Whereas the theft of copper wire costs the local taxpayers of British Columbia thousands of dollars each year to repair and can create a danger to public safety through the loss of electricity, lighting and communications; And whereas the Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act is more than 10 years old and metal thefts are an ongoing problem: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Province, in collaboration with police agencies in BC, to complete a review of the Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act to address metal theft.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General The Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act MDRA, enacted in 2011, regulates the purchase of specific metals and establishes registration and reporting requirements for metal dealers in British Columbia. The MDRA does not regulate the theft of metal. Theft is regulated under the Criminal Code of Canada, which is enforced by the police. The MDRA is meant to act as a deterrent to metal dealers and recyclers from accepting items that might be stolen, and to the sellers of stolen items from taking them to regulated metal dealers. The Province acknowledges that the MDRA is over 10 years old, and that metal theft is an ongoing, multi- faceted problem. Updates to the Metal Dealers and Recyclers Regulation were completed in recent years. The Province continues to review the MDRA as one component in addressing the complex issue of metal theft in BC, including evaluating the results of a recent public engagement survey on catalytic converter theft.