2020

Whereas the Provincial government has an interest in local governments actively participating in, or delivering, many of its initiatives, priorities, and programs, and has developed a broad range of grant programs to provide funding assistance to local governments to facilitate such work; And whereas grants provide a valuable source of revenue for capital projects and other major one-time expenditures, but discretionary grant programs constitute an insecure funding stream for on-going program work undertaken by local governments, such as emergency management and fire protection programs, r

Whereas several Kootenay Boundary communities have committed to a transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050; And whereas electricity generated in BC is considered a renewable energy source and carbon free while natural gas is not; And whereas the incentives available from suppliers for carbon intensive energy sources e.g.

Whereas the cost to deploy broadband infrastructure to support connectivity services is significant and revenue opportunities in rural areas are often not adequate to provide a return on investment that would attract private investment, resulting in underserved rural communities throughout the province; And whereas both the provincial and federal governments have made universal access to broadband services a priority including through the provision of infrastructure grants to encourage private investment in rural areas; however, the ongoing property taxation of broadband infrastructure cre

Whereas over the past two decades multiple local governments of British Columbia have repeatedly requested regulation of private land logging by resolution to UBCM; And whereas there has been little change in the requirement to conserve our natural physical assets such as water, wildlife habitat, and soil stability when harvesting trees and building roads on large tracts of private land; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM prioritize and work with the Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Resources and Rural Development to resolve the issues surrounding logging on large parcels of private l

Whereas the Province had previously established Dike Improvement Districts and has now designated local government as a diking authority, removing these powers from Improvement Districts who are unable to access funding for repair and maintenance of dikes, without adequate consultation with both Improvement Districts and local governments; And whereas the Province has not provided an overall assessment of the dikes or identified sustainable funding associated with the full capital cost of repair and on-going maintenance of dikes under the jurisdiction of Improvement Districts, and dikes w

Whereas local governments in British Columbia are the purveyors of water and water is and will become a very important issue as the province experiences the effect of climate change; And whereas the analysis, quality, abundance protection, conservation, allocation and use of both ground water and surface water is of utmost importance both ecologically and financially now and in the future; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the provincial government to create a ministry with the sole responsibility to research and provide education, protection and conservation of BCs water resou

Whereas in British Columbia, and specifically in the Kootenay Region, there is a historical legacy of cannabis cultivation and a clear acknowledgment that the cannabis industry is a pillar of our regional economy; And whereas Section 37 of the BC Cannabis Control Regulation prohibits the promotion of any place to consume or to spend time after consuming cannabis, which significantly limits the ability for the cannabis industry to thrive, and in many cases limits potential business owners to operate all together; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM work with the provincial government to r

Whereas the Ministry of Agriculture seeks to strengthen farming in BC and there are portions of the province where successful, intensive agriculture is practiced on small lots while showing significant farm receipts; And whereas the viability of small lot agriculture depends on the affordability of the land and improvements which is in competition for Agricultural Land with the hobby farm development model featuring large homes and accessory buildings often impacting the land without contributing to agricultural production; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Ministry of Agricul

Whereas The United Nations have declared that access to clean drinking water is a Human Right and in British Columbia, some Rural and Remote Communities served by Improvement Districts are still not able to provide clean potable water to its residents; And whereas the current BC Government Policy restricts Improvement Districts access to water Infrastructure Grant funding by recommending the financially prohibitive and challenging process of conversion to a Regional District Service as the only solution; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM work with the Province and the Ministry of Munic

Whereas local governments are incurring substantial costs in relation to the impacts of climate change, including volatile weather patterns, droughts, wildfires, erosion and other impacts and such costs are anticipated to continue rising; And whereas 2019 reports indicate that many corporations are not paying between 24 to 29 percent of legally owed federal taxes; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM strongly encourage the Canadian Government to implement measures to close corporate tax loopholes and collect owed corporate taxes in order that such funds be directed to local governments and