WHEREAS the Local Government Act authorizes regional districts to require the owners or occupiers of real property, or their agents, to clear the property of brush, trees, noxious weeds or other growths; however, noxious weeds is not defined in this legislative context; AND WHEREAS the Community Charter authorizes municipal councils to exercise their authority over trees, weeds, or other growths that council considers should be removed, cut down or trimmed, which appears to give municipalities broader authority to control weeds than regional districts are afforded under the Local Government Act: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM lobby the provincial government to change its legislation to ensure that regional districts have the same authority as municipalities to control any plant species that the regional district board considers undesirable.
Ministry of Community, Sport Cultural Development One of the key findings of UBCMs Regional District Task Force, was that BC is diverse with different challenges and opportunities in each regional district. One size does not fit all was an important theme for the Task Force. Consistent with the Task Forces recommendations the Ministry of Community Sport and Cultural Development is committed to continuing to explore how Regional District effectiveness, accountability, and efficiency might be enhanced by using current legislative tools. To accommodate BCs regional diversity, the Province has customized some regulatory authorities in regions. For example, Central Okanagan Regional District has the authority to regulate business licenses, and the Capital Regional District was provided with the authority to regulate cats, and has additional powers to regulate public health. If a regional district requires additional authority to address a specific weed control issue, the regional district could provide a proposal to the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development to determine if such an authority could be provided by regulation.