Area J Community Halls Support Service Establishment

We are seeking approval from West Chilcotin residents to establish a community hall support service in Electoral Area J (West Chilcotin). If approved, this service would provide consistent and ongoing funding for three community halls in the West Chilcotin to assist with operating costs. Approval is being sought through an Alternative Approval Process, or a "negative assent vote" that is authorized under the Local Government Act.

The Board adopted Electoral Area J Community Hall Support Service Parcel Tax Bylaw No. 5484, 2024 at its July 5, 2024 regular meeting. The service will begin distributing funds to community organizations starting in 2025.

Alternative Approval Process explained

An Alternative Approval Process is a 'reverse' form of public assent where the CRD will adopt Bylaw No. 5470 unless at least 10 per cent of the electors in Area J submit a signed form saying they are against the adoption of the bylaw without a vote being held.

This means that the CRD will establish the new service unless 10 percent of the residents in Area J submit signed Elector Response Forms. One hundred and four (104) elector responses are required to prevent the CRD from proceeding with this bylaw without a referendum in Area J.

View a copy of the bylaw

Proposed Service

There are three community groups and halls to be included in the new service – Anahim Lake Community Hall, Nimpo Lake Community Hall, and the Tatla Lake Community Hall. The total amount collected will be $30,000 and split evenly between the three halls to help pay for utilities, insurance, and specified improvement projects.

Similar services have been established in other Electoral Areas of the Regional District, including Electoral Areas F, G, H, and L.

Summary of the proposed Bylaw

The following is a synopsis of Bylaw No. 5470 and is not intended as an interpretation of it. The bylaw, in its entirety, is available for inspection at the Cariboo Regional District offices in Williams Lake, during regular office hours; and on the Cariboo Regional District's website.

If adopted, Bylaw No. 5470 will authorize the establishment of a service for the purpose of a contribution of funds to non-profit societies for costs associated with ownership and operation of community halls in Electoral Area J. The Cariboo Regional District intends to recover the full cost of providing this service through the imposition of parcel taxes and revenues received by way of agreement, enterprise, gift, grant or otherwise. Total property taxes for this service shall not exceed the greater of $30,000 or an amount raised by applying a tax rate of $0.1394 /$1,000.00 on the basis of assessed value of land and improvements in Electoral Area J.

Taxation Proposal

Taxation would be through a modified parcel tax, which limits collection to a maximum of two fee-simple parcels per each unique owner at a rate of about $30 per parcel. There are 1,059 taxable parcels within the service area.

No other areas of the CRD would fund the service. Only Electoral Area J properties would be taxed for this service.

Elector Eligibility

Only electors in Electoral Area J (West Chilcotin) are eligible to sign the Elector Response Forms. There are two types of electors:

Resident

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 lived in British Columbia for at least the last six months; live in Electoral Area J; and not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in a local election, or be otherwise disqualified by law.

Non-Resident

When signing an Elector Response Form during an AAP, a non-resident property elector must: be at least 18 years of age; be a Canadian citizen; have lived in British Columbia for at least the last six months; have owned property in Electoral Area J for at least the last 30 days; and not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in a local election, or be otherwise disqualified by law.

Only one non-resident property elector may sign an Elector Response Form per property, regardless of how many people own the property; and, that owner must have the written consent of a majority of the other property owners to sign the response form on their behalf.

Properties owned in whole or in part by a corporation do not qualify.

How to Submit a Response Form

Elector responses must be submitted on the official Elector Response Form. This is the only form that will be accepted, or an accurate copy of it. Pick up a form during regular business hours from the CRD office in Williams Lake or download from this webpage.

Resident electors signing the Elector Response Form must provide their name and address. Non-resident property electors must provide their name and the address of the property in relation to which they are entitled to register as a non-resident property elector.

The Cariboo Regional District will not share the information on the form with anyone other than its Manager of Corporate Services or other persons designated by the Manager of Corporate Services.

Response Deadline

Elector Response Forms, to be valid, must be received by the Manager of Corporate Administration by no later than 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, and must be signed by duly qualified electors within the proposed Electoral Area J Community Hall Support Service Area.