The voting process to extend the city’s boundary is now underway.
Campbell River voters have until Monday, July 20 if they wish to register their opposition to moving property from the Strathcona Regional District into the city.
The property in question is a 140-hectare site that Quinsam Coal has purchased from TimberWest.
It currently falls under the jurisdiction of the Strathcona Regional District’s Area D but the mining corporation wants to move the property into the City of Campbell River to streamline operations and deal with just one local government.
City council supports the request and intends to petition the B.C. minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development for approval.
Before the city can do that, however, it needs the approval of the city’s registered voters.
With the Alternative Approval Process, council can proceed with the boundary extension unless at least 10 per cent of the estimated number of electors in the city sign and submit an elector response form opposing the boundary extension.
If the boundary extension is approved by both electors and the province, the property will be taxed at the city’s industrial tax rate and is expected to generate roughly $6,600 per year in property tax revenue for the city.
Ron Neufeld, the city’s general manager of operations, said Quinsam Coal has agreed to pay a more expensive, uncapped tax rate for its new property.
The corporation pays a capped rate on its existing lands.
That rate was introduced in 2004 through Letters Patent by the province to keep tax rates down after it approved a boundary extension to incorporate the original Quinsam Coal property into the City of Campbell River.
Electors have until 4 p.m. on July 20 to raise any opposition.
The forms are available at the office of the city clerk at City Hall and on the city’s website, www.campbellriver.ca
All elector response forms must be signed and include the full name of the elector and their address.
The forms must be in the possession of the city clerk no later than the deadline as postmarks will not be accepted as date of submission.
Forms must be mailed or dropped off to the attention of the city clerk, 301 St. Ann’s Road, Campbell River, B.C., V9W 4C7, faxed to 250-286-5760, or emailed to info@campbellriver.ca