The first of four phases for a new operation center in Nanaimo wrapped up after council passed three readings of a bylaw to borrow $48.5 million.
According to a media release, the approval was given at council’s June 19 meeting and will now be sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for review and approval by the Inspector of Municipalities.
Director of Legislative Services Sheila Gurrie says public insight into the project will be pivotal which is why the city will be getting feedback through an alternative approval process (AAP) once ministry approval is given.
Municipalities are required to hold either a referendum, or AAP, in the event large amounts of money need to be borrowed but the type of project dictates what avenue council can use for the project.
Gurrie says with a project of this size, both physically and financially, it requires the AAP, but they are prepared should public response turn out negative.
“Both are required to when long term borrowing is required,” Gurrie says. “The alternative approval process is the better choice for this project is because the public requires this service.
“If we go with a referendum and the project gets voted down it won’t get done. If we go through with an AAP first, we can go to the referendum.”
She says there are risks associated with public inquiry, and if the project gets more than 10 percent of people opposed to it council would have to wait six months before starting the process all over again.
The City of Nanaimo is expected to start the alternative approval process in September and overall construction is estimated to be completed between 2026 and 2027.
The original operations center was constructed in 1960 but with the growth to over 100,000 in 2021 the city feels the current building is costing a considerable amount of money to sustain it.
