Tuesday Session Descriptions

Presenters:
Wendy Byrne, Consultation and Training Officer, Office of the Ombudsperson BC
Zoë Macmillan, Manager of Investigations, Health and Local Services, Office of the Ombudsperson BC
Presentation

Details: In this session, BC Ombudsperson staff will highlight fairness principles and fairness challenges to consider when developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems. This guidance comes from Getting Ahead of the Curve, their joint report with the BC and Yukon Ombudsman’ and Information and Privacy Commissioners’ offices. AI is being used more frequently in service delivery and decision making by public bodies, including local governments. From determining program eligibility to approving building permits, the benefits and efficiency of AI cannot be underestimated. While recognizing the benefits of AI, how do we ensure that core principles of fairness are not sacrificed? Although not a simple balance, we will highlight ways to ensure fairness is integrated into AI systems used by local governments.

Presenters:
Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care, Ministry of Education and Child Care
Eric Woodward, Mayor, Township of Langley
Candy Ashdown, Board Chair, Langley School District 35
Christina Zacharuk, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education and Child Care
Presentation

Details: There is a need for complete communities in British Columbia and schools are a key component. Rapid growth of population/demographic changes are driving the need to work closely together. Additional housing results in more schools in new neighbourhoods. In that context, effective collaboration and coordination between different levels of government in land use planning, site acquisition, school development, capital planning as well as service delivery processes are crucial.

Led by Minister Rachna Singh (Ministry of Education and Child Care) and Mayor Eric Woodward (Township of Langley) along with Board Chair Candy Ashdown (Langley School District) from the high growth community of Langley, this forum will showcase opportunities and challenges facing school capital infrastructure to balance high student enrolment growth with necessary educational space in a timely, cost-efficient manner. Deputy Minister Christina Zacharuk (Ministry of Education and Child Care) will be the facilitator for the session. This presentation will focus on successful practices in place at the local level that may be emulated in other communities and provide an open forum to discuss what else can be done.

Presenter:
Dwight Yochim, CEO, BC Search and Rescue Association
Andrew Wallwork, Treasurer of the BC Search and Rescue Association and Search Manager with the South Fraser Ground Search and Rescue group
Presentation

Details: British Columbia’s Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) groups are integral parts of communities.  From searching for missing individuals, assisting local police forces and ambulance services, and supporting emergency management operations, these groups of highly trained volunteers enhance the safety and livability of communities throughout BC. They save close to 2000 lives a year through conducting 1600 searches and rescues annually.  On call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, these unpaid professionals provide their time, their own gear and dedication and expertise.  However, less than half of their funding comes from the Province, requiring groups to fundraise each year to support search and rescue tasks.  This session will outline the roles and responsibilities of the 78 GSAR groups in the Province, and how communities can support their operations that make communities safer for visitors and residents alike.

Presenters:
He’we Ala̱g̱a̱mił, Nicole Norris, Indigenous Planning Officer, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
Hlidax̱, John Kervel, Regional Manager, Vancouver Island Coastal, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
Presentation

This session will provide insights on advancing reconciliation through the operationalization of Cultural Safety in Emergency Management as observed by Indigenous BC Public Servants.

Presenters:
Graham Bruce, Former MLA and Cabinet Minister, Strengthening Democracy
Mike Harcourt, Former Premier of British Columbia, Strengthening Democracy
Presentation

Details: Once standing two sword lengths apart in the BC Legislature, former NDP Premier Mike Harcourt and former Socred & BC Liberal Minister Graham Bruce, are now working together to highlight concerns and misperceptions about our democracy and how we might strengthen democracy as elected persons. As mayors, (Mike – Vancouver and Graham – North Cowichan), both speakers have experienced the front-line issues and pressures of local government. Is there a real threat to Democracy worldwide and what role can mayors & councillors play in ‘Strengthening Democracy’.

