WHEREAS small local governments throughout British Columbia are experiencing significant challenges providing its citizens with adequate municipal infrastructure and facilities; AND WHEREAS due to the small tax base of these local governments, they are unable to fund the cost of significant infrastructure projects and upgrades and as a result are falling behind their larger counterparts in providing its citizens with adequate infrastructure and facilities; AND WHEREAS due to the small tax base of these local governments they often cannot fund the annual financing payments required to undertake the majority of these significant infrastructure and facility projects: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial and federal governments implement infrastructure grant programs that recognize the limited capacity of small and rural local governments, and that facilitate efficient and fair access to infrastructure funding for all BC local governments, and further that grants not be conditional on P3 funding.
Ministry of Community, Sport Cultural Development The Ministry recognizes the challenges that smaller local governments face in funding significant infrastructure projects. Funding programs such as the Small Community Grant, Regional District Grant and the Towns for Tomorrow program were developed in direct response to the needs of smaller local governments. The Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing program also considers the needs of communities with populations of fewer than 5,000 by providing reductions in the police tax. Ministry staff is working to update the Development Finance Choices guide, to assist local governments in identifying and designing finance tools for growth-related infrastructure. The federal Gas Tax Fund has provided 100 percent of project funding in the Community Works Fund, as well as the pooled funding programs the General Strategic Priorities Fund and the Innovation Fund eliminating the need for local governments to provide financial contributions to complete projects under this program. The Ministry continues to work on developing funding programs that meet the needs of local governments in British Columbia. With a finite amount of funding available, the Ministry tries to balance the financial challenges faced by smaller local governments with the need to maximize the benefits of capital programs to as many local governments as possible. There are not any capital funding programs accepting applications at this time. However, the Ministry is currently discussing a future federalprovincial long-term infrastructure plan with the federal government and the ongoing structure and delivery options of the permanent Gas Tax fund. Outside of these two programs, the Ministry will clearly communicate any new program decisions to UBCM and local governments. The Ministry is very interested in supporting local governments in providing effective service delivery reviewing spending and reflecting on service provision, including what services they are providing now, what services they should be providing, the level of service provided and how to most efficiently provide these services. The Ministry is supporting this through the development of asset management and long-term financial management best management practices in partnership with stakeholders.