Whereas British Columbia communities are facing rapidly increasing pressures to watershed security, including climate-fueled droughts, landslides, floods and wildfires, the cumulative impacts of industrial development as well as privately owned managed forest land in our watersheds; And whereas increased and sustained funding is required for local governments to provide safe, sustainable drinking water for communities, and to work in active partnership with First Nations to improve watershed governance and management to address the challenges we are facing in our watersheds: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province of BC and the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Management dedicate at least 10 of the revenue collected from provincial water rental fees to support watershed security at the local level; And be it further resolved that water rental fees for large industrial water users be increased to make this a revenue-neutral solution for the Province.
