Esquimalt project should go to referendum

Esquimalt council has approved the projected $42-million public safety building, the cost being significantly more than the annual budget.

Funding will come through an allotted $7 million from the Capital Regional District sewer amenity fund. The remaining $35 million will be financed with borrowed funds, with debt servicing of about $2 million a year.

Co-ordination of this ambitious undertaking will be comprised of several stages: Temporary relocation of the police and fire services, demolition and abatement of the existing fire safety building, preparing the new building site, and construction of the new building.

The proposal is not a fixed-price contract. The municipality is at risk for possible cost overruns, and these costs would be passed directly on to taxpayers.

During the pandemic, there has been a limited opportunity for public information and input regarding the proposal or the financing. The municipality is seeking to borrow $35 million using the alternate approval process, which Esquimalt has never used before. It requires that 10 per cent of eligible voters complete and deliver a negative voter response form to the municipality on or before May 10.

The threshold requires 1,380 responses — no small task during the pandemic. These forms are available through the Esquimalt website, but require a printer since an electronic response is not available.

Provincial guidelines state that “if an issue is controversial, requires a significant financial contribution by taxpayers, or is significant in scale or impact on the community, local governments may decide that it is more appropriate and cost-effective to proceed directly to assent voting.”

The traditional method for approval would be to seek voter assent through a referendum, held at no expense during the 2022 municipal election.

Holding a full public referendum on the proposal will allow all residents to have their say.

Bruce McIldoon Former Esquimalt councillor Victoria