General Voting Day for the Crystal Pool Referendum was Saturday, February 8, 2025 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Victoria voters had the opportunity to vote on whether the City of Victoria may borrow up to $168.9 million to replace the Crystal Pool and to select a preferred site option: Central Park North or Central Park South.
9,115 (58.71%) voted Yes to being in favour of the City of Victoria adopting the Loan Authorization (Crystal Pool Replacement) Bylaw No. 24-054 to borrow up to $168,900,000, repayable over a term not exceeding 20 years, for the new Crystal Pool and Wellness Centre and to enter into agreements longer than five years for that purpose.
7,703 (60.57%) voted Central Park North as their preference for the location of the new Crystal Pool and Wellness Centre.
Total voter turnout for the Crystal Pool Referendum was 15,547 or 21.18% of registered voters.
City staff will prepare a report to Council for direction on next steps.
There were three ways to vote in the Crystal Pool Referendum: at an Advance Voting Opportunity, on General Voting Day or by mail ballot. Here's what you needed to know to vote.
What You Needed to Know to Vote
When voting in the Crystal Pool Referendum, you received a double-sided ballot, with one ballot on each side.
You could vote for one or both ballot questions. If you chose to only answer one question, the tabulator notified you and you could push the "cast" button to accept the ballot. The marked questions were counted.
Below is the text that appeared on each ballot.
Ballot 1: Loan Authorization (Crystal Pool Replacement) Bylaw Vote Yes or No
Are you in favour of the City of Victoria adopting the Loan Authorization (Crystal Pool Replacement) Bylaw No. 24-054 to borrow up to $168,900,000, repayable over a term not exceeding 20 years, for the new Crystal Pool and Wellness Centre and to enter into agreements longer than five years for that purpose? Yes No
Vote Both Sides
Ballot 2: Crystal Pool Preferred Site Location Vote for one (1)
What is your preference for the location of the new Crystal Pool and Wellness Centre? Central Park North Central Park South
Vote Both Sides
To vote in the Crystal Pool Referendum, you must:
be a resident of the City of Victoria or a qualified property elector (non-resident property owner)
be a resident of British Columbia for at least six months before the day of registration (since August 8, 2024)
be a Canadian Citizen
be 18 years of age or older
not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment
If you are 16 or 17 years of age, you can pre-register for future elections/referendums by adding your name to the Future Voters List.
The City of Victoria uses the most current available provincial list of voters prepared by Elections BC. If you are on the Provincial Voters List, you should be on the City's List of Electors.
If you qualify as a resident elector but are not on the Provincial Voters List, then you may register:
when you vote at an Advance Voting Opportunity or on General Voting Day at the voting place
when you vote by mail ballot
Two pieces of ID are required to register to vote. Please see "ID to Bring to Vote" below.
Victoria property owners that live elsewhere may be eligible to vote. See “Non-Resident Property Elector” below for more information.
If you’re on the Provincial Voters List, you needed to bring one piece of ID to vote, which must include your signature.
If you weren't on the Provincial Voters List, you could register to vote at a voting place and needed to bring two pieces of ID to prove your identity and place of residence (one piece must include your signature).
The following are valid identity documents for proving voter identity.
BC Driver’s Licence*
Photo BC Services Card*
Non-photo BC Services Card*
BC Identification Card
Certificate of Indian Status issued by the Government of Canada
Student card issued by a post-secondary institution
Owner’s Certificate of Insurance and Vehicle Licence issued by ICBC
BC CareCard or BC Gold CareCard
Security Request for Continued Assistance Form SDES8
Social Insurance Card
Confirmation of Social Insurance Number letter issued by the Government of Canada
Canadian Citizenship Card
City of Victoria Property Tax Notice
Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits
BC Government cheque
Income Tax Assessment Notice
Canadian Forces Identification
Old Age Security Identification Card
Canadian Passport
Birth Certificate
Credit card or debit card or statement
Utility bill issued for the supply of electricity, natural gas, water, telephone services or coaxial cable services
A completed and signed Solemn Declaration that is witnessed and signed by a Commissioner of Affidavits in Form 12-16
*The dual BC Driver’s Licence and Services Card are one (1) piece of ID.
