Alternate Approval Process

A report is provided to Council that describes the proposal seeking Council's approval for the AAP. Following statutory approval certifying that all legislative requirements are being met, staff bring back an additional report outlining the following:

• Advertising dates
• Deadline for receipt of responses
• Estimated number of electors
• Elector Response Form

After Council's approval, Elector Response Forms are made available at Municipal Office. Signed forms received after the deadline has passed cannot be counted. If, by the deadline, 10 per cent or more of the total number of estimated eligible electors sign and submit response forms, local governments cannot proceed with the proposed matter without first holding an assent vote (i.e. referendum).

Both eligible resident electors and eligible non-resident property electors can participate in an AAP. An elector is deemed eligible when they meet the qualitifactions set out in section 172 of the Local Government Act. 

Resident Elector

When signing an elector response form during an AAP, a resident elector must:

• be 18 years of age or older;
• be a Canadian citizen;
• have been a resident of British Columbia for at least six months;
• be a resident of the jurisdiction (e.g., municipality or electoral area) where the AAP is being conducted;
• live in the area defined for the AAP; 
• not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in a local election or be otherwise disqualified by law. [Community Charter, section 86(2)(e)(iii) and section 86(5); Local Government Act, section 65]
   

Non-Resident Property Elector

When signing an elector response form during an AAP, a non-resident property elector must:

• be 18 years of age or older;
• be a Canadian citizen;
• have been a resident of British Columbia for at least six months;
• have owned property in the jurisdiction (e.g., municipality or electoral area) for at least 30 days;
• own property in the area defined for the AAP; 
• not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in a local election or be otherwise disqualified by law. [Community Charter, section 86(2)(e)(iii) and section 86(5); Local Government Act, section 65]
   

Only one owner can sign the elector response form when a property is owned by more than one registered owner. That owner must have the written consent of a majority of the other property owner(s) to sign the response form. Where a property is owned in whole or in part by a corporation, no one is eligible to sign an elector response form in relation to that property. [Local Government Act, section 66]

Note: There is no Corporate Vote - No corporation is entitled to be registered as an elector or have a representative registered as an elector and no corporation is entitled to vote. 

If you are in favour of the adoption of the bylaw, no action is required.

If you are opposed to the adoption of the bylaw, complete and submit the Elector Response Form and return to the Corporate Officer within the designated time period, which will be no less than 30 days.

AAP Elector Response Forms are available during an active AAP at the Municipal Office, 136 Spruce Avenue, during regular business hours 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays or online (see above).

Yes, but only if each person meets the requirements to participate in an AAP (see details above).

Completed forms must be received by the Corporate Officer on or before the deadline, and can be submitted in any of the following ways:

• Mail to District of Sparwood, Box 520, Sparwood, BC, V0B2G0
• In person to the Municipal Office, 136 Spruce Avenue
• Email to corporate@sparwood.ca

The AAP must be advertised in accordance to Section 94.2 of the Community Charter. Notices will be placed on the public notice board at Municipal Hall, advertised in the local newspaper and posted on the Public Notices page.

Depending on the subject matter of the AAP, there may be additional newspaper ads, public open houses, press releases and other public communications.

Once the completed AAP Elector Response Forms are delivered to Municipal Office and received by the Corporate Officer, they are date stamped and held in a locked cabinet while the process is ongoing. The number of responses received is not made public during the process.

Once the deadline has passed, the responses are validated and the Corporate Officer will determine and certify whether the valid elector response forms submitted met or exceeded the 10 percent threshold established for the process. If the total is at least 10 per cent of the estimated number of electors, Council is not permitted to proceed with the matter unless it is approved by the electorate through assent voting (referendum).