Whereas the Province of British Columbia has historically administered a downtown revitalization program that generated incredible long-term benefits and returns to those communities who participated in the program and to the Province through increased commerce, tourism, and tax revenues; And whereas forestry, fishing, and mining-oriented rural communities have been significantly economically impacted in relation to the economic vitality of these industry sectors: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the Province of British Columbia to re-establish a downtown revitalization grant program and to provide adequate financial resources to enable communities to improve their downtowns for the benefit of residents, businesses, and tourism.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs The Ministry administers funding that provides flexibility for local governments to identify their priorities. The Growing Communities Fund GCF is intended to help local governments make their own decisions about eligible infrastructure projects. The GCF provided a one-time total of 1 billion in grants to all 188 of BCs local governments, to use to address their communitys unique infrastructure. The Community Works Fund, under the Canada Community Building Fund CCBF, allocates funding to all local governments in BC, providing flexibility in directing funding towards their priorities within a broad range of eligible categories. The Canada Community Building Fund CCBF is a tri-party agreement between the federal government, the province, and the Union of BC Municipalities UBCM. The CCBF is administered in BC by the UBCM. The province continues to advocate to the federal government for new funding to meet a range of local government priorities. Related to downtown spaces, aside from ministry programs and partnerships such as GCF and CCBF, the province has advanced funding toward Island Coastal Economic Trusts Community Placemaking Program and the Main Street Revitalization Program administered by Northern Development Initiative Trust. Local governments have tools that can be used to undertake downtown revitalization programs. The Municipal Finance Authority provides access to short and long-term capital financing at competitive interest rates. Local governments have the authority to establish a revitalization tax exemption program to provide an incentive for businesses to improve their property in exchange for a reduction in property taxes. With the agreement of the property owners, local governments can establish a business improvement area and collect property taxes from that area for economic development activities or improving municipal streetscapes in the area.