Aquatic Facility Referendum

If you meet the following criteria, you can vote in the 2026 General Local Election and Aquatic Facility Referendum:

• Be 18 years of age or older on voting day
• Be a Canadian citizen
• Have lived in British Columbia for at least six months
• Be a resident of Fort St. John, or qualify as a Non-Resident Property Elector
• Not be disqualified from voting by law

You may be eligible to vote as a Non-resident Property Elector if you live outside Fort St. John but personally own property within the City and meet provincial voting requirements.

To qualify, you must:

• Be 18 years of age or older on voting day
• Be a Canadian citizen
• Have lived in British Columbia for at least six months
• Have owned the property for at least 30 days before registering
• Not be eligible to vote as a resident elector in Fort St. John
• Not be otherwise disqualified from voting

Important things to know:

• The property can be residential or commercial. What matters is who owns it, not what type of property it is.
• The property must be owned by an individual. If it is owned by a corporation, numbered company, partnership, society, trust, or another legal entity, no voting rights are attached to that ownership.
• If a property has multiple owners, only one owner may vote for that property and must have written consent from a majority of the other owners.
• Owning multiple properties does not provide additional votes.
• Owning a business does not provide voting rights unless the property is personally owned by the individual.

Anyone who believes they may qualify as a non-resident property elector is encouraged to contact the Chief Election Officer before voting. Property ownership and eligibility can often be verified in advance, helping avoid delays at the voting place.
 

Borrowing for a long-term capital project requires voter approval. The referendum is being held in conjunction with the 2026 General Local Election to reduce referendum costs and so residents can decide whether the City should have the authority to borrow up to $90 million while project validation, funding applications, and other planning work continue. 

Approval would authorize the City to borrow up to $90 million toward the project. It would not require the City to borrow the full amount immediately. Project validation, detailed design, funding applications, fundraising, sponsorship work and other approval steps would continue before construction. 

If borrowing is not approved, the proposed project cannot proceed under the current funding plan. Council would need to consider how to address the community's long-term aquatic and recreation needs.

The existing facility would continue to age and require investment. Future options would depend on its condition, construction costs, available funding programs, and community priorities at that time.

The North Peace Leisure Pool is approximately 30 years old and is experiencing increasing mechanical and capacity challenges. It also no longer provides the space needed for the range of programs and activities the community wants. Planning for replacement has been informed by community feedback, technical studies, and facility planning since 2018. 

Visit the City's Let's Talk Aquatic Facility webpage to view previous engagement materials, summaries, and feasibility studies.

Four phases of community engagement have occurred over the past eight years. In total, thousands of comments or responses have been collected through online tools, telephone surveys, and in-person activities. User-group sessions included representatives from soccer, baseball, cricket, basketball, homeschooling, cheer, gymnastics, aquatics, pickleball, and more. 

Visit the City's Let's Talk Aquatic Facility webpage to view previous engagement materials, summaries, and feasibility studies.

The proposed site is a 14-acre parcel in Parkwood Southlands near 116 Street and Parkwood Drive, across from Naache Commons and Margaret “Ma” Murray Community School, was chosen for its convenient location, room for future growth, and ability to serve residents across the city.

The City of Fort St. John has signed a Letter of Intent with XJ Evergreen Estates Corp. to explore a proposed location for the new aquatics facility in the Parkwood Southlands development. 

The North Peace Leisure has aging mechanical systems, space limitations and capacity constraints. The lanes in the lap pool are narrower than current regulation competition lanes, the leisure and program areas are limited, and some amenities, such as the permanently closed hot tub, have already been affected by aging infrastructure. 

Renovating the existing building would still require working within its current footprint and structural limitations. Significant investment could be required without fully addressing program capacity, accessibility, spectator space or future growth. The proposed project is intended to provide a longer-term solution rather than only extending the life of the existing facility. 

The Peace River Regional District owns the North Peace Leisure Pool and the City of Fort St. John operates it on their behalf under an operating agreement.

The pool continues to operate, but it is approximately 30 years old and is experiencing increasing mechanical and capacity challenges. The proposal is intended to plan for replacement before the community is forced to respond to a major failure or extended closure. 

If the referendum is successful, construction would begin in Spring 2027, with the new facility opening near the end of 2029.

The concept design reflects community feedback and technical analysis of current and future needs with a strong emphasis on a facility that serves all ages and user groups.

The proposed features include:

• 8-lane, 25-metre pool with diving boards
• 3-lane, 25-metre warm water pool
• Leisure pool with lazy river and swim lesson space
• Waterslide, hot pool, sauna, and steam rooms
• Splash pad and family-friendly amenities
• Multi-purpose and program rooms
• Spectator seating and viewing areas
• Café and gathering spaces
• Indoor fieldhouse with a full-sized artificial turf field

If funding allows, additional amenities may include a drop slide, a ninja-style obstacle course, an aquatics climbing wall, and a cold plunge. Designs are preliminary and will continue to evolve.

No. The current renderings show a functional concept and proposed program, but they are not a final design. The Integrated Project Delivery team is validating costs and refining the design before construction. 

