Articles related to provincial and federal legislation that affects local governments.
UBCM has received legal counsel that Bill 45, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, is intended to, and may in fact, limit the ability of local governments to manage homeless encampments. Bill 45 will apply to local governments seeking court injunctions to remove or regulate homeless encampments.
Legislation (Bill 47) has been introduced that will allow the Province to establish minimum allowable height and density for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) areas. Local governments will be required to designate these areas near transit hubs and consider applicable guidelines pertaining to them. The Province expects that approximately 100 TOD areas will be designated in approximately 30 municipalities within the first year of the legislation coming into effect.
On November 6, the Province of BC introduced legislation under Bill 45, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, that will apply to local governments who seek court injunctions to remove or regulate homeless encampments. These amendments will have significant impacts on local governments and their ability to address encampments in their communities.
The Province has introduced legislation that will substantially change the framework used by local governments to pay for infrastructure and community amenities related to new development. The legislation is largely in alignment with UBCM resolutions and policy, but also creates a funding gap for affordable housing.
The Province has introduced legislation that will bring about sweeping changes to the local planning framework through new requirements to allow increased density in areas currently zoned for single-family or duplex use. The legislation will also change housing needs reporting and public hearing requirements, and require more frequent updating of Official Community Plans together with pre-zoning that accommodates a 20-year housing supply.
The new Emergency and Disaster Management Act includes many new and enhanced responsibilities for local governments, with further details to be outlined in associated regulations.
The provincial government has introduced amendments to the Police Act (Bill 36) that will impact the policing transition process, and broader municipal authority for providing policing and law enforcement services in communities over 5,000 in population. Additional amendments relate specifically to policing in the City of Surrey.
The Province has introduced legislation that will support local government regulation of short-term rentals, increase allowable fines, and establish a provincial registry and enforcement unit. Key elements of the legislation supporting local government regulation respond directly to recommendations made in a 2021 Joint UBCM-Province Advisory Group report.
The provincial government has introduced legislation to regulate the use of illicit drugs in public areas. The legislation responds to concerns raised by BC local governments at the 2023 UBCM convention and throughout the decriminalization pilot from its inception.
With the new provincial legislation, a person may not consume illegal substances:
Yesterday, the Province introduced new emergency management legislation: the Emergency and Disaster Management Act. Once brought into force, it will replace the current Emergency Program Act. UBCM has previously summarized some of the key changes that will impact local governments.