FAQ's

An Alternative Approval Process (AAP) is a public process that allows electors of a specific area to indicate whether they are against a local government proposal moving forward. Instead of a traditional vote, an AAP allows citizens to express their opposition. 

If less than 10 percent of electors oppose the bylaw, the creation of a Health and Wellbeing Service on Gabriola Island may proceed. The total number of Electors in the area is 3,928; therefore, if 392 or more elector responses are received, the bylaw may not proceed without a referendum. If fewer than 392 responses are received by 4 p.m. on February 20, 2024, elector approval is deemed to have been obtained and the Board may proceed to adopt “Gabriola Island Health and Wellbeing Contribution Service Establishment Bylaw No. 1892, 2023”. 

There are three steps in the Alternative Approval Process:

1. Notification: Local governments must publish notice about the proposal to the community in accordance with RDN Public Notice Bylaw and Section 86(3.1) of the Community Charter.
2. Elector Response Forms: Eligible electors (persons who can vote during an election) have at least 30 days after the publication of the notice to submit elector response forms if they would like to indicate their opposition to the bylaw. If electors are not opposed to the bylaw an elector response form does not need to be submitted. 
3. Certification: After the deadline for the AAP has passed, the local government corporate officer must determine and certify whether elector approval has been obtained. Electoral approval is obtained if less than 10 percent of the electors submit a valid elector response form by the deadline. 

If you are NOT OPPOSED – you do not need to take any action.

If you are OPPOSED to the adoption of “Gabriola Island Health and Wellbeing Contribution Service Establishment Bylaw No. 1892, 2023”, you need to let the RDN know through the formal Alternative Approval Process (AAP). 

To do this, submit signed copy of your Elector Response Form to the RDN before 4 p.m. on Tuesday February 20, 2024. 

Starting January 19, 2024, Elector Response Forms will be available via the following methods: 

• Online: rdn.bc.ca/alternative-approval-process-bylaw-1892-2023  
• In person at the RDN Administration Office: 6300 Hammond Bay Road
• By mail: call 250-390-4111 or 1-877-607-4111 to request a mailed copy
• By Email: email vote@rdn.bc.ca to request a form

Participation in the Alternative Approval Process is only necessary if an eligible individual opposes the proposal. If an individual is in support of the proposal, no action is required. 

An individual who is entitled to vote in general local elections, by-elections, or assent voting and can sign an elector response form during an Alternative Approval Process by virtue of living, or owning property, within the area defined for the Alternative Approval Process, which is Gabriola Island. 

Individuals must meet the following requirements to participate in the Alternative Approval Process:

• 18 years of age; 

• Canadian citizen; 

• Resident of British Columbia for at least six months; 

• A resident or property owner in the area defined for the AAP (in this case, Gabriola Island); 

• Must not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in an election, or be otherwise disqualified by law.

The first year of the service (minimum) is a pilot year which would include part time administration and coordinator services for a total cost of $50,592, including a 2% administration fee. 

If the service is expanded to full-time function, the contribution service would include full-time coordination and implementation services for a total of $102,612 annually, including a 2% administration fee. 

The cost includes operating budgets (e.g. office supplies and work space) and service provisions budgets (research, reporting, and engagement). 

The tax rate is 0.0413 per $1,000 of property assessment for full time coordinator and 0.0203 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Cost allocation has been updated with 2024 property assessment values and is provided below: 

Note: In accordance with the Local Government Act, the maximum amount that can be charged annually for the cost of the service is $103,000 or the amount equal to the amount that could be raised by a property value tax rate of $0.0413 per $1000.00 applied to the net taxable value of land and improvements in the Service Area. 

The cost allocation has been updated to reflect the 2024 assessed values. The proposed service bylaw will be amended to reflect the 2024 assessed values as shown here. 

Full-time Coordinator Service Example: For a property assessed at a value of $500,000, the annual taxation cost will be $20.65. 

Example Calculation: $500,000 x 0.0413 = 20,650/1,000 = $20.65. 

Part-time Coordinator Service Example: 

For a property assessed at a value of $500,000, the annual taxation cost for a part-time coordinator will be

Example Calculation: $500,000 x 0.0203 = 10,150/1000 =$10.15

A Community Health and Wellbeing Service Coordinator would support the coordination, delivery and evaluation of programming to support the successful delivery of health and wellbeing services on Gabriola Island. The successful candidate would be guided by the Gabriola Health and Wellness Collaborative (GHWC), which is a volunteer-run group consisting of representatives from 40 health and wellbeing organizations. The Coordinator would support the work being done by these organizations (mostly volunteer) and help to coordinate activities between the organizations. The contract would be held by an existing non-profit organization doing work on Gabriola Island.

