2025

Whereas the Agriculture Land Reserve ALR boundaries were established in the early 1970s, and no province-wide reviews have been conducted since that time in spite of technological progression and data maturity about the suitability of those boundaries; And whereas it is well known, particularly in rural areas of the province, that large areas of the ALR are unviable for agriculture, and conversely, some areas of high agricultural value were left out in the initial rush to delineate protected agricultural areas in BC, negatively impacting British Columbians confidence in the value and impor

Whereas manufactured homes are recognized as a common, affordable, and readily available form of housing across the province, particularly in rural areas, having limited long-term impact to underlying soil conditions due to their surface mounted design; And whereas on December 31, 2021, in an effort to provide housing flexibility in the Agricultural Land Reserve ALR, the province permitted a second dwelling unit to be constructed within the ALR to a maximum of 90 sq. m.

Whereas core funding for public libraries in British Columbia has remained unchanged since 2009, despite BCs population growing 29, limiting their ability to expand and evolve their programming as demand for their services increases; And whereas the operational requirements of public libraries increasingly require significant and diverse resources to provide front-line community services, including supporting patrons with mental health and addiction issues as well as barriers to housing, providing critical locations of refuge during extreme weather events, providing services to new Canadia

Whereas the provincial government is responsible for managing the conservation service, with few officers covering a geographically vast region, which has a negative impact on the ability of the BC Conservation Officer Service to meet the needs of the communities served; And whereas the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service needs additional resources to adequately address public safety, focus on natural resource law enforcement, off road vehicle enforcement, illegal dumping, human wildlife conflicts prevention, and respond to wildlife human conflict: Therefore be it resolved that

Whereas British Columbias forests and protected lands are vital to its natural heritage, supporting diverse wildlife and ecosystems that require sustainable management and conservation effort; And whereas licensed hunters and trappers contribute significantly to BCs economy, generating over 600 million in spending annually and paying approximately 12 million in fees, which currently go into general provincial revenue rather than directly supporting wildlife conservation: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to dedicate all revenues from hunting and trapping

Whereas the Government of British Columbia introduced the Speculation and Vacancy Tax to address housing availability by incentivizing the utilization of vacant properties for the benefit of BC residents; And whereas the provincial government continues to expand the Speculation and Vacancy Tax program to include additional communities, promoting increased affordable housing stock across the province: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate for the provincial government to grant BC municipalities the option to opt into the Speculation and Vacancy Tax program, specifically targeting pro

Whereas Ferry Advisory Committees provide route-specific input and advocacy and exist as part of BC Ferries strategic goal to be customer and community centred; And whereas BC Ferries has dissolved the Ferry Advisory Committees; And whereas the BC Governments Coastal Ferry Services Contract, last amended on March 31, 2024, states that it is committed to ongoing engagement in support of provincial reconciliation efforts: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate to the provincial government to amend the Coastal Ferry Services Contract and include a provision for BC Ferries to develop an

Whereas a number of communities in BC host federal port facilities within their jurisdiction; And whereas many of these communities struggle with raising taxation revenue to support infrastructure deficits and service provision; And whereas the BC government has restricted municipal taxation on ports under the Ports Property Tax Act: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate to the provincial government to remove or increase the port tax cap thereby ensuring that port industries pay a fair share of taxes in the local communities in which they operate.

Whereas under the BC Police Act, municipalities with a population of over 5,000 are responsible for providing and bearing the necessary expenses of policing and law enforcement within their municipal boundaries; And whereas under the Municipal Police Service Agreement, the provincial government may subcontract the RCMP to municipalities to achieve this requirement an agreement that the vast majority of municipalities over 5,000 in population in BC utilize: Therefore be it resolved that in an effort to manage contract costs to municipalities, that UBCM lobby the federal government to meani

Whereas many communities across British Columbia are directly dependent on natural resource industries like fishing, agriculture, forestry, mineral exploration and mining, and natural gas to provide significant economic opportunities through employment, taxation, and peripheral economic activity; And whereas each job in the natural resource sectors adds more to the provincial economy than any other sector; And whereas all levels of government must balance policy and legislation that impact resource-based industries with climate and sustainability goals; And whereas communities required t