2020

Whereas some items labelled as flushable, such as disposable wipes, cause significant problems in sewer systems, damaging infrastructure and risking environmental pollution; And whereas public awareness and education campaigns sponsored by local governments can only partially mitigate the problem in the absence of consistent standards and proper labelling and advertising: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM work with FCM to advocate at the federal level for the development of clear standards for products labelled flushable and to increase regulatory oversight of labelling and advertising o

Whereas Victim Services Programs provide support and assistance to victims of crime; And whereas the Ministry of Public Safety has the ultimate responsibility for the Victim Services Programs and yet does not fully fund these programs: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province of British Columbia to fully fund all Victim Services Programs.

Whereas the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategys Plastics Action Plan Policy Consultation Paper requested feedback regarding bans on single-use packaging, reducing and recycling more plastics, and higher returns of plastic bottles; And whereas harmonization of the BC Plastics Action Plan and Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic waste regulations regarding reduction of single-use plastics shifts the costs and responsibility of restricting single-use plastics from local governments to producers: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Ministry of Environment and Climate

Whereas eighteen Regional Districts met with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy at the 2019 UBCM Convention to petition the Ministry to amend the Recycling Regulation to include packaging and printed paper from the ICI sector; And whereas Minister Heyman issued a letter December 18, 2019 responding to the request and noting that the Province recently undertook research and focused engagement concerning additional products that might prove suitable to manage under the Recycling Regulation, and that any work to explore regulatory amendments involving ICI materials would

Whereas Corrections BC has a fixed quarterly budget to reimburse RCMP detachments for all provincial prisoners kept in local government owned RCMP buildings; And whereas this funding allocation per prisoner fluctuates in accordance with the number of prisoners kept each quarter, but does not reflect the true operating cost to the local government for keeping these prisoners: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Province of BC to fully fund the costs to keep prisoners in locally owned RCMP buildings.

Whereas the inclusion of mattresses and bulky furniture in an Extended Producer Responsibility EPR Program ensures the costs associated with recycling and disposal are borne by manufacturers; And whereas an EPR program for mattresses would create jobs, divert materials that are difficult to manage at disposal facilities, save landfill space, reduce GHG emissions and save energy through recycling: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy to include mattresses and bulky furniture in an Extended Producer Responsibility EPR program to shi

Whereas transportation is the single largest greenhouse gas GHG emission source for most BC communities, and accurately tracking these emissions is critical for all local governments as well as for the Province of British Columbia to be able to implement effective climate change mitigation initiatives and achieve GHG emission reduction targets; And whereas the provincial government does not currently provide accurate transportation emissions data to BC communities to enable them to work strategically and measurably in the reduction of community transportation emissions: Therefore be it re

Whereas the importance of open and continuing conversation between local governments and First Nations governments is critical to further reconciliation; And whereas the UBCM Regional Community to Community Forum C2C program is an important resource to assist with these dialogues, it is also important that governments be allowed the flexibility to access this funding when it is most beneficial to the communities: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM to allow the Regional Community to Community Forum grants to not be subject to specific deadlines, but be made available throughout the year, a

Whereas many BC communities are considered forest dependent and rely on the stability and growth of the forest industry for continued employment and economic growth; And whereas the majority of employment provided by the forest industry is in the manufacturing sector, and therefore, requiring security in the allocation of fibre to continue its operations and positive contributions to the communities in which they operate: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM membership urge our federal and provincial governments to implement measures to prevent the mass export of timber from private manag

Whereas the current funding model for incarceration of prisoners places an undue financial burden on local governments: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Premier of BC, Minister of Finance and Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General to implement an alternative funding model for equitable regional cost sharing for the incarceration of prisoners.