2017 Referendum

Bowen Island electors were asked to vote whether they are in favour of Council borrowing up to $3 million to build a new main Fire Hall and Emergency Operations Centre on part of Lot 3 of the Community Lands.

“Are you in favour of the Council of Bowen Island Municipality enacting Bowen Island Municipality Loan Authorization (Main Fire Hall and Emergency Operations Centre) Bylaw No. 441, 2017, which authorizes the Bowen Island Municipality to borrow a sum not to exceed $3,000,000 to construct a new Main Fire Hall and Emergency Operations Centre? YES or NO”

Official results

Bowen Island Municipality’s Deputy Chief Election Officer, Hope Dallas, declared the results of the referendum, with 81% of ballot votes cast in favour of Bowen Island Municipal Council adopting Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 441, 2017.

Adoption of the bylaw authorizes Council to borrow up to 3 million dollars, repayable over a period of 30 years, for the development and construction of a new Fire Hall and Emergency Operations Centre on a portion of the Community Lands on Miller Road.

Statistics

  • A total of 965 ballots were cast. 81% voted “Yes” and 19% voted “No”.
  • 68 ballots were cast by mail.
  • 143 ballots were cast in the advanced poll.
  • 754 ballots were cast on general voting day.
  • The voter turnout was 32% of 3001 registered voters, which included resident and non-resident property electors.

Determination of Official Results

Declaration of Official Results

Media Release

Referendum Information

Advanced Voting Day – Wednesday, August 9th* 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM 

General Voting Day – Saturday, August 19th* 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM 

held at Bowen Island Municipal Hall, 981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island 

(*If you are not available to vote in person on either of the above dates, you can apply to vote by mail)

Voting as a Resident Elector?

Step 1: Call the Municipality at 604-947-4255 or email Referendum2017@bimbc.ca to check if you are already registered as a Resident Elector.

Step 2: If you are not registered, complete an Application for Registration as a Local Government Resident Elector.

Voting as a Non-Resident Property Elector?

Step 1: Call the Municipality at 604-947-4255 or email Referendum2017@bimbc.ca to check if you are already registered as a Non-Resident Property Elector.

Step 2: If you are NOT already registered as a Non-Resident Property Elector, complete an Application for Registration as a Non-Resident Property Elector. 

Step 3: Is there more than one property owner? Please complete the Consent of Registered Owners for Non-Resident Property Elector Registration. See Elector Qualifications for more details.

For more information on Non-Resident Property Electors, click HERE to view Frequently Asked Questions. 

Submit completed applications by hand, mail, fax or email to:

Chief Election Officer
Bowen Island Municipality
981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island, BC   V0N 1G2
Fax: 604-947-0193
Email: Referendum2017@bimbc.ca

Voting as a Resident Elector

Do you live on Bowen Island?

You are required to be:

  • Age 18 or older on voting day
  • A Canadian citizen
  • A resident of BC for at least six months immediately before the day you register to vote
  • A resident of Bowen Island for at least 30 days immediately before the day you register to vote
  • Not disqualified by law from voting in an election

Voting as a Non-Resident Property Elector

If you own property in Bowen Island Municipality – but you live elsewhere in BC – you might qualify to vote as a non-resident property elector.

You can only vote once, no matter how many properties on Bowen Island that you own.

To vote in the municipal referendum as a non-resident property elector, you are required to be:

  • Age 18 or older on voting day
  • A Canadian citizen
  • A resident in BC for at least 6 months immediately before the day you registered to vote
  • A registered owner of property on Bowen Island for at least 30 days immediately before the day you registered to vote

In addition, you must not be:

  • Disqualified by law from voting in an election
  • Living in the Municipality of Bowen Island
  • Holding the property in trust or in the name of a corporation

Is the property jointly owned?

If the property is jointly owned, you must complete a Consent of Registered Owners for Non-Resident Property Election Registration signed by the majority of registered owners that authorizes you to be the non-resident property elector. If the property is owned by two people, one may vote with the other’s written consent.

If there is more than one registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non-resident property elector.

Voting by mail ballot

Electors may vote by mail if they:

  • have a physical disability, illness or injury that affects their ability to vote at another voting opportunity; OR 
  • expect to be absent on general voting day and on advanced voting day. 

If either of the above apply, you may submit an Application to Vote by Mail to Bowen Island Municipality by hand, fax or email to:

Bowen Island Municipality 
Attention Chief Election Officer
981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island, BC   V0N 1G2
Fax: 604-947-0193
Email: Referendum2017@bimbc.ca 

Once your application is received and approved, a mail ballot package will be provided to you. Please note that Mail Ballot packages will NOT be MAILED to Applicants after August 4th, 2017. After this date, applicants can pick up Mail Ballot packages IN PERSON only. Instructions for completing the Mail Ballot will be included in the package. It is the elector’s responsibility to ensure the mail ballot is received by the Bowen Island Municipality or Chief Election Officer before Saturday, August 19th at 8:00 PM.

Third Party Advertising 

Elections BC oversees advertising rules for local elections assent voting in B.C., including registering advertising sponsors.

Non-election assent voting advertising is any advertising that promotes or opposes, directly or indirectly, a particular outcome for the vote during a non-election assent voting proceedings period. The non-election assent voting proceedings period begins 30 days before General Voting Day for the non-election assent voting and ends at the close of general voting.

Elections BC helps non-election assent voting advertising sponsors understand the rules under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act.

Among other requirements, all non-election assent voting advertising sponsors must:

  • Register with Elections BC before sponsoring any advertising.
  • Include sponsorship information on non-election assent voting advertising. Sponsorship information includes:
    • the sponsor’s name,
    • a B.C. phone number, B.C. mailing address or an email address,
    • the words “authorized by”, and
    • the words “registered sponsor under LECFA”.
  • File a disclosure statement with Elections BC within 90 days after General Voting Day.

For more information about the rules, read the Guide for Local Non-election Assent Voting Advertising Sponsors in B.C. (PDF) or visit our Local Elections FAQs.