The proposal would expand both aquatic and indoor recreation capacity. The current concept includes an eight-lane, 25-metre lap pool, a three-lane warm-water pool, a larger leisure pool, expanded hot and cold zones, indoor waterslide features, more public and program space, and a substantially larger fieldhouse. 

In total, the water surface area proposed for the new facility is more than double that of the current North Peace Leisure Pool, at 1135 square meters. Visit the City's Let's Talk Aquatic Facility webpage for a full comparison.

Over the past decade of community engagement, the community identified a need for more year-round indoor recreation space. The proposed 11 vs 11 full-size fieldhouse could be divided into smaller activity areas to meet the needs of our community and user groups.

Potential fieldhouse users include:

• soccer
• lacrosse
• football
• baseball
• rugby
• cricket
• birthday parties
• other community programming

The facility is being planned to meet modern accessibility requirements and improve access to aquatic, recreation, viewing and support spaces. While specific accessibility features will continue to be refined through validation and detailed design, planned accessibility improvements currently proposed:

• Ramp access into pool basins
• Barrier-free access throughout the facility
• Universal and accessible changerooms
• Accessible washrooms and shower facilities
• Family changeroom spaces
• Improved spectator viewing areas with accessible seating locations
• Accessible program and meeting rooms
• Wider circulation routes and improved wayfinding
• Accessible parking and drop-off areas
• Enhanced accessibility for people using mobility devices, walkers, wheelchairs, and strollers
• Improved access for people of all ages and abilities to participate in aquatic programs, fitness activities, recreation, and community events

The proposed facility is intended to provide a more inclusive recreational experience for residents and visitors by incorporating modern accessibility standards that exceed those accommodated in the existing facility. As design development progresses, the project team will continue identifying opportunities to improve accessibility throughout the building and site.

Yes. The proposed facility includes 11 total swim lanes across the lap pool and warm-water pool, creating more space for lane swimming, lessons, aquatic fitness programs, and public use. The increased capacity will help reduce scheduling conflicts, improve availability for recreational and fitness swimmers, and enable multiple activities to take place simultaneously. This means more opportunities for residents to access lane swimming throughout the day while still accommodating lessons, aquatic programs, and community use.

The proposed facility includes dedicated swimming lesson space, providing greater flexibility for lessons while allowing other aquatic activities to continue at the same time. Increased pool capacity will also help the City offer more swimming lessons, reducing waitlists and making it easier for children, youth, and adults to access learn-to-swim programs. By providing additional space for instruction, recreation, fitness, and aquatic programming, the facility is designed to better meet current demand and accommodate future community growth.

The proposed project is more than a replacement pool. It includes aquatic facilities, a full-size fieldhouse, changerooms, spectator and community spaces, accessibility features, parking, site infrastructure, design, construction and project delivery costs.

The estimate reflects today's construction market and is being refined as part of the Integrated Project Delivery validation process, which involves architects, engineers, contractors, tradespeople, cost estimators, and other experts. 

The City does not intend to fund the full $185 million project through borrowing. The plan combines voter-approved borrowing with City reserves, Peace River Agreement funds, regional and senior government funding, and capital fundraising. The borrowing authority provides flexibility while the City continues to pursue funding from other sources. 

The referendum seeks approval for the maximum borrowing scenario, but approval does not require the City to borrow the full $90 million. Our goal is to reduce the borrowing as much as possible.

The estimated increase depends on the final amount borrowed. Across the three current scenarios, the estimated average residential increase ranges from $17.68 to $26.53 per month, while the estimated average commercial increase ranges between $137.41 and $206.10 per month.

Use the property tax calculator below to estimate potential impacts to your property.

Grant funding is not guaranteed, and many programs require a credible local funding plan and project readiness. Borrowing authority provides flexibility to proceed while applications continue. More external funding would reduce the amount ultimately borrowed. 

Additional grants, partnerships or fundraising would reduce borrowing or another local funding source. Approval of up to $90 million sets the maximum and does not require the City to borrow the full amount. 

The $185 million estimate was prepared by Chandos Construction LP from the spring 2026 facility concept. The estimate reflects today's construction market and is being refined as part of the Integrated Project Delivery validation process, which involves architects, engineers, contractors, tradespeople, cost estimators, and other experts. 

Validation may identify efficiencies or design changes, but the outcome is not yet known. The referendum uses the current $185 million estimate. Any revised cost would need to reflect the validated design and approved scope. 

The City's current estimate is approximately $7.3 million per year to operate the proposed Aquatic Facility and Fieldhouse. This estimate includes the additional space, amenities, and services proposed in the new facility.

The proposed facility is significantly larger than the existing North Peace Leisure Pool and includes additional amenities such as a warm-water pool, leisure pool, expanded spectator spaces, a full-size indoor fieldhouse, multipurpose rooms, gathering areas, and enhanced accessibility features. As a result, the facility will require additional staffing, utilities, maintenance, and operational support.

Like the current facility, operating costs will be funded through a combination of user fees, memberships, rentals, sponsorships, partnerships, and municipal revenues. Annual operating costs will continue to be considered as part of the City's regular budgeting process.

