A Kamloops councillor suggests it no longer makes sense to tell people to get out and vote in the upcoming referendum when people are being asked to stay home because of COVID-19.

Dale Bass says it’s urgent for the province to approve that the Kamloops Centre for the Arts referendum be postponed, after the city formally put in that request earlier this week.

“Most people have been told, well pretty much everyone has been told, don’t leave your house. But please go out and vote? That’s not going to happen. And if it does happen, we could be facing an abysmal voter turnout. From my perspective, how legitimate does that make the vote? If 10 per cent of the people come, is that still legitimate?”

Speaking on the NL Mornign News, Bass was asked if she thinks delaying the referendum could change people’s vote when it does happen.

“I suspect there are some people who are going to be concerned about the economic impact if this pandemic drags on. What I see if the economy does have issues, I see a federal government that might be more inclined to quickly approve grants, to boost the economy and get people building and working again. So there’s both sides of the coin, I don’t know how people are actually going to think in the end.”

The business case expects at least $22 million in private donations would come in for a Performing Arts Centre, which would cost an estimated $70 million.

In the referndum, the City of Kamloops will be asking to borrow up to $45 million for the facility over 25 years.