2023

Whereas there is a growing need for a more resilient and reliable emergency communications system, especially in light of the increasing severity and frequency of disasters and emergencies, 911 service disruptions and a growing annual emergency call volume; And whereas 911 is a universally recognized number for British Columbians to call when there is an emergency e.g., medical issue, but 911 calls related to mental health are oftentimes directed to police agencies as the first point of contact; And whereas the improvement of the 911 emergency communications system has been a long-standin

Whereas the Province initiated a review of Private Managed Forest Lands in 2019 to in part encourage sustainable forest management practices including protection of environmental values; And whereas forest management practices on privately managed forest lands effect downstream communities and can negatively impact the quality and quantity of water and affect ecosystem resilience to the impacts of climate change: Therefore be it resolved that the Province partner with local governments to review taxation and cost recovery options from private managed forest lands to support local governme

Whereas provincial legislation under the Environmental Management Act and the Recycling Regulation requires Extended Producer Responsibility Plans for Packaging and Printed Paper PPP from residential sources only; And whereas the Province responded it would consider expanding BCs Extended Producer Responsibility EPR programs for future inclusion of Industrial, Commercial and Institutional ICI packaging and paper products as part of their commitment to the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment Canada-Wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility; And whereas opportunities f

Whereas the funding formulas used to allocate funds for programs such as the Canada Community-Building Fund- Community Works Fund Formerly Gas Tax Fund and the recent Community Growth Fund is based on a per capita formula with a funding floor, the funding apportioned to regional districts is apportioned based on the electoral areas population only and does not account for the services and associated infrastructure maintained by regional districts for services it delivers to member municipalities such as water, wastewater, transit, recreation and parks; And whereas the funding apportioned

Whereas the traditional service delivery models available to local governments through BC Transit do not always meet the needs of rural or smaller communities; And whereas rural or smaller communities encounter geographical constraints and exhibit lower population densities that create challenges and economical inefficiencies for a conventional transit model: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province to provide more flexible and innovative models for service delivery, such as Transit On-Demand, for smaller and rural communities where conventional transit may not be an appropr

Whereas the current Annual Operating Agreements between BC Transit and local governments provide for base service levels that are equal to the previous year but do not reflect agreed upon expanded transit service levels; And whereas local governments are expected to authorize future commitments for transit expansion which are subject to cost increases at the discretion of BC Transit: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the provincial government to provide a rolling 5-year funding commitment to BC Transit in order to provide and secure longer term funding assurances necessary for loc

Whereas the court system is experiencing an overwhelming number of cases; And whereas the current justice system including bail system challenges of dealing with crime rarely results in reforming individuals: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the Province to support further funding for diversion courts with dedicated judges so as to implement greater capacity in the restorative justice system, complimented by sufficient treatment and rehabilitation facilities.

Whereas the addictive substances emergency claims the lives of many British Columbians on a daily basis in addition to its adverse economic effects; And whereas treatment facilities have a wait time that is beyond that of those struggling with active addiction further exacerbating the costs to British Columbians: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the Province to fund, develop, and implement a wide spectrum of treatment on demand programs.

Whereas British Columbia highways handle large volumes of traffic, with vehicle crashes occurring in all parts of BC in all seasons; And whereas many small community volunteer fire departments and societies provide vital highway rescue services for crashes occurring on Provincial highways; And whereas while some costs are reimbursed to the communities providing this service, costs for the service exceed the reimbursed costs, meaning local taxpayers, most of which reside in small communities, are subsidizing up to 50 for a Provincial highway system service, including a portion of on-call p

Whereas the Provinces Home Support Program allows seniors to stay in their own homes as long as possible, the preference of most seniors and the option which is far more cost-effective for the health care system at 14,000 per annum than moving to publicly subsidized long-term care at 60,000year; And whereas 70 of BC seniors are charged a fee of up to 30 of their income for Home Support, which many cannot afford, leading to poor health outcomes, caregiver burnout and premature placement in long-term care, resulting in BC having twice as many people in long term care who could be supported a