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Public Hearings
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the CVRD will hold all Public Hearings electronically until further notice.
A Public Hearing is the primary means for the public to present their views on proposed amendment bylaws. The Local Government Act requires that a Public Hearing be held before the Board adopts an amendment to an official community plan bylaw, and some amendments to a zoning bylaw. Anyone who considers themselves affected by a proposed amendment bylaw will be afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard at the Public Hearing, or to submit written comments.
- Upcoming Public Hearings
- How to Participate in a Public Hearing
- What Happens During a Public Hearing?
- What Happens After?
- Did You Know?
Background information on the proposed development and bylaw amendment(s) can be found in the links below. After reviewing the posted information, if you have any questions about the proposed development or bylaw amendment(s) please contact the Development Services Manager, Frank Limshue by emailing ds@cvrd.bc.ca, or calling 250.746.2620. Please note that THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT AN INFORMATION SESSION - there will be no opportunity to ask questions about the proposed development during the hearing. Please have all your questions answered in advance of the hearing. To participate effectively during the hearing, please come prepared with your views and opinions so that the Area Directors can hear from you. The public hearing is not the time to begin to learn about the proposed development and bylaw amendment(s), the purpose is for the Area Directors to hear the opinions of those members of the public who wish to make comments.
Submit Written Comments
- Written comments can be submitted in the following ways:
- By fax: 250.746.2621
- By email: publichearings@cvrd.bc.ca
- By mail: 175 Ingram Street, Duncan, BC, V9L 1N8
- In person at the CVRD located at 175 Ingram Street, during office hours from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays)
- In person during the Public Hearing (this option is not currently available for electronic Public Hearings)
- You do not have to attend a Public Hearing to submit written comments.
- Written comments can be submitted in advance of the Public Hearing up until 48 hours prior to the hearing (in some cases up until 24 hours prior to the hearing). Please refer to the Public Hearing notice which includes the deadline (date and time) for public submissions.
- All written submissions received by the CVRD will be added to the public record, which is maintained at the CVRD main office and available for public inspection by appointment from the start of the public notice period until noon on the day of the Public Hearing, or as stated on the Public Hearing notice.
- The public record is also published to the CVRD website, subject to FOIPPA.
- All written submissions should include the author’s first and last name, and home address.
Attend a Public Hearing
- You will need a phone or an electronic device with internet service to attend an electronic Public Hearing using Webex Events.
- Attendees of the hearing will have the opportunity to speak during the hearing, but can also attend to observe/listen without having to speak.
- All members of the public wishing to attend an electronic Public Hearing by using a computer, or other online device, are encouraged to register in advance to ensure device and audio compatibility.
- Ways to attend an electronic Public Hearing include:
Call-in by Phone | Use the toll free number (as well as the meeting number and password) as provided on the notice for calling in To speak during the meeting press * 3 on your phone's keypad, this will raise your hand electronically and you will be in a queue for speaking. | Audio participation only. |
Log-in by Computer, Tablet or Phone | Use the website address and meeting number as provided on the notice to register in advance and to obtain a link for joining the event. To speak during the meeting click on the hand icon in the lower right side of the screen, this will raise your hand electronically and you will be in a queue for speaking. | You will not be able to use your webcam video. Audio participation only. |
- Additional details on how to join a Webex event, and how to participate, are available here
- In advance of the Public Hearing, enquires can be sent to publichearings@cvrd.bc.ca or by calling 250.746.2620. Please note that during the hearing, this email and phone number will not be monitored.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT AN INFORMATION SESSION - there will be no opportunity to ask questions about the proposed development during the hearing. Please have all your questions answered in advance of the hearing. To participate effectively during the hearing, please come prepared with your views and opinions so that the Area Directors can hear from you. The public hearing is not the time to begin to learn about the proposed development and bylaw amendment(s), the purpose is for the Area Directors to hear the opinions of those members of the public who wish to make comments.
