The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) will be holding a referendum on Saturday, September 17, 2016 regarding a proposed fire protection service for the Mount Washington resort community, including all residential, commercial and recreational areas at Mount Washington.
Since 2009, four structures on Mount Washington have been destroyed by fire. In 2015, the resort and concerned citizens requested that the CVRD consider establishing a fire protection service. More information about the Mount Washington fire protection service project can be found at www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/mtwashingtonfireproject .
Qualified electors in the proposed service area are being asked to vote to determine support for this service. Voters must either be a resident elector or a non-resident property elector. The CVRD must conduct the referendum in accordance with the Local Government Act which is a provincial statute. The Act includes certain requirements:
- Leases must be for at least 99 years in order to make a lease holder eligible to vote
- Properties that are owned by a corporation, in whole or in part, are not eligible to vote
- Residents, including renters, in the proposed service area must have lived in the service area for at least 30 days before voting
Advance voting will take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at the CVRD boardroom, 550 Comox Road, Courtenay, BC. Regular voting day is from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 17, 2016 at the Alpine Lodge (Marmot level), #1 Strathcona Parkway, Mount Washington, BC. Electors can request an application to vote by mail by sending us a request or by calling 250-334-6000.
The CVRD uses ‘voting day only registration’ and therefore voter registration before voting day is not required.
All voters must bring to the voting place two pieces of identification, at least one that shows their signature and one that shows their residential address (photo ID is not required). In addition, non-resident property electors must also bring:
- Proof that they are entitled to register in relation to the property (for example a state of title certificate or 99 year lease agreement – according to case law, a lease with a term stated as 60 years plus two 20 year renewals does not qualify as a lease of at least 99 years; the wording of the lease must be 60 years plus two 20 year extensions in order to be considered a lease of at least 99 years); AND
- Written consent of the majority of property owners for one of the owners to vote if the property is owned by more than one individual.
For more details, please visit Elections, AAP's and Other Voting.
The Comox Valley Regional District is a federation of three electoral areas and three municipalities providing sustainable services for residents and visitors to the area. The members of the regional district work collaboratively on services for the benefit of the diverse urban and rural areas of the Comox Valley.