2022

Whereas there is a high demand for transit expansion hours within regional and municipal boundaries and local governments must use their regions transit expansion hours to address transportation needs within their regional boundaries; And whereas there is a demand for interregional transit that has a geographic scope extending beyond regional boundaries that would be best managed as a provincial transportation matter to support the viability of interregional connections: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and BC Transit for int

Whereas shipbreaking and recycling is a necessary, yet hazardous activity that bears high environmental and labour risks; And whereas established and emerging international standards such as the Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships; the Basel Convention including the BAN Amendment; and the EU Ship Recycling Regulation point at gaps in British Columbian and Canadian government shipbreaking policies and regulations: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM: 1 Request the BC Government Cabinet to: - Establish, maintain, and enforce a re

Whereas medical cannabis production is prevalent across BC, but local governments and police agencies have limited tools and capacity available to monitor and enforce federal regulations; And whereas many local governments do not have the capacity to enforce local bylaws that are needed to ensure community safety: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate to the federal government to: 1. Reduce the maximum number of cannabis plants that any individual may produce for medical purposes; 2.

Whereas the Province of British Columbia has implemented the Homes for BC: A 30-Point Plan for Housing Affordability in British Columbia; And whereas the Plan largely benefits urban areas that have better access to both resources and support services than rural areas: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Province of British Columbia to provide funding and support to local governments to facilitate affordable housing projects in rural areas in British Columbia.

Whereas the increasing impacts of climate change are requiring local governments to develop robust climate adaptation plans and policies; And whereas these adaptation plans and policies must be grounded in a detailed analysis of the unique climate risks and vulnerabilities of each local area: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Province of British Columbia to fund and support the development and integration of climate risk and vulnerability assessments into Official Community Plan review processes.

Whereas the provincial government receives stumpage fees from all forest companies within the Province and the provincial government keeps all the stumpage fees received and local governments do not directly receive any of these fees; And whereas in northeast British Columbia, local governments directly receive fees from the Natural Gas industry: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the provincial government to establish a mechanism to share a portion of all stumpage fees collected or add on a collection of an additional increase to stumpage fees from the forest companies to the loc

Whereas the landfilling of construction and demolition materials comprises a considerable share of solid waste within the province leading to increased costs for solid waste management and lost opportunities for such materials to be resold, reused or recycled; And whereas the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategys Extended Producer Responsibility Five-Year Action Plan 2021-2026 does not include construction and demolition materials as a priority for their Extended Producer Responsibility EPR program: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Ministry of Environment an

Whereas expanded polystyrene EPS, commonly known as Styrofoam, in the marine environment can cause significant harm to marine life, seafood resources and ecosystems; And whereas EPS is difficult to impossible to clean up from shorelines after it breaks down and has a high likelihood of entering the marine environment from damaged marine infrastructure, whether encased or not: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the provincial and federal governments to prohibit the use of expanded polystyrene EPS in the marine environment.

Whereas the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is responsible for maintaining a network of rest areas and roadside stops along highways that include public amenities such as washrooms and waste receptacles; And whereas increased travel and tourism throughout the Province of BC has led to those rest areas and roadside stops, many without such services and facilities, being inundated with litter and general waste that pollutes adjacent forests, beaches and waters; And whereas the current maintenance program of the Ministry is insufficient to adequately deal with the level of use