Alternative Approval Process (AAP)

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The AAP is now closed.  

An Alternative Approval Process (AAP) is a legislated process via the Community Charter that gives local governments an alternate option to seek approval of the electors other than through a referendum (or assent vote). It is a tool often used by local governments to seek community approval for certain types of proposed bylaws, agreements, boundary extensions, or other matters. It is most often used in relation to long-term borrowing bylaws, which allow the local government to proceed with debt financing for a capital project.

An AAP reduces the costs, time and resources associated with a referendum and offers increased convenience to electors by providing at least 30 days to submit response forms.

How an Alternative Approval Process Works

• If you are in favour of adoption of the bylaw in question, or other matter before the electorate, no action is required.
• If you are an eligible resident or non-resident property elector of the District of Squamish and you are opposed to the adoption of the bylaw or other matter, without it first receiving assent of the electors by voting (referendum), you may sign an Alternative Approval Process Elector Response Form.
• If 10% of eligible voters in the District of Squamish complete and submit the form then Council must either abandon the bylaw or put it to assent voting (referendum) to obtain approval of the electors.
• If less than 10% of eligible voters in the District of Squamish complete and submit the response form, then elector approval is received and Council can choose to proceed with the initiative.

When does the District of Squamish run AAPs?

The District of Squamish runs AAPs annually to engage electors in approving borrowing related costs.

Borrowing is a valuable and effective financial tool that is taken on annually to spread the cost of large capital projects over the life of a project, allowing a project to be paid for by current and future taxpayers. Borrowing is used in addition to grants, cash from reserves, Development Cost Charges and property taxes.

Who is eligible to participate in an AAP?

Any individual who qualifies as a resident elector or non-resident property elector within the area affected by the subject matter of the AAP (usually it is District-wide, but it is possible that an AAP could be limited to a smaller area) can participate.

What happens during an AAP?

Council will direct staff to proceed with obtaining the approval of the electors on a matter via an AAP. Staff will then bring a report forward to Council at an open meeting which will outline the proposed advertising dates for the AAP, the proposed deadline for receipt of responses, the estimated number of electors, and the proposed “elector response form”. Council must approve these by resolution, and following that, the response forms are made available to the electors.

Notice to residents

The AAP must then be advertised in the newspaper at least twice, and the deadline for receipt of the response forms must be at least 30 days after the second advertisement. Depending on the subject matter of the AAP, there may be additional newspaper ads and other public communications.

Response forms

Once the AAP starts, the forms are available from Municipal Hall. They are also made available on the District website. The completed forms must be delivered to the Corporate Officer by the deadline in order to be counted. Accurate copies of the Council approved forms are also acceptable, as long as they are not altered (in other words, someone may obtain one form and photocopy it if needed).

Once they are delivered to the Corporate Officer, the completed AAP elector response forms are date stamped when they are received, and are held in confidence until the AAP deadline has passed.

Once the deadline has passed, the responses are validated, and staff then brings a report forward to Council, advising on the total number of valid responses received. If the total is at least 10% of the estimated number of electors, Council is not permitted to proceed with the matter unless it is approved by the electorate through a referendum.

Questions?

For more information, please contact the Corporate Officer at 604.815.5023 or 604.815.5006 or by email to [email protected].

The deadline for submitting a response form to oppose these bylaws was Monday, October 23, 2023 at 4:30 p.m.