WHEREAS local governments are expected to provide local annual fire inspections of public facilities; AND WHEREAS many smaller communities are financially or resource challenged in being able to consistently meet the annual fire inspection expectations of the Province: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request that the Government of British Columbia consider expansion of the number of Provincial Fire Inspectors for the purpose of providing effective fire inspection services within the Province of British Columbia.
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SOLICITOR GENERAL The Fire Services Act Act requirement for the inspection of hotels and public buildings applies only to municipalities. The Act exempts inspection requirements for smaller local governments that are not municipalities, as such, there would be no financial hardship or resource challenges placed on them. In municipalities, the municipal council must authorize a person or persons, called officers of buildings, to conduct these inspections. The system of inspection is expected to be done within the resources of the municipality; no other burden is legislated on a municipality. The Act does give inspectors with the Office of the Fire Commissioner OFC the ability to exercise the powers of an officer of buildings within any municipality in British Columbia. The Act does not give the municipal council the authority to appoint the inspectors with the OFC to conduct their municipal system of inspection. The OFC provides inspection support to the local assistants to the Fire Commissioner in all regions of the Province of British Columbia where there are fire departments, through inspection training, inspection advice, and, when requested and deemed appropriate, on-site inspection assistance.