2026

Whereas the Off-Road Vehicle Act ORV was intended to create safe and convenient incidental access to public roads and highways, better connect British Columbias rural communities, support a first-rate ORV trail network and allow local governments to expand their trail networks to build economic development opportunities by way of tourism; And whereas the administrative process to obtain Operation Permits as required under the ORV Act is onerous and not conducive to convenient incidental access to trail networks connecting communities because a separate operation permit must be obtained fro

Whereas many rural and remote communities rely on Forest Service Roads FSRs as their primary or only access routes for residents, emergency services, commercial deliveries, and essential travel; And whereas current Ministry of Forests major maintenance programs typically exclude funding for topping materials, binding fines, and full surface stabilization necessary to maintain safe, allweather passengervehicle conditions, while industrial users are not uniformly required to reinstate surfaces to that standard following haul activity: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Mini

Whereas provincial highway rightsofway across British Columbia are experiencing increasing growth of noxious weeds and inadequate vegetation management, which negatively affects agricultural operations, local ecosystems, road safety, and the visual appearance of communities; And whereas the Province of British Columbia is responsible for highway maintenance through contracted service providers, and inconsistent levels of service in mowing, brush control, and noxiousweed management have resulted in preventable impacts on farmland, infrastructure, and community wellbeing: Therefore be it re

Whereas in rural British Columbia, provincially owned and maintained secondary and tertiary highways often function as the sole transportation corridors, serving motor vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, school travel, mobility-device users, and emergency access; And whereas unlike urban municipalities, rural and electoral area governments typically do not have alternate road networks, sidewalks, or parallel routes through which to provide separate active transportation infrastructure and where no alternate corridors exist, the condition and maintenance standard of the provincial travel l

Whereas the number of road crashes in British Columbia have steadily increased over the last five years, with an average of 380 children seriously injured and 22 killed in crashes every year in BC, and vulnerable road users people walking, cycling, rolling, and using personal mobility devices face increased risk of serious injury or death on BC streets; And whereas the BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants Program, which has provided critical funding to local governments and First Nation communities and delivered tangible road safety results through investments in walking and act

Whereas communities across the Province are tasked with designing and implementing transportation options which support more affordable, accessible and sustainable forms of transportation; And whereas the BC Active Transportation Design Guidelines issued by the Province, as well as other emerging industry best practices, establish new expectations and recommendations, some of which are not supported by the BC Motor Vehicle Act: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate for the provincial government to update the BC Motor Vehicle Act and associated regulations and design guidelines to

Whereas the Motor Vehicle Act in British Columbia and associated regulations presently inhibit seniors and people with disabilities the ability to be active, independent, and engaged by prohibiting the use of electric wheelchairs and three or four wheeled personal mobility scooters on municipal bike and roll lanes and routes resulting in increased conflicts between these devices and pedestrians on sidewalks, multi-use pathways, and trails as well as motor vehicles; And whereas the rapid growth of micro-mobility devices such as electric kick scooters and electric bikes dictates that the Pro

Whereas the Province requires and oversees applications for foreshore specific permissions and leases for the placement and use of private moorage facilities on Crown land; And whereas application processing timelines for these approvals have become unreasonably prolonged, creating uncertainty, hardship and economic challenges for property owners, communities and local governments: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province to immediately provide a timeline for when existing applications will be processed and commit additional resources to the administration and oversight of for

Whereas British Columbias Private Managed Forest Land PMFL Program is intended to balance long-term forest production with the protection of water quality, fish habitat, streamside vegetation, and critical habitat; however, experience in the Cowichan Valley indicates that these environmental protections are not being realized in practice, accountability and transparency are limited, and jurisdictional gaps impede timely enforcement and remediation, undermining public confidence in the program; And whereas local governments have documented activities on PMFL parcelsincluding stream and wetl

Whereas communities in British Columbia are experiencing increasing drought, flooding, wildfire impacts, and water supply uncertainty that are contributing to infrastructure damage, rising emergency response costs, and economic disruption; And whereas local governments are responsible for protecting drinking water and supporting housing, economic development, and climate preparedness, but lack the authority, coordinated watershed governance structures and stable resources to manage growing water security risks: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call on the Province of British Columbia to