The UBCM Executive held its quarterly Committee and board meetings July 17-19. The meeting provided closure on several year-end matters, and established direction for the year ahead. Executive members also met with the Minister of Municipal Affairs, the Honourable Anne Kang as part of their deliberations.
Highlights from the July 19 Executive meeting include:
- Received a report on the President’s activities since the last Executive meeting.
- Approved two requests for UBCM membership from Cheam First Nation and Toquaht Nation; and have invited our newest members to participate in the 2024 Convention.
- Received status and action reports on a variety of policy areas.
- Received a report on new provincial legislation put forward in the current sitting of the House of interest to local governments.
- Received a report outlining the scope of work being undertaken by representatives serving as UBCM’s appointments to a variety of external committees.
- Received a report on federal and provincial housing policy updates including the implementation status of new housing legislation and experiences of local governments to date.
- Received a report on the work underway as part of the Local Government Finance MOU.
- Received reports on the annual review of MOUs and Agreements; Financial Statements for the month and the year ending May 31, 2024; annual statutory compliance report; a year-end status report of the 2023-24 annual work program; and the proposed work plan for 2024-25.
- Received a status report on development of a discussion paper on responsible conduct.
- Approved tentative dates for 2024-25 Executive meetings, subject to approval by the incoming Executive in September.
- Received correspondence from: Fire Chiefs Association of BC outlining their opposition to a provincial proposal for a single egress means of egress in residential buildings; First Nations Summit Chiefs in Assembly calling for municipalities to implement UNDRIP; City of Prince George on UBCM advocacy in regard to two endorsed resolutions; notification from the Environmental Assessment Office of their upcoming review of the Environmental Assessment Act; and a letter from the Ministry of Housing advising that those sections within Bill 45, regarding homelessness and encampments, would not be brought into force at this time.
- Appointed the following local government officials to the Emergency and Disaster Management Act (EDMA) Regulations working group:
- Art Kaehn, Director, UBCM Representative/Chair, Fraser Fort-George RD
- Christina Carbrey, Protective Services Manager, East Kootenay RD
- Aimee Watson, Chair, Central Kootenay RD
- Shawn Carby, Senior Manager, Protective Services, Capital RD
- April Diver, Manager, Emergency Operations and Planning/EPC, Cowichan Valley RD
- Graham Daneluz, Director of Emergency Management, Fraser Valley RD
- Daniel Stephens, Emergency Preparedness Manager, City of Vancouver
- Mark Parker, Chair, Bulkley-Nechako RD
- Tanya Spooner, Manager, Emergency Programs, City of Prince George
- Tricia Brett, Councillor, District of Lake Country
- Deborah Jones-Middleton, Senior Manager of Protective Services, Okanagan- Similkameen RD
- Appointed the following local government officials to the Local Government Policing Modernization Roundtable:
- Mayor Marianne Alto, City of Victoria
- Councillor Andy Hobbs, City of Richmond
- Councillor Mike Klassen, City of Vancouver
- Leanne McCarthy, CAO, City of North Vancouver
- Received a report from the 2024 Nominating Committee advising that the nominations and elections process is underway; that the Call for Nominations was issued with a July 31 deadline; and that the Chief and Deputy Chief Scrutineer have been appointed to oversee the Executive elections.
- Received a status report on UBCM’s legal assistance fund.
- Received a report on UBCM’s current work in Cambodia through FCM’s International Program Activities.
- Approved the annual allocation of $7,500 to the Board of Examiners in support of the Jeff McKelvey scholarship fund.
- Received a financial statement on the UBCM-FCM Small Communities Travel Fund; and discussed next steps with respect to direction to transition the Fund back to UBCM for administration.
- Received a staff report on recent activities.
- Approved the Preliminary Budget for 2024-25 noting 3.5% member dues increase for the coming year.
- Received the financial report for the period ending May 31, 2024.
- Received reports on Victoria Operations including status of the Canada Community-Building Fund as well as various Local Government Program Services.
