WHEREAS it has been demonstrated that collaborative, cooperative planning processes increase the efficiency and maximize the impacts of the investments that all levels of government are making in assisting communities to respond to the increasingly complex and inter-connected social issues they face; AND WHEREAS the Community Charter requires local governments to prepare an annual report that may include community social issues, and an integrated, collaborative planning process is a requirement for financial support by many funding sources, including provincial and federal governments; AND WHEREAS local governments need support to ensure the existence of appropriate community driven social planning processes in their communities: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities ask the provincial government to commit to providing sustained financial support for local community social planning processes that serve to support and integrate responses to social issues throughout British Columbia.
MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY SERVICES Both federal and provincial funding is currently available to local governments for social planning processes that are integrated with broader community sustainability plans or planning processes. For example, under the Canada - British Columbia - UBCM Gas Tax Agreement, all local governments outside of the Greater Vancouver Regional District GVRD may use gas tax funds toward capacity building projects that strengthen the ability of local governments to develop and implement Integrated Community Sustainability Planning ICS planning. ICS planning projects and activities are intended to be broad in scope and encourage consideration of the environmental, economic, cultural and social aspects of community sustainability. GVRD municipalities may also be eligible for funding for ICS planning projects and activities from the Ministry of Community Services.