UBCM Executive Meeting Highlights

Executive members met in Victoria over February 19-21 to hold their quarterly Committee and board meetings. Executive members also met with MLAs from all parties to share local government perspectives on local government consultation, local government finance and climate action.

Highlights of the February 21st Executive meeting include:

• received a report on the President’s activities since the last meeting including an update on FCM’s Western Economic Solutions Task Force
• received a report on provincial legislation and policy of interest to local government.
• received a report highlighting the details of the provincial Throne Speech and Budget of specific interest to local governments.
• received a status and action report on a variety of policy areas that continue to be monitored by UBCM including: vessel operation restriction regulations; wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels; 911 emergency communication service delivery; RCMP auxiliary program; auditor general for local government; the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act; federal additions to reserve policy; federal comprehensive and specific land claims policy; national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls; licensing of commercial dog and cat breeding; assessment appeals: special use properties; revitalization of the ALR; new RCMP labour relations regime and Emergency Program Act Review.
• Received an update on housing, detailing recent federal and provincial policy developments and trends.
• Received a report on UBCM’s mission to Cambodia through FCM International Programs
• Received an update on cannabis, including the provincial government’s updated     cannabis taxation revenue projections.
• Received an update on legislative and regulatory changes with regard to Bill 52, The Agricultural Land Commission Act, and continuing consultations led by the Ministry of Agriculture with regard to residential uses.
• received the financial report for the period ending December 31, 2019
• received a staff report on recent activities and updates for the Local Government Program Services and the Gas Tax Fund.
• Received a six month status report on the 2019-20 UBCM work plan.
• Received for information, correspondence from Fort St John in response to City of Victoria letter regarding Coastal Gas Link
• Reported out on the work of the Special Committee on Local Government Finance  
• Received an update on 911 emergency communications service delivery in British Columbia, including UBCM’s engagement with the provincial government.
• met with 34 MLAs including the Premier and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable Selina Robinson to discuss UBCM’s advocacy priorities: Local Government Consultation; Local Government Finance and Climate Action.

Highlights of the February 20th Committee meetings

Presidents Committee

Presidents Committee members provided direction on 20 referred resolutions from the 2019 Convention; approved direction for the 2020 Community Excellence Awards Program; received an update on the Toward Parity initiative; and discussed the establishment of a Cannabis Policy technical working group.  Members also received reports on staffing, quarterly financial reports, investment update, member services and group benefits, group benefits renewal process and pension plan partners working group.

Convention Committee

The Convention Committee received reports and provided direction on the 2020 Convention theme, keynote speaker options, banquet entertainment and the draft long program.  The committee also reviewed the site allocations and catering plan for the 2020 Convention.  They also received the financial statements for the period ending December 31st.  Future Convention dates were discussed and more information will be made available in the near future.

Environment Committee

The Committee reviewed and provided direction on one referred resolution from the 2019 Convention; and two endorsed resolutions that requested UBCM action.  The Committee also considered report on caribou recovery planning in BC. Information reports were received on the Old Growth Strategic Review and the Special Committee for Climate Action. Correspondence was received from the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Comox-Strathcona Waste Management regarding solid waste management.

Community Economic Development Committee

Committee members provided direction on 3 referred resolutions relevant to the Committee (see below for full disposition on 2019 referred resolutions).  The Committee also received reports on the Caribou Recovery Plan; a summary of feedback from the private managed forest land consultation; updates on two inquiries underway by the BC Utilities Commission related to municipal utilities and thermal energy systems and received copies of UBCM’s submission to the Old Growth Strategic review.  

The Committee also confirmed its partnership with the Province on the 2020 Local Economic Development Survey; discussed next steps in follow up to the recommendations from the coastal ferry services review; and information was also received on a new federal Universal Broadband Fund. 

Health and Social Development Committee

The Committee reviewed and provided direction on eight referred resolutions from the 2019 Convention. An update was offered on the local government child care planning resource guide.  UBCM will manage this project, which will be completed by June 2020. A webinar, based on the Guide, will be offered in late June or July 2020. The Committee also received an update on the provincial accessibility legislation consultation.

Community Safety Committee

The Community Safety Committee considered options for RCMP auxiliary policing in British Columbia, following the RCMP’s decision to discontinue the old Auxiliary Program on April 1, 2020. Members also received reports regarding the Bylaw Adjudication Program; various policing issues, including labour relations, occupancy lease agreements, the Province’s new policing transition evaluation framework, and the “E” Division provincial police budget shortfall; liquor policy; emergency management; and, the Community Safety Amendment Act.The Committee considered the following referred resolutions: 2019-B194, 2019-B195 and 2019-B206.  See 2019 Referred Resolutions section below for Executive decisions.

Indigenous Relations Committee

The Committee received a delegation from the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, to discuss work with the Lake Babine First Nation.  The Committee also received updates on UNDRIP, the Urban Communities Partnering for Reconciliation funding program, and opportunities for Indigenous cultural safety and sensitivity training.

The Committee considered the following referred resolutions: 2019-B193.1, 2019-B207 and 2019-LR4.  See 2019 Referred Resolutions section below for Executive decisions.

Resolutions Committee

The Committee approved its Terms of Reference and the timeline for the 2020 resolutions process.  A new category of resolutions, Housing, was approved. Starting in 2020, housing-related resolutions will be placed in the Housing category, rather than in Selected Issues.

The Committee reviewed delegate feedback from the 2019 Annual Convention.  Much feedback focused on the high number of resolutions and interest in having more time to consider resolutions during Convention.

The Committee considered referred resolution 2019-B176 from Campbell River requesting a review of the Resolutions Procedures.  See 2019 Referred Resolutions section below for Executive decision on B176.

Resolutions Process Review – Roundtable Discussion

Executive undertook a roundtable discussion of the UBCM resolutions process. The goal is to make the resolutions process more effective at driving UBCM policy and supporting UBCM advocacy with other orders of government and other organizations.

Executive agreed that, as part of UBCM operations, the Resolutions Committee would be more proactive in 2020 to prioritize issues, consolidate, standardize language and format, and send back resolutions to sponsors, where necessary. Further, Executive decided to offer more focused member education about the resolutions process, how to draft a clear and effective resolution, and the format and content of background information from sponsors.

Significantly, Executive directed the President and Executive Director to engage the membership in consultation about the UBCM resolutions process at the five spring Area Association conferences. The consultation may raise the following ideas:

How to focus debate on fewer, better quality resolutions.

• The principle that each local government should “own” their resolutions; apply rigor in developing them; and provide clear background information to support them.
• Area Associations would continue to play a role in the resolutions process, and could be asked to identify their priority resolutions.
• A time limit or shelf life for each resolution, as a means of bringing focus and clarity to UBCM policy.

Disposition of 2019 Referred Resolutions

The following is the disposition of resolutions referred to the Executive at the 2019 Convention.