Lack of Funding for Services Municipalities Provide

WHEREAS there is a growing gap between the services BCs municipalities must deliver with what they can afford; these services are essential, yet the resources do not match the need; and municipal governments have far fewer tools with which to raise the revenue; AND WHEREAS a 2002 report on Canada by the OECD concludes that Canadian municipal governments heavy reliance on property taxes lies at the root of their growing fiscal difficulties, and states that Canadian cities have relatively weak powers and resources and should be given some limited access to other types of taxes to meet their increasing responsibilities; AND WHEREAS out of every tax dollar collected in Canada, municipal governments get just 8 cents principally from property taxes, while the other 92 cents goes to the federal and provincial governments; AND WHEREAS municipalities tight fiscal circumstances, limited borrowing capacity and limited access to adequate sources of revenue will require additional municipal revenues and improved infrastructure-management strategies: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM request the BC provincial government to enact enabling legislation to allocate 0.5 of the provincial Land Transfer Tax to local governments.