Open Government at UBCM and Area Associations

Whereas the Community Charter mandates that meetings of councils must be open to the public and that councils must not vote on the reading or adoption of a bylaw when its meeting is closed to the public, except in narrow circumstances involving land, legal, labour and other confidential matters; And whereas UBCM and area associations are the central bodies of local governments in British Columbia, with annual meetings serving as the forum where non-confidential matters relating to the functioning of local government and its relation to other levels of government are considered, debated and decided upon: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call on the executive and staff of UBCM to ensure that future UBCM Conventions are open to the public, by eliminating entrance fees for observers, and by making good-faith efforts to convene meetings in facilities that have adequate space to provide a reasonable level of access for members of the public; And be it further resolved that this resolution be referred to the 2017 annual meetings of all area associations, requesting favourable consideration and the adoption of an open meetings policy for those meetings, to ensure free and reasonable access for members of the public.