West Coast Transit Service AAP - FAQ

Currently there are limited public transportation options on the west coast which has prompted strong community interest to improve local transportation services through the creation of a local transit service.

The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) has been exploring with BC Transit and community stakeholders the potential for a transit service on the west coast for several years. Public engagement sessions were held across the west coast in the spring of 2019. The overall feedback for the new transit service was positive.

Adoption of Bylaw E1062 is intended to establish and deliver a west coast public transit service to serve the needs of local residents within the District's of Tofino and Ucluelet, Electoral Area C - Long Beach, and the first nation communities of Toquaht, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government, Hitacu, Esowista and Ty-histanis. This service would be delivered through the BC Transit partnership model.

More information on the West Coast Transit project is available here.

The tax requisition limit for Bylaw No. E1062 is proposed at the greater of $550,000 or $0.294 per $1,000 of net taxable land and improvements. The annual costs of the service will be apportioned (divided) between the participants using a method of 50% population and 50% converted land and improvements. The following chart presents the estimated costs by jurisdiction as well as the estimated household impact:

Jurisdiction	Cost by Jurisdiction	Estimated Household Cost Based on Average Assessed Value
District of Tofino	$274,319	$167
District of Ucluelet	$183,922	$98
Electoral Area "C" - Long Beach	$74,130	$88
Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government	$16,498	N/A*
Toquaht First Nation	$1,131	N/A*
Total	$550,000

*Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government and Toquaht Nation portion of the requisition will not be collected by property taxation but instead collected by direct billing to each of these governments and therefore no household impact has been estimated.

An Alternative Approval Process (AAP) enables local governments to gain consent of the electorate on a proposed bylaw intended to undertake long-term borrowing, a boundary extension, establish a new regional district service or other matter requiring elector approval.

The AAP is structured so that only eligible electors can sign and submit an Elector Response Form back to the ACRD opposing the initiative prior to the deadline. Eligible electors within the service area have at least 30 days from the second AAP publication in the local paper to submit an Elector Response Form to the Corporate Officer at the ACRD Office.

The number of elector responses required to prevent the ACRD Board of Directors from proceeding with this initiative unless the Board holds a vote (referendum) is 10% (602) of the estimated eligible electors within the District of Ucluelet, District of Tofino, Toquaht Nation, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government or Electoral Area "C" (Long Beach).

If you are in favour of the initiative you do nothing. By default, if you do not submit a form opposing the initiative it is assumed that you are in support.

The only persons entitled to sign and submit an Elector Response Form are qualified electors (see below for qualifications) within the AAP service area: District of Ucluelet, District of Tofino, Toquaht Nation, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government or Electoral Area "C" (Long Beach).

A resident elector is an individual who is qualified to sign an Elector Response Form during an AAP by virtue of living (residing) within the proposed service area. When signing an Elector Response Form, a resident elector must:

• be 18 years of age or older;
• have lived in British Columbia for at least 6 months;
• have lived in the AAP service area (Long Beach Electoral Area, District of Tofino, District of Ucluelet, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government or Toquaht Nation) for at least 30 days;
• Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in a local election, or be otherwise disqualified by law.

A non-resident property elector is an individual that does not live (does not reside) in the proposed AAP service area but is entitled to vote by virtue of owning real property in the proposed service area. When signing an Elector Response Form, a non-resident property elector must:

• be a Canadian Citizen;
• have lived in British Columbia for at least 6 months;
• be a registered owner of real property within the AAP service area (Long Beach Electoral Area, District of Tofino, District of Ucluelet, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government or Toquaht Nation) for at least 30 days;
• Note: Only one non-resident property elector may sign and submit an Elector Response Form per property, regardless of how many people own the property; and, that owner must have the written consent of the majority of the other property owner(s) to sign the Elector Response Form on their behalf. Non-resident Property Elector Consent Forms are available for download on the ACRD website at www.acrd.bc.ca. Property owned in whole or in part by a corporation are not qualified to submit an Elector Response Form.

There is no Corporate Vote - no corporation or business is entitled to submit an Elector Response Form.

Elector Response Forms are available for download off the ACRD website at www.acrd.bc.ca or can be picked up at the following local government offices, Monday through Friday during regular office hours:

ACRD 3008 Fifth Avenue Port Alberni, BC

District of Ucluelet 200 Main Street Ucluelet, BC

District of Tofino 121 Third Street Tofino, BC

Toquaht Nation 1971 Peninsula Road Ucluelet, BC

Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Gov. 700 Wya Road Hitacu, BC

The deadline for providing Elector Response Forms is 4:00 pm on Friday, November 29, 2019. Elector Response forms can be submitted by mail, email, fax or in person by the deadline to the Corporate Officer, ACRD Office, 3008 Fifth Avenue, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 2E3, email: responses@acrd.bc.ca, fax: (250) 723-1327. Elector Response can only be submitted by the deadline to the ACRD office. Submissions received after the deadline will not be accepted.

Further information regarding this Alternative Approval Process is available on the Regional District website at www.acrd.bc.ca or contact Wendy Thomson, Manager of Administrative Services at (250) 720-2706 or email: wthomson@acrd.bc.ca