Get Out the Vote campaign launched for Quesnel Pool Referendum

Joint Release of City of Quesnel/Cariboo Regional District:

The City of Quesnel and Cariboo Regional District (CRD) have launched their website as part of its voter engagement plan to get out the vote for the North Cariboo pool referendum on June 10, 2023. The CRD and City have committed to educating residents about the proposed project, informing them of the implications of the decision they will be making, and empowering voters to make that decision.

“Upgrading the Quesnel pool will not only have a positive impact on our residents, but it will also give Quesnel an advantage in attracting new investment, potential workers, and families,” said City of Quesnel Councillor Laurey-Anne Roodenburg, “After 40 years of operation, this well used facility deserves a major upgrade to ensure that this key attraction to our community remains accessible, modern, and sustainable.”

During the referendum period, City and CRD officials will be engaging voters through multiple methods to ensure voters can get informed, learn more about the project’s impact and benefits, and are empowered to make the decision on the aquatic centre’s future. Engagement efforts will include open houses, direct mail outs, and multimedia advertisement efforts. An online map will also allow residents of Electoral Areas “A”, “B”, “C”, and “I” to identify if their property is within the service boundary and if they are eligible to vote in the referendum.

“What we learned following the last referendum is that a lot of our citizens wanted the project to include a waterslide which was very clear based on the public consultation we did following the last referendum,” said Cariboo Regional District Area B Director Barb Bachmeier, “It’s important that we give residents the opportunity to make a decision based on the project that they’ve told us they want.”

Eligible voters will be able to cast their vote on whether to authorize borrowing up to $35 million to finance the pool upgrade project and raise the taxation limit for the North Cariboo Parks and Recreation Service. If the referendum question succeeds and the project moves forward, tax rates on residential properties within the service boundary would increase by approximately $75 per $100,000, beginning in the 2024 tax year. The maximum tax requisition for the service would also be increased to $9 Million to accommodate forecasted spending and revenue requirements if the project and borrowing proceeds.

Learn more about the project and referendum at: www.quesnel.ca/PoolUpgrade