Alternative Approval Process
Certain Council motions require permission from the electors before Council is able to adopt them. The Alternative Approval Process (AAP) is a method of voting that enables electors to state their opposition to a motion. It is less costly and less time consuming than a referendum. If at least 10 per cent of the estimated number of electors is opposed through the petitioning process, Council is not deemed to have the approval of the electors to proceed, and can move to a referendum, if desired.
Response Forms
Once the AAP starts, forms are available at Municipal Hall for pick up, or upon request, they can be faxed, mailed, or e-mailed to an elector. The completed forms must be delivered to Municipal Hall by the deadline in order to be counted. Once the deadline has passed, the responses are validated, and the District forwards a “Certificate of Sufficiency” report to Council, in which the total number of valid responses received is given. 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.
- Please see Related Documents for a response form.
Any individual who qualifies as a resident elector or non-resident property elector (if you own a property in Central Saanich but live outside the municipality) within the area affected by the subject matter of the 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 City 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.
The AAP must 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 communications.