Referendum

A replacement for Fire Hall #1 is being proposed to enhance service to more of Prince George. The proposed site – which is owned by the City and would not require a land purchase – on the south side of Massey Drive near the intersection with Carney Street would increase by 50 per cent the area firefighters can reach within eight minutes compared to Fire Hall #1's current location. Research shows an eight-minute response time is critical for keeping fires contained to one room. After eight minutes, fires can spread into the rest of a structure, greatly increasing the risk of fatalities.

A new Fire Hall #1 would be 50 per cent larger than the current facility and would have the capacity to house a functional and well-designed Emergency Operations Centre and Fire Operations Communications Centre.

Click on the images above to expand and view in greater detail.

Related reports:

August 9, 2017 - Fire Hall #1: Report to Council from City Manager Kathleen Soltis presenting a high level overview of the work completed to date on the Fire Hall #1 replacement project.

• Improved design such that everyone who wishes to access and use the facility can do so, regardless of their age, ability or needs;
• Diverse pools:
• A main pool 25 metres in length and 6 lanes wide;
• A shallow and warm pool for toddlers, swimming lessons, and therapy (25 metres long and 4 lanes wide);
• A leisure pool with beach entry and various water features, such as a slide;
• Spacious change rooms, including universal/family change rooms;
  
• A hot tub, sauna, and steam room; and
  
• Space for public gatherings and instruction.

Related reports: 

August 9, 2017 - Four Seasons Pool: Report to Council from City Manager Kathleen Soltis presenting a high level overview of the work completed to date on the pool replacement project. 

• Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at City Hall and UNBC;
• Thursday, October 19, 2017 at the College of New Caledonia; and
• Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at City Hall.

A ballot marking machine for electors with hearing, visual, or other physical impairments will be available at the two (2) advance voting opportunities at City Hall.

FIND YOUR VOTING LOCATION ON A MAP.

• John McInnis Centre
• DP Todd Secondary School
• Kelly Road Secondary School
• Edgewood Elementary School
• Malaspina Elementary School
• Ron Brent Elementary School
• Vanway Elementary School
• Blackburn Elementary School

FIND YOUR VOTING LOCATION ON A MAP.

Before requesting a Vote by Mail package, please read the following:

In accordance with the Local Government Act, the only electors permitted to vote by mail ballot are those who:

• have a physical disability, illness, or injury that affects their ability to vote at another voting opportunity OR
• expect to be absent from the City of Prince George on general voting day (October 28, 2017) and at the times of all advance voting opportunities (October 18, 19, and 24, 2017).

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The City of Prince George will begin accepting requests for a Mail ballot Package starting Friday, September 22, 2017 and continue until 4:00pm on Friday, October 27, 2017.

Electors may request a mail ballot package by completing the Form to Request a Mail Ballot Package (coming soon) or by picking up a request form at City Hall, 5th Floor, Legislative Services Division and submitting by mail, fax (250-561-0183) or email at cityclerk@princegeorge.ca. Deadline to submit a request is 4:00pm October 27, 2017.

The City of Prince George will send out mail ballot packages commencing the week of September 25, 2017. To be counted for voting, mail ballots must be received by the Chief Election Officer no later than 8:00pm on Saturday, October 28, 2017.

Electors who are concerned they may not have enough time to return completed packages before the deadline can call one of the following Election Officers:

Walter Babicz, Chief Election Officer
P: 250-561-7605
F: 250-561-0183
E: walter.babicz@princegeorge.ca

Maureen Connelly, Deputy Chief Election Officer
P: 250-561-7793
F: 250-561-0183
E: maureen.connelly@princegeorge.ca

There is no need to pre-register to vote as the registration of all electors will take place at the time of voting. The City of Prince George Election and Other Voting Procedures Bylaw no. 6067, 1993 states:

"For the purposes of all elections and other voting under Part 3 and 4 of the Local Government Act, a person may register as an elector only at the time of voting."

Electors will be required to make a declaration that they meet the following requirements:

• 18 years of age or older on general voting day for the election or assent voting; and
• a Canadian citizen; and
• a Resident of British Columbia for at least six (6) months immediately before the day of registration; and
• a Resident of the City of Prince George for at least thirty (30) days immediately before the day of registration; and
• Not disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in the assent voting or ortherwise disqualified by law.

