2026

Whereas the Motor Vehicle Act defines a motor vehicle as a vehicle, not run on rails, that is designed to be self-propelled or propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, and defines motor assisted cycle e-bike as a device with pedals; And whereas electric dirt bikes exceed the restrictions of motor assisted cycles and default to unregulated status for on-road use, making them uninsurable and prohibited from operating on roadways, sidewalks, multi-use paths, or bike lanes: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Province of British Columbia to amend the Moto

Whereas the use of electric kick scooters is growing and will likely continue to be a preferred mode of transportation in municipalities across British Columbia, regardless of participation in the provincial pilot program, and uncertainty and inconsistent public information remain regarding the safety implications of their use on public highways in BC; And whereas regulation and enforcement of electric kick scooter usage are inconsistent between municipalities, and there is a lack of province-wide safety data collection and education programs: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call on th

Whereas active transportation has not been included as a priority in the most recent Mandate Letter for the Minister of Transportation and Transit; And whereas the Ministry is falling behind BC municipalities in creating safe pedestrian and cycling supportive policies and amenities on Ministry-owned roads in electoral areas across BC, often leaving critical gaps and connections to and between nearby municipalities: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate to the Premier and Minister of Transportation and Transit to: - Explicitly include active transportation as a core Ministry priority

Whereas the provincial property tax deferment program was established to help seniors and other eligible homeowners with limited incomes remain in their homes by allowing payment of annual property taxes to be deferred until the property is sold or transferred; And whereas the 2026 provincial budget changes to the program, including increased interest rates and changes to the compounding formula, are making it significantly more expensive and risk reducing its effectiveness for lower-income seniors, while concerns about higher-income participants could be more appropriately addressed thro

Whereas municipalities have been given the responsibility and obligation to conduct tax sales but must follow prescriptive and inflexible provincial statutes in the conduct of tax sales; And whereas municipalities should have more authority over the regulations governing tax sales including the issuance of disqualifications and fines for attendees who do not follow auction rules or use unfair tactics to delay or invalidate a tax sale; And whereas municipalities currently do not have this jurisdiction: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province grant all municipalities g

Whereas in 2019, the Intergovernmental Working Group made up of CFOs from seven representative Metro Vancouver cities and senior staff from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs Housing proposed a new taxation scheme titled Split Assessment through a New Commercial Sub-Class which was successfully adopted by UBCM at the 2019 Annual Convention as B78; And whereas the proposed tax scheme detailed in the Split Assessment through a New Commercial Sub-Class resolution proposed enabling powers to local governments to provide financial relief on property taxes for eligible commercial properties own

Whereas the Ports Property Tax Act establishes a provincially prescribed property taxation framework for designated port facilities that constrains the ability of host municipalities to set property taxes in a manner aligned with local service responsibilities, and has resulted in ongoing inequities between port properties and other properties within the industrial tax class, as well as inequities for host municipalities; And whereas ten municipalities in British Columbia host designated port facilities and are required to deliver a wide range of municipal services necessary to support por

Whereas clean energy projects, including wind farms, receive tax exemptions and incentives that allow such projects to contribute less toward local taxation despite considerable environmental and infrastructure impacts; And whereas the lack of a clear, consistent fiscal framework limits local governments ability to support regional services and manage cumulative effects: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province of British Columbia to review and amend the tax regime for clean energy projects to ensure equitable, transparent, and predictable taxation that aligns such projects wi

Whereas the purpose of British Columbias Agricultural Land Reserve ALR is to preserve valuable agricultural land for present and future food production, and thus residential development needs to be limited in size on the ALR; And whereas the current Agricultural Land Commission Act ALCA and ALR Use Regulations limit residential development to: - a principal residence up to 500 m2 total floor area, - a secondary suite within that principal residence, and - an additional residence up to 90 m2 total floor area for parcels 40 ha or less, or up to 186 m2 for parcels larger than 40 ha, and this

Whereas the Province of Nova Scotia has introduced the Nova Scotia Loyal Community Supported Agriculture CSA Incentive Pilot Program, which provides a consumer incentive for purchasing CSA shares directly from local farmers while reimbursing participating producers, strengthening local food systems and farm viability; And whereas many communities depend on small and mid-scale agriculture for food security, rural employment, environmental stewardship, and economic resilience, particularly in the face of climate change, natural disasters, supply chain disruptions, and global trade uncertaint