Articles about UBCM's annual Conventions.
Online harassment, personal attacks, threats and more hostile public debate are adding to the pressures that already come with serving in local government. Yet elected officials often don’t have access to mental health supports through their workplace.
One of the first sessions at Convention this year was a panel discussing rising costs for local governments who use RCMP policing services. Local governments across BC have been sharing concerns that taxpayers are paying the price without having enough input into how policing is funded and delivered.
As the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act continues to shape conversations in BC about reconciliation, governance, law-making and community relationships, UBCM is convening an extended plenary session at Convention to discuss the complexities around this Act and its implementation.
Through a moderated series of panels, the session will explore perspectives from legal, Indigenous, local government, business and provincial representatives.
The 2026 UBCM Convention will include a memorial wall, meant to honour local elected officials in BC who have passed away this year. If you know of an elected official in your area who passed away in the last 12 months, contact Zoë Ducklow by Tuesday, September 8 to ensure they are included in the memorial wall. Please include their name, the position they held and at which local government, the years they held office, and a photo.
The first day of Convention will feature a unique session of a live reading of the documentary play, “Eyes of the Beast”, followed by a forum for delegates to discuss their own experiences and wisdom learned. Minister of Emergency Management & Climate Readiness, Kelly Greene, will attend the session as a policy listener.
In 2021, British Columbia experienced the deadliest weather-related disaster in Canadian history: an extreme heat wave that killed 619 people, followed by a fire that levelled Lytton and floods that cut the province in two.
UBCM staff will be available to discuss the funding programs we administer during the 2026 UBCM Convention. Local governments are invited to book appointments with staff from the BCSF – Community Stream and/or Local Government Program Services.
CAO’s and senior staff are invited to book appointments online here.
UBCM members are encouraged to book an appointment to meet UBCM staff and to discuss:
Every year at UBCM Convention we host forums specifically for small communities and electoral areas. The Small Talk Forum unites the collective brainpower of communities with populations under 5,000. The unique concerns of regional district electoral areas focus the discussion at the Electoral Area Directors' Forum.
Help shape this year's agendas by sending your questions, ideas and success stories to UBCM staff by Friday, July 17.
UBCM is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to design, develop, and implement a mobile application (app) for the organization. The primary purpose of the app will be to serve as the official event app for UBCM’s Convention in September. The app must deliver a seamless and engaging experience for Convention attendees. Both turnkey event platforms and fully custom-designed applications will be considered.
UBCM presents Long Service Awards to eligible local government elected officials and eligible member First Nation elected officials at the annual UBCM Convention. Elected officials can be recognized for 20, 25 or 35 years of service.
UBCM will be accepting session proposals for clinics and workshops at the 2026 Annual Convention until Friday, June 5th. Interested parties are asked to review the criteria in the Session Proposal Process and make a submission through the online form by 4:30 pm on June 5, 2026.