- Please join the event 15 minutes in advance of the start time, as the hearing will begin promptly at the advertised time.
- If you have trouble connecting at the time of the meeting, please call 250.746.2500, ext. 2222, for assistance.
- The Chair of the meeting is an elected CVRD Director. The Chair conducts the meeting and will call the meeting to order.
- The Chair will explain the general procedures for conducting the hearing.
- CVRD staff will introduce the bylaw(s) and provide a brief summary of the amendments being considered..
- The Chair manages the speakers and will invite attendees to speak one by one.
- Everyone who wishes to speak will be given an opportunity to be heard.
- The Chair may ask the applicant to speak about their proposal before and/or after the speakers in attendance.
- Depending on the turn-out at the hearing, you may be asked by the Chair to limit your comments to 5 minutes until everyone who wishes to speak has had an opportunity to do so.
- Once everyone has had a chance to speak, those who wish to speak again may do so. Please keep in mind that if you choose to speak again, you should be presenting new points, not repeating what you have already stated.
- During an electronic Public Hearing, your audio is muted until it is your turn to speak.
- When it is your turn to speak, begin by stating your name and address clearly for the record.
- Before declaring the Public Hearing closed, the Chair calls three times to ask if anyone else would like to speak. Once there are no further speakers the hearing will be adjourned.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT AN INFORMATION SESSION - there will be no opportunity to ask questions about the proposed development during the hearing. Please have all your questions answered in advance of the hearing. To participate effectively during the hearing, please come prepared with your views and opinions so that the Area Directors can hear from you. The public hearing is not the time to begin to learn about the proposed development and bylaw amendment(s), the purpose is for the Area Directors to hear the opinions of those members of the public who wish to make comments.
- New submissions or information cannot be received by the Board after the close of a public hearing.
- A written report of the public hearing is prepared and maintained as a public record, and is forwarded to the Board.
- The Board can, without further notice or hearing:
- Adopt the bylaw
- Defeat the bylaw
- In some instances, they may alter then adopt the bylaw.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT AN INFORMATION SESSION - there will be no opportunity to ask questions about the proposed development during the hearing. Please have all your questions answered in advance of the hearing. To participate effectively during the hearing, please come prepared with your views and opinions so that the Area Directors can hear from you. The public hearing is not the time to begin to learn about the proposed development and bylaw amendment(s), the purpose is for the Area Directors to hear the opinions of those members of the public who wish to make comments.
- The Public Hearing is an opportunity for elected Director’s to listen to members of the public, however it is not a question and answer session regarding the proposed bylaw(s). All questions and inquiries should have been made prior to the hearing.
- A public hearing is also a statutory requirement for Official Community Plan (OCP) amendments and is utilized for most Zoning Bylaw Amendments.
- Public Hearings are advertised in the local newspaper and online prior to the scheduled Public Hearing. In many instances, Public Notices are also mailed to owners and occupants of surrounding properties at least ten days prior to the scheduled Public Hearing.
- Ministerial Order M139— which was repealed and replaced with Ministerial Order M192 on June 17, 2020 — exempted local governments from statutory requirements relating to the conduct of meetings and public hearings and the passage of bylaws. For example, it allowed local government to conduct public hearings through electronic or other communication.
- The main difference between an in-person public hearing and an electronic public hearing is that an electronic public hearing has no physical location where the public can attend.
- The CVRD is using a web-based meeting platform, Webex, for electronic public hearings and the public can attend by phone or computer to listen, observe or speak during the public hearing.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT AN INFORMATION SESSION - there will be no opportunity to ask questions about the proposed development during the hearing. Please have all your questions answered in advance of the hearing. To participate effectively during the hearing, please come prepared with your views and opinions so that the Area Directors can hear from you. The public hearing is not the time to begin to learn about the proposed development and bylaw amendment(s), the purpose is for the Area Directors to hear the opinions of those members of the public who wish to make comments.