2023

Whereas the January 31, 2023 BC Coroners Service report identifies a disproportionately higher illicit drug toxicity death rate outside of large urban centres, and furthermore the First Nations Health Authority identifies that Indigenous people are dying at a rate five times greater than other BC residents; And whereas the long distances and limited public transportation options required to travel to the nearest withdrawal management facility creates unrealistic access to services for people living in rural communities across the province: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the Prov

Whereas requirements for highway access to water is legislatively required for subdivisions that border a body of water and these accesses become the responsibility of the Province under the Transportation Act; And whereas many of these highway access points on Crown Land have organically developed into public access points such as boat launches which the public desires use of; And whereas the Province does not maintain these access points and the public continues to express their concern for lack of maintenance to local governments: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM request that

Whereas flooding is one of the most common natural disasters in British Columbia that impacts communities, flood plains, agriculture, and prominent First Nations lands; And whereas flood risks continue to substantially grow due to climate change and the lack of pro-active flood management and protection such as regional flood risk assessment and flood protection program by the Province of British Columbia and the federal government: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM be requested to establish a working committee consisting of local government, provincial, federal and First Nation members

Whereas BC municipalities are moving quickly to enable electrification through community climate action plans and municipal energy and emissions plans; And whereas there is currently a lack of funding or incentives to support electrification in existing residential, commercial and institutional building retrofits, and a lack of certainty that the electrical grid has the capacity to accommodate the anticipated electrical demand that will result from future retrofits: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM coordinate with the Province, BC Utilities Commission and BC Hydro regarding the need for

Whereas in 2019 BC enacted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls found that Indigenous women and girls experienced violence as a result of industrial work camps in proximity to their communities; And whereas large infrastructure projects mandated or approved by the Province are in the planning, construction, operation and closure phases across BC; And whereas significant numbers of temporary workers are required to reside in or near communities to execute these projects, and the provincial g

Whereas the Province has acknowledged that there is a housing crisis affecting communities across all of British Columbia and has chosen to take unprecedented action to address this challenge by looking for opportunities and taking action to deliver long-term housing supply; And whereas large infrastructure projects mandated or approved by the Province put immense pressure on available housing rental and ownership stock, and tourism infrastructure by requiring a significant number of temporary workers without appropriate workforce housing plans as a requirement of project approval: There

Whereas climate change is worsening conditions and increasing vulnerabilities in the built environment, and existing multi-unit residential buildings MURBs are some of the most vulnerable and housing the most vulnerable populations; And whereas the CleanBC Better Homes program provides incentives and rebates for some, but not all, dwelling types, excluding MURBs such as high-rises and apartment buildings yet over 30 of British Columbians reside in these dwellings: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province make the necessary changes to the CleanBC Better Homes program to

Whereas the Canadian federal government has clearly stated its expectation that provincial cannabis tax revenue be shared with local governments and such revenues are currently being shared between the provinces and local governments in Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta, but not in British Columbia; And whereas the sharing of cannabis tax revenue will provide much needed funding for local governments: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to share up to 50 of provincial revenues generated from the production and sale of cannabis products with BC local governments.

Whereas companion animals have been proven to enhance physical, emotional and mental wellbeing, particularly for vulnerable British Columbians such as women, young people, households with lower incomes, renters and those experiencing homelessness who identify greater reliance on their companion animals for support and greater difficulty finding affordable, pet-friendly housing; And whereas the lack of pet-friendly housing continues to be the primary reason for the surrender of healthy, loved, adult companion animals to the BC SPCA, despite the provincial governments work to increase housi

Whereas climate change is worsening conditions, increasing daytime and nighttime temperatures and other vulnerabilities for low-income residents of multi-unit residential buildings; And whereas the current Strata Property Act permits Strata Councils to enact bylaws that permit or restrict the addition of mechanical cooling to an individual unit within a strata property, and therefore this restriction creates an unsafe interior environment in the case of heat domes and other high temperatures: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province of BC to amend the Strata Property Act to al