Local governments can use the Alternative Approval Process under the Community Charter as a method to gauge public opinion in regard to certain types of proposed bylaw, agreements, or other matters. It is most commonly used in relation to long-term borrowing bylaws. Under Section 86 of the Community Charter electors opposed to the proposed bylaw may complete a form to register their opposition.  If 10%  of eligible voters in the City of Nanaimo complete and submit the form then Council must either abandon the bylaw or put it to Assent Voting (Referendum) to obtain assent of the electors.

The 10% threshold of electors is based on the number of registered City of Nanaimo resident electors as on the most recent Municipal Election voting list, plus the number of new electors registered during that election, plus an estimate for population increase (1.8% per year according to census data) and the number of non-resident property electors. A report detailing how these numbers were calculated is provided to Council for each individual AAP.

Assent Voting, more commonly known as a referendum, is much like a local election and involves similar organization, time, and cost. The difference is, in a local election, voters choose from a list of candidates, in a referendum, voters choose “yes” or “no” to a specific question.

An AAP is less costly and requires fewer resources than Assent Voting (Referendum) and allows electors to submit responses over a period lasting at least 30 days.

If you are in favour of the adoption of the bylaw, no action is required.

If you are an eligible elector of the City of Nanaimo and you are opposed to the adoption of the bylaw without it first receiving assent of the electors by voting (referendum), you may sign an Alternative Approval Process Elector Response Form and submit it to the City of Nanaimo.

AAP Elector response forms are available during the AAP process at the Legislative Services counter at City Hall, 455 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, during regular business hours 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays, and on the City’s Alternative Approval Process webpage at Nanaimo.ca 

Yes.  But only if each person meets the requirements of a resident elector (see details above).

No. If there is more than one registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may sign the Elector Response Form and only with the written consent of the majority of the owners.  A Non-Resident Property Elector Consent form can be obtained under the supporting documents section of this webpage or by contacting the Legislative Services Department at legislative.servicesiffice@nanaimo.ca.

Completed forms must be submitted by the date indicated on the notice, and can be submitted in any of the following ways:

• In-person: at the Legislative Services Department, City Hall during regular business hours 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays
• Mailed to:  Corporate Officer, Legislative Services Department, 455 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5J6

No. Elector response forms must contain original signatures; therefore, the City of Nanaimo cannot accept electronically submitted Elector Response Forms.

Yes. You can ask the Corporate Officer to return your elector response form prior to the AAP deadline. You can no longer withdraw your form after the AAP deadline has passed.

Only the Corporate Officer, or their designate, can review and certify elector response forms during an AAP. The Corporate Officer is responsible for the safe keeping of the elector response forms throughout, and after, the AAP. Local governments must retain elector response forms as per requirements established in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA, Part 3) after the AAP has been completed.

Following certification of the results by the Corporate Officer after the submission deadline the results will be posted to the City’s website and a report will be provided to Council at a future meeting.