ACC-VANCOUVER GOVERNANCE POLICY
Issue/Revision Date: April 28, 2026
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to describe and communicate how the Alpine Club of Canada Vancouver Section
(“ACC-V”) is governed. This includes who makes decisions, how they make decisions, and other aspects of leading a
section in the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC).
This document meets the requirements described in the ACC “Requirements of Sections Policy”.

2. APPLICATION AND SCOPE
This document applies to ACC-V which is an unincorporated section of the Alpine Club of Canada.

3. OUTCOME
The outcome of this document is that all members, sections, and staff are aware of how ACC-V is administered.
This document will be posted on the ACC-V website to educate new members, and will be reviewed regularly by
ACC-V’s governing body. Revisions will be issued when required.

4. INTRODUCTION
This is the governance policy of the Alpine Club of Canada Vancouver Section (ACC-V). The ACC-V is among the
ACC’s largest and most complex sections. The ACC (National) bylaws are considered insufficient for ACC-V
governance. At the same time the ACC-V is not a legal entity and therefore chooses not to have a complete set of
bylaws as would a registered society or other corporation.
This governance policy was first adopted by a ¾ vote in-favour resolution of the ACC-V members at an Annual
General Meeting held in Vancouver on 26 November 2019. They were revised on 23 September 2025. This
Governance Policy is binding on the section. This governance policy may only be amended by a ¾ vote in-favour
resolution presented to the ACC-V members at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.

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5. DEFINITIONS
In this Governance Policy document:
“ACC” means the Alpine Club of Canada.
“ACC-V” means the Alpine Club of Canada – Vancouver Section.
“ACC-V member” means a member of the ACC, affiliated with the ACC-V, and shown as a “main contact” in the
ACC database. An ACC “family membership” has two “main contacts”, both of whom are considered ACC-V
members.
“AGM” means Annual General Meeting of ACC-V members.
“applicant” means a person who fills out and signs a nomination form to have their name be included on the ballot
for the next election.
“Candidate” means a person whose name is included on a ballot for the next election.
“Elected Executive” means a person who is normally elected to an elected executive position by ACC-V members;
and a person appointed to fill a vacant elected executive position in accordance with these bylaws.
“Executive” means all serving elected executives and non-elected executives.
“Mandatory criteria” means the mandatory criteria for appearing on a ballot as specified in this governance policy.
“Non-elected Executive” means a person who is appointed to a non-elected executive position in accordance with
these bylaws.
“SGM” means Special General Meeting of ACC-V members. A Special General Meeting is any meeting of the ACC-V
members, other than the AGM, at which business is conducted.

6. ACC-V GOVERNANCE AND DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT

The below outlines how the ACC-V will govern the section, and is supplemental to section requirements as outlined
in the ACC Club Bylaws and the ACC “Requirements of Sections Policy”.
6.1 SECTION EXECUTIVE
The section will be governed by a section Executive, which will be a group of people who will make decisions for
the section as a whole. Further in this document will be a description of how the Section Executive is elected, as
well as how decisions are made.
Even though it is not a legal entity, ACC-V is governed by a set of governance policies which can only be revised by
the membership at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting of the members. As described in the
ACC-V governance policy document, two groups of people are responsible for ACC-V governance and day-to-day
management:
6.1.1 Elected Executives: Elected Executives vote on important matters for the section e.g. to build a new hut or
create a new set of training courses. The Elected Executive will consist of the Section Chair, Section Secretary,
Section Treasurer, and four Section Member-At-Large (MAL) positions. The Section Member-At-Large
positions’ obligations are to participate in the governance of the section. These Section At-Large members
have the option to also participate as appointed managers (see below) if they choose. Elections are held every
two years and the entire Board is elected at the same time.

