Whereas WorkSafe BC Occupational Health and Safety Regulation does not cover elected officials, as currently elected officials e.g., provincial municipal and regional district government, school or library boards, etc.
Whereas local governments, particularly in rural and remote areas, face significant logistical and resource challenges when major planned events occur within or near their jurisdiction, even when these events are outside of local government jurisdictional control andor enforcement areas; And whereas such events often require substantial public safety planning and emergency response efforts, yet local governments typically lack the authority to require or enforce event organizers to submit comprehensive emergency response plans, leaving local governments to bear the burden of increased publ
Whereas the BC Human Rights Tribunal plays a critical role in upholding and addressing human rights by delivering the just and timely resolution of discrimination complaints under the British Columbia Human Rights Code Tribunal Annual Report, 202324, pg.
Whereas local governments in British Columbia face increasing demands for essential services and infrastructure due to significant population growth, with the provinces population reaching an estimated 5,646,467 as of April 1, 2024, marking an annual growth rate of 3.3 - the highest since 1971; And whereas the primary revenue source for local governments, property taxes, is regressive and places a disproportionate burden on lower-income households, while the costs of infrastructure projects continue to rise at a rate that outpaces consumer inflation, making it increasingly difficult for lo
Whereas Section 506 and Section 506.03 of the Local Government Act enable a local government to regulate and require the provision of works and services in respect to the development of land; And whereas there is no mechanism currently in the Local Government Act to allow for local governments to accept payment of money in lieu of the provision of works and services, unlike in other circumstances in the Local Government Act: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate for the provincial government to amend the Local Government Act to allow for the payment of money in lieu of works and se
Whereas the Province of BC is implementing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act DRIPA and is required to take a distinctions-based approach in all of its relations with Indigenous peoples to ensure that unique rights, interests, and circumstances of Indigenous peoples are acknowledged, affirmed and implemented; And whereas local governments are committed to reconciliation and seek meaningful engagement with Indigenous governments in community and regional planning activities, such as climate mitigation and adaptation plans, emergency management plans, regional growth and
Whereas the small water systems in rural British Columbia, which are administered by local governments, provide essential services to rural residents and communities, yet they face unsustainable financial burdens due to the high costs of water treatment systems, ongoing maintenance, and replacing aging infrastructure, which can amount to millions of dollars; And whereas it is not possible for rural residents and communities to finance these systems through local taxation alone, threatening the viability of these water systems and the communities they serve, while also posing a significant
Whereas rural communities cannot meet the challenges of climate change without a climate change and emergency management strategy for critical transportation networks; And whereas the Ministry of Transportation and Transit is not required to participate in local government planning processes; And whereas planning for growth in our communities is not feasible in the absence of any road network planning by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province instruct the Ministry of Transportation and Transit to collaborate with local gov
Whereas there are many railways that are inactive where the average daily railway movement is zero, except for railway maintenance traffic, across British Columbia, and there are no active trains on the Southern Railway of BC railway North of Nanaimo; And whereas the federal Canada Transportation Act, the Railway Safety Act, and the Grade Crossings Regulation require vehicular traffic to stop at railway crossings, except in limited circumstances, even when the railway is inactive: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby Transport Canada for the amendment of the legislation, including t
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 the UBCM advocate to the BC 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.