FAQs

• Bylaw 899 identifies the funding participants: Town of Qualicum Beach, City of Parksville, Electoral Areas, F, G, and H

• The Local Government Act (LGA) allows the RDN Board to amend a service establishing bylaw with the consent of at least two-thirds of the participants in the service (for Ravensong Aquatic Centre, the participants are Parksville, Qualicum, Electoral Areas F, G and H). As a result, in the case of adding a participating area to the service(s), the Board may amend the service establishing bylaw in the following two ways:
  1. With the consent of at least two-thirds of the participants in the service (including any proposed new participant) and Inspector of Municipalities' approval; or
  2. In accordance with the requirements applicable to the adoption of the bylaw that it amends (such as a referendum or alternative approval process), and Inspector of Municipalities' approval.

The RDN does a survey every five years* to determine who uses Ravensong Aquatic Centre. Based on 2015 survey data, the first row shows the Ravensong Aquatic Centre proportional usage rates (%) of electoral area and member municipality residents. The second-row numbers are the proposed allocations based on the average usage from the two most recent usage surveys (2010 and 2015) with Electoral Area E added and other users (NA, LZ, Other) distributed proportionately among existing funding participants.

NA = Nanaimo, PV = Parksville, QB = Qualicum Beach, LZ = Lantzville. Visit rdn.bc.ca/electoral-areas to see a map of the region and electoral area boundaries

*Due to COVID-19, the 2020 survey will take place in 2023

The RDN uses population numbers determined through Statistics Canada’s census. The 2021 Census determined the population of RDN member municipalities and electoral areas in Oceanside to be as follows:

If the proposed changes to Bylaw #899 are made, the RDN would calculate how much each participating area would pay through taxes using the following:

• one-third assessment – one-third of the amount of taxes would be collected based on the property values in each area that is participating in the service
• one-third usage – one-third of the amount of taxes would be collected based on the usage of the facility by each area that is participating in the service
• one-third population - one-third of the amount of taxes would be collected based on the population in each area that is participating in the service

For example, a participating area that has:

• higher property values compared to other participating areas would pay more of the assessment portion towards the pool service
• more residents using the pool service compared to other participating areas would pay more of the usage portion towards the pool service
• a lower population compared to other participating areas would pay less of the population portion towards the pool service

Once it is determined how much each participating area must contribute based on the above, the information is sent to the Surveyor of Taxes. The amount each area residential homeowner in the participating area would be taxed is calculated by the Surveyor of Taxes based on property values. 

*Currently, the participating areas fund the pool service based on a one-half assessment and one-half usage funding model. 

Property assessment data from BC Assessment is used to help calculate how much residential homeowners pay for a service in their area. The tables below show the amount residential homeowners would pay for their share of the pool service based on the current and proposed allocation models.

 For example:

• If the proposed changes to Bylaw #899 are not approved, a residential homeowner of Parksville would be charged $102.32 in total for their share of the pool service if the net taxable value of their property was equal to $669,603 (the average residential value). This is inclusive of the one-half usage and one-half assessment components of the allocation calculation. 
• If the proposed changes to Bylaw #899 are approved, a residential homeowner of Parksville would be charged $92.54 in total for their share of the pool service. This is inclusive of the one-third usage, one-third assessment and one-third population components of the allocation calculation. 

*The Residential Cost per $100K Assessment equates to the amount that each property owner in the specified participating area would pay per $100,000 of their property’s net taxable value for their share of the pool service based on a one-third usage, one-third population and one-third assessment allocation.

 **The Average Assessment equates to the amount that would be charged to the average property owner on their property tax as calculated using the average residential value of the participating area in which they reside.

• Similar changes were considered by the RDN Board as far back as 2009. The RDN Board wishes to ensure a balance of equitable funding between those that directly use the pool and those that do not directly use the pool but gain the benefits of having a pool within their community or neighbouring community. 

• The costs to operate the Ravensong Aquatic Centre will not change because another funding participant is added. The addition of another funding partner does mean however that there are more participants that can contribute to the costs of operating and maintaining the Aquatic Centre. 

The Local Government Act set by the Province of BC establishes voting rules that the RDN Board must abide by. For a complete review of the voting rules relevant to Bylaw #899 please follow the link to the RDN Board Meeting from May 10, 2022 where staff presented a report on the options to change Bylaw #899. https://rdn-pub.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=4debb9c7-9e57-48fb-82f3-e7fab0dbbcb6&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English&Item=41&Tab=attachments

For a current participant area to get out of funding the Ravensong Aquatic Centre, changes to a service establishment bylaw must be done through a bylaw amendment.

The two changes being considered to Bylaw #899 would not change Parksville's partcipation in the funding of Ravensong Aquatic Centre, but would change the financial implications as shown in the two tables under section E of the open house display panels www.getinvolved.rdn.ca/pool-bylaw. The City of Parksville's Council or staff may be able to provide more information on how the changes may affect their efforts to build a pool in the City of Parksville.

We did look at venues in Nanoose and Parksville.  There weren’t any locations that had the IT capacity we needed, the space for the expected large public attendance and were available when the Board was available.  The Board had limited availability for a special meeting due to their other Council meetings so it was challenging to find a date, location and space that all aligned.

Similar changes were considered by the RDN Board as far back as 2009. In 2021, the RDN Board made the decsion to look at amending Bylaw #899. Reasons for the review can be found in the video recordings of the Ravensong Pool Select Committee and RDN Board meetings. Links to the videos are under the important Links section of the project page www.getinvolved.rdn.ca/pool-bylaw.