PEACE RIVER REGIONAL DISTRICT Regional Connectivity Assent Voting Notice PUBLIC NOTICE is given to ALL electors within the Peace River Regional District, both rural and municipal residents, that Assent Voting (referendum) will be held Saturday, October 15, 2022 on the following question: Are you in favour of the Peace River Regional District adopting Regional Connectivity Service Establishment Bylaw No. 2487, 2022, for the purpose of creating a new region wide service that will authorize the Peace River Regional District to enter into partnering agreements with internet or cellular service providers to apply for grant funding from other levels of government or grant programs, or to allow the PRRD to provide capital grants to internet providers for broadband infrastructure projects, at a maximum annual tax requisition limit that is the greater of $375,000, or $0.0234 per $1,000 on the net taxable value of land and improvements, and assessed on improvements only, imposed in the entire Regional District, including all member municipalities and electoral areas? Note: The property tax limit of $0.0234 per $1,000 is an average of rates of all classes on land and improvements to determine the maximum amount that may be raised in any one year based on that year’s net taxable assessment. The estimated residential tax rate for the first year is $.0136 per $1000. The tax rate is applicable to improvements only.
VOTING DATES AND LOCATIONS
GENERAL VOTING: Saturday, OCTOBER 15, 2022
between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm Location Ovintiv Events Centre (mail ballots accepted here) Chetwynd District Office Tumbler Ridge Community Centre Fort St. John Seniors Hall Pouce Coupe Community Centre Taylor Community Hall Charlie Lake Elementary School
Address #1, 300 Highway 2, Dawson Creek, BC 5400 Hospital Road, Chetwynd, BC 340 Front Street, Tumbler Ridge, BC 10908 100 Street, Fort St. John, BC 5010 – 52 Ave, Pouce Coupe, BC 9896 Cherry Avenue, Taylor, BC 12655 Charlie Lake Frontage Road, Charlie Lake BC
ADDITIONAL GENERAL VOTING OPPORTUNITIES – Saturday October 15, 2022
between 12 noon and 8:00 pm Prespatou Elementary/Secondary School Buick Creek Community Hall Cecil Lake Recreation Commission/Hall Montney Community Hall Clearview Arena Wonowon Elementary School Tate Creek Community Centre Doe River Community Hall Kelly Lake Community Centre Cutbank Hall McLeod Elementary School/Hall Moberly Community Hall
22113 Triad Road, Prespatou, BC 15288 Rodeo Road, Buick, BC 4864 Cecil Lake Road, Cecil Lake, BC 12401 256 Rd, Montney, BC 13772 223 Rd, Goodlow, BC 19211 Petrocan Subdivision, Wonowon, BC 15439 Frontage Road, Tomslake BC 3816 Rolla Road, Doe River, BC 107 Kelly Lake Road, Kelly Lake, BC 13514 Highway 52, Arras, BC 8025 265 Road, Groundbirch, BC 6494 Lakeshore Drive, Moberly Lake, BC
REQUIRED ADVANCE VOTING - Wednesday, October 5 and Wednesday, October 12,
8:00 am to 8:00 pm Location Ovintiv Events Centre (mail ballots may be returned here) Fort St. John Seniors Hall Chetwynd District Office Tumbler Ridge Town Hall
Address #1, 300 Highway 2, Dawson Creek, BC 10908 100 Street, Fort St. John, BC 5400 Hospital Road, Chetwynd, BC 305 Iles Way, Tumbler Ridge, BC
ADDITIONAL ADVANCE VOTING OPPORTUNITIES - Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Between 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Pouce Coupe Community Centre Taylor Community Hall
5010 – 52 Ave, Pouce Coupe, BC 9896 Cherry Avenue, Taylor, BC ELECTOR REGISTRATION
Voting day only registration is in effect for the PRRD There is no need to pre-register to vote as the registration of all electors for this election will take place at the time of voting. In order to register at the time of voting, you will be required complete the application form available at the voting place and to make a declaration that you meet the requirements to be registered as noted below.
IDENTIFICATION: To register, resident electors must produce 2 pieces of identification (at least one with a signature). Picture identification is not necessary. The identification must prove both residency and identity. To register, non-resident property electors must produce 2 pieces of identification (at least one with a signature) to prove identity, proof that they are entitled to register in relation to the property, (ie: proof of ownership) and, if there is more than one owner of the property, written consent from the other property owners that you authorizes you to cast the one vote allowed per property.
