This week, delegates from municipal governments across B.C. have gathered for the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention.
They’ll be debating 156 different resolutions, most of which call on the provincial government to change various bits of legislation that affect them.
Here are eight resolutions that — pass or fail — will be debated in B.C. for some time to come.
1: Give search & rescue squads guaranteed money.
The cost of search & rescue squads continues to grow, with the provincial government providing $7 million in funding last year. But the money comes from non-guaranteed gaming grants and the amount given to each district can fluctuate.
The motion: BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request the provincial government to directly fund 100% of the costs for search and rescue squad services. (Alberni-Clayoquot)
2: Lower speed limits to 40 km/h.
Spearheaded by Victoria councillors for the past year, this resolution would push the government to lower the default speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h. Municipalities can already reduce speed limits on their own – but they’re in charge of paying for the new signs and enforcement. The resolution has already sparked heated debate in many cities.
The motion: BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request the Province of British Columbia to amend the Motor Vehicle Act to limit the default speed limit on a highway in a municipality to 40 km/h and allocate implementation funds to assist municipalities in installing signage for higher speeds where appropriate. (Victoria)
3: Let governments use e-mail for mandatory notices.
Local governments are required to give a variety of notices to residents – and each and every one of them has to be sent via Canada Post. This is mostly because 1996 was the last time “mail” was defined by the provincial government. Snail mail will still be used by cities for years to come – but this change would allow them to utilize electronic communication much more.
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The motion: BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government enact legislation that allows local governments to electronically mail statutorily prescribed notices and other communications and documents. (Surrey)
4: Regulate scooters.
The town of Sidney believes personal mobility scooters need to be regulated, saying that a number of people have complained that they’re driving too fast on sidewalks. The motion has been heavily criticized by the B.C. Coalition of People with Disabilities, but Mayor Larry Cross says it’s necessary to regