Whereas the UBCM Working Group on Responsible Conduct WGRC has been working extensively to support local government initiatives to address less-than-responsible local government conduct by providing local government council and board members with a set of principles and general standards of conduct that can be used to develop their own code of conduct; And whereas the WGRC continues to work on potential legislative change that focuses on the importance of councils and boards turning their minds to codes of conduct in a standardized and consistent manner: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the provincial government to establish an Independent Office of Integrity to serve the public, elected officials and local government officials in an advisory, educational and investigative role in the development, application and enforcement of codes of conduct.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs The Ministry continues to support initiatives to provide education and other tools to local governments seeking to develop a broader responsible conduct framework for local government. Many of these reflect tools requested in the 2021 UBCM Special Resolution SR3, Strengthening Responsible Conduct, and are essential steps in supporting local governments in sound and effective governance. In Fall 2021, the Legislature passed the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act No. 2, 2021 which included amendments to the Community Charter and the Vancouver Charter making it a requirement for a newly elected or appointed municipal council or regional district board to publicly consider the adoption of a code of conduct within 6 months of taking office. These new rules build upon and complement the existing responsible conduct framework in BC and provide local governments with an important new tool to support responsible conduct among local elected officials. Recognizing the need to explore issues related to responsible conduct and approaches to strengthening responsible conduct in BC, the Ministry, Union of British Columbia Municipalities UBCM and the Local Government Management Association LGMA formed the Working Group on Responsible Conduct WGRC in 2016. Since that time, the WGRC has undertaken collaborative research and policy work on the issue of responsible conduct of local government elected officials. The recent amendments were informed by this work. Integrity Commissioners can play an important role in providing education and advice respecting responsible conduct and enforcing a code of conduct. At the same time, there are limits to that role for example, integrity commissioners do not make the decision to impose sanctions on an elected official in breach of a code of conduct; that decision remains with the elected council or board. Local governments such as the City of Vancouver and the City of Surrey, are currently able to establish a local Integrity Commissioner to help guide these processes, if they so choose for their community.