Taryn Dixon, Director, Fraser Valley Regional District
Rob Schweitzer, Executive Director, BC Wildfire Service
Vanessa Craig, Chair, Regional District of Nanaimo
Grace McGregor, Director, Regional District Kootenay Boundary
Mike Simpson, Forester and Facilitator, Fraser Basin Council
James Mack, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
Mark Parker, Chair, Buckley Nechako Regional District
Ken Young, Councillor, District of Vanderhoof

• Forum Agenda
• Community Wildfire Response Presentation
• Watershed Security Strategy Presentation

Presentation

Mary Dunn, President, Sooke Region Communities Health Network
Jen Ford, President, UBCM
Valerie St. John, Executive Director, BC Association of Community Health Centres
Danyta Welch, Manager, LGPS, UBCM
Michael Goetz, Mayor, City of Merritt
Blair Ireland, Mayor, District of Lake Country
Chris Johnson, GM of Planning, Climate and Infrastructure, City of Nelson
Maja Tait, Mayor, District of Sooke
Christina Camilleri, Founder, Lake Country Health Essentials Clinic

Presentation

Olga Shcherbyna, Social Planning Manager, City of Delta
Evan Lloyd, Emergency Program Manager, City of Nanaimo
Elaine Cross, Executive Director, Climate Partnership and Engagement, CleanBC Roadmap, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Will Wedel, Manager, Development Services, City of Prince George
Kenneth Porter, Manager, Communities-Local Government Climate Action Program, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Jonny Morris, CEO, CMHABC
Alex Atkinson, Poverty Reduction and Homelessness Coordinator, City of Delta
Conor Reynolds, Director, Air Quality and Climate Action, Metro Vancouver
Neil Arao, Deputy Executive Director, Homelessness, Housing and Mental Health Services, Options Community Services
Jocelyn Jenkyns, City Manager, City of Victoria

Presentation

Presenters:
Jen Ford, President, Union of B.C. Municipalities
Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, Province of B.C.
Armel Castellan, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, Meteorological Service of Canada, Environment of Climate Change Canada — Presentation
Dr. Angela Yao, Senior Scientist, Environment Health Services, B.C. Centre for Disease Control — Presentation

The 2023 B.C. wildfire season has been declared the most destructive ever recorded based on square kilometers burned. That declaration was made in mid-June, not even half way through the wildfire season. In the months since that declaration the wildfires have not relented, and have continued to ravage communities, putting lives at risk and creating a host of negative health impacts. This year’s plenary session will explore these health impacts, both physical and mental, and discuss some of the ongoing research, as well as strategies to help protect our communities.

Under the Accessible BC Act, as of September 2023, local governments will be required to establish an accessibility committee, develop an accessibility plan, and put in place a mechanism for public feedback on the accessibility of the organization. This walking tour, developed with the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, will highlight some of the barriers and challenges that persons with disabilities could encounter in the built environment. It is a launchpad for local governments to think about accessibility in their own communities.

Please note this is a walking tour, participants should be able to walk multiple blocks in an urban setting, or have a mobility scooter or similar device that enables them to do so.

Participants meet in the VCC East Building Foyer.

There is no fee to attend this tour, however, there is a capacity limit and it was included as an option on the registration form.

SPARC Presentation
Tour Participant Guide
Supports for Local Governments to Advance Accessibility
Requirements Under Accessible BC Act for Local Governments
Local Community Accessibility Grants — Program Overview
Local Community Accessibility Grant Application — fillable
Canucks Autism Network

Presenters:
Julie MacDougall, Executive Director Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Chief Forester, Office of the Chief Forester, Ministry of Forests
Eamon O’Donoghue, Associate Deputy Minister, Ministry of Forests
Colin Mahoney, Research Climatologist, Forest Carbon and Climate Services Branch, Ministry of Forests
Norah White, Executive Director, Provincial Old Growth Strategy, Ministry of Forests
Derek Lefler, Director, Forest Science, Planning and Practices Branch, Ministry of Forests
Presentation

Details: Communities across the province are experiencing the impacts of climate change, from drought to atmospheric rivers to catastrophic wildfires. Participants will learn about:climate change and how it is impacting our forests across the province, including how this impacts communities; and new collaborative planning processes and how these incorporate climate science and data to manage forests for a suite of values of interest that are important to communities.

