Water and Sewage Disposal Services in Electoral Areas

Whereas the ability of regional districts to establish essential services for the provision of safe drinking water and sewage disposal in electoral areas is difficult when consent of the electorate must be obtained to establish these crucial services; And whereas access to clean drinking water and environmentally safe disposal options for sewage are considered an essential service within a municipality who do not require consent of their electorate to establish these services over their boundaries; And whereas the Local Government Act allows regional districts to establish other important services, such as emergency planning and emergency communications systems, through participating area approval by way of written consent of the electoral area directors under the Act: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the provincial government amend the Local Government Act to provide the option to establish drinking water services and sewage disposal services in electoral areas only in the same manner as those services listed under section 3392 of the Act and therefore not require consent of the electorate.