WHEREAS local governments continue to struggle with limited funding: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of British Columbia Municipalities UBCM pursue discussions with the provincial and federal governments as per the 2008 policy paper Financing Local Government: Achieving Fiscal Balance; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the UBCM lobby the provincial government to provide unconditional revenue sharing to municipalities and regional districts in the form of a share of the Provincial Social Service Tax to be distributed to municipalities and regional districts on a per capita basis; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the UBCM pursue discussions with the provincial government to provide local governments with a share of natural resource revenue.
Ministry of Finance Effective July 1, 2010, the social service tax PST will no longer apply. The PST is being replaced with the harmonized sales tax HST. The Province currently provides funding to local governments through a variety of sources and programs e.g. Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing, Towns for Tomorrow, Small Community and Regional District Basic Grants. Any proposed transfer of tax revenue or natural resource revenue to local governments must be evaluated in the context of the governments need to fund essential services.