2026

Whereas during extreme weather events, communities across British Columbia BC face a humanitarian crisis related to homelessness, and while temporary emergency overnight shelters are a critical life-saving response, current BC Building Code and Fire Code requirements and the lack of clear provincial authority and liability protection can prevent or result in the closure of short-term emergency shelters despite alternative life-safety measures being in place: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM work with the Province to establish a provincial emergency exemption framework for emergency overn

Whereas the Homelessness Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing HEARTH program funds low barrier emergency housing, shelter options, and immediate coordinated supports to help people in encampments or sheltering in public spaces to move indoors and access temporary or permanent housing options that fit their needs; And whereas recovery-oriented housing plays a critical role supporting people post-recovery, can be easier to locate in neighbourhoods, is less costly to operate, and can free up low barrier supportive housing spaces for people that require this specific type of housing:

Whereas British Columbia continues to face a prolonged toxic drug and overdose crisis that drives escalating emergency response demands and complex social impacts, with rural communities experiencing disproportionate strain due to limited local healthcare capacity and reduced access to treatment, mental health, and supportive services; And whereas rural host communities carrying regional hospitals and centralized health and social services bear significantly higher volumes of drugrelated incidents and associated municipal costs, including overtime, staffing pressures, emergency response, s

Whereas acquired brain injury is highly prevalent among people experiencing homelessness, substance use, repeated overdose, and involvement with emergency and justice systems, yet remains significantly under-diagnosed and under-supported in British Columbia; And whereas untreated and unsupported brain injury contributes to housing instability, repeated emergency service use, and increased pressures on policing, fire, health, and shelter services, creating ongoing costs and impacts for local governments across the province: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province of British Co

Whereas local governments regularly correspond with provincial ministries on matters that directly impact service delivery to residents; And whereas inconsistent and delayed responses from provincial ministries can hinder effective decision-making, delay projects, and create uncertainty for local governments, stakeholders, and the public, even in cases where acknowledgment or interim updates could help manage expectations: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province of British Columbia establish standardized service expectations for ministries regarding response timelines

Whereas rural communities require reliable and adequate electrical infrastructure to support economic development, industrial growth, and population stability; And whereas the Village of McBride continues to experience concerns related to power reliability, limited capacity, and lack of three-phase power infrastructure, which constrains industrial development and long-term economic growth: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the provincial government and BC Hydro to prioritize investments in rural electrical infrastructure, including improvements to reliability, expansion of transm

Whereas the lack of adequate and affordable fiber supply has been identified as a key factor in the continued curtailment or permanent closure of BCs sawmills and pulp mills, causing loss of employment and tax income for resource-based and resource-dependent communities; And whereas from 2.8 to 3.5 million cubic meters of raw logs have been exported from BC annually over the last five years, in addition to lumber cant exports not included in those statistics: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call on the provincial government and federal governments to ban the export of raw logs and lumb

Whereas in December 2025, the Province directed BC Assessment to postpone implementation of significant changes to the valuation methodology for Gathering and Transmission Pipelines, which would have resulted in substantial shifts in the tax burden from pipeline operators to residential and business property classes, creating financial impacts for local governments; And whereas local governments rely on stable, predictable assessment practices for longterm financial planning, and any future changes to regulated rate property valuation methodologies particularly within the Utilities Tax Cl

Whereas BC Assessment property classifications do not always reflect actual property use, creating unequal tax burdens on other property owners; and this misalignment undermines municipalities ability to ensure fair and sustainable funding for local services; And whereas current tools available to municipalities to address these inconsistencies are limited and reactive, leaving taxpayers and councils without meaningful recourse: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province of British Columbia to provide municipalities with stronger authority and practical tools to review, challeng

Whereas local governments in British Columbia are responsible for land-use planning, infrastructure, permitting, and development approvals, all of which are directly affected by provincial reconciliation policy, archaeology requirements, and the Heritage Conservation Act and Regulations; And whereas the Province of British Columbia is implementing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act DRIPA and also undertaking reviews of reconciliation, archaeology, and heritage policy frameworks; And whereas local governments are not consistently included as formal partners in policy d