2024

Whereas in January of 2023, the provincial government implemented Protocol 19 of the Environmental Management Act which increased the definition of contaminants in soil and fill provisions; And whereas since this legislation has come into effect, municipal infrastructure projects and housing projects have seen a 200 increase to civil costs due to unavailability of placement locations for fill deemed contaminated under the new legislation: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province of BC source regional contaminated soil fill locations, for the storage of contaminated soil

Whereas the BC Hydro Power and Authority Act and associated statutes references other Acts within its scope, including the Climate Change Accountability Act and Environmental Management Act; And whereas various communities have experienced that their operations do not fully comply with these Acts or the provincial governments Nature-Based 2030 Climate Change targets to protect land, preserve nature, and reverse diversity loss; And whereas the Authority does not allocate a budget for adequate eco-restoration in areas where its activities have harmfully impacted biodiversity, and financial

Whereas accurate understanding and management of British Columbias natural resources are essential for informed decision-making; And whereas there is a need for an updated and objective data on natural resources such as aquifers, lakes, rivers, streams and timber, for various aspects of the Provinces natural resource management and for sustainable development and environmental stewardship: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM requests the Province of BC allocate funding to ensure that objective data on natural resources is easily accessible by all stakeholders, ensuring transparency, inclus

Whereas glue traps are an ineffective method for controlling rodents as they fail to address the root causes of an infestation, including access to food and shelter, and they cause fear, pain and distress for captured animals, including rodents and non-target animals like birds, bats, small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and household pets; And whereas most users are not capable of humanely killing trapped animals, leaving them to suffer for hours, and even days, before dying of suffocation, dehydration, starvation, exhaustion, or exposure: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Prov

Whereas the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service currently can independently decide how to handle black bears and cubs in conflict situations, without the oversight of an independent external public board; And whereas there is no mandate for orphaned black bear cubs to be taken to a Wildlife Sanctuary for health assessment and treatment by a qualified wildlife veterinarian, and be the sole authority to perform a humane euthanasia of black bear cubs if needed: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Province of British Columbia to initiate changes to the British Columbia C

Whereas the increasing cost of agriculture equipment has lead to agricultural producers having to finance and utilize equipment over longer periods of time, resulting in replacement parts no longer being available even before the lease or loan is paid off; And whereas there are currently limited legislative standards in only a few provinces that have legislation in place requiring manufacturers of agriculture equipment to have replacement parts available for a 10-year period, and this is placing increased financial hardship and, in many cases, affecting the overall financial viability of

Whereas farmers across British Columbia face escalating challenges due to climate change, including increasingly frequent and severe droughts, highlighting the urgent need for regionally relevant agricultural research to address these issues effectively; And whereas the government of British Columbia has demonstrated commendable leadership by allocating substantial funding, including an additional 80 million, to expand the Agricultural Water Infrastructure Program, aimed at enhancing water management practices and resilience in the agricultural sector; And whereas while investments in inf

Whereas diking authorities in British Columbia are currently mandated to design, repair, construct, and maintain dikes to a 200-year event standard, which entails significant financial and logistical burdens; And whereas a 100-year event standard would provide a sufficient level of protection against flooding and associated risks and allow for the development of more diking infrastructure, while reducing the financial strain on local governments and enabling diking authorities to allocate resources more efficiently, prioritize critical infrastructure projects, and enhance community resilie

Whereas radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking amongst Canadians and many British Columbians are exposed to unsafe levels of radon within their own homes every day; And whereas professionally-installed radon mitigation systems are effective at reducing radon exposure levels in homes but are financially prohibitive for many British Columbians to pursue: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province of British Columbia to establish a funding program to help residents with the costs of installing radon mitigation measures in their homes to increase the

Whereas the theft of copper wire costs the local taxpayers of British Columbia thousands of dollars each year to repair and can create a danger to public safety through the loss of electricity, lighting and communications; And whereas the Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act is more than 10 years old and metal thefts are an ongoing problem: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Province, in collaboration with police agencies in BC, to complete a review of the Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act to address metal theft.