WHEREAS the Gas Tax Transfer is a federal initiative to enhance the Government of Canadas commitments to advancing local sustainability on four major themes: economic, environmental, social and cultural; AND WHEREAS Canada, British Columbia and UBCM have entered into an Agreement on the Transfer of Federal Gas Tax Revenues focused on achieving three environmental sustainability outcomes: reduced greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner water and cleaner air; AND WHEREAS the unincorporated regions of most regional districts do not have Community Works Fund projects that meet the criteria for the three environmental sustainability outcomes: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM work towards amendments to the Gas Tax Agreement to provide eligibility for capital projects contributing to environmental, economic, social or cultural sustainability and an expansion of outcomes under that Agreement to encompass these four elements of sustainability.
MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY SERVICES One of the choices made by the federal government in developing the framework for the transfer of federal gas tax revenues under the Gas Tax Agreement GTA was to ensure that municipal infrastructure investments in communities result in the achievement the environmentally sustainable outcomes of reduced green house gas emissions, cleaner air and cleaner water. A National Evaluation of the GTA program will be conducted by March 31, 2009. The Evaluation will provide an important opportunity for BC to be able to demonstrate that infrastructure investments under the GTA have contributed to the achievement of the desired environmental sustainability outcomes. The Evaluation will also provide an occasion for all Parties to review and discuss a range of topics related the Agreement, which may include discussions on broadening the scope of the Agreement to provide eligibility for projects contributing to economic, social or cultural sustainability.