alternative approval processes applies to the entire area of the City of Prince George.
The municipal City Council may proceed with the adoption of Bylaw No. 8844, unless by 5:00 p.m. on July 12, 2017, at least 10% of the electors submit signed Elector Response Forms for Bylaw No. 8844 indicating that Council must obtain assent of the electors by a referendum vote before proceeding with the adoption of Bylaw No. 8844.
The municipal Council may proceed with the adoption of Bylaw No. 8845, unless by 5:00 p.m. on July 12, 2017, at least 10% of the electors submit signed Elector Response Forms for Bylaw No. 8845 indicating that Council must obtain assent of the electors by a referendum vote before proceeding with the adoption of Bylaw No. 8845.
The municipal Council may proceed with the adoption of Bylaw No. 8846 unless by 5:00 p.m. on July 12, 2017, at least 10% of the electors submit signed Elector Response Forms for Bylaw No. 8846 indicating that Council must obtain assent of the electors by a referendum vote before proceeding with the adoption of Bylaw No. 8846.
The municipal Council may proceed with the adoption of Bylaw No. 8848 unless by 5:00 p.m. on July 12, 2017, at least 10% of the electors submit signed Elector Response Forms for Bylaw No. 8848 indicating that Council must obtain assent of the electors by a referendum vote before proceeding with the adoption of Bylaw No. 8848.
For the purpose of these four (4) separate alternative approval processes, Council has determined there are 54,178 electors in the City of Prince George. The municipal Council may therefore proceed with the adoption of Bylaw No. 8844, Bylaw No. 8845, Bylaw No. 8846 and Bylaw No. 8848 on an individual basis unless at least 5,418 electors (10%) submit a completed copy of an Elector Response Form for each of the proposed bylaws to the City of Prince George by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, 2017.
Elector Eligibility
To sign the Elector Response Form as a
resident elector, a person must meet all of the following criteria:
- be a Canadian citizen;
- be at least 18 years of age;
- lived in British Columbia for at least six (6) months before signing the Elector Response Form;
- lived within the City of Prince George for at least 30 days before signing the Elector Response Form; and
- not be otherwise disqualified from voting by the
Local Government Act or by other law.
To sign the Elector Response Form as a
non-resident property elector, a person must meet all of the following criteria:
- be a Canadian citizen;
- be at least 18 years of age;
- lived in British Columbia for at least six (6) months before signing the Elector Response Form;
- owned property within the City of Prince George for at least thirty (30) days before signing the Elector Response Form. If there is more than one registered owner of the property, only one of them may sign the Elector Response Form, along with the written consent of the majority of the registered owners of the property, and should not be disqualified from voting by the
Local Government Act or by other law.
A person may not sign more than one Elector Response Form in relation to each Bylaw.
Elector Response Forms
For each bylaw, Elector Response Forms must be in the form approved by City Council of the City of Prince George.
Elector Response Forms are available:
- Online:
- In-person: Visit the 1st floor or 5th floor of City Hall (located at 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC), between the hours of 8:30am and 5:00pm, Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
The deadline for submitting Elector Response Forms to the City of Prince George is
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, 2017.
Electors may submit completed Elector Response Forms through one of the following contact methods:
- Mail delivery or in-person
Attention: Corporate Officer
City of Prince George
5th Floor - 1100 Patricia Blvd.
Prince George, BC V2L 3V9 -
Facsimile
Fax to: (250) 561-0183 -
Email
Send the PDF attachment to: cityclerk@princegeorge.ca
Note: If submitting the Elector Response Forms by facsimile (fax) or by email, please ensure the transmission was completed.