Articles related to provincial and federal legislation that affects local governments.
Victoria, BC – The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) is calling on the Province to pause progress on changes to the Heritage Conservation Act until meaningful consultation can be conducted with local governments.
The Province has announced that the timeline is being extended to introduce a new regulation for local authorities, under the Emergency and Disaster Management Act. The Honourable Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, speaking at a Convention session, Climate Hazards & Housing: Risk, Resilience, and Local Action, delivered the announcement that new regulation will not take effect until early 2027.
The Ministry of Infrastructure has launched an engagement portal to collect feedback on the implementation of the Infrastructure Projects Act. The deadline for feedback on the topic of ‘Provincially Significant Projects’ is September 30. Feedback on the ‘Qualified Professional Reliance Model’ and the ‘Expediated Environmental Assessment Process’ will occur in the fall/winter of 2025/2026.
Senior and technical local government staff and elected officials are encouraged to attend a BC government webinar on proposed amendments to the Heritage Conservation Act (HCA) on August 12, 9am – noon PDT. Register in advance to ensure you receive an information package from the Ministry of Forests beforehand.
The Ministry of Attorney General in BC is developing a proposal regarding prompt payment in the construction sector.
The BC Government has amended the Local Government Act, enabling regional districts to designate fire inspectors and investigators and establish fire inspection and fire investigation services without requiring a service establishing bylaw. These amendments, which came into force on May 29, 2025, are directly related to responsibilities under the Fire Safety Act, which came into effect on August 1, 2024.
The Province has provided additional details about engagement activities to inform its review of the CleanBC climate action plan. The review will evaluate the effectiveness of CleanBC policies and programs, examine progress toward B.C.’s emissions reduction targets, and recommend areas for improvement. The Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions is encouraging Local governments and other interested parties to share their experience with CleanBC.
The provincial government is changing the rules for electric vehicles wishing to access high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. These changes affect municipal roads with HOV lanes and could trigger the need for municipalities to update road signage.
Starting August 15, 2025, drivers of electric vehicles will no longer be required to display a decal to drive in high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes when carrying less than the required number of passengers. Instead, electric vehicles can be driven in HOV lanes where signage allows it.
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 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.