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With outgoing city councilor Geoff Meggs headed for a position with the NDP as chief of staff, Vancouver will have to hold a by-election in the near future to fill his seat.

We’re now getting a better idea of when it will happen, and how much it will cost.

“The estimates for a byelection are for over a million dollars,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson, Wednesday.

As for when it could take place, Robertson says the byelection should happen sometime in mid-October.

Another byelection that could happen at the same time is one for the Vancouver School Board.

Robertson hinted that the incoming provincial government may look to trigger that potential vote around the same time.

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It is an idea former Vancouver School Board (VSB) trustee Patti Bacchus is welcoming.

“It does make sense to do the byelections at the same time, it would make it more financially pragmatic than having a byelection just for school board seats.”

Bacchus said John Horgan and the NDP had previously vowed to reinstate the fired board but more recent indications are there will instead be a byelection.

She also hinted that she would be open to returning to her old post at the VSB despite the instability since the board’s firing almost nine months ago, but teased she’s considering all of her other options — which includes running for Councillor Geoff Meggs’ soon-to-be vacant seat.

“My phone has been buzzing for the last 24 hours about what comes next and I have some decisions to make,” She said.

“I’ll be thinking that over in the next few days as to what’s the most effective route for me to go forward.”

Bacchus along with the rest of the school board was fired last fall after they failed to pass a balanced budget. She served as VSB chair from 2008-2014.

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–With files from Matt Lee