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6.1.2 Governance by the Executive
a) The Executive is responsible for establishing the ACC-V policies and has the general charge and control of
all the affairs, properties and interests of the ACC-V.
b) The Board must convene an AGM no more than six months after each ACC-V fiscal year end. The following
shall be presented at each AGM:
i) A set of standard financial statements for the fiscal year ended before the AGM. The financial
statements must include a statement of income and expenses for the fiscal year along with a
balance sheet showing assets and liabilities at the fiscal year end.
ii) Reports showing status and recent activities for each of the major operating parts of ACC-V.
c) At board meetings, every question shall be decided by a simple majority of votes, except as specified
otherwise in Sections 6.3.1 and 6.3.2. Each board member present will have one vote. In the case of a tie,
the Chair, or in the absence of the Chair, the Section Secretary, shall have a second or casting vote.
6.1.3 The duties of each elected executive include:
a) Attend all ACC-V board meetings unless excused due to travel, illness, or other reasons acceptable to the
ACC-V board members.
b) Vote on ACC-V matters presented to the ACC-V board.
c) Fully and promptly disclose to the board any direct or indirect interest they have in a proposed contract or
transaction with the ACC-V. This includes the board member, a member of their family, or a person or
corporation with whom they are not at arm’s length.
6.1.4 Appointed Directors and Co-Directors : A set of Directors and Co-Directors of portfolios who are appointed at
any time by the Executive. The appointed Directors and Co-Directors are entitled – but not required – to
attend and participate in the Executive meetings. The appointed Directors and Co-Directors have no vote on
the Executive. The appointed Directors and Co-Directors along with the Section Chair, Section Secretary, and
Section Treasurer and three Members-at-Large form the governance group who manage the section day-to-
day. People in appointed manager positions could also hold Member-At-Large positions on the board.
a) The Executive may create, change, or eliminate non-elected executive positions at any time and for any
reason.
b) The Executive may by simple majority vote resolution at an Executive meeting appoint any ACCV member
to any non-elected executive position at any time and may in its sole discretion by simple majority vote
resolution at an Executive meeting terminate any such appointment.
c) Non-elected executives have the right to attend and participate in Executive meetings. This right does not
apply to board meetings or parts of meetings held in-camera because of requirements for confidentiality.
d) Non-elected executives do not have the right in any circumstance or on any matter to vote at Executive
meetings.
e) A non-elected executive will fully and promptly disclose to the Executive any direct or indirect interest they
have in a proposed contract or transaction with the ACC-V. This includes the member of the non-elected
executive, a member of their family, or a person or corporation with whom they are not at arm’s length.
f) The appointed Directors/Co-Directors together with the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and MAL form the
ACC-V executive group. The ACC-V executive group is responsible for the day-to-day operations of ACC-V.

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ELECTED SECTION EXECUTIVE ROLES

Section Chair

The Section Chair – sometimes called Chair – is primarily responsible for leading the
Section executive and Section organization in conjunction with the ACC office policies
and goals. The Chair is responsible for being a primary contact with the ACC office,
facilitating meetings, circulating and implementing information, promoting a spirit of
cooperation and teamwork, and fostering an environment that promotes ACC’s values
and vision.

Section Secretary

The Section Secretary – sometimes called Secretary – is responsible for keeping minutes

of meetings, records, and copies of bylaws and policies.

Section Treasurer

The Section Treasurer – sometimes called Treasurer – will be responsible for working on

and keeping financial reports.

Section Member-at-
Large

The Section Members-At-Large – sometimes called Members-at-Large or MAL – is
primarily a general executive member position. They are involved in meetings, reviews
bylaws, policies and procedures, helps on committees, and are generally gaining
knowledge and experience that helps guide the Section and develops their own
leadership within the Executive team. In the event of a vacancy of a Director position a
MAL may be asked to temporarily fill in until a suitable full-time replacement is found.

SECTION PORTFOLIO DIRECTOR/CO-DIRECTOR ROLES
Including but not limited to: changed to alphabetical order
● Access and Environment Director
● Archives and Library Director
● Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour – Director
● Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour – Co-Director
● Communications Director
● Huts Director
● Hut – Co-Director
● Membership Director
● Mentorship Director
● Mentorship Co-Director
● Quartermaster Director
● Skills and Courses Director
● Skills and Courses Co-Director
● Spearhead Hut Society Directors x 2
● Social Director
● Trip Coordinator Director
● Webmaster Director

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6.2 SECTION EXECUTIVE TERM
6.2.1. The term of each position in the Section Elected Executive shall be 2 years in length. Should a member of the
Section Executive leave their position early, the remaining Section Elected Executive shall have the right to
leave the position vacant or appoint an individual for the remainder of the existing term.
6.2.2. Elected executives shall be elected every second year at that year’s AGM.
6.2.3. The election shall include all elected executive positions.
6.2.4. A person may hold at most one elected executive position at any one time.
6.2.5. Candidates may stand for one elected executive position only.
6.2.6. There is no limit for the number of times a person holds an elected executive position.
6.2.7. There is no limit for the number of times a person may be a candidate.

6.3 FILLING A VACANT ELECTED EXECUTIVE POSITION
6.3.1. In the event of a resignation or death of an elected executive the remaining members of the Executive may
appoint an ACC-V member to fill the vacant elected executive position for the remainder of that position’s
term by a ¾ vote in-favour resolution at an Executive meeting.
6.3.2. In the event an elected executive position remains unfilled after an election the Executive may appoint an
ACC-V member to fill the vacant elected executive position for the remainder of that position’s term by a ¾
vote in-favour resolution at an Executive meeting.
6.3.3. For clarity, people appointed to an elected executive position remain in their position until the next
scheduled election and have the same voting rights and duties as other elected executives.

