2019

Whereas only the federal and provincial governments are receiving tax revenue from the recently legalized sale of recreational cannabis, despite local governments encountering increased costs of the associated implementation; And whereas UBCM endorsed a resolution 2018-SR1 calling for a principled approach to guide the negotiation of a cannabis excise tax revenue sharing agreement with the Government of British Columbia, and recommending that BC local governments receive 40 of the projected excise tax revenue in the short term, which has not received any response from the Province: Theref

Whereas Search and Rescue volunteers provide valuable service in support of police forces, the BC Ambulance Service, the Coroners Service, and local governments in the province, and the costs associated with providing the necessary training, equipment and facilities is increasing; And whereas Search and Rescue groups rely on grants and other time consuming, short term and unpredictable funding sources which do not provide financial security or allow long term strategic operational planning; And whereas the Province has supported Search and Rescue groups with a series of one year grants fo

Whereas the Provincial Government of British Columbia has ceased to reimburse local governments for their expenditures of stand-by pay for key emergency staff during peak freshet and wildfire hazard seasons in 2018; And whereas the Regional District of East Kootenay has observed an upsurge in the requirement of this service due to environmental circumstances, including climate change; And whereas the Regional District of East Kootenay views the elimination of this funding by the Provincial Government of British Columbia as a downloading of provincial responsibilities to local government

Whereas local governments have actively advocated for a larger role in the review of forest management plans in the province and are now increasingly being asked to provide input into the forest management plans proposed by the forest industry and BC Timber Sales, but without a clearly defined mandate, framework, or best practices within which to consider such plans; And whereas the authority for managing and regulating the Provinces forest resources rests with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the

Whereas the costs to local governments for providing police-based victim services continues to escalate due to increased demand and annual inflation; And whereas the authority for providing victim services for: victims issues; development of legislation, policies and programs; training; and delivering and funding programs that support victims and their families is the responsibility of the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Branch of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM urge the Province of BC, through the Ministry of Public Safet

Whereas the Office of the Fire Commissioner has, over the past three years, put more requirements in place for fire departments in British Columbia; And whereas the cost and time commitment of these increased training, risk management, and records management requirements have negatively impacted volunteer and paid-on-call fire fighter recruitment and has resulted in increased local government taxation: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM be directed to work with the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and the Office of the Fire Commissioner to explore provincial funding suppor

Whereas rural and municipal fire departments provide essential structural and wildfire mitigation services and are regularly called upon by the BC Wildfire Service to respond to wildfires in and around their response area; And whereas the BC Wildfire Service relies on the support of rural and municipal fire departments to provide an effective wildfire response program, the Province of British Columbia benefits from having these additional resources available, and many communities struggle to pay for the infrastructure and equipment essential for the existence and operation of the fire depa

Whereas the Timber Supply Areas within the province of British Columbia includes both consumptive watersheds and Old Growth Management Areas designated for the purpose of enabling and securing ecological resilience to withstand the long-term effects of forest degradation; And whereas these critical landscape elements are not protected under legislation and these watersheds are experiencing effects detrimental to slope stability, water quality and quantity which ultimately leads to forest decline and increased risk of wildfire, landslides, loss of water supply, and other effects that local

Whereas in the Kootenays at the present time, provincial policy is to prohibit sale of crown lands, including properties under foreclosure for non-payment of taxes; And whereas such foreclosed properties are being left derelict, often becoming unsightly and posing a fire hazard, even though there is a housing shortage; Therefore be it resolved that this policy of non-sales or non-use on foreclosed properties be revoked and such foreclosed crown properties be offered for rent or sale.

Whereas local governments in British Columbia have incurred substantive planning department and other costs related to supporting the implementation of cannabis legislation and have not yet received confirmation from federal and provincial levels of government that they would receive cannabis-related revenue to offset these costs: Therefore be it resolved that the federal and provincial governments immediately provide confirmation of funds from cannabis-related revenue streams to offset local government cannabis legislation implementation related costs.