Three advance voting opportunities were held at the Crystal Garden, 713 Douglas Street from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. on:
Wednesday, January 29
Monday, February 3
Wednesday, February 5
An accessible voting machine was available and the location was wheelchair accessible.
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Eligible voters could vote at ANY of the following locations on General Voting Day on Saturday, February 8 from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.:
Crystal Garden, 713 Douglas Street*
Central Middle School, 1280 Fort Street
George Jay Elementary School, 1118 Princess Avenue
Margaret Jenkins Elementary School, 1824 Fairfield Road
Oaklands Elementary School, 2827 Belmont Avenue
Quadra Elementary School, 3031 Quadra Street
Sir James Douglas Elementary School, 401 Moss Street
Victoria West Elementary School, 750 Front Street
*An accessible voting machine was available at Crystal Garden on February 8, 2025.
Please note: Victoria City Hall and Crystal Pool were not voting locations.
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Below are parking maps that identified accessible, bike and general parking for each of the 10 voting locations on General Voting Day, Saturday, February 8 from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
*Crystal Garden was also the voting location for all three Advance Voting Opportunities on Wednesday, January 29, Monday, February 3 and Wednesday, February 5 from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and had an accessible voting machine available.
All voting locations were wheelchair accessible. Voters who were unable to enter a voting location could vote at the curb or in the parking lot. A sign was posted with a phone number to call for assistance. See the "Accessible Voting" section for more information.
Please note: Victoria City Hall and Crystal Pool were not voting locations.
The deadline to request a mail ballot was 4 p.m. on Friday, January 31.
Completed mail ballots were to be placed in the mail by February 1.
NOTE: After February 1, mail ballots were to be returned to the Drop Box at the Pandora Avenue entrance of City Hall or by 8 p.m. at an advance voting opportunity or one of the voting places on General Voting Day.
Postage was included for mail ballot packages mailed within Canada.
If you requested a mail ballot but had not received one by General Voting Day, you were encouraged to vote at a voting location on Saturday, February 8.
NOTE: Your mail ballot must have been received by the City of Victoria by 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 8, 2025 to be counted.
For voters with accessibility needs, there were services available to help you vote.
All voting locations were wheelchair accessible.
Voters who were unable to enter a voting location could vote at the curb or in the parking lot. A sign was posted with a phone number to call for assistance.
An accessible voting machine was available at:
Advance Voting Opportunities at the Crystal Garden, 713 Douglas Street
General Voting Day at the Crystal Garden, 713 Douglas Street
The accessible voting machine enabled people with sight loss and accessibility needs to vote. Voters had the option to listen to an audio recording of the two ballot questions and cast their votes by using a hand-held selector device, sip-and-puff straws or paddles.
Assistance was available to voters unable to mark a ballot due to a physical disability or difficulty with reading or writing. Voters needing assistance to mark their ballot could either bring another person who was required to sign a declaration, or could ask an Election Official for assistance.
Victoria property owners that live elsewhere may be eligible to vote in the Crystal Pool Referendum as a non-resident property elector. Non-resident property electors must meet the following qualifications:
age 18 or older on February 8, 2025
a Canadian citizen
a resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before the day of registration (since August 8, 2024)
a registered owner of real property in the City of Victoria for at least 30 days before the day of registration (since January 9, 2025)
the only persons who are registered owners of the property, either as joint tenants or tenants in common, are individuals who are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust
not entitled to register as a resident elector
not disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law
if there is more than one registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non-resident property elector
How to Register as a Non-Resident Property Elector If you are not on the Provincial Voters List and qualify as a non-resident property elector, you could register in advance or at the time of voting. Non-resident property elector registration requires additional documentation. These documents include:
proof of identity
proof of place of residence
proof of property ownership
In order to register as a non-resident property elector, you must provide:
two pieces of personal identification - one with your residential address and one with your signature, and
property title deed or current City of Victoria property tax receipt and