Resident electors must produce two (2) pieces of identification (at least one with a signature). Picture identification is not necessary. The identification must prove both residency and identity.

Non-Resident Property Electors

• 18 years of age or older on general voting day for the election or assent voting; and
• a Canadian citizen; and
• a Resident of British Columbia for at least six (6) months immediately before the day of registration; and
• a registered owner of real property in Prince George for at least thirty (30) days immediately before the day of registration; and
• not entitled to register as a resident elector; and
• the only persons who are registered owners of the real property, either as joint tenants or tenants in common, are individuals who are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust; and
• not disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law; and
• if there is more than one (1) registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non-resident property elector.
  

A: On August 21, 2017, Prince George City Council adopted City of Prince George Election and Political Signs Bylaw No. 8867, 2017 which identifies permitted signage locations for elections and assent voting (referenda). Below are a number of key maps regarding political signage relevant to the upcoming Assent Vote (referendum) on October 28, 2017:

• Map of the permitted areas for election and political signage
• Permitted locations key map

One-hundred-(100)-Metre Radius Maps for Political Signage Restrictions at Voting Locations:

• Map of the eight (8) general voting locations
• Map of the advanced voting locations

Pursuant to Section 163 of the Local Government Act in relation to voting proceedings, a person must not do any of the following or within 100 metres of a building, structure, or other place where voting proceedings are being conducted at the time:

1. Canvass or solicit votes or otherwise attempt to influence how an elector votes;
2. Display, distribute, post, or openly leave a representation of a ballot marked for a particular result in the voting;
3. Post, display or distribute
• Election advertising, or
• Any material that promotes or opposes, directly or indirectly, a particular outcome for the vote;
4. Carry, wear, or supply a flag, badge, or other thing indicating that the person using it is a supporter of a particular candidate, elector organisation, or result in the voting.

You can report a concern about political signage that is located outside of permitted areas within the City of Prince George using the Bylaw Services Complaint form.

Elections BC oversees advertising rules for local elections assent voting in B.C., including registering advertising sponsors.

Non-election assent voting advertising is any advertising that promotes or opposes, directly or indirectly, a particular outcome for the vote during a non-election assent voting proceedings period. the non-election assent voting proceedings period begins at thirty (30) days before General Voting Day for the non-election assent voting and ends at the close of general voting.

Elections BC helps non-election assent voting (referendum) advertising sponsors undertand the rules under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act.

Among other requirements, all non-election assent voting advertising sponsors must:

Register with Elections BC before sponsoring any advertising.

Sponsorship information includes:

• the sponsor's name,
• a B.C. phone number, B.C. mailing address or an email address,
• the words "authorised by", and
• the words "registered sponsor under LECFA".
• File a disclosure statement with Elections BC within 90 days after General Voting Day.

For more information about the rules, read the Guide for Local Non-election Assent Voting Advertising Sponsors in B.C. (PDF) or visit Election BC's Local Elections FAQ.

For the assent voting process (referendum), voters in Prince George will answer the following two questions with yes/no responses:

1. Are you in favour of the City of Prince George adopting "Four Seasons Leisure Pool Replacement Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 8888, 2017" which will authorize Council to borrow a sum not exceeding thirty five million dollars ($35,000,000), repayable over a period of no more than twenty (20) years, for the development and construction of a new pool building to replace the Four Seasons Leisure Pool?
   
2. Are you in favour of the City of Prince George adopting "Fire Hall #1 Replacement Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 8889, 2017" which will authorize Council to borrow a sum not exceeding fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000), repayable over a period of no more than twenty (20) years, for the development and construction of a new fire hall building to replace Fire Hall #1?

A: The Chief Election Officer will report the preliminary voting results when they become available after general voting closes on October 28, 2017. The official results will be declared no later than 4PM on November 1, 2017, as required by legislation. It is anticipated that the official results will be presented at the regular Council meeting on October 30, 2017.

A: Taxes are based on the assessed value of each individual property so the answer is different for everybody. Nevertheless, the City has estimated what the cost will be per $100,000 of assessed value. For a new Fire Hall, this amount is $8.45 per year. A new Four Seasons Pool would cost $19.71 per $100,000 of assessed value per year.

If your property is assessed at $300,000, for example, the annual cost of a new Fire Hall would be $25.35. A new pool would be $59.13. The total increase on your property taxes for both would be $84.48.

These figures are based on a 20-year loan and an interest rate of 3%.