Executive members met in Richmond May 15-17 for their quarterly Committee and board meetings. Executive members received a delegation from the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable Selina Robinson as part of the Friday board meeting.
Highlights of the May 17th Executive meeting include:
- Received a report on the President's activities since the last meeting noting his attendance at all of the Area Association conferences.
- Received a report on provincial legislation and policy of interest to local government.
- Received notice of appointment of Richard Walton to the Land Title Survey Authority board of directors in response to UBCM's recommendation.
- Approved the following appointments to external committees:
- Recycle BC Advisory Committee
- Director Lara Beckett, Regional District of Fraser Fort George
- Provincial Urban Deer Advisory Committee
- Councillor Mike Gray, Village of Radium Hot Springs
- Mayor Kevin Murdoch, Mayor of Oak Bay
- BC Energy Step Code Council
- Megan Lohmann, Energy Manager, Regional District of East Kootenay
- 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 Aboriginal 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.
- Reviewed the feedback from Executive on 2019 Advocacy Days, discussed options for improvement.
- Received an update on the housing file; including an update on the Development Application Process Review, the Federal Budget, and a variety of updates on provincial activities on housing.
- Received a report on the Province's new Modernized Land Use Planning process.
- Received a staff report providing an analysis of the provincial responses to the 2018 UBCM resolutions. Provincial responses to the 2018 resolutions are available on the UBCM website.
- Received a report on the Regional District Chairs/CAO Forum held on March 26-27 in Victoria.
- Received an update on issues related to cannabis, including excise tax revenue, regulation of edibles and the development of the BC retail market. The Executive also discussed provincial policy changes impacting the production of cannabis in the ALR, and the lack of communication and engagement with local governments on this file.
- Received an update from UBCM's Fire Safety Act working group noting that members of the working group would be meeting 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.
- Received a report on the status of the caribou recovery plan, UBCM engagement on this file, and outreach to the Province seeking greater consultation and engagement with affected local governments.
- Received the financial report for the period ending March 31, 2019.
- Received a staff report on recent activities and updates for the Local Government Program Services and the Gas Tax Fund.
- Received for information, correspondence from the Minister of Municipal Affairs in response to the Alternate Electoral Area Director review; Minister of Environment on caribou recovery plan; and federal minister Champagne on federal gas tax additional allocation.
- Met with the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable Selina Robinson and discussed consultation process with local governments; flood and fire advisory committee; local government autonomy and next steps in regard to the Development Approvals Process Review Committee
Highlights of the May 16th Committee meetings:
Presidents Committee
Presidents Committee members received reports on: staffing, member benefits and services; financial statements; FCM's Toward Parity Initiative; Commercial Vehicle Licencing Program and the work plan and timeline for the 2019 Excellence Awards program. Members received an update on the development of a guide to assist local governments to establish and adopt remuneration policies; the status of the Development Approvals Process Review; the Province's new Modernized Land Use Planning process and will be writing the Province with respect to recent policy changes impacting the ALR - Bill 15 and production of cannabis in the ALR.
Convention Committee
The Committee received updates on Convention program details, partners program, catering, entertainment, sponsorship, and child minding services. The Committee provided recommendations on the budget, child minding, speaker gifts, and entertainment that were brought forward for Executive approval.
Environment Committee
The Environment Committee received a delegation from the Forest Practices Board; and from the BC Environmental Assessment Office. Updates were received on species at risk, with a focus on caribou recovery; and on the federal Fisheries Act. The Committee also discussed the Special Committee on Climate Action and reviewed the Committee terms of reference.
Community Economic Development Committee
The Community Economic Development Committee joined the Environment Committee to receive a delegation from Kevin Kriese, Chair of the Forest Practices Board. Committee members directed that UBCM formally respond to the Province on the draft agreements related to the caribou recovery plan and prepare a submission to the Province's audit of private managed forest land. Updates were received on the regional pilots to support entrepreneur immigration through the provincial nominee program; received reports and findings from the local economic development survey; and discussed UBCM's response to the federal Fisheries Act.
Health and Social Development Committee
The Health and Social Development Committee received a delegation from Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions staff to discuss the Province's Mental Health and Addictions Strategy and the role of local governments in the implementation of the Strategy. Updates were received on the provincial Poverty Reduction Strategy, and provincial initiatives on dental care.
Community Safety Committee
The Committee received a delegation from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The delegation discussed the status of the provincial initiative to implement a 911 call answer levy, including the UBCM Executive's recommendation that an independent body be created to administer revenue. Following the delegation, the Committee discussed reports related to the Community Safety Act, policing issues impacting local governments, traffic fine revenue sharing, the Bylaw Adjudication Program, the Emergency Program Act review, and search and rescue funding.
Indigenous Relations Committee
The Committee received a delegation from the First Nations Summit to discuss organizational priorities and opportunities for collaboration. Committee members discussed the status of planning for a Convention session to engage membership on resolution 2018-B150, Financing Reconciliation: Solutions for Local Communities. The Committee also received updates on implementation of an MOU on Engagement with the Province on Indigenous issues, new Urban Communities Partnering for Reconciliation funding, and a collaboration with the Ministry of Jobs, Trade & Technology. In addition, the Committee received information on Federal and Provincial policy updates.