2024

Whereas many communities are experiencing a crisis-level influx of homeless individuals and the existence of emergency shelters is critical to addressing the safety of people experiencing homelessness; And whereas due to the urgent nature of the need and the lack of suitable building stock in many communities, emergency shelters are frequently operating from buildings that do not meet the major occupancy classification requirements of the BC Building Code, nor the requirements of the BC Fire Code, placing local governments at risk of incurring liability if they do not enforce the codes and

Whereas the BC Centre for Disease Control BCCDC reports people at risk of hypothermia include: - People experiencing homelessness persons who are unsheltered, unhoused, or living in places not fit for human habitation - People who use substances, including alcohol, that modify their ability to feel the effects of cold exposure or to respond or modify their responses to cold conditions - People who spend long hours outside for work or recreation - People with disabilities, limited mobility, certain medical conditions such as diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and diseases affecting blood ve

Whereas the number of people experiencing homelessness or housing instability across the Province has been increasing at an unprecedented rate; And whereas the Province has invested considerable funds in supportive housing, the majority of which operate as low barrier facilities making it challenging for individuals in recovery to secure housing options that support an addiction-free lifestyle: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the Province to establish a Provincial Housing Coordinator to work directly with those persons who are experiencing homelessness and who are not in need of

Whereas non-market housing is in critical need throughout the province, and the provision of such housing is currently severely challenged by supply conditions, lack of adequate funding, and lack of capacity by local governments to support the provision and management of such housing; And whereas some municipalities and regional districts in British Columbia have created entities, such as housing authorities, which successfully increase the supply of non-market housing by providing and managing such housing, the process of planning and then creating these entities involves significant sta

Whereas energy efficient and zero emissions building equipment provide benefits such as lower annual energy costs and improved resilience to extreme heat events; And whereas the CleanBC Better Homes and Better Buildings programs provide incentives and rebates to reduce the significant cost barriers to implementing energy efficiency and zero emissions retrofits for existing buildings, yet multiunit residential buildings including affordable housing have limited access to these incentive programs: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM urge the Government of BC to significantly increase fun

Whereas the Province of BC, along with the rest of the world, is experiencing increasing incidents of extreme weather, including deadly heat waves which are intensified by the urban heat island effect and lack of neighbourhood greenness; And whereas the Province has committed to addressing climate risk mitigation and adaptation at the same time as providing needed housing but may not be foreseeing potential negative consequences that can be ameliorated: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to revise Bill 44 and Bill 47 to embed tree protection, tree canopy expansion, and cl

Whereas local governments are increasingly expected to contribute financially to the development of attainable housing by waiving development application fees, development cost charges, and amenity contributions; And whereas local governments rely on revenues from development application fees, development cost charges, and amenity contributions to provide the infrastructure, amenities, and services that support housing; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province, as part of their housing initiatives, to provide funding to local governments to offset the revenue losses resultin

Whereas local governments allocated the Building Community Funding to various community needs prior to the introduction of Bill 44, Bill 46, and Bill 47 and the Province has provided some limited funding support to assist local governments in implementing the housing initiatives; And whereas local governments have limited staffing, resources, and budget capacity to undertake the required updates to their Official Community Plans OCP, updates to their Engineering Servicing Plans ESP, as well as review and analyze the impacts on all local government infrastructure with the implementation of

Whereas the provincial government recently introduced a suite of new housing legislation, Bill 44 Residential Development, Bill 46 Development Financing and Bill 47 Transit Oriented Areas; And whereas there is a need for more municipal consultation to reflect on the impacts of legislative implementation and identify policy gaps: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate the Province review the new housing legislation after 2 years from introduction; immediately allow exemption zones for single detached greenfield areas within the containment boundary that are more isolated; and incre

Whereas one of the five principles of the Canada Health Act is portability with the intent that residents who are temporarily absent from their home province or territory, such as on business or vacation, are permitted to receive necessary services in relation to an urgent or emergent need when absent; And whereas British Columbia residents are restricted from accessing specialized or non-urgent services in Alberta, even when the services are located geographically closer than services in British Columbia: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM petitions the Province to work toward a solution