WHEREAS over the past few decades the provincial government has downloaded and offloaded provincially mandated services to local government without sufficiently, if at all, matching the services with funding i.e., roads maintenance and replacement, homelessness, wildlife, policing, mental health and transit; AND WHEREAS the provincial government may not be aware that their cost cutting measures over the years have resulted in pressures on communities to address the service gaps to the extent that limited local government funds are being used to fund provincially mandated services, negatively impacting a local governments ability to adequately address core local government services: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM strongly urge the provincial government to cease their downloading or offloading of services to local governments; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any future services, if devolved in any manner, whether subtle or not, must be accompanied by sufficient, sustainable revenues which will be in the control of the local governments.
MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY RURAL DEVELOPMENT The Province continues to make unprecedented financial and strategic investments in BC communities. Programs are focused on furthering strong, resilient and sustainable communities. Over the past few years, the Province has strengthened existing programs and initiated a number of new programs to strengthen communities and regions, with a particular focus on smaller, more vulnerable communities. Actions the Ministry of Community and Rural Development alone has undertaken in support of communities: - Doubled Small Community and Regional District Grants. - Returned 100 of revenues to participating communities under the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program. - Created new programs to assist communities to upgrade their infrastructure including Towns for Tomorrow, LocalMotion, Spirit Squares and the BC Water Improvement Program. - Initiated the Community Development Trust, a program that delivers transition, tuition and employment programs that benefit individuals and communities in forest and resource dependent communities hard-hit by difficult economic conditions. - Created other new programs such as the Climate Action Incentive Program, Trees for Tomorrow and the Resort Municipality Initiative to capitalize on emerging opportunities. The Province has also partnered with the Federal Government and the UBCM on numerous infrastructure programs including the Canada BC Infrastructure Program, the federal Gas Tax Transfer Program, the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, the Building Canada Fund, as well as the infrastructure stimulus program. The Province established Regional Trusts in strategic areas of the Province in the North, the Southern Interior and the Island Coast with 285-million from the Province to promote local economic development initiatives that have a direct positive impact in communities. Since 2001, the Province has provided almost 2.5 billion in additional funding support to BCs local governments. Almost half of this investment has supported local government capital and infrastructure investments, while the remainder has supported local government operations. Just one example of the magnitude of the additional financial support is the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program. Since its expansion in 2004, the program has provided 297 million more to qualifying municipalities than they would have received prior to the programs expansion. Prior to 2004, municipalities received 10 million per year. Any changes in provincial policies or programs are carefully considered for any impact to local government, financial or otherwise. The Province remains committed to consulting with UBCM on all initiatives that have an impact on local governments as per the principles in the Community Charter.