6.4 SECTION EXECUTIVE MEETINGS
6.4.1. The Executive may meet on the dates and at the places it sees fit.
6.4.2. Meetings of the Executive may be held in person, by conference call, livestream, or other electronic means
which permits all participants to communicate adequately with each other during the meeting. The Elected
Executive may pass a resolution without a meeting if all members of the Elected Executive consent to the
resolution in writing, by signing or by email or by such other means acceptable to the Executive.
6.4.3. Any motions or resolutions held outside of a scheduled Executive meeting (e.g. by email, etc.) whether
passed or not should be recorded in the minutes of the next Executive meeting, along with the procedural
content being archived for future access.
6.4.4. All elected executives are entitled to vote at all meetings of the Executive.
6.4.5. A member of the Executive must recuse themselves from all discussions and votes on matters where they
have any direct or indirect interest in a proposed contract or transaction with the ACC-V. This includes the
elected executive or non-elected executive, a member of their family, or a person or corporation with whom
they are not at arm’s length.
6.4.6. Proxy voting is not permitted at meetings of the Executive.
6.4.7. The quorum for a meeting of the Executive is a majority of the elected executives excluding vacant elected
executive positions.

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6.5 MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
The section shall hold an annual meeting to engage and communicate with all section members. The annual
meeting is to be a celebration to engage and communicate with section members and is not a fiduciary
requirement. The Section Annual Meeting Date and time will be announced at least 45 days in advance, and will
cover the following topics:

ANNUAL MEETING TOPICS including but not limited to
Elections  – Electing of positions as needed
Financials – Share the financials of the Section
Updates from Directors – Share updates from Section Directors with a summary of the year and goals for the new year.

6.5.1. An AGM shall be held at least once in every calendar year, and not more than 15 months after the last
preceding AGM. An AGM shall be called by the Elected Executive by providing notice of the meeting to all
members no less than 45 days prior to the date of the meeting.
6.5.2. A SGM shall be called by the Executive by providing notice of the meeting to all members no less than
14 days prior to the date of the meeting.
6.5.3. Notices of AGM’s and SGM’s shall be sent by e-mail and shall be publicized on the ACC-V website,
newsletter, and social media accounts. ACC-V members are responsible for providing up-to-date e-mail
addresses. The accidental omission to give such notice to one or more members shall not invalidate the
proceedings of the meeting.
6.5.4. AGM’s and SGM’s shall be held in person at a suitable location in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
6.5.5. All paid up ACC-V members are entitled to a vote at AGM’s and SGM’s.
6.5.6. Proxy voting is prohibited at AGM’s and SGM’s.
6.5.7. The quorum for an AGM or SGM is 10% of ACC-V members or 20 persons, whichever is smaller.

6.5 COMPENSATION FOR ELECTED EXECUTIVES
6.5.1. Elected executives are prohibited from receiving any compensation from the ACC-V, direct or indirect, while
in office and for six months after leaving the Executive. Reimbursement for approved expenses and token
awards of appreciation for volunteer work given to ACC-V members is not considered to be compensation.

6.6 RECALL (FORCED REMOVAL) OF AN ELECTED EXECUTIVE OR THE ENTIRE BOARD
6.6.1. A board member may be recalled (forced removal) from the board by a unanimous vote of all the other
board members.
a) The motion to recall must state the name of the elected executive position, the name of the person
holding the elected executive position, and the reason for the recall.
6.6.2. A petition initiates a recall (forced removal) of the entire board.

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a) The petition shall be signed by no fewer than 50 people who are ACC-V members continuously for no less
than 12 months prior to signing the petition.
b) The motion to recall must state the title of the elected executive positions, the names of the people
holding the elected executive positions, and the reason for the recall.
c) Each signature shall include the signature date, the printed name, and the ACC membership number.
d) All signatures shall be dated within a 90 day period.
e) The petition shall be submitted to the ACC-V Chair or, in their absence, any other board member not more
than 30 days after the date of the last signature.
f) The board shall, within 30 days of receiving the petition, call a SGM for the purpose of electing a new
board. This SGM will follow the relevant steps outlined in Section 6.5 (Meeting of Members)
g) The SGM should take place within 90 days of the receipt of the petition.
h) The prescribed election process and timing shall be followed.
i) The term ends at the next scheduled election.
j) Any board member may be a candidate in the election and if so, may attend and be heard at the SGM
prior to the election.

6.7 RESIGNATION FROM THE SECTION EXECUTIVE
Any member of the Section Executive may resign at any time.

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7. COMMITTEES
Committees are used to support the Director of specific areas or the Section Executive on a variety of topics related
to the Directors area. Committees are empowered to manage specific tasks and make decisions within specific
guidelines, which are outlined by the Director or the Section Executive.