Yes. Admissions, memberships, program registrations, rentals, and other user fees will continue to contribute toward operating costs. The City is also exploring additional revenue opportunities, including sponsorships, advertising, and partnerships.

Yes. One of the project's goals is to create a facility that is energy efficient, durable, and cost-effective to operate over the long term. Current planning includes consideration of:

• High-performance building envelopes
• Efficient mechanical systems
• Low-carbon heating technologies
• Water-efficient systems
• Climate-resilient building design
• Durable materials with lower lifecycle costs

These strategies are intended to help reduce long-term operating and maintenance expenses while improving the facility's lifespan.

The City is currently exploring several strategies, including:

• Sponsorship and advertising opportunities
• Modest user fee increases
• Partnerships and regional support agreements
• Energy-efficient building systems
• Long-term lifecycle planning and maintenance strategies

The goal is to manage operating costs responsibly while continuing to provide a high-quality recreation facility for residents and regional users.

Between 2018 and 2025, the proposed replacement of the North Peace Leisure Pool was led by the North Peace Leisure Facility Replacement Steering Committee, a partnership between the City of Fort St. John, the Peace River Regional District (PRRD), and the District of Taylor. In 2025, the City of Fort St. John assumed responsibility for the project and became the sole proponent of the proposed aquatic facility.

The referendum before voters is a City of Fort St. John borrowing referendum. As a result, only electors within the City of Fort St. John are being asked to approve borrowing up to $90 million for the project.

While the PRRD is not currently contributing capital funding toward construction of the facility, the City continues to explore partnership opportunities and future models for regional support.

The City cannot require the PRRD to contribute toward the construction of the project. At this time, the proposed funding strategy does not include a confirmed capital contribution from the PRRD. Instead, the City has focused on developing a funding plan that uses City reserves, Peace River Agreement funding, fundraising, sponsorships, grants, and borrowing approved by City voters.

The City continues to explore opportunities for regional participation and has identified future discussions regarding regional aquatic support as part of its long-term planning.

A smaller facility could cost less initially, but it would provide less capacity or fewer amenities. The current program was sized using engagement, user group input, demand analysis, projected growth, and affordability. The study projects capacity for approximately 400,000 aquatic visits annually by 2050.

Waiting does not remove the need to replace aging infrastructure. The existing pool would continue to require maintenance and remain vulnerable to closures. Future construction costs cannot be predicted, and delaying does not freeze today’s prices. 

Community facilities are funded collectively because they support lessons, fitness, sport, therapy, youth activities, community gatherings and quality of life. They also contribute to the community’s ability to attract and retain residents and workers. 

Yes. The project is intended for local and regional users. Construction borrowing would be repaid by City taxpayers under the current plan, while the City explores regional partnerships to continue supporting aquatics used by residents from outside the City. 

In a conventional process, the owner may set a budget before design, cost estimates may be prepared separately from the design team, and the final construction price may not be established until tendering. If the tender exceeds the budget, redesign or value engineering may be required.

Under Integrated Project Delivery, the budget is developed collaboratively, and costs are considered throughout design. Designers, contractors, trades and suppliers provide ongoing input, allowing the team to evaluate cost, constructability and value before decisions are finalized.

The IPD process uses continuous estimating and real-time cost feedback rather than relying only on estimates at major design milestones. A target cost is established and actively managed as the design develops.

Cost information from designers, trades, and suppliers is used to evaluate design decisions, risks, and value trade-offs. Budget reporting, forecasting and visual management tools provide the team with ongoing visibility into project costs and help identify potential pressures earlier.

No project delivery method can eliminate every financial risk or guarantee a final outcome. However, the IPD approach is structured to identify cost pressures earlier and support proactive decisions.

The project team uses continuous estimating, shared cost information, collaborative risk management and target-cost tracking to steer the design toward the approved budget.

Rather than keeping contingencies separate or hidden across different contracts, the IPD model uses a shared contingency pool. Risk items are identified, quantified, tracked, and mitigated by the project team.

This provides greater visibility into which risks the contingency is intended to address and how those risks change as the project develops.

Conventional schedules are often developed centrally and measured against fixed milestones. Under IPD, the construction team develops plans collaboratively with the people responsible for completing the work.

Planning progresses from the overall schedule to phase plans, look-ahead planning, weekly work plans and daily coordination. The team also works to identify and remove constraints before activities are scheduled, helping create more predictable handoffs between trades.

Quality is reviewed collaboratively throughout design and construction rather than being assessed only through final inspections and deficiency lists.

The IPD approach includes continuous cross-disciplinary design reviews, constructability input from trades and suppliers, shared documentation, proactive quality control and regular feedback. Quality expectations are also connected to the project’s agreed Conditions of Satisfaction.

Under a conventional approach, responsibilities can be divided among separate contracts and project participants. IPD establishes shared accountability aligned with overall project goals.

Cost information, risks, documentation and performance information are shared across the team. Decisions and changes are evaluated collaboratively for their effects on cost, value and the project’s Conditions of Satisfaction.