The City of Nanaimo is hoping the third time will be lucky as it begins another alternative approval process for a $90-million borrowing plan to upgrade its public works facility.
The goal is to build a fleet maintenance and crew and administration building, with the loan to be repaid over 20 years, the city has said.
Nanaimo’s first AAP on the plan last year was cancelled when an administrative error came to light.
Another attempt early this year was also cancelled after forms required to file opposition to the plan were not available as soon as the approval process was published, which is required by provincial legislation.
The city is taking a resolution to this week’s meeting of the Union of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Municipalities asking for changes to provincial legislation governing the AAP process.
The Community Charter lacks clarity in its instructions to local governments on how to run public notices about an AAP, Nanaimo said.
The new process begins Wednesday. Eligible voters have 42 days from then to oppose the borrowing plan — 12 days longer than is required by provincial legislation, the city said.
Anyone who opposes the proposal must file an electoral response form, which will be available from city hall or on the city’s website as of 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
For the borrowing bylaw to fail, at least 10 per cent of eligible electors, 7,974 voters, must file an objection via the response form.
Anyone who supports the plan does not have to take any action.
Electoral response forms must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. Forms can be dropped off at city hall, sent by mail or submitted online.
Nanaimo is holding guided tours of its public works yard on Oct. 2, Oct. 5 and Oct. 23.
Anyone interested can register for a tour online via . Click “register for a program” and search “public works,” or call 250-756-5200.
For information on how an alternative approval process works and for eligibility requirements, go to .
For more information on the current process, visit the city website at .
For information on the project, visit
