PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to section 86 of the Community Charter, Prince George City Council is proposing to seek approval of the electors of the City of Prince George by Alternative Approval Process. The question before the electors is whether they are opposed to Prince George City Council adopting the proposed “Stormwater System Renewal Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 9452, 2024” at the regular Council meeting scheduled for Monday, May 27, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC, without first obtaining assent of the electors by a referendum vote.
“Stormwater System Renewal Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 9452, 2024”
The annual stormwater system renewal program and includes activities that return the service capability of an asset up to that which it had originally provided, this includes relining, full replacement of existing assets and disposal of old assets, lowering of operating costs, and bringing an asset up to current code/standards. Renewing the stormwater system is essential to prevent flooding, erosion, sedimentation/degradation of water quality and negative impact on aquatic life.
The Loan Authorization Bylaw is for two million five hundred and fifty thousand dollars. ($2,550,000).
The loan agreement with the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA) will be for a term no longer than twenty (20) years. The annual debt servicing costs for borrowing the full amount is estimated to be two hundred and fifteen thousand nine hundred and thirty eight dollars ($215,938.00) and would result in 0.16% of future tax levy increases.
The approved projects from the 2024 – 2028 Capital Financial Plan that will be part of the stormwater system renewal program will include, but not limited to, stormwater green infrastructure, ponds, outfalls, storm mains, culverts, armoring, recharge chambers, catch basins, manholes, service connections, flood pumps, oil grit separators, ditch renewal, electrical, SCADA, communications, property acquisitions and necessary encumbrances.
A copy of proposed Bylaw No. 9452, 2024, a more detailed summary of the Loan Authorization, and a copy of the proposed loan agreements with the Municipal Finance Authority are available for public inspection at City Hall during each business day of the week between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
For any questions, please contact the Legislative Services Department at (250) 561-7793 or cityclerk@princegeorge.ca.
INSTRUCTIONS
If you are not opposed to the adoption of the above noted Bylaw, you need to do nothing.
If you are opposed to the adoption of the above noted Bylaw without the Bylaw first receiving assent of the electors by a referendum vote, you may sign and submit an Elector Response Form indicating your opposition.
A person may not sign more than one Elector Response Form.
APPLICABLE AREA
The area to which the Alternative Approval Process applies is the entire area of the City of Prince George. The municipal Council may proceed with the adoption of Bylaw No. 9452, 2024 unless before the deadline of 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at least 10% of electors submit a complete and signed Elector Response Form indicating that Council must obtain assent of the electors by a referendum vote before proceeding with the adoption of Bylaw No. 9452, 2024.
For the purpose of this Alternative Approval Process, Council has determined that there are 56,480 registered electors in the City of Prince George. The municipal Council may therefore proceed with the adoption of Bylaw No. 9452, 2024 unless at least 5,648 electors submit a completed copy of an Elector Response Form to the City of Prince George before the deadline of 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
RESIDENTS AND NON-RESIDENT PROPERTY ELECTORS:
In order to sign an Elector Response Form, a person must either be a resident elector or a non-resident property elector of the City of Prince George. For the purposes of the Alternative Approval Process, an elector is a person who meets the qualifications referred to in section 65 or section 66 of the Local Government Act if assent of the electors were sought, either as a resident elector or non-resident property elector.
To sign an Elector Response Form as a resident elector a person must:
- be a Canadian citizen;
- be at least 18 years of age;
- have lived in British Columbia for at least the last six (6) months before signing the Elector Response Form;
- live within the City of Prince George; and
- not be otherwise disqualified from voting by the Local Government Act or by other law.
To sign an Elector Response Form as a non-resident property elector a person must:
- be a Canadian citizen;
- be at least 18 years of age;
- have lived in British Columbia for at least the last six (6) months before signing the Elector Response Form;
- have been a registered owner of property within the City of Prince George for at least the last thirty (30) days; and
- not be otherwise disqualified from voting by the Local Government Act or by other law.
ELECTOR RESPONSE FORM
An Elector Response Form must be in the form approved by the Council of the City of Prince George, or an accurate copy of the form such as a photocopy. Elector Response Forms are available on the 1st Floor or the 5th Floor of Prince George City Hall, 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., on Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. Elector Response Forms are also available on the City’s website: www.princegeorge.ca/aap.
The deadline for submitting an Elector Response Form is 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
An Elector Response Form must be fully completed and hand-signed. All three (3) pages of the completed Elector Response Form must be submitted in order to be counted.
Elector Response Forms may be submitted by hand delivery, mail, facsimile (fax), or email as a PDF document attachment, as follows:
Address for delivery or mail:
Attention: Corporate Officer
City of Prince George
Legislative Services Division
5th Floor - 1100 Patricia Blvd.
Prince George, BC V2L 3V9
Facsimile (fax) number: (250) 561-0183
PDF submission via email: cityclerk@princegeorge.ca
If submitting the Elector Response Form to the City of Prince George by facsimile (fax) or by email as a PDF document attachment, please ensure that the transmission was completed.
This notice is published in accordance to section 86 and 94 of the Community Charter and City of Prince George Public Notice Bylaw No. 9329, 2022.
DATED this 22nd day of March, 2024
Ethan Anderson, Corporate Officer/ Manager of Legislative Services
City of Prince George