2020

Whereas the Fire Underwriters Survey requires that in order to receive credit for fire insurance grading purposes, all first line fire apparatus in small and rural communities should be replaced after 20 years of service and may only be extended up to 25 years when fire apparatus is tested and proven to be in excellent mechanical condition; And whereas small and rural local governments often are financially challenged to replace high cost and minimally used fire apparatus on a 20-25 year rotational basis: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM petition the Province to advocate to the Fire Und

Whereas the Province has laudably committed to a living wage for BC residents by increasing the minimum wage to 14.60, however in doing so has inadvertently caused fiscal challenges for many libraries that rely on minimum wage workers; And whereas the Province has stated that Public libraries are at the heart of BCs diverse and unique communities, recognizing the profound impact libraries have on British Columbians from all walks of life; yet funding for libraries across the Province has remained stagnant since the 25 percent funding cut in 2009, when minimum wage was 8.00: Therefore be i

Whereas northern and rural communities need to be included in meaningful consultation when provincial greenhouse gas reduction programs are developed, in order to maximize success of the programs in those communities and prevent barriers to implementation; And whereas program requirements can create barriers for community participation when resources are not available at a local or regional level such as Energy Step Code requiring certified Energy Advisors to ensure compliance, and if programs are not scaled to suit small communities such as offering fuel-switching incentives only for very

Whereas BC Hydro is responsible for connecting newly constructed infrastructure to its power lines; And whereas there are lengthy wait times for BC Hydro to install services for projects that result in an excessive delay in service provision, additional expenses andor a loss of revenue for local governments: Therefore be it resolved UBCM lobby the provincial government to address lengthy wait times for BC Hydro connections so that projects can be connected in a timely fashion.

Whereas the Building Code is being changed to include higher energy standards in accordance with the Energy Step Code, and successful implementation of the Energy Step Code requires: 1. Preparedness of the building community; 2. Energy advisors that are readily accessible; 3. Availability and affordability of required materials; 4. Staff capacity within local governments; And whereas discussion with local governments and the building community in rural, remote and northern regions have identified the following barriers to successful implementation: 1.

Whereas mentally vulnerable children, youth and adults in BC rural communities are left to face many life-threatening obstacles during a mental health crisis as they wait to obtain services in larger communities due to its absence in their localities; And whereas very few rural communities were declared eligible for Community Action Team through the recently disbursed 3.5 million provincially received by the Minister of Mental Health and Addiction: Therefore it be resolved that UBCM request the Minister of Mental Health and Addiction to provide funding for additional beds and facility exp

Whereas under the Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act the Act the provincial government may sue a manufacturer or wholesaler of an opioid product to recover the costs of health care benefits on an aggregate basis, for a population of persons who have suffered damage caused or contributed to by the use of or exposure to an opioid product; And whereas pursuant to the Act and other legislation, the provincial government has launched a class action lawsuit on behalf of all federal, provincial and territorial governments to recover the costs of health care benefits from manufactur

Whereas ongoing labour shortages are prevalent in most small rural communities in ambulance halls throughout British Columbia, leading to increased response times and reducing patients access to possibly lifesaving treatment; And whereas BC Emergency Health Service BCEHSs ambulance service is a vital component of life safety and access to healthcare for those who live and work in small rural communities, which are often a significant distance from fully-equipped hospitals: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to provide more resources along with a commitment to finding a l

Whereas harm reduction best practices include needle distribution rather than needle exchange; And whereas local governments are left to clean up discarded drug paraphernalia such as needles found within their jurisdiction: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to develop an effective retrieval and safe disposal program for used needles and that they involve local governments in the development of this program.

Whereas in 2017 service providers were mandated by BC Housing to operate all shelters as minimal barrier aka low barrier; And whereas this is a deterrent to accessing shelters for those individuals who are trying to maintain a clean and sober lifestyle, or for women and children fleeing violence, as they are forced to share shelter space with individuals dealing with active addictions under this policy: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to direct BC Housing to ensure that its policies support adequate shelter space throughout the province for those individ