Wasa Lake Land Improvement District |
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About Land Improvement DistrictsImprovement Districts are autonomous local government bodies responsible for providing one or more services for the benefit of the residents in a community. They vary in size and are usually located in rural areas. They are similar in structure to a municipality but are more informal and only provide direct services such as waterworks, fire protection or street lighting as specified in their Letters Patent. There are more than 200 Improvement Districts in British Columbia.
Improvement Districts are administered by a board of trustees, each elected for a three-year term by eligible landowners at the Annual General Meeting. To be eligible to vote or to be a candidate for trustee, a person must be eighteen years of age, a Canadian citizen, an owner of land in the improvement district, and a BC resident for the previous six months. The Improvement District’s Letters Patent, Local Government Act, and other provincial statutes outline the powers that can be exercised by the board of trustees, which include: ability to enact and enforce its regulations and charges, tax, acquire, hold and dispose of lands, borrow money, and to expropriate lands required to carry out its functions. Powers are exercised through the passage of resolutions and bylaws. Improvement Districts are subject to Ministry supervision. Bylaws are reviewed and approved by the Ministry before they are in effect. The Ministry annually reviews the audited financial statements and the minutes of the AGM. |
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