2024 Vote of the Electors on a Question

Results

The Question on the Ballot:
Do you support the development and operation of the metallurgical coal mine at Grassy Mountain?

Estimate of 5083 eligible voters

Voter Eligibility

The Local Authorities Election Act states: 

(47) (1) A person is eligible to vote in an election held pursuant to this Act if the person

(a) is at least 18 years old,

(b) is a Canadian citizen, and

(c) resides in Alberta and the person’s place of residence is located in the local jurisdiction (ward) on election day.

(2) …… an elector is eligible to vote only at the voting station for the voting subdivision (Ward) in which the elector’s place of residence is located on election day.

Voters will be required to fill out a Form 13- Elector Register and make a statement that they are eligible to vote.  It is an offence to sign a false statement, a person who is guilty of signing a false statement is liable in accordance with Section 148(7) of the LAEA to a fine of not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment for not more than 6 months or to both fine and imprisonment. 

Rules of Residence

48 (1) For the purposes of the Local Authorities Election Act, the place of residence is governed by the following rules:

(a) a person may be a resident of only one place at a time for the purposes of voting under this Act;

(a.1) if a person has more than one residence in Alberta, that person shall, in accordance with subsection (1.1), designate one place of residence as the person’s place of residence for the purposes of this Act;

(b) the residence of a person is the place where the person lives and sleeps and to which, when the person is absent, the person intends to return;

(c) a person does not lose the person’s residence by leaving the person’s home for a temporary purpose;

(d) subject to clause (e), a student who

(i) attends an educational institution within or outside Alberta,

(ii) temporarily rents accommodation for the purpose of attending an educational institution, and

(iii) has family members who are resident in Alberta and with whom the student ordinarily resides when not attending an educational institution is deemed to reside with those family members;

(e) if a person leaves the area with the intention of making the person’s residence elsewhere, the person loses the person’s residence within the area.

(1.1) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a.1), a person shall designate the person’s place of residence in accordance with the following factors in the following order of priority:

(a) the address shown on the person’s driver’s licence or motor vehicle operator’s licence issued by or on behalf of the Government of Alberta or an identification card issued by or on behalf of the Government of Alberta;

(b) the address to which the person’s income tax correspondence is addressed and delivered;

(c) the address to which the person’s mail is addressed and delivered.

Voter Identification

The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass does not have a List of Electors, all electors wishing to vote must make a statement that they are eligible to vote. It is an offence to sign a false statement.  Electors must also produce valid identification that identifies the Elector and their address. 

The most common form of identification is a Valid Alberta Operator's (Driver's) License or an Alberta Identification Card.

If an Operator's (Driver's) license or Alberta Identification Card is not available, other forms of Identification with name and address are noted below:

• Identification issued by a Canadian government or agency, whether federal, provincial or local that contains a photograph of the elector and their name and current address
• Bank or credit card statement or personal cheque
• Government cheque or cheque stub
• Income or property tax assessment notice
• Insurance policy or coverage card
• Letter from a public curator, public guardian or public trustee
• Pension plan statement of benefits, contribution or participation
• Residential lease or mortgage statement
• Statement of government benefits (i.e. Employment insurance, old-age security, social assistance, disability support or child tax benefit)
• Utility bill (i.e. Telephone, public utilities commission, television, hydro, gas or water)
• Vehicle ownership, registration or insurance certificate

A letter or form (attestation) confirming that the person lives at the stated address. The letter can be signed prior to the vote by any of the following:

• authorized representative of a commercial property management company
• authorized representative of a correctional institution
• authorized representative of a First Nations band or reserve
• authorized representative of a post-secondary institution
• authorized representative of a facility that provides services to the homeless
• authorized representative of a supportive living facility or treatment center

 If a voter’s identification shows a post office box number as the address instead of a residential or legal address, it can be accepted as verification of current address if it is in reasonable distance to the voting jurisdiction. The address does not have to be in the voting division or ward.

Background on the Vote on a Question

At the September 10, 2024 Council Meeting Council passed a motion to hold a Non-Binding Vote of the Electors on a Question within the next 90 days.  The Vote of the Electors process is similar to a plebiscite or referendum and is held in accordance with the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA). 

The question that will be asked on the ballot is “Do you support the development and operations of the metallurgical coal mine at Grassy Mountain.” 

Councillor Ward put forward the motion with the following comment “In the last 10 years Northback and its predecessors have attempted to develop a coal mine to the north of our community.  Many individuals, organizations and levels of government have expressed an opinion on whether the project should move forward or not and its time the residents of the Crowsnest Pass were taken into consideration on this issue.” 

Read his full statement in the Council Package of September 10, 2024, item 10a.

Residents of the Crowsnest Pass who meet the criteria in the LAEA Section 47 will be eligible to vote which includes being at least 18 years old, a Canadian citizen that resides in Alberta in Crowsnest Pass on voting day.  If a person has more than one residence, the rules that govern which one is their place of residence under the act is detailed in section 48.

The vote on a question will take place within the next 90 days.  Details on the voting dates and times will be released once confirmed.