WHEREAS local governments must hold a referendum when proposing new infrastructure or facilities that will be funded through additional taxation or borrowing and the timing of the referendum must coincide with the construction season in most areas of the province; AND WHEREAS CanadaBC Infrastructure Program criteria requires that local governments obtain public assent, necessitating local governments to proceed to referendum on the basis of the full cost of an eligible project as there is no confirmation of forthcoming grant monies, the receipt of which may substantially reduce taxation rate implications to local taxpayers, thereby increasing the likelihood of a successful referendum: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM petition the federal and provincial governments to amend their processes and procedures to allow for the approval of grant funds in advance of the referendum process, subject to a successful referendum.
Ministry of Community Services The Ministry appreciates that local governments may need to borrow their share of funds for jointly-funded infrastructure projects and that this borrowing may require approval of the electors. Applications are routinely approved before the local contribution is confirmed. In such cases, the applicant is given sufficient time to seek the assent of the electors and put its local share in place prior to executing project commitments.