The position would be based on Gabriola Island and would work with health and wellbeing service organizations and providers, including the Health and Wellness Collaborative, who deliver services on Gabriola Island.

The Community Health and Wellbeing Service Coordinator would be responsible for coordinating organizations and networks involved with health and wellness service delivery. The role will include developing and implementing strategic planning which identifies key priorities, goals, objectives and will support monitoring and evaluation. This would also include a gap analysis of services and/or collaboration between on-island groups. A key element of this role would be to provide an administrative and communications function to facilitate collaboration between committees, organizations and service providers in the area. The Community Health and Wellbeing Service Coordinator would also support funding applications to support health and wellbeing services delivery. 

The responsibilities associated with the role were informed by stakeholder meetings conducted for a Feasibility Report: Community Health and Wellbeing Service – Gabriola Island (2022), where the input identified specific needs within the health and wellbeing service delivery network.

If “Gabriola Island Community Health and Wellbeing Contribution Service Establishment Bylaw No. 1892, 2023” is approved, a Health and Wellbeing Service Coordinator would support collaboration with non-profit organizations within the health and wellness to reduce gaps in service provision, with the goal of improving health and wellness outcomes for the residents of Gabriola Island.

In 2021, the Regional District of Nanaimo conducted a Regional District of Nanaimo Social Needs Assessment and Stategy, which gathered input on the experiences of residents navigating their community and pursuing their wellness. A public survey was administered to understand the community’s experience with health and wellness services in the region, where 25% of the respondents self-identified as being located on Gabriola Island. 

In 2022, Urban Matters completed a Feasibility Report to evaluate a health and well-being service on Gabriola Island and held stakeholder meetings with representatives from health and wellbeing related services. 

In the fall of 2023, six information sessions were held to inform Gabriola residents of the proposed Health and Wellbeing Service for their area and to answer questions related to the proposed service, the Regional District of Nanaimo Social Needs Assessment and Stategy (2021) and the Feasibility Report (2022). 

The Engagement Summary can be found here and in the Document Library. 

The Gabriola Health and Wellness Collaborative is a volunteer network of over 40 organizations and individual working together to enhance health and wellbeing for Gabriola and area residents. The membership includes representatives from local social service agencies, health care providers, first responders, culture, environmental, business, education, recreation and faith organizations.

A group comprised of Gabriola Health and Wellness Collaborative members will define the workplan and oversee the person hired as the Coordinator. Selection of the Coordinator will be done through a Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFSQ) process administered by the RDN to identify a non-profit organization doing work on Gabriola Island. Through a services agreement, the RDN will transfer the funding to this organization, which will hold the contract with the Coordinator and oversee the service. The non-profit will be required to meet RDN service agreement requirements, including reporting and reviews.

The selection and hiring will be conducted by the non-profit organization selected to administer the contract as well as the oversight group comprised of members of the Gabriola Health and Wellness Collaborative.    

The Alternative Approval Process will be advertised on January 10, 2024 through the Gabriola Sounder newspaper, Nanaimo News Bulletin, on the Regional District of Nanaimo website and RDN social media pages. 

If you subscribe for project updates by submitting your email on the Get Involved RDN Gabriola Island Health and Wellbeing Contribution Service – Alternative Approval Process page, email updates will be emailed to you when the AAP process begins on January 19, 2024, as well as with the results and next steps. 

More information and updates about Health and Wellbeing Services and the Alternative Approvals Process can be found through the Regional District of Nanaimo at:

RDN Website: rdn.bc.ca/alternative-approval-process-bylaw-1892-2023

RDN Get Involved: getinvolved.rdn.ca/admin/projects/gabriola-island-health-and-wellbeing-service-aap 

For questions and comments on the proposed Health and Wellbeing Contribution Service, please email Urban Matters at:   HealthandWellbeingGabriola@urbanmatters.ca

For questions regarding the Alternative Approval Process, please contact Legislative Services via email at vote@rdn.bc.ca or call 250-390-4111 or 1-877-607-4111.