Each year, UBCM presents Long Service Awards to eligible local elected officials at the Annual UBCM Convention. The award is outlined in Section 6.6.1 of the UBCM Executive Policies as follows:
UBCM shall present Long-Service certificates to any person who has served a total of twenty-five (25) years as an elected member of a council or regional board. UBCM shall also present Special Long-Service awards to any person who has served a total of thirty-five (35) years or more as an elected member of a council or regional board. Service required for both awards need not be continuous nor on the same council or board but must be municipal or regional district service and not on other public bodies.
In February 2025, the UBCM Executive passed a motion that a new third Long Service Award will be recognized for members who have served a total of twenty (20) years. This award will not be retroactively recognized for members who have previously been awarded the twenty-five year Long Service Award, or the thirty-five year Special Long Service Award. This new award will take effect at the 2025 Convention.
Nominations are accepted every year from the beginning of May until the end of August for the Long Service Awards (20 and 25 years) and Special Long Service Awards (35+ years). Local government administrators are asked to complete the form below to formally make the nomination.
Long Service Awards Criteria (20 years)
The following prerequisites should be adhered to:
- The recipient must have served, as an elected member, on a BC Municipal Council or Regional District Board for a total of 20 years or more. Service can be in broken periods and on different Councils or Regional District Boards, but the time so involved must add up to at least 20 years of service.
- The recipient can have served as Mayor, Reeve, Alderman, Councillor, Electoral Area Director, Village Chairman, or Village Commissioner, but service on other municipal bodies or boards, etc., such as School Trustee, Hospital Board members, Library Board, etc. cannot be considered in computing the total length of elected service.
- The recipient must be presently in elected office and may not have already received a Long Service Award for twenty-five years, or the Special Long Service Award for thirty-five years. This award will take effect in 2025, and will not be retroactively recognized.
Long Service Awards Criteria (25 years)
The following prerequisites should be adhered to:
- The recipient must have served, as an elected member, on a BC Municipal Council or Regional District Board for a total of 25 years or more. Service can be in broken periods and on different Councils or Regional District Boards, but the time so involved must add up to at least 25 years of service.
- The recipient can have served as Mayor, Reeve, Alderman, Councillor, Electoral Area Director, Village Chairman, or Village Commissioner, but service on other municipal bodies or boards, etc., such as School Trustee, Hospital Board members, Library Board, etc. cannot be considered in computing the total length of elected service.
- The recipient can be presently in elected office or might now be retired from the field.
Special Long Service Awards Criteria
Individuals who have served as an elected member on a BC Municipal Council or Regional District Board for 35 years or more are eligible for this special award. To qualify for the Special Long Service Award, the individual:
- must meet the long service criteria, listed above,
- may or may not have also received a regular long-service award for 25 years of service.
Presentation at the 2025 Convention
Please email Jackie-Deane Cowell, Event Coordinator, at jdcowell@ubcm.ca if you have any questions.
