Whereas significant costs for climate mitigation and adaptation are and increasingly will be shouldered by local governments; And whereas local governments are severely limited to property taxes and grants to fund climate-related costs: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Minister of Municipal Affairs and BC Cabinet to establish a new contribution model similar in size and structure to the Canada Community Building Fund in order to accelerate local government climate-related investments.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs The province is committed to working with local governments to reach our shared climate goals and make life better for people across British Columbia and is committed to ensuring our province and the people who live here are more resilient in the event of climate impacts. Events of the past few years have emphasized the importance of building resilience at all levels of government. The Memorandum of Understanding on Local Government Financial Resiliency between the Province of British Columbia and UBCM commits to examining the cost pressures on local governments and potential sources of revenue to assist them in meeting the needs. A key focus area of cost drivers is related to climate change. The province administers a range of grant programs that support local governments in meeting the needs of their community, while at the same time advancing broader provincial and federal goals. Additionally, the province provides local governments with unconditional grants to support their operational costs and supplement existing financial tools available to local governments. The federal Canada Community Building Fund is recognized as important funding to local governments allowing for flexibility in identifying priorities. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy provides local governmentsand Modern Treaty Nations with predictable and stable funding to support the implementation of local climate action that reduces emissions and prepares communities for the impacts of a changing climate through the Local Government Climate Action Program. Local governments can apply for grants that support planning around sustainable community infrastructure, including climate resilience, through the Infrastructure Planning Grant Program. The province is committed to advancing disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, listening to perspectives of local governments and First Nations through engagements on the development of the Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, BC Flood Strategy, and the modernization of emergency management legislation. The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Resilience encourages communities to apply for the relevant disaster risk reduction funding to support their communities to reduce the risks of climate-related hazards in their community. It is also important for planned investments, such as infrastructure renewals and upgrades to build in climate resilience. The costs of including resilience have been encouraged and supported through application-based infrastructure programs open to local governments. The Province continues to advocate the federal government around new funding for local government projects that will include improving infrastructure resilience.