Referendum and Alternative Approval Process

CURRENT REFERENDUM: Apex Fire Protection Service

The Apex Fire Brigade currently provides fires services to the mountain community and has formally approached the Regional District to create a Regional District fire protection service, to be administered in the same way as existing Regional District fire departments.

The project proposes residents of Apex authorize the RDOS to establish a service for the provision of fire protection and borrow up to $3,000,000 in funds to purchase a fire truck, equipment, and acquire land to construct a fire hall.

Please check the column on the right for documents and links.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Please ensure you have all required forms completed when you vote (in-person or via mail ballot).

Declaration and consent forms for non-resident property owners are available in the column on the right. Examples of "proof that you are entitled to register in relation to this property" include BC assessment or tax notice.

You are not eligible to vote as a non-resident property elector if the property is registered in your company’s name.

You are also not eligible to vote if you are holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust.

Corporations are not eligible to vote; however, tenants who meet the criteria for resident elector may be eligible to vote.

Information
For specific questions or concerns about current initiatives, please contact Christy Malden, Manager of Legislative Services or call 250-492-0237.

Referendum and Alternative Approval Process overview

Referendum
Assent voting (or referendum) allows electors to vote on whether a proposal would move forward or not. Assent of the electors is obtained if a majority of the votes counted are in favour of the bylaw or question. Assent voting is conducted under the rules that generally apply to local elections.

For certain matters, local governments are required to obtain approval of the electors or participating area approval before the municipal council or regional district board may proceed with its decision. Assent voting can be used as both a form of approval of the electors and participating area approval.

Assent voting is conducted in a similar manner to local government elections and can either be done at the same time as a general local election or by-election or on its own as a stand-alone vote.

Alternative Approval Process
The alternative approval process (AAP) is a form of approval that allows electors to indicate whether they are against a local government proposal moving forward. An AAP enables local governments to directly engage citizens about a proposed bylaw intended to undertake long-term borrowing, a boundary extension, establish a new regional district service or other matter requiring elector approval.

The alternative approval process requires that 10 percent or more of the eligible electors must sign and submit response forms in opposition to the proposed initiative to require the local government to obtain assent of the electors in order to proceed. When this happens the issue is considered significant and the local government has two choices. They may proceed to assent voting within 80 days, or they may put the matter on hold and consider alternatives to the proposed action.

Please check the column on the right to view AAP archive folders.