Whereas regional district fire services across British Columbia are facing increasing financial pressure with respect to replacing fire apparatus and are not permitted to utilize long-term borrowing from the Municipal Finance Authority to purchase the same without costly referendum processes; And whereas should these referendums fail, communities will be left without fire protection during a time that sees increasing risk from wildfires as well as increased insurance rates, particularly for those without fire protection services: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province of British Columbia to enact legislation to permit regional districts to utilize long-term borrowing from the Municipal Finance Authority over the life-span of fire apparatus without the requirement to go to referendum, subject to the service having been established through a referendum process.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs Elector approval may be administratively difficult and there is the chance that the electors may not approve the borrowing. However, elector approval is critical to ensuring transparency and public accountability in council and board decisions impacting the long-term finances of local government, including the property taxes of those who must repay the debt. The Province provides local governments with the option of seeking elector approval through an assent vote like a referendum or through a streamlined Alternative Approval Process AAP. In addition, the province provides some exemptions from elector approval where there was a detailed planning process with full public consultation, like an approved liquid waste management plan or in cases where a cost is externally imposed on a municipality through a state of emergency, a court order, or an executive order like an Environmental Protection Order. Given the need for public accountability on long-term council decisions, the province is currently not considering removing the elector approval requirement from the statute.