60. the Commission municipale du Québec shall, if the Minister of Municipal Affairs so requires, hold a public inquiry as to the expediency of the proposed annexation.
The Commission shall also hold such an inquiry when the by-law is deemed approved under article 58 and it is requested to do so by at least
(1) one third of the persons concerned, within the meaning of that article, if there are fewer than 60;
(2) 20 of such persons, if there are 60 or over but not over 200;
(3) one tenth of such persons, if there are over 200 but not over 3 000;
(4) 300 of such persons, if there are over 3 000.If the result of the computation provided for in the second paragraph is a number that includes a fraction, the fraction shall be counted as a unit.
After such an inquiry is held, the Minister, on the recommendation of the Commission, may order the consultation of the qualified voters of the territory proposed for annexation.
The consultation shall be effected by means of a referendum poll held in accordance with the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities (chapter E-2.2). The expenses incurred for the consultation shall be borne by the annexing municipality.
The Minister of Municipal Affairs may approve the by-law with the amendments which he deems suitable as to the conditions for annexation. The conditions for annexation provided by the by-law or those determined by the Minister of Municipal Affairs shall have effect notwithstanding any inconsistent legislative provisions governing the municipal corporations concerned.
The Minister of Municipal Affairs shall publish a notice in the Gazette officielle du Québec that such by-law has been approved, and such by-law comes into force as from the date of the publication of such notice, or on such later date as is mentioned therein.
Such notice shall contain a precise description of the territory to be annexed.
The Minister may approve the by-law even if it results in reducing the number of electoral districts in the municipality contemplated by the annexation to a number that is below the minimum prescribed by law or in changing such districts so that they no longer are in conformity with the law.