WHEREAS the BC Environmental Management Act currently burdens local governments by the triggering of a contaminated site remediation process when a zoning, subdivision, development, development variance, or demolition permit is applied for; AND WHEREAS the environmental remediation process is so onerous and costly that it can actually block attempts to develop the subject property in regions where property values are modest: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM petition the provincial government to increase financial assistance to local governments to offset these real negative economic impacts and initiate research to find sustainable solutions to the ongoing detrimental affects to rural economies that the contaminated sites provincial legislation is causing.
Ministry of Environment The Ministry of Environment recognizes the importance of balancing economic and environmental factors in delivering its environmental protection mandate. The contaminated sites regulatory framework ensures that potentially contaminated properties are investigated, and if necessary remediated to ensure protection of human health and the environment, prior to redevelopment and reuse. The contaminated sites framework is a flexible, polluter-pay-based regime. It is recognized that costs to investigate and, where necessary, remediate sites can be high, particularly in communities where land values are modest. However, the costs to address human health or environmental impacts resulting from unaddressed contamination at former industrial and commercial properties are typically much higher. In 2009, the Province announced the launch of the 10 Million B.C. Brownfield Renewal Funding Program, a 5-year initiative to encourage the redevelopment of brownfields. To date, 4.2 Million in funding has been awarded to 60 applicants in 44 communities across B.C. to help finance environmental studies on sites owned by local governments, not for profit organizations, First Nation groups, individuals and corporations. For more information on the B.C. Brownfield Renewal Funding Program please visit: http:www.brownfieldrenewal.gov.bc.ca