Health & Social Development

Policy Scope

The Health & Social Development Committee oversees health-related policy in the context of local government interests. The Committee's primary focus is on health promotion and disease prevention initiatives and policy directions that assist communities to be proactive in addressing community health problems. The Committee will continue to address a number of health issues including healthcare funding, remote and rural healthcare, healthy built environments, and physical activity.

Current priorities of the Committee are: the health impacts of climate change, opioid-related overdose deaths, decriminalization of illicit substances, homelessness, accessibility legislation, rural health care, emergency medical assistants, poverty reduction, BC’s mental health strategy, Regional Hospital Districts, food security, and child care.

UBCM administers several funding programs related to health and social issues through the Canada Community-Building Fund and Local Government Program Services

Active transportation is an important feature of livable, healthy communities. In addition to administering funding for active transportation planning, UBCM was involved in a project called, Small Town Leaders in Active Transportation, which aimed to identify challenges related…
UBCM members have sought changes to the funding model for regional contributions toward health capital projects. Regional Hospital Districts continue to be a focus area for the Health and Social Development Committee in 2022/23. UBCM helped draft two Regional Hospital…
UBCM co-chairs the Emergency Medical Assistant Education Fund, which was established by BC Emergency Health Services in 2007 to support the education of emergency medical assistants in BC. UBCM co-chairs the Advisory Committee, which approves criteria for awards; reviews and…
The BC government was granted an exemption by Health Canada from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to decriminalize the possession of certain illegal drugs from January 31, 2023 to January 31, 2026 as one of the approaches by the provincial government to address the…
In June 2021, the provincial government passed the Accessible BC Act  which—among provincial requirements and a general focus on increasing awareness of accessibility—requires local governments to take action. Local governments are among over 750 public sector…
Child care is an emerging area for local governments. In 2021, with funding from the provincial government, UBCM hired project consultants to develop a guide for local governments: Stepping Stones: Child Care Planning Guides for BC’s Local Governments. 
Child poverty has been a priority issue for the Committee since 2009. The Committee worked closely with the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) on the Regional Community Poverty Reduction Strategy, which ran from 2012-2015. This initiative worked with seven pilot…