2024

Whereas recent provincial housing legislation, specifically Bills 44 and 47, will mean increased population growth leading to greater need for child care spaces; And whereas barriers to accessing provincial funding exist for local governments and the private sector: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM call upon the Province of British Columbia to review its funding model and work with local governments and the private development sector to streamline its process for the disbursement of provincial funds to facilitate the construction of new public or non-profit owned child care facilit

Whereas municipalities are increasingly expected to respond to gaps in Canadas social safety net resulting from growing economic, racial and health inequalities; And whereas a basic income program, in addressing key social determinants of health, such as income and housing, can alleviate pressures on municipalities to address poverty and fill gaps in social supports, such as shelter, housing, food security and mental health; And whereas evidence from basic income research and pilots shows that when people have a sufficient and secure income their mental and physical health improves, they

Whereas the Accessible British Columbia Act passed by the provincial government in 2021 requires local governments to develop accessibility plans to identify, remove and prevent barriers; And whereas local governments have limited financial abilities and staff resources to implement accessibility recommendations on an ongoing basis: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Province create an annual funding model accessibility fund designed to assist local governments to implement accessibility recommendations.

Whereas Statistics Canada reports confirm that both the number and percentage of seniors will grow significantly during the next two decades, both in numbers and overall proportion of the population; And whereas most serious illnesses requiring either assisted living options andor hospital care occur later in life and there is a significant shortage of supportive assisted living spaces for seniors, affecting both hospital availabilityaccessibility and housing options for vulnerable seniors: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to increase the number of suppor

Whereas seniors, families and seniors organizations have been advocating to improve access to public home care services and supports to assist seniors to live at home, in their communities, longer and to delay or prevent premature admissions to public long-term care facilities; And whereas finances can become an impediment to access the required home care services such as housekeeping, more frequent bathing and meal preparation necessary to age in place, and community programs that have been designed to try and meet seniors needs are unable to fulfil the increasing demand: Therefore be it

Whereas the Province is currently experiencing a shortage of healthcare workers, and there are qualified individuals among international residents who despite being internationally trained, educated, and experienced, are encountering certification and financial barriers preventing them from joining the healthcare workforce in the province; And whereas the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills is responsible for providing leadership and direction for post-secondary education and skills training systems in British Columbia: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Minis

Whereas there is a shortfall of qualified staff to provide healthcare services, particularly in rural and remote communities, across the province; And whereas some of the training requirements for healthcare workers pose significant barriers in terms of time, cost, and accessibility, thereby hindering the potential influx of qualified individuals into the healthcare workforce; And whereas reducing unnecessary barriers and streamlining training opportunities for healthcare workers would promote professional growth, enhance healthcare delivery, and ultimately benefit the residents of our co

Whereas every year hundreds of British Columbians are diagnosed with chronic conditions and diseases that necessitate specialized medical treatment requiring long term stays near but not in hospital, there are disparities in health outcomes between rural and urban patients; And whereas residents of rural and remote communities in British Columbia requiring specialized medical treatment for complex care in urban centres face significant challenges including high travel and accommodation costs, the psychosocial impacts of healthcare away from home and community, the loss of income during tre

Whereas BC fire rescue service departments, operating under career, composite, or volunteer models, are experiencing increased demands in emergency medical response calls while there is inadequate funding for the BC Emergency Health Services BCEHS system; And whereas the fire departments that provide these services, authorized under the Emergency Medical Assistant EMA first responder program, currently do so on a community-by-community basis creating an inconsistent provincial approach to emergency medical assistance: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM endorse and advocate to the P

Whereas local governments are facing increased pressures to address immediate, emerging and persistent social issues in their local communities that impact the safety, security and well-being of residents; And whereas the provincial government does not respond as quickly as needs arise, forcing local governments to take increased action to address community mental health and substance misusetoxicity challenges with limited and often inadequate resources: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the Province of British Columbia to commit to provide adequate, ongoing, and direct funding for