This session will include an update on the recent announcement around Forest Landscape Plans, progress on an action plan for old growth management, and new tools and climate science to support these initiatives.

Many communities this summer are experiencing the significant implications of drought and wildfire on their residents, the economy and the lands directly adjacent to their communities. Participants will learn about how communities can actively participate in the development of solutions that reflect community interests. A panel of senior leaders in provincial and local government will be joined by experts and scientists in the areas of climate, forest management and planning.

Presenters:
Honourable Bowinn Ma, Minister, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
Grant Holly, Executive Lead, Policy, Legislation & Engagement, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
Katie Olthuis, Director, Policy & Legislation, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
Emergency Management Presentation
Local Government Finance Review working group Presentation

Details: Join the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness in discussing two key subject
areas for regulations under B.C.’s modernized emergency management legislation: local authorities and disaster financial assistance. This session will outline key concepts being considered for inclusion in regulations and provide opportunities for discussion and feedback. Discussion will focus on:

• Local authorities: emergency management planning, risk assessment, multijurisdictional emergency management organizations, and consultation and cooperation.
• Disaster financial assistance: eligibility and coverage, the role of insurance, and increasing resilience through recovery programs.

Feedback received through this session will directly impact the development and drafting of regulations, policies, and guidelines under the new legislation. The format will be world café style, so if you’re in another session that ends early, please drop by to help shape future emergency management regulations.

Presenters:
Megan Harris, Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Safety Transformation Team, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General — Presentation
Glen Lewis, Director of Police Services & Assistant Deputy Minister, Policing and Security Branch, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Ardys Baker, Executive Director, Public Safety Transformation Team, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
David Wilks, Mayor, District of Sparwood
Christine Boyle, Councillor, City of Vancouver
Local Government Finance Review working group presentation

Details: Overview and update on the Policing and Public Safety Modernization Initiative, which includes making progress to respond to the recommendations of the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act. The session will include information about the strategic approach to policy and legislation co-development, the timeline of the initiative, the engagement approach, and how local government leaders are being engaged through the Local Government Policing Modernization Roundtable.

Presenters:
Gary Perkins, Chief Information Security Officer and Executive Director, Information Security Branch, Ministry of Citizens’ Services
Don Costello, Director of Information Security, Information Security Branch, Ministry of Citizens’ Services
Cybersecurity presentation
Local Government Finance Review working group presentation

Details: This session will help elected officials and senior staff understand the risk posed to local governments by cyberthreats, and the critical steps they can take to address the threat to their organizations.

No organization is immune to the threat of cybercrime, and the frequency and sophistication cyber attacks is always rising. Security breaches have significant financial impacts. But, we don’t talk often enough about the impacts to operations, service delivery and public confidence. These are business risks we should all be prioritizing.

We will discuss these risks, share the questions you should be asking and look at the foundational, and sometimes simple, steps that organizations should be taking and the resources available to support you. Finally, we will cover opportunities for collaboration amongst local, provincial, and federal governments.

Presenters:
Paul Gipps, CAO, City of West Kelowna
Brian Godlonton, Fire Commissioner, Office of the Fire Commissioner
Ian Meier, Assistant Deputy Minister, BC Wildfire Service
Mark Parker, Chair, Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako
Danyta Welch, Manager, Local Government Program Services, UBCM

Details: Representatives from local governments, the BC Wildfire service and UBCM will offer their reflections on what local governments need to do now in order to be better prepared before next fire season.  This will be a collaborative panel discussion and delegates will be asked to share their reflections and ask questions.