2024

Whereas rural BC has a proportionately larger and faster growing seniors population than urban BC, yet has less infrastructure and resources to support its aging population; And whereas a greater and more focused provincial response to ongoing concerns about inequities in services and supports for seniors in rural BC is required to address the inadequacies of current approaches to such issues: Therefore be it resolved that the provincial government establish a rural seniors caucus made up, but not limited to, of a combination of elected officials and government staff to serve as a platfor

Whereas rural BC has a proportionately larger and faster growing seniors population than urban BC, yet has less infrastructure and resources to support its aging population; And whereas a greater and more focused provincial response to ongoing concerns about inequities in services and supports for seniors in rural BC is required to address the inadequacies of current approaches to such issues: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call on the Provincial Government to implement said recommendations beginning with the creation of a Ministry or Minister of State for Seniors in Rural BC in recog

Whereas rural BC has a proportionately larger and faster growing seniors population than urban BC, yet has less infrastructure and resources to support its aging population; And whereas a greater and more focused provincial response to ongoing concerns about inequities in services and supports for seniors in rural BC is required to address the inadequacies of current approaches to such issues: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM endorse the recommendations of the Office of the Seniors Advocates report titled Challenges Facing BCs Rural Seniors and dated February 2024, as follows: - Develo

Whereas the Premier announced on September 12 that the Province would remove the individual portion of the carbon tax if given the opportunity; And whereas this poses a threat to the effectiveness of the Provinces climate strategy as an essential tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition the province to a low-carbon economy; And whereas local governments face significant financial challenges in addressing the costs of transportation, increasing energy efficiency in homes, adapting new and existing infrastructure and adapting to the impacts of climate change from wildfires, fl

Whereas in 2021 the Province of BC passed the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act No. 2, which requires a local government to consider the adoption of a code of conduct for Council members, but does not require a local government to adopt such a code of conduct; And whereas many local governments in British Columbia cannot afford or do not have an independent non-partisan Ethics Commissioner to review and adjudicate allegations of misconduct: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province appoint a provincial Municipal Ethics Commissioner who will: 1.

Whereas transportation costs can serve as significant barrier to mobility for many British Columbian seniors, and this barrier can contribute to social isolation and adversely affect mental and physical well-being; And whereas removing barriers to seniors using transit encourages a shift towards more sustainable transportation, helping lower emissions and reducing congestion, while simultaneously increasing affordability, access to essential services, social inclusion, health, and well-being: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to make all public transit fre

Whereas the Get On Board!

Whereas the Province of BC continues to face devastating wildfire events year after year and the risk of these events continues to climb; And whereas the Province spends hundreds of millions of dollars on wildfire suppression; And whereas the amount dedicated to local governments for wildfire prevention via the Community Resilience Investment Grant is exponentially smaller; And whereas In April 2024, the Premiers Expert Task Force on Emergencies called the FireSmart program a success story but recommended building capacity to expedite wildfire risk reduction projects and streamline admin

Whereas exotic animals and their hybrids are not domesticated and suffer physically and psychologically when bred, kept, displayed and sold in captivity, and may pose public health and safety risks to other animals and people; And whereas the keeping of most wild animals as pets in BC is illegal under the Wildlife Act, and hybrid animals, including the breeding of Canis familiaris domestic dog and Canis lupus wolf hybrid wolfdogs are not protected by this legislation or the provincial Controlled Alien Species Regulation: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province of British Colum

Whereas wildfires and interface fires have caused hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to communities in British Columbia, and according to a June 2023 British Columbia Forest Practices Board report, this can be partially attributed to the way forests are managed; And whereas research shows that monoculture coniferous tree farms are more susceptible to disease, drought, and wildfire while biodiverse forests retain moisture and are more resilient to drought, disease, and wildfire, and that many deciduous trees are fire-resistant: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Govern