Committees are appointed by the Section Directors or the Section Executive, at their discretion, to conduct the
work a Director or Section Executive has outlined. A committee may be formed for any of the areas and topics
under a specific Director or Section Executive with their oversight.

7.1 NOMINATION COMMITTEE
7.1.1 The Executive shall appoint a Nomination Committee consisting of at least three people, none of whom are
standing for election, and preferably including a past Chair or persons who understand the duties involved.

The Nomination Committee shall:
a) Prepare, issue, and receive nomination forms completed and submitted by applicants.
b) Review all submitted nomination forms to ensure applicants meet the mandatory criteria. The
Nomination Committee must reject applicants who do not meet the mandatory criteria; notwithstanding,
the Nomination Committee may on appeal, in its sole discretion waive any minor non-compliance with the
mandatory criteria.
c) Notify applicants of their acceptance or rejection. Notifications shall be sent by e-mail to the e-mail
address the applicant supplies on their application form to the Nomination Committee. Rejected applicants
may submit an appeal.
d) Receive, review, and decide on all appeals by rejected applicants.
e) Publicize the list of candidates for each position.
f) Not endorse or otherwise provide its own opinion of any candidate.
g) Conduct the election including preparing, distributing, and counting ballots.
h) Publicize election results.

The Nomination Committee shall prepare the ballots to be used at an election.
a) If there are no candidates for a position, then “No candidates” shall be shown next to the position.
b) If there is one candidate for a position, then “Acclaimed” shall be shown next to the candidate’s name.
c) If there are two candidates for a position, then a checkbox shall be included beside each candidate’s
name. Voters shall be instructed to mark an “X” “tick” or mark of some sort” in the checkbox beside the
name of the candidate they are voting for.
d) If there are three or more candidates for a position, then a box or line shall be included beside each
candidate’s name. Voters shall be instructed to rank candidates by preference by placing a “1st”, “2nd”, or
“3rd”, etc. beside each candidate’s name.
7.1.2 The Nomination Committee shall, prior to the election, determine how the winner will be determined in the
event there are three or more candidates for a position. The Nomination Committee shall publicize a
description of that method prior to the election.

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8. ELECTIONS

8.1 ELECTION STEPS, DUTIES, AND TIMING
8.1.1. Following are the election steps, duties, and timing:
a) The Executive shall appoint a Nomination Committee not less than 60 days before the election.
b) The Nomination Committee shall, with the Executive’s notice of AGM at which an election of elected
executives is to take place, give notice of the upcoming election to ACC-V members and publicize the
nomination form not less than 45 days before the election.
c) Applicants shall submit completed and signed nomination forms before midnight, 21 days before the
election. Nomination forms submitted late shall not be accepted.
d) The Nomination Committee shall notify applicants of their acceptance or rejection by midnight, 14 days
before the election.
e) Rejected applicants shall submit appeals, if any, before midnight, 12 days before the election.
f) The Nomination Committee shall publicize the final list of candidates before midnight, 7 days before the
election.
g) The Nomination Committee shall, before midnight, 7 days before the election, publicize a description of
the method to be used to determine the winner in the event there are three or more candidates for a
position.
h) The Nomination Committee shall conduct the election at the AGM.
i) For clarity, nominations for elected executive positions are not permitted from the floor of the AGM.
j) The Nomination Committee shall publicize the list of elected members by midnight 14 days after the
election.

8.2 MANDATORY CRITERIA FOR APPEARING ON A BALLOT
8.2.1. Applicants for elected executive positions shall submit a nomination form in writing or by email or other
regular electronic means which includes:
a) Applicant name and ACC member number.
b) The elected executive position they are applying for.
c) Applicant signature and date indicating they are the person submitting the nomination form and
certifying that they meet all the mandatory criteria for the elected executive position they are applying for.
d) Names and ACC member numbers of two supporters, each of whom is an ACC-V member continuously
for no less than 12 months prior to election day. The supporters shall, within the time specified in Section
8.1.1c certify to the Nomination Committee in writing or by email or other regular electronic means that, to
the best of their knowledge, the applicant meets all the mandatory criteria for the elected position they are
applying for.

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8.2.2. Applicants for all executive positions must meet the following mandatory criteria to be considered as
candidates:
a) Be 18 years or over as of election day.
b) Be an ACC-V member continuously for no less than 12 months prior to election day.
8.2.3. Applicants for the following elected executive positions must also meet the mandatory criteria described
below to be considered as candidates:
a) Chair: previously held an ACC-V elected executive position.

9. POLICY REVISION HISTORY

Date Description
November 26, 2019 Original ACC-V Bylaws
September 23, 2025 Revised ACC-V Bylaws
April 28, 2026 New Governance Policy adopted

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