The Commercial Vehicle Licensing (CVL) program will end as of December 31, 2019. This program was established by the provincial government in 1906 to provide a source of revenue for municipalities to offset the costs related to the use of local roads by commercial vehicles.
UBCM has administered this program since 1987 through an agreement with the province. In 2018 UBCM conducted a review of the CVL that considered a range of topics, including the distribution of licensing revenue; licensing requirements; and feedback provided by the six largest municipalities contributing to the program. Member feedback identified the following:
- the revenue generated was insufficient to meet program intent when disbursed among the participants;
- the program required significant resources to administer;
- the program was not enforced in many jurisdictions; and
- the program design distributed funds in disproportion to the actual commercial vehicle licensing that is occurring in communities.
The review concluded that the program had ceased to fulfill its original intent. UBCM engaged the province in a round of discussions concerning potential amendments to legislation. In the end, the province agreed to remove UBCM as the administrator of program. At the present, there is no plan to develop a replacement program.
Notice was provided to local governments in August of 2019 that the CVL would conclude by year-end. Some municipalities have responded by introducing their own commercial vehicle licensing programs for 2020, including Vancouver and Victoria. Other local governments, like Prince George, have responded by updating their parking and traffic bylaws.
For questions about the conclusion of the program, please contact UBCM’s Chief Financial Officer, Kathleen Spalek. Questions can also be directed at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing’s Governance and Structure Branch.