Whereas UBCM members endorsed resolution 2015-A3 which asked that the provincial government provide the resources necessary to inspect and enforce provincial safety regulations, including the Fire Services Act and its regulations, through either the Office of the Fire Commissioner or the BC Safety Authority rather than pursuing options to download the responsibility for inspections and enforcement of provincial regulations on local governments. And whereas the provincial government: - passed the new Fire Safety Act in 2016, replacing the Fire Services Act, requiring regional districts to take on responsibilities for fire inspections and enforcement despite assurances to the contrary; - committed to amend the new Fire Safety Act, prior to it being brought into force by regulation, to remove the mandatory requirements on regional districts and make them optional; - advised in 2018, that it has reversed its decision and directed the Office of the Fire Commissioner to implement a single standard of fire safety for public buildings whether located in municipalities or unincorporated areas. Therefore be it resolved that UBCM support in principle one standard of fire safety throughout BC, but reiterate to the Province our established policy position as outlined in resolution 2015-A3, that UBCM does not support regional districts as the vehicle for implementing the Provinces direction regarding one standard of fire safety.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General The Government has directed the Office of the Fire Commissioner to implement a single standard of fire safety for public buildings, whether located in a municipality or a regional district. Working collaboratively with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the UBCM Fire Safety Act Working Group, the Office of the Fire Commissioner will work to understand how to mitigate the added administrative and operational costs of setting up a program to serve the unincorporated parts of British Columbia.