UBCM News

Messages from the UBCM President, general advocacy communications, and information about Local Government Week.

Budget 2025: New funding for homelessness, addictions and street disorder

With a trade war now underway, the BC Government introduced a budget earlier today that continues to invest in provincial services while attempting to shore up the provincial economy. Incremental new spending has been targeted for local government priorities, including homelessness response, addiction treatment, street disorder and affordable housing. Longer-term challenges lay ahead, however, with a growing debt and still unknown impacts from tariffs to the provincial economy and government revenue.

UBCM prioritizes housing, infrastructure and climate change in provincial election

UBCM has prioritized addressing local government cost pressures and securing new annual revenue streams for local governments in the 2024 provincial election. In Stretched to the Limit, we highlighted the need to address cost pressures linked to provincial service gaps and new legislative requirements in the areas of housing, infrastructure, community safety and climate action.

Lytton calling on Province for rebuilding support

The Village of Lytton was nearly completely destroyed in the 2021 Lytton Creek Fire, and residents are still struggling to rebuild. The high cost and slow pace of archaeological work required before rebuilding can begin is prohibitive to the village’s recovery. Individual quotes for archaeological work range from $26,000 to $48,000, with at least one as high as $86,000. The costs, not covered by insurance, are causing some to choose not to rebuild.

Lytton has asked the Province for help to streamline the work and cover these costs, but have had no response.

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