UBCM has sought clarification from the Province on its position regarding the roles and responsibilities of local governments for financial assistance and property buyouts when homes are deemed unsafe due to disaster risk.
In a recent report highlighting this issue, six homeowners in the Fraser Valley Regional District that were ordered to vacate their homes due to landslide risk were told that no provincial support would be provided. Instead, Ministry staff are cited as stating that responsibility for buyouts in these circumstances lies with local governments.
As more risk assessments are completed by local governments to comply with the Emergency and Disaster Management Act, more properties are likely to be identified as high risk for flood, wildfire or other hazards. UBCM is concerned about the absence of clear policy to support property owners in mitigating these risks, and the unrealistic expectation that local governments—particularly regional districts—could deliver buyouts without established services or provincial support.
UBCM has written a letter Minister Kelly Greene to ask the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness to clarify its current policy regarding the roles and responsibilities of local governments in these circumstances.