Whereas the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People MMIWG2S Calls of Justice applies to the municipal government: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM support the Calls for Justice from the MMIWG2S report.
Whereas the Local Government Act and Community Charter do not provide maternity and parental leave rights for elected officials; And whereas the absence of maternity and parental leave for local government elected officials, unless a policy is specifically adopted by a local government, specifically disadvantages young and female candidates for office and hence is a systemic barrier to attracting more diverse and representative candidates to local government: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM update its Council and Board Remuneration Guide to included recommended minimum requirements for
Whereas public bodies are responsible for the management and protection of personal information under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; And whereas under this Act, the requirements to meet the threshold to disregard a request because it is frivolous or vexatious or would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the public body because the request is excessively broad or is repetitive or systematic is unconscionably high and hard to obtain; And whereas public bodies can be subjected to harassment, defamation, accusations and abuse of staff time with little to n
Whereas the Province of British Columbia announced in the Provincial Budget on February 22, 2022, that Provincial Sales Tax PST would be added to all fossil fuel heat and hot water appliances to encourage British Columbians to revert to electric heat pumps and hot water heaters; And whereas even though heat pump technology may be improving, currently heat pumps are not sufficient to heat homes and businesses in the British Columbia Interior and Northern Regions which would necessitate auxiliary heat sources to augment heat pumps during the coldest days of winter in those regions: Therefor
Whereas the tabular stumpage rate system that currently applies to community forest agreements provides the means through which community forests innovate, operate in contentious areas, invest in long-term forest stewardship and provide jobs and other benefits to their communities; And whereas the ability of community forests to innovate and invest in community priorities including climate change adaptation, wildfire risk reduction, ecosystem restoration, old growth management, recreational infrastructure development, and community economic development relies upon the current stumpage rate
Whereas libraries in British Columbia are largely financed by levies paid by local governments; And whereas provincial library funding has remained stagnant for the past 10 years; And whereas public libraries are central to communities, providing equitable access to vital resources, including internet, computers, digital library tools, and in-person services from expert staff; And whereas public libraries provide British Columbians with low-barrier services, that support job seekers and small businesses, that increase literacy in communities, that advance reconciliation with Indigenou
Whereas communities across British Columbia face acute challenges around housing affordability, undermining the well being of individuals, families and communities; And whereas the legislative framework available for local governments currently does not permit a municipality to have a mandatory inclusionary housing bylaw if it chooses to pursue such as bylaw: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province of British Columbia make the legislative changes required to permit a municipality to adopt a mandatory inclusionary housing bylaw.
Whereas the tabular stumpage rate system that currently applies to community forest agreements provides the means through which community forests innovate, operate in contentious areas, invest in long-term forest stewardship and provide jobs and other benefits to their communities; And whereas the ability of community forests to innovate and invest in community priorities including climate change adaptation, wildfire risk reduction, ecosystem restoration, old growth management, recreational infrastructure development, and community economic development relies upon the current stumpage rate
Whereas the Province of BC has created a regulatory framework permitting transportation network services to operate in BC, which provides a passenger transportation option to address the significant public need for vehicles-for-hire and, in turn, reduce impaired driving, improve the ability of seniors and persons with barriers to access needed resources, and stimulate economic development; And whereas the Provinces regulatory framework is so onerous that it effectively prohibits the establishment of transportation network services in small, rural, and remote communities where it has the gr
Whereas the final authority to identify and approve development which is suitable to local government has historically resided in local governments; And whereas locally elected officials best know the needs and wants of the residents of their communities and are fully accountable to the electorate of those communities; And whereas locally elected officials are best able to balance the competing interests and values of the residents of their communities; And whereas the existing system for approving local development leaves the power and responsibility to do so with local governments: Th