The UBCM Executive held its quarterly Committee and board meetings in Richmond on July 13-15. The July meeting provided closure on a number of year-end matters while establishing direction for the year ahead. In addition to a full slate of Committee meetings, members met with the Honourable Nathan Cullen, Minister of Municipal Affairs.
Highlights of the July 15th Executive meeting include:
- Received a report on the President’s activities since the last Executive meeting.
- Received a report on new provincial legislation put forward in the current sitting of the House of interest to local governments.
- Received an update from the Working Group on Responsible Conduct.
- Received updates on a variety of housing-related files including details on Minister Eby’s latest statements on provincial intervention in local planning, summaries of recent CMHC and Statistics Canada reports, and information on rising interest rates and construction material costs.
- Received a report on the work to date from the Local Government Finance MOU working group.
- Received a report from the first meeting of the reactivated Fire Safety Act Working Group.
- Received a report on the feedback from local governments in regard to the Province’s Response to COVID-19.
- Received an update on the status of the RCMP Collective Agreement.
- Received a report on the recommendations within the Coroner’s Report on Extreme Heat and Human Mortality of interest to local governments.
- Received reports on the annual review of MOUs and Agreements; Financial Statements for the month and the year ending May 31, 2022; annual statutory compliance report; a year-end status report of the 2021-2022 annual work program; and the proposed work plan for 2022-23.
- Received a report providing an analysis of the 2022 Advocacy Days initiative.
- Received a status and action report on a variety of policy areas.
- Approved tentative dates for 2022-2023 Executive meetings, subject to approval by the incoming Executive in September.
- Received a report from the 2022 Nominating Committee advising that the nominations and elections process is underway; that the Call for Nominations has been issued with a July 29th 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.
- 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.
- Received a staff report on recent activities.
- Approved the Preliminary Budget for 2022-23 noting 2% member dues increase for the coming year.
- Received the financial report for the period ending May 31, 2022.
- Received reports on Victoria Operations including status of the Canada Community Building Fund as well as various Local Government Program Services.
- Received a delegation from Minister of Municipal Affairs, Hon. Nathan Cullen and discussed: responsible conduct/campaign pledge; housing; development approvals process review and the UBCM Convention.
Highlights of the July 13th – 14th Committee meetings include:
Presidents Committee
The Presidents Committee received the financial statements; reports on staffing; UBCM Reserves; group benefits and member services; and discussed a number of year end matters such as the preliminary budget for 2022-2023, and approved awarding of the 2022 Community Excellence Awards. Delegations were received from KPMG (UBCM auditors) who discussed the Audit Findings Report; and members received a report from the Trustees to the Municipal Pension Plan and Plan Partner Working Group. Reports were also received on the UBCM’s Cybersecurity Project; UBCM Governance Documents Review; UBCM’s Finance MOU 3 year work plan with the Province; and an interim report on the 2022 Member Visits.
The Committee authorized the external appointment to the UBCM Investment Committee; approved the renewal of the Protocol on Consultation and Cooperation with the BC School Trustees Association; approved the Committee’s report for inclusion in the 2022 Annual Report; and directed that a local government appointment be sought to serve as a director on the Forest Enhancement Society of BC.
Community Economic Development Committee
The Community Economic Development Committee received reports on a range of engagement in the areas of forestry, aquaculture, and connectivity. Expressed desire for more strategic impact reporting of UBCM’s work on behalf of members. Discussed ways for Indigenous and local governments to communicate and collaborate more effectively on areas of common concern such as housing and connectivity. Assessed local government representation in federal aquaculture management processes, and considered federal renewal/non-renewal of aquaculture licenses in different areas of BC. Reviewed plans for upcoming webinar to be presented jointly by UBCM and provincial Ministry of Citizen’s Services on the Ministry’s new online Community Information Tool (CIT).
The Committee approved the 2022 Community Economic Development Committee report for inclusion in the 2022 Annual Report; directed staff to follow up with Minister Osborne’s office on the status of a response to UBCM’s letter regarding forest policy responsibilities; and agreed to invite a delegation from Watershed Watch Salmon Society to present on Alaskan interception fishing of salmon.
Community Safety Committee
The Community Safety Committee received a delegation from PRIMECorp B.C. regarding digital evidence management. Committee members also considered an overview of their activities for the 2021-22 year. Additional reports received by the Committee related to the Police Act and public safety review; policing issues of relevance; cannabis policy; emergency management; federal firearms legislation; and, UBCM participation on various external committees related to public safety.
Health and Social Development Committee
The Health and Social Development Committee received a report on the decriminalization of certain illicit drugs, which advised that Health Canada had issued an exemption to BC. Additional reports received on child care in BC; the health impacts of climate change; complex care housing; contribution request from the BC Alliance for Healthy Living; a delegation request from the BC Rural Health Network; and the federal homelessness roundtable discussion.
Environment Committee
The Environment Committee received a delegation from the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative, which provides scientific, economic and municipal expertise to support and guide local governments in identifying, valuing and accounting for natural assets in their financial planning and asset management programs. An update was received on provincial climate action initiatives, which included information on the new climate preparedness and adaptation strategy; the $76 million Local Government Climate Action Program; and the work of the joint UBCM-Province Green Communities Committee. A report was also received on the health impacts of climate change.
Indigenous Relations
The Indigenous Relations Committee received a delegation from the Aboriginal Housing Management Association to discuss their Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy. The Committee also discussed federal policy updates on the recently introduced bill to establish a National Council for Reconciliation, actions on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG), and the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act; and received an update on the Province’s work towards inclusive governance.
Convention
The Convention Committee discussed several Convention elements such as sponsorship, catering updates, the pre-convention program, and special guest invitations. The Committee spent the majority of the meeting making programming decisions regarding the clinic and workshop submissions. Recommendations for this year’s workshops and clinics were presented.
Future Convention years from 2025 to 2029 were also discussed. The committee approved dates and the request for proposal process to move forward.
Resolutions
The Resolutions Committee met to review the package of resolutions from the membership, as well as two Extraordinary Resolutions (ER) and three Special Resolutions (SR). The Committee is preparing for the return to an in-person Convention by updating the Conference Rules and Procedures for Handling Resolutions to integrate the continued use of the groupings of Endorse Block (EB), Not Endorse Block (NEB) and No Recommendation (NR) resolutions.