RESIDENT ELECTORS: To register as a resident elector you must:
be 18 years of age or older on general voting day, October 15, 2022 be a Canadian citizen; be a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration (at time of voting); be a resident of the Peace River Regional District, on the day of registration (at time of voting); and not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election and not otherwise disqualified by law.
NON-RESIDENT PROPERTY ELECTORS: To register as a non-resident property elector you must:
be 18 years of age or older on general voting day (October 15, 2022); be a Canadian citizen; be a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration (at time of voting);
be a registered owner of real property in the Peace River Regional District for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration (at time of voting); not be entitled to register as a resident elector; and not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election and not otherwise disqualified by law.
In addition to the requirement to produce two (2) pieces of identification, non-resident property electors must provide proof that they are entitled to vote in relation to a property (ie: proof of ownership). If there is more than one registered owner of your property, written consent from the majority of the other owners will be required to authorize you to cast the one vote allowed for the property. If voting as a Non-resident Property Elector, you are encouraged to contact the Chief Election Officer well in advance of voting day to ensure that you have all the required information prior to attending the voting place. MAIL BALLOT VOTING
MAIL BALLOT VOTING Mail ballot voting is available to ALL eligible voters. Anyone qualified to vote as either a resident, or as a non-resident property elector, may choose to vote by mail.
REQUESTING A MAIL BALLOT PACKAGE: Before 4:30pm on October 14, 2022, if you wish to vote by mail, you must request a mail ballot package in one of the following ways:
In person, at PRRD offices, 1981 Alaska Avenue, Dawson Creek or 9505 – 100th St, Fort St. John By email to tab.young@prrd.bc.ca By phone to 250-784-3600 or 250-785-8084 or 1-800-660-7773.
To be counted, your mail ballot must be received by the Chief Election Officer by the close of voting on Saturday, October 15, 2022. It is responsibility of the voter to ensure their mail ballot is received by the deadline. A mail ballot package may be returned by any of the following methods:
By mail - Delivered to Box 810 Dawson Creek V1G 4H8, up to 4:30 pm on October 14, 2022 In person - During regular office hours daily, at 1981 Alaska Avenue up to 4:30 pm on October 14, 2022, or at 9505 – 100th Street up to 4:30 pm on October 11, 2022 In person - At the Ovintiv Events Centre Polling Station at #1, 300 Highway 2, on October 5, 12, and 15th, between 8am and 8pm.
To find out more about how to vote by mail, please call the office at 250-784-3200 or view the webpage at https://prrd.bc.ca/getoutandvote/ SYNOPSIS OF PROPOSED BYLAW "Regional Connectivity Service Establishment Bylaw No. 2487, 2022”. If adopted, this bylaw would establish a service function for the Regional Board to receive grants and requisition funds to be used to provide grants to internet service providers and enter into agreements with internet service providers for the installation and operation of broadband infrastructure in under and unserved communities. The establishment of this service does not include the authority to borrow funds for the provision of the service.
Service Area The Regional Connectivity Service Area boundary is the entire Peace River Regional District, including municipalities. Tax Rate The proposed maximum amount that may be requisitioned in any one year for the service, is the greater of $375,000 or an amount equal to the amount that could be raised by a property value tax of $0.0234 per $1,000 when applied to the net taxable value of land and improvements in the service area. Based on current assessment values, the estimated residential tax rate in the first year is $.0136 per $1000 of assessed value of improvements (buildings). Land will not be taxed for this proposed service. The above is a synopsis of proposed Bylaw No. 2487, 2022, and is not intended to be, and is not to be understood as an interpretation of the bylaw. The full bylaw may be inspected online at www.prrd.bc.ca, or at the following locations during regular business hours: Peace River Regional District offices at 1981 Alaska Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC and 9505 – 100th Street, Fort St. John, BC. Additionally, the bylaw is available during regular business hours at the municipal offices of each member municipality of the PRRD, whose electors are also eligible to vote on this question: Dawson Creek City Hall, Fort St. John City Hall, Tumbler Ridge Town Hall, District of Taylor, District of Hudson’s Hope, Village of Pouce Coupe, and District of Chetwynd, and will be posted on voting days at all voting places. For further information on the bylaws or the assent voting process, please call: Tyra Henderson, Chief Election Officer tyra.henderson@prrd.bc.ca or Tab Young, Deputy Chief Election Officer tab.young@prrd.bc.ca (250-784-3200 or 1-800-670-7773)