New City Hall

Buller Street Revitalization Project Frequently Asked Questions

• Why does Ladysmith need a new City Hall?

  Simply put, the current City Hall building on the corner of Roberts and Esplanade Avenue is old, outdated and has exceeded its useful lifespan as a functional municipal building.

  Ladysmith needs a new city hall for the following reasons:

  • The building is 72 years old and is well beyond its useful service.
  • It lacks the necessary space required for staff to conduct business.
  • Council meetings can no longer be held in the building due to space.
  • City Hall is not accessible to those with mobility issues at all.
  • The Town has already spent $435,000 on an array of necessary repairs on the existing building.

  A new City Hall would accomplish the following:

  • Allow the Town to deliver the services residents expect in a modern, safe, and fully accessible facility.
  •  Unify multiple Town departments under a single roof, creating efficiencies and reducing costs.
  • Allow for Council meetings, Public Hearings and other meetings to occur at a centralized location.

  A full report outlining the state of City Hall and the benefits of a new City Hall can be accessed here.

• Q1. Has the Town received approval from the Inspector of Municipalities to move ahead with the AAP to approve the Borrowing Bylaw?

  A. “Town of Ladysmith City Hall Loan Authorization Bylaw 2024, No. 2166” received                  approval from the Inspector of Municipalities on February 26, 2024.

• Q2. Is there an opportunity for newcomers to register with Elections BC in order to qualify as an eligible voter prior to, or during, the Alternative Approval Process?

  A. The 10% threshold of Ladysmith voters is based on the Provincial provisional number of registered Town of Ladysmith resident electors as of January 23, 2024 (7401) and the number of non-resident property electors on the 2022 Town of Ladysmith non-resident property elector voting list (4), the total number of electors being 7405. Accordingly, the 10% threshold of electors is 741.

  Newcomers who would like to express their opposition to the AAP do not need to register with Elections BC. A completed Elector Response form acts as a declaration of eligibility to vote in the AAP.

• Q3. Will the AAP be made available in Petition Form?

  A. The Town is using a single-response format that can be signed by an individual elector. Single-response forms are the most commonly used method because they protect the privacy of electors. 

• Q4. It is now confirmed that discussions are taking place between the TOL and the Historical Society. What is the plan for the Museum?

  A. Discussions with the Historical Society representatives are ongoing. No decisions have been made regarding the Museum.

• Q5. What is BC Builds?

  A. BC Builds is a new Provincial initiative delivered through BC Housing that leverages government, community, and non-profit owned land to deliver more homes for middle-income people. It is supported by grant funding and financing from the B.C. Government.

• Q6. How accurate are the cost estimates for the project?

  A. The current cost estimates are based on typical construction costs for similar projects in the region. Once construction drawings are prepared, “Class A” cost estimates will be prepared to provide a more refined cost estimate prior to starting construction. Catalyst has provided a current pro-forma for both the City Hall and residential components of the development. Costing will be regularly updated as design and construction proceeds.

• Q7. Does $13.5million reflect a built-in contingency for unforeseen overruns?

  A. Yes.

• Q8. What will the arrangement be between Catalyst Developments, the Town and BC Builds?

  A. The Town will lease the housing portion of the development to Catalyst for a period of 60 years. BC Builds will fund construction costs for the housing portion only and the Town will cover the cost of constructing City Hall.

• Q9. What will happen when the lease expires in 60 years?

  A. The Town can take possession of the housing portion of the development, or the Town and Catalyst can agree to renew the lease for an agreed upon term.

• Q10. Who is coordinating the construction of the Project?

  A.  Catalyst will be coordinating design and construction of the project. However, the Town will be approving the design and other major project decisions.

• Q11. Will the Town retain ownership of the land?

  A. Yes.

• Q12. Will the Town Hall mean an increase in Taxes to residents in Ladysmith?

  A. The Town Hall borrowing will have a minimal or no impact on budget increases. The anticipated increase to Ladysmith residential taxpayers,  dependent on when the debt is executed, would be approximately $7.17 per $100,000 of assessed residential value based on the 2024 assessments.

• Q13. Will the amount of the increase be disclosed before the AAP is announced?

  A. As required, the Town has stated the estimated debt payment amount as $860,520 per year.

• Q14. What happens if or when the project goes over budget?

  A. Any cost overruns related to the housing component will be the responsibility of Catalyst/BC Builds.  Options to offset overruns on the Town Hall portion include:  contingency, general reserves, and postponing other capital projects.   

• Q15. How much will the Town save when Development Services relocates to the new Town Hall?

  A.  Currently, lease payments for the Development Services offices on Roberts Street are $32,277/ year.

• Q16. How many floors will this be?

  A. The building is expected to have a maximum height of 21 meters, which is about six stories. The fourth, fifth and sixth stories must be “stepped back” from Buller Street and 1^st Avenue.

• Q17. What income level can rent there?

  A. The housing development will be comprised of purpose-built housing for middle income renters.

• Q18. What are the apartment sizes?

  A. Approximately 500 sq.ft. to 1,000 sq.ft. dependent on configuration.

• Q19. Will the proposal impact parking in the area?

  A. The design will include parking spaces and streetscape improvements will be required as part of the project which will likely include parking.

• Q20. I see that the footprint of the new Town Hall is 25,000 square feet including commercial & institution spaces. My question is what is the square footage of the Town Hall.

  A. Approximately 19,000 sq.ft.

• Q21. What happens if the borrowing approval is defeated?

  The Town could go to referendum, allow a different development on the Buller street site, sell the Buller Street site, seek other ways to fund the project and/or provide City Hall services a different way , such as satellite offices in various locations. The site is zoned C-2 which allows a wide range of commercial uses and muti-family residential up to six storeys high.  

• Q22. $13.5 million sounds like a lot of debt. Is the Town even allowed to borrow that amount of money?

  Yes.  By legislation, all BC municipalities have a cap on the amount of debt servicing allowed.  The Province has already confirmed that the debt payments for the new City Hall are within the Town’s permitted amounts.