Linear Liquid Waste Infrastructure Replacement Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3520, 2023
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Mayor and Council of the City of Prince Rupert proposes to adopt the Linear Liquid Waste Infrastructure Replacement Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3520, 2023 to authorize the borrowing of up to $40,000,000 over a 30 year period to replace certain sewer linear infrastructure. Debt is expected to be taken in stages (allowing for opportunities for new revenue sources to reduce the borrowing necessary should they become available). Expected stages are $15M in 2024 and $25M in 2025. Repayment of the proposed borrowing schedule is expected to result in an estimated sewer fee increase in 2024 of 35% ($163) and 44% in 2025 ($277) (net of discount). The estimated servicing cost for the scheduled borrowing is $979,000 annually on $15M of debt and $1,631,000 annually on $25M of debt for a total annual repayment of $2,610,000 at the current Municipal Finance Authority interest rate of 4.62%.
FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Mayor and Council of the City of Price Rupert may adopt the Linear Liquid Waste Infrastructure Replacement Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3520, 2023, if, after the deadline, elector response forms are certified by the Corporate Administrator as having been signed by less than 10% of the eligible electors in the City of Prince Rupert. If, after the deadline, elector response forms are certified by the Corporate Administrator as having been signed by at least 10% of the eligible electors in the City of Prince Rupert (calculated to be 1,029), Mayor and Council may not proceed with the adoption of the Linear Liquid Waste Infrastructure Replacement Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3520, 2023 and may not proceed with the process unless the matter receives assent of the electors in a voting proceeding.
Elector Response Forms
The response of the electors must be in the form established by the City of Prince Rupert. Forms are available at the front desk of City Hall (424 3rd Avenue West, Prince Rupert). Blank forms can be mailed, faxed, or emailed, upon request. An accurate copy of the elector response form may be utilized, provided that it is made of the form prior to any electors signing such form, so that only elector response forms with original signatures are submitted. For an elector response form to be accepted, it must meet the following conditions:
- Only eligible electors of the City of Prince Rupert are entitled to sign an elector response form;
- The full name of the elector must be stated;
- The residential address of the elector must be stated;
- If applicable, the address of the property in relation to which the person is entitled to vote as a non-resident property elector must be stated; and,
- The elector response form must be submitted to the Corporate Administrator before the deadline.
Forms may be submitted in person or by mail to be received by the Corporate Administrator at City Hall located at 424 3rd Avenue West, Prince Rupert, BC, V8J 1L7 NO LATER THAN 4:30 PM ON Monday August 14th, 2023. Elector response forms must be in the possession of the Corporate Administrator by this time, as postmarks WILL NOT be accepted as date of submission. FORMS MAY NOT BE RETURNED BY FAX OR EMAIL.
Eligible Elector
An eligible elector for the purpose of this Alternative Approval Process is a person entitled to be registered as an elector and who meets the following criteria:
- Is age 18 or older;
- Is a Canadian citizen;
- Has been a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months;
- Lives within the City of Prince Rupert at the time of signing; and,
- Is not disqualified from voting by the Local Government Act or any other act.
A non-resident property elector who meets the following criteria is also an eligible elector:
- Is not entitled to register as a resident elector for the City of Prince Rupert;
- Is age 18 or older;
- Is a Canadian citizen;
- Has been a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months;
- Has been a registered owner of the real property within the City of Prince Rupert for at least 30 days; and,
- Is not disqualified from voting by the Local Government Act or any other act.
- Note: Corporations or land held in a corporate name are not entitled to vote. In the case of multiple owners of a parcel, only one person (with consent of the majority of owners) may vote as a non-resident property elector.
What is an Alternative Approval Process?
On January 1st, 2004, the Community Charter came into force and prescribes two methods by which a local government may seek approval of the electors. These are Assent of the Electors (which is approval by voting) or Alternative Approval Process which allows Mayor and Council to proceed with an action unless at least 10% of the eligible electors state their opposition within a prescribed period. In this case, Mayor and Council have opted for the latter process. If at least 10% of the eligible electors state their opposition to the proposed Loan Authorization Bylaw, the matter requires the Assent of the Electors if Mayor and Council wish to proceed with the loan. The Alternative Approval Process under the Community Charter replaces the Counter Petition Opportunity under the Local Government Act that residents may have been familiar with.
More information can be obtained by contacting Corinne Bomben, Chief Financial Officer at City Hall at 424 3rd Avenue West, Prince Rupert BC, or by calling (250) 627 0935.