Executive members met on July 10-12, 2019 for their quarterly Committee and board meetings. The July meeting provides closure on a number of year-end matters but also establishes direction for the year ahead. In addition to reviewing 279 resolutions, Executive members received delegations from the Lieutenant Governor, Honourable Janet Austin, OBC and from the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Honourable Selina Robinson.
Highlights of the July 12th Executive meeting include:
- Received a report on the President's activities since the last meeting.
- Approved a record high number of resolutions at 279 for consideration in September. See report from the Resolutions Committee.
- Received a report on provincial legislation and policy of interest to local government.
- Received a report from the 2019 Nominating Committee advising that the nominations process for Executive positions was underway and that the appointment of Chief and Deputy Chief Scrutineer had been completed.
- Received reports on the annual review of MOU and Agreements; Financial Statements for the month and the year ending May 31, 2019; annual statutory compliance report; a year-end status report of the 2018-19 annual work program; and the proposed work plan for 2019-2020.
- Approved tentative dates for 2019-2020 Executive meetings, subject to approval by the incoming Executive in September.
- 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 the financial report for the period ending May 31, 2019.
- Received a staff report on recent activities and updates for the Local Government Program Services and the Gas Tax Fund.
- Approved the Preliminary Budget for 2019-20.
- Discussed the Chinese Consulate reception and decided to appoint a panel to undertake a review of the finance and sponsorship of the annual convention. Reaffirmed that a reception hosted by the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver would remain in the 2019 convention agenda.
- Renewed the appointment of Director Ramona Faust, Regional District of Central Kootenay to the BC Real Estate Foundation, where she presently serves as Chair.
- Received an update on the following policy files: Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations; Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels; New RCMP Labour Relations Regime; Legalization of Cannabis; Auxiliary Program; Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program; Employer Health Tax, Auditor General for Local Government; The Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act; Federal Additions to Reserve Policy; Federal Comprehensive Land Claims Policy; BC Ferries; National Inquiry into Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; Licensing of Commercial Dog & Cat Breeding; 911 Call Answer Levy; Assessment Appeals: special use properties; Electronic Roadside Ticketing; and Revitalization of the ALR.
- Received a report on provincial legislation introduced into the House of interest to or affecting local governments.
- Received an update on the housing file; including an update on the Development Application Process Review and a variety of updates on provincial activities on housing.
- Received an update on issues related to cannabis, including revenue sharing; regulation of edibles, extracts and topicals; federal regulatory changes affecting producers; and non-medical cannabis retail operations in BC.
- Received an update from UBCM's Fire Safety Act working group noting that members of the working group had met with the Office of the Fire Commissioner to discuss report findings related to the service delivery options for fire inspections, compliance monitoring and investigations.
- Received a report on next steps by the working group on Responsible Conduct.
- Received a report on the newly established Flood and Fire Advisory Committee, including upcoming engagement regarding the Emergency Program Act review.
- Met with the Lieutenant Governor and discussed UBCM's work on responsible conduct. Her Honour spoke with the Executive about a number of initiatives she is engaged in to support conversations on democracy and programs that support youth engagement and involvement.
- Met with the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and discussed relationship building with the Province and local governments; cannabis revenue sharing; the commercial vehicle licensing program; the climate action policy committee and an update on the 2019 UBCM Convention.
Highlights of the July 11th Committee meetings
Presidents Committee
Presidents Committee members approved recommendations for the winners of the 2019 Excellence Awards which will be presented at the 2019 Convention; discussed UBCM providing administrative support to the Local Government Leadership Academy; received a status report on the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Program; received an interim report on 2019 member visits; received an update on FCM's Toward Parity initiative and the format for the Monday pre-conference session related to supporting women in local government; and approved renewal of the Protocol with BC School Trustees on Cooperation and Consultation.
Committee members also received the financial statements; reports on staffing; UBCM Reserves; 2019 Annual Report; member services; and discussed a number of year end matters such as the preliminary budget for 2019-2020. Delegations were received from KPMG (UBCM auditors) who discussed the Audit Findings Report, and from the Municipal Pension Plan Trustees and Plan Partners.
Convention Committee
The Committee received updates on the overall planning schedule for the upcoming Convention as well as reports on catering and sponsorship. The Committee provided comments and recommendations on the session proposals that were submitted and brought forward for Executive approval.
Environment Committee
The Environment Committee received a delegation from Julie MacDougall, Director, Resource Practices Branch, Office of the Chief Forester, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development; and a delegation from the Climate Action Secretariat. Updates were received on climate action and caribou recovery planning. The Committee reviewed and approved the Committee's 2018-2019 Annual Report.
Community Economic Development Committee
The Community Economic Development Committee received delegations from Ministry of Citizens' Services staff on their Connected Communities Initiative and from Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development staff on the various forestry initiatives underway including amendments to the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and ongoing consultations on FRPA changes.
Committee members approved their report for the 2018-2019 Annual Report; approved UBCM submissions to the private managed forest land consultation and FRPA consultation. Members also received an update on the Caribou Recovery Plan and a general update on a variety of forest policy matters.
Health and Social Development Committee
The Health and Social Development Committee received a delegation from the Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Honourable Shane Simpson, and from Sam Turcott, Executive Lead, Accessibility to discuss proposed accessibility legislation for BC. Reports were received on pre-hospital emergency care; provincial mental health strategy; provincial active transportation strategy; emergency medical assistants education fund; the Committee's 2018-2019 Annual Report; Ministry of Health's healthy communities initiative; and a request for advocacy support from the BC Alliance for Healthy Living.
Community Safety Committee
The Committee received a delegation from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The delegation discussed the Province's policing priorities, as well as a number of issues of importance to local governments (e.g. provincial policing resources, auxiliary policing). Following the delegation, the Committee discussed reports related to 911 emergency communications service delivery, the Emergency Program Act review, auxiliary policing, the Province's policing transition evaluation framework, liquor policy, the 2018-2019 Annual Report, and other policing issues of relevance to local governments.
Indigenous Relations Committee
The Committee received a delegation from the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation to discuss the Treaty transformation process and legislation updates. The Committee also received updates on the new Urban Communities Partnering for Reconciliation Funding and planning for Convention, as well as information on the Final Report of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Resolutions Committee
The Resolutions Committee reviewed the 276 resolutions received from the membership by the June 30 submission deadline. They also considered three Special Resolutions (SR) that the UBCM Executive will be putting forward for consideration. SR1 addresses provincial consultation with local governments. SR2 addresses the desire to use Development Cost Charges beyond their current allowable usages. SR3 addresses the change in protocol by BC Emergency Health Services to pre-hospital emergency services that took effect in May 2018.