As members begin drafting resolutions for the 2026 Area Association conventions, please keep in mind the extraordinary resolution that passed in 2025 which will apply a new framework to ensure resolutions considered by the membership at Convention are: focused on new issues, within local government scope, province-wide in nature, and clearly written.
Resolutions that are repetitive, out of scope, regional in focus, or unclear will be not be considered at UBCM Convention. This will make more time at Convention for thoughtful debate of the resolutions that do pass the framework. By sharpening the focus, the outcomes of our debates will provide a clearer indication of the critical issues facing British Columbia’s communities. The change also supports UBCM’s advocacy with the Province by reducing the overall number of resolutions conveyed each year.
Starting this year, all resolutions submitted to UBCM (either through Area Associations or direct to UBCM) that meet one or more of the following criteria will be excluded from consideration at Convention:
- Existing UBCM policy (based on membership endorsing or not endorsing a previous resolution or policy paper within the last five years),
- Outside of the scope of BC local governments and member First Nations,
- Does not meet UBCM criteria for format or clarity, or
- Regional in focus.
The UBCM Resolutions Committee is committed to applying the new criteria fairly, objectively, and with equal consideration regardless of the size or capacity of the sponsoring member. In the interest of transparency, resolutions that are excluded by this criteria will still be shared in an appendix in the Resolutions Book.
Before drafting your 2026 resolutions, members are encouraged to:
- Review UBCM’s resolutions database for similar resolutions over the last five years.
- Consider if the issue is within local government or First Nations’ member scope.
- Consider if the issue is relevant for a wide segment of UBCM members outside your region. While regional issues may be appropriate for consideration at an Area Association convention, they will no longer be considered at the UBCM Convention.
- Refer to UBCM’s writing guidelines to ensure clarity and necessary format.
Should you have any questions about the application of the four new criteria, please contact Jamee Justason, Resolutions and Policy Analyst at jjustason@ubcm.ca