2026

Whereas the Province of British Columbia has limited funding available for watershed protection, while water is the most critical resource that requires protection and long-term stewardship; And whereas British Columbia currently has the lowest industrial water rates in Canada, which have not been updated in over a decade; And whereas aligning industrial water rates with those of other provinces could generate significant new revenue, 38 million if aligned with Saskatchewan, 84 million if aligned with Quebec, or up to 357 million if aligned with Nova Scotia; And whereas this additional r

Whereas local governments across British Columbia face significant infrastructure deficits, with many municipalities and electoral areas unable to meet these needs through property taxation alone; And whereas many infrastructure funding programs require local governments to compete through application-based grant processes that are unpredictable, resource-intensive, and often resemble a lottery system that creates winners and losers while diverting valuable staff capacity at both local and provincial levels; And whereas reliance on competitive, application-driven funding programs creates

Whereas the lack of safe, adequate, and affordable housing remains a foundational barrier to progress on persistent health, public safety, and social challenges across British Columbia, and siloed approaches across the health, justice, social, and housing sectors have limited the effectiveness of interventions addressing complex, interrelated social issues, with Indigenous peoples being 13 times more likely than non-Indigenous people to experience homelessness, with 40 to 80 of those experiencing homelessness in municipalities across British Columbia being Indigenous; And whereas the Provi

Whereas the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada are engaged in important ongoing discussions and negotiations with First Nations regarding Indigenous title and land governance arrangements that may affect lands within the jurisdiction of municipalities and regional districts; And whereas recent developments, including the recognition of Indigenous title in the Cowichan region have occurred with limited prior notice or consultation with affected local governments: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Province of British Columbia to establish a transparency

Whereas the recent BC Supreme Court decision in Cowichan Tribes v.

Whereas the Province of British Columbia conducts aerial spraying programs to eradicate spongy moth populations and prevent the establishment of this invasive species; And whereas residents of affected communities have expressed concerns regarding aerial spraying over residential neighbourhoods and have requested greater consultation, improved public communication, and consideration of alternative treatment methods: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province of British Columbia to reform its spongy moth eradication program by requiring early consultation with affected local gove

Whereas many Cattlemens Associations in Central BC have expressed their strong concern of the widespread, rapid takeover of invasive weeds in our communities, roadsides, Ranches, Range and Crown lands; And whereas these Cattlemens Associations and many others in BC, confirm that the weeds are interfering and choking out agricultural production of much needed feed for animals and humans: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province in addressing aggressive support for eliminating and mitigating more of these invasive plant species that are destroying agricultural lands.

Whereas the Provincial Government of British Columbia halted the processing of Bear Smart Community Program applications in late 2025; And whereas the responsibility to manage human-bear conflicts rests with all stakeholders and requires participation from the BC government, municipal governments, and local citizens to be successful: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Provincial Government of British Columbia to reactivate the Bear Smart Program, including the reinstitution of staff and funding to expand and administer the program.

Whereas many communities across British Columbia face ongoing challenges with contaminated, abandoned, vacant, or underutilized brownfield sites that limit housing supply, economic development, and efficient land use, and impose significant financial and administrative burdens on local governments; And whereas while British Columbia has established contaminated sites legislation and regulatory processes, local governments lack access to a coordinated provincial strategy and practical financial, fiscal, and risk management tools to support the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sit

Whereas the Province of British Columbia has introduced phased improvements to building energy efficiency requirements through the BC Energy Step Code and related amendments to the BC Building Code in support of CleanBC objectives and the transition toward net-zero energy-ready new construction by 2032; And whereas rural and northern communities experience significantly different climate conditions, infrastructure capacity, and energy system realities than larger urban centres, including longer heating seasons, limited electrical grid capacity and redundancy, and a continued reliance on re