Whereas communities across British Columbia are experiencing significant infrastructure funding deficits for replacements and improvements as they reach the end of their useful lifespan at a cost solely burdened to the property owners, even though the infrastructure provides benefits to residents and tourists alike; And whereas the ever-increasing downloading of requirements on each local government with no associated changes on how local governments can generate funds has adverse effects on the ability of local governments to raise adequate revenue; And whereas downloading also places increased pressure on finite local government staff capacity to continuously research and apply for the current grant-based infrastructure funding model provided by the provincial government, which is biased towards benefiting larger or jurisdictions with greater economic resources: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urges the provincial government to allocate one 1 percent of the seven 7 percent collected as Provincial Sales Tax to be used solely for investment in local government infrastructure and asset renewal for a defined time period and that the proportion each local government receives be related to the amount of the PST that is generated within each local government boundary.
