WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia, through policies and procedures identified in Disposal of Land or Improvements Order 1603, requires school districts to dispose of land or improvements at fair market value; AND WHEREAS the Province in the Speech from the Throne - 2007 Legislative Session: 3rd Session - 38th Parliament dated February 13, 2007 has pledged to use underutilized school spaces as public spaces to deliver on public priorities; to work with boards to better manage capital planning across all school districts; and to ensure schools or school lands are used for their highest and best use for maximum public benefit: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities be requested to encourage the Province of BC to reconsider its position with respect to the disposal of land or improvements at fair market value as it relates to such acquisition by a local government body - thus recognizing the support afforded by communities toward the development of their local schools through both donation and taxation - to allow communities to assume responsibility for such surplus properties at minimal or no cost for use as seniors facilities, low cost housing or other such public community enhancement purposes.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION In response to the February 2007 Speech from the Throne pledge to establish a new process to ensure that schools or school lands are used for their highest and best use for maximum public benefit, the Ministry of Education has developed a new policy regarding the disposal of surplus school board-owned assets. Under a new Ministerial Order, the Ministry of Labour and Citizens Services, Accommodations and Real Estate Services ARES will act as the central agent for the disposal of land and improvements. Boards of Education own significant capital assets and, as a result of declining enrolment and changing demographics a number of these assets have become surplus. The government is interested in putting these surplus properties to highest and best use for maximum public benefit, as outlined in the 2007 Throne Speech. Under the new process, properties identified as surplus by the school district will be matched against capital requirements from the provincial government, including Crown corporations or other agencies such as colleges or health authorities. Should there be no required use for the property at the provincial level, then the school district will consult with the local government where the property resides, to see if there is a community use for the property. If the property is not identified for any of the above uses, the board of education may sell the property to other interested purchasers. All negotiations with the school district will be based on fair market value for the property. The proceeds from the sale of surplus properties are used by school districts to fund capital investments in educational facilities. Sale of surplus assets will continue to be at fair market value, and the distribution of the proceeds from the sale will not change from current practice.