Whereas resource development projects significantly impact rural and unincorporated communities, including electoral areas, where regional directors are elected to represent local interests; And whereas there is currently no standardized protocol for provincial ministries or resource development proponents to engage regional directors in consultation processes, limiting their ability to provide informed input on behalf of their communities: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the provincial government, specifically the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, the Ministry of Forests, and the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, to establish formal engagement protocols that require provincial ministries and resource development proponents to consult with local governments on projects within their jurisdictions, ensuring local perspectives are considered in decision-making.
Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat The Province remains committed to consulting with local governments. Projects with a significant impact on the land base are subject to various formal review processes, such as the environmental assessment process, and include opportunities for local government officials to participate. In September 2024, the Province and UBCM renewed the Memorandum of Understanding MOU to strengthen how the Province and UBCM work together with local governments in support of lasting and meaningful reconciliation with First Nations. The renewed MOU prioritizes coordination and information-sharing with local governments, while reaffirming that the Province remains fully responsible for its government-to-government reconciliation commitments with First Nations. A formalized joint working group was established between the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs and UBCM to operationalize the renewed MOU. In collaboration with UBCM, the Province is taking steps to raise local government awareness within the BC public service with the aim to continuously improve consultations with local governments officials, including regional directors, to better integrate a local government lens into the decision-making process.