Increased Provincial Funding for Public Libraries

Whereas public libraries support the BC Governments agenda to eliminate poverty, improve access to education, and address social justice in BC; And whereas public libraries require continuous and increasing investment to provide opportunities for life-long learning, build community, and increase equity and social inclusion; And whereas provincial funding for public libraries has remained unchanged since 2009 while costs to deliver services and public demand for library services has increased, demonstrating a regressive approach of shifting cost to municipal property tax payers: Therefore be it resolved that the District of West Vancouver strongly appeal to the BC Government to increase public library funding to a minimum of 20 million in 2020, reflecting inflationary increases since 2009 and the value of this system to the Province, and recommit to a progressive funding approach.