Opportunities for members to give feedback, have input, participate in advisory groups, and more.
BC’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch is considering changes to two areas of cannabis regulation: market controls and sales at events. Local governments will have received a discussion paper from LCRB, with background information, questions for consideration and an invitation to schedule a meeting to discuss these issues by August 1, 2025.
UBCM has provided a submission to the Commission of Inquiry into Community Events Safety in B.C. The submission outlines several issues for the Commission’s consideration as it examines measures respecting public security and safety at community events. The Commission was established on May 7, 2025, following the tragic events that took place during the April 26th Lapu-Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver.
The Province is seeking stakeholder feedback regarding its ‘Liquor to Go’ policy, which allows certain businesses to sell liquor for off-site consumption with the purchase of a meal for takeout or delivery. Local governments are invited to provide their input on this policy by responding to a provincial engagement paper by August 7, 2025.
The Province’s review of its CleanBC climate action plan, launched in May, is seeking feedback from local governments and other interested parties.
The Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs is seeking local government feedback on possible amendments to closed meeting provisions in the local government legislation. Two webinars in June will provide information about the possible amendments, and an opportunity for local governments to provide feedback.
The potential amendments would expand the circumstances in which local government board and council meetings can be closed to the public, including some circumstances specifically relevant to local government-First Nation relations.
The Canadian Standards Association (CSA), supported by the Province of BC, is seeking local government and First Nations representatives to participate on a one-year technical subcommittee (TSC) that will develop modernized Flood Hazard Area Land Use Management Guidelines for BC. Individuals interested in joining the TSC are asked to contact Jeff Menard, Program Manager, Canadian Standards Association, as soon as possible.
The Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee (LGCMC) will be meeting on June 10, 2025. Local governments wishing to suggest discussion items related to the agreement under which the RCMP provides local police services in B.C. are asked to submit input to Bhar Sihota, UBCM Senior Policy Analyst, by May 7, 2025.
The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) seeks local and Indigenous government comments on modernizing the Proximity Guidelines for residential or industrial development adjacent to rail lines and operations.
Local governments are invited to provide input on the development of regulations for local authorities under the Emergency and Disaster Management Act (EDMA) at one of three online engagement sessions this April. These webinars, administered by the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) and hosted by UBCM, will give local governments an opportunity to review, validate, and add to key issues and questions identified by the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) on EDMA regulations.
Following last year’s release of the B.C. Flood Strategy, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) is hosting two unique half-day virtual engagement sessions regarding flood policy guidance. Interested First Nations and local governments are asked to register by 5:00 p.m. on March 17th.