- Met with Anne Kang, Minister of Municipal Affairs and discussed the Local Government Finance Working Group; discussions related to a Regional District review; Responsible Conduct, Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund; and the UBCM Convention.
Highlights of the July 17-18 Committee meetings include:
Presidents Committee
The Presidents Committee received the financial statements; reports on staffing; UBCM Reserves; group benefits and member services; and discussed several year-end related matters such as the preliminary budget for 2024-25, and approved awarding of the 2024 Community Excellence Awards. Delegations were received from KPMG (UBCM auditors) who discussed the Audit Findings Report; PionMatifat (investment managers) to discuss UBCM’s investment portfolio; and Committee members received a report from the Trustees to the Municipal Pension Plan and Plan Partner Working Group. Committee members provided direction on amendments to the Executive Policies which were later endorsed by the Executive; received reports on 2024 Member Visits and the status of UBCM’s Intervener Application in response to Bill 34-Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act. Members supported the adoption of UBCM’s 2024 Provincial Election Strategy; received a report on the Local Government Leadership Academy and its direction with respect to programming and planning and declined participation on the Counter-Illicit Finance Alliance.
The Committee authorized the external appointment to the UBCM Investment Committee; and made recommendations for appointments to the EDMA Regulations working group and Local Government Policing Modernization Roundtable as noted in the Executive highlights.
Community Economic Development Committee
The Community Economic Development Committee received updates on forestry, modernization of the Mineral Tenure Act, connectivity, outdoor recreation, and aquaculture. In addition, the Committee considered a package of recent news items relating to economic development in BC.
Community Safety Committee
The Community Safety Committee received reports on 911 emergency services; RCMP collective bargaining; the ongoing Police Act and public safety review; policing issues of relevance, including the rollout of RCMP body worn cameras, the federal assessment of RCMP contract policing, Surrey policing transition, Auxiliary Program, Safer Communities Action Plan, and issues discussed by the Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee; cannabis policy; liquor policy; and emergency management. One piece of correspondence was received.
Health and Social Development Committee
The Health and Social Development Committee received a delegation from Paul Adams, Executive Director, BC Rural Health Network, who provided an overview of the organization, their partnerships, funding structure and the communities involved in the Network. Updates were received on decriminalization, homeless encampments, and the harm reduction community guide. Information items were received on the newly appointed provincial advisor for complex mental health and additions; and a report from the City of Kamloops regarding costs related to homelessness and opioid addiction.
Environment Committee
The Environment Committee received updates on new BC Hydro investments in electricity generation and renewable energy incentives, the Province’s upcoming review of the Environmental Assessment Act, and the status of the Province’s Water Security Strategy. The Committee also received a delegation from representatives of the ACE Card Off-Site Housing Construction initiative.
Indigenous Relations
The Committee received a delegation from Rachel Wuttunee of the City of Vancouver, on the work that Vancouver is doing around MMIWG2S. The Committee considered a report on the renewal of an MOU with the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, including preliminary results of a member survey related local governments consultation by the Province when it’s negotiating agreements with First Nations. The Committee also considered a draft Relationship Protocol with First Nations Leadership Council. The Committee also received for information a report on the Haida Aboriginal Title agreement and local government engagement by the Province, and an update on three final BC treaty agreements. FCM’s UNDRIP Guide for Municipalities was also received for information. In addition, the Committee received a report on Indigenous cultural safety training for UBCM Executive and staff.
Convention
The Convention Committee discussed several Convention elements including sponsorship, the pre-convention program, the Trade Show and an update on the overall planning timeline. The Committee spent the majority of the meeting making programming decisions regarding the clinic and workshop submissions. There were over 120 submissions received this year. Recommendations for this year’s workshop and clinics were presented.
Resolutions
The Resolutions Committee met to review a package of 264 resolutions received from the membership. As well, they reviewed three Special Resolutions (SR) that will be put forward by the UBCM Executive to highlight priority issues.