Whereas local government decision-making plays a significant role in the lives of First Nations peoples, including enforcement of bylaws that deal directly with homeless encampments, and few local governments in British Columbia have developed strategies for adopting or implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples UNDRIP; And whereas UBCM has endorsed UNDRIP and requested the Province of BC to provide an ongoing funding stream for local governments and Indigenous partners to advance the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and local reconciliation actions, and the First Nations Leadership Council comprised of the BC Assembly of First Nations, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, and the First Nations Summit have called upon BC local governments to implement UNDRIP by co-developing working agreements and action plans with territorial rights holders to ensure alignment of local government policy, bylaws and housing and homelessness initiatives with UNDRIP: Therefore be it resolved that British Columbia local governments be encouraged to adopt and implement UNDRIP, take steps toward its full application within the bounds of their jurisdiction; And be it further resolved that the Province of BC be requested to fund the co-development of guidance toolkits for BC local governments to align housing and homelessness initiatives with UNDRIP.
