WHEREAS the BC government has established a priority on climate change and has set an aggressive target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least 33 percent below current levels by 2020; AND WHEREAS local governments have opportunities through the development process to seek innovative opportunities to capture onsite sewage, create new sources of energy and the reuse of water, all off the grid of municipal systems; AND WHEREAS sewage and organic waste can be turned into biofuels, and integrated resource recovery can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle the challenge of climate change: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities ask the provincial government to provide financial assistance and legislative tools that will help communities integrate recovery of resources, in municipal and regional waste systems as part of local and regional plans.
Ministry of Community Development The Province of British Columbia is committed to encouraging and supporting lifecycle valuation for infrastructure projects, resource recovery and re-use, and integrated waste management by providing legislative tools and funding support for local governments. Existing legislation, under the Community Charter and Local Government Act, allows local governments to take the initiative on sustainable development, reduction of green house gas emissions, and local energy projects. Provincial and federal grant programs support such initiatives and are designed to favour projects demonstrating an integrated and innovative approach towards sustainable communities. Provincial planning grants are available to support activities such as development of integrated resource management solutions.