Whereas local governments are on the front lines of planning for and responding to increasingly costly climate impacts and extreme weather events; have direct or indirect influence over more than half of British Columbias greenhouse gas emissions; and have relied on consistent, continuous and non-competitive funding since 2010 through the Local Government Climate Action Program and its predecessor to advance climate action, leverage significant additional funding, and contribute measurable progress towards Provincial emissions reduction targets and adaptation goals; And whereas the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions 202627-202829 Service Plan does not include renewed funding for the Local Government Climate Action Program, despite increasing climate-related costs and clear evidence that climate action realizes significant financial return on investments as well as health, ecosystem, energy and socio-cultural benefits: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call on the Province of British Columbia to renew and maintain the Local Government Climate Action Program as a long-term, predictable, and non-competitive funding program at no less than current funding levels.
