Health Related Services Grant in Aid

Assent voting (referendum) is used by regional district to obtain the consent of electors by allowing electors to vote on whether or not a proposal moves forward. Assent of the electors is obtained if a majority of the votes counted are in favor of the bylaw or question. Assent voting is conducted in a similar manner to local government elections, and can either be done at the same time as a general local election or by-election or on its own as a stand-alone vote.

WHO CAN VOTE BY MAIL?

On June 10, 2021, the Regional Board of the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) approved the recommendation to permit voting by all eligible electors under the Local Government Act to be done by mail ballot, and to allow Mail Ballot Voting to replace Mobile Voting Stations for the 2021 Referendum considering the proposed Health Related Services Grant in Aid Service and Seniors Aging in Place Support Services.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE

You are allowed to vote if you are:

• A resident elector (i.e., you live in the municipality, regional district electoral area), OR
• A non-resident property elector (i.e., you live elsewhere in BC but own property in the municipality, or regional district electoral area).

ELECTOR QUALIFICATIONS

RESIDENT ELECTORS:

• 18 years of age or older on general voting day for the election or assent voting; and
• A Canadian citizen; and
• A resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration; and
• A resident of the municipality, or regional district electoral area for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration; and
• Not disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law.

NON-RESIDENT PROPERTY ELECTORS:

• 18 years of age or older on general voting day for the election or assent voting; and
• a Canadian citizen; and
• a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration; and
• a registered owner of real property in the municipality or regional district electoral area for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration; and
• not entitled to register as a residents elector; and
• the only persons who are registered owners of the real property, either as joint tenants or tenants in common, are individuals who are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust; and
• not disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law; and
• if there is more than one registered owner of the property, one of those individuals may, with written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non-resident property elector.

HOW DO YOU REGISTER TO VOTE?

You must register on the PRRD List of Electors at the time of filling in your ballot. Mail Ballot Packages will include instructions on how to register to vote at the same time as you fill out your ballot.

“Are you in favour of the Peace River Regional District adopting “Health Related Services Grant-in-Aid Service Establishment Bylaw No. 2445, 2021”, to establish a new service to provide grants in aid to not for profit societies to enhance the quality and availability of health related services, and to provide scholarships to students seeking post-secondary education in a health care or medical field, at a maximum annual tax requisition limit that is the greater of $750,000 or $0.05/$1,000 on the net taxable value of land and improvements, and assessed on improvements only?”

Note: The property tax limit of $0.05/$1,000 is an average of rates on 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 $0.0288 per $1,000. The tax rate is applicable to improvements only.

REQUESTING A MAIL BALLOT PACKAGE

A person wishing to vote by mail ballot must complete an application form located at the PRRD Offices in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, or online by clicking the link below  Applications can be requested between 8:00 am June 10, 2021, and 4:00 pm July 16, 2021, in person, by telephone (250-284-3200 or 250-785-8085), or by emailing the Deputy Chief Election Officer – tab.young@prrd.bc.ca. The PRRD will begin mailing the Mail Ballot Voting packages once the ballots have been printed.

Download application
Applications must be received before 4:00 pm on Friday, July 16, 2021.

RETURNING YOUR MAIL BALLOT PACKAGE

To be counted, your mail ballot must be received by Tyra Henderson, Chief Election Officer by the close of voting (8:00 pm) on Saturday, July 17, 2021.
A mail ballot package may be returned by any of the following:

• By mail
  Delivered to Box 810 Dawson Creek, BC, V1G 4H8
• In person – PRRD Office
  During regular office hours daily at 1981 Alaska Avenue up to 4:30 pm on July 16, 2021
• In person – Polling Station
  At the polling station at #1, 300 highway 2, Ovintiv (aka Encana) Events Centre on July 7, 14, and 17 between 8 am and 8 pm.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Tyra Henderson, Chief Election Officer
Address: 1981 Alaska Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4H8
Phone: (250) 784-3216
Fax: (250) 784-3201
Email: tyra.henderson@prrd.bc.ca

Tab Young, Deputy Chief Election Officer
Address: 1981 Alaska Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4H8
Phone: (250) 784-3207
Fax: (250)784-3201
Email: tab.young@prrd.bc.ca

Advanced Voting Days

Wednesday, July 7, 2021 | 8:00 am to 8:00 pm 
Wednesday, July 14, 2021 | 8:00 am to 8:00 pm

Location

Ovintiv (aka Encana) Events Centre |  #1, 300 Highway 2, Dawson Creek, BC 

General Voting Day

Saturday, July 17, 2021 | 8:00 am to 8:00 pm 

Applications to act as a scrutineer on a volunteer basis, will be received by the Chief Election Officer in person at the office of the Peace River Regional District Head Office in Dawson Creek from Wednesday, June 23, 2021 to Friday, July 2, 2021 during regular office hours (8:30 am to 4:30 pm) daily, excluding statutory holidays.

Apply
*Must be received by 4:30 on July 2, 2021

Interested persons can obtain information on the requirements and procedures for making an application to act as a scrutineer by contacting the following people at the Peace River Regional District office:

Tyra Henderson, Chief Election Officer, tyra.henderson@prrd.bc.ca

Tab Young, Deputy Chief Election Officer, tabatha.young@prrd.bc.ca

Phone: 250-784-3200 or 1-800-670-7773