Nanaimo voters can have their say as of April 3 on whether to borrow $17 million for a new main fire hall.
The province has approved Nanaimo’s request to run an alternative approval process for the proposal.
Voters opposed to the plan must fill out an elector response form and deliver it or mail it to the city. The deadline is May 4 at 4:30 p.m.
This is different, and less costly, than a referendum which asks voters a yes or no question.
In the alternative process, only opponents are heard from.
If 10 per cent or more of eligible voters are opposed, then the initiative fails.
That means at least 6,842 voters will have to be opposed to the borrowing plan for it to be rejected. Nanaimo has 68,418 voters.
Nanaimo’s No. 1 fire hall was constructed in 1966 and there have been a number of additions and improvements in subsequent years.
Even so, it is not seismically strong enough for today’s standards and the building has many other issues, such as a lack of its own fire alarm and sprinkler system.
