WHEREAS a network of drainage ditches has been constructed in the Lower Mainland to channel storm water, maintain the productivity of agricultural land and protect rural and urban areas from flooding; AND WHEREAS these ditches, to be effective, need to be cleaned on a regular basis due to heavy vegetation growth and sedimentation, and require approval from the Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations staff who have over exercised unreasonable methods of ditch cleaning creating additional costs for property owners: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the provincial government through the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations confirm that the maintenance of ditches is recognized as a priority by reducing the time required for Water Act adjudication and by improving relationships with local governments, thus ensuring that provincial staff are available for proactive and timely communications during the approval process to reduce operating costs related to ditch and drainage maintenance in order to best improve agricultural production.
Ministry of Forests, Lands Natural Resource Operations While public safety remains the Provinces first priority with respect to flood mitigation, we are also responsible for ensuring drainage and ditch maintenance is environmentally responsible and does not negatively impact endangered species. The ministry works closely with local municipalities and landowners to get maintenance applications resolved in a reasonable time and has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the District of Kent and key landowners to increase collaboration on drainage maintenance. We will continue to work with Kent and other municipalities to improve the quality and timeliness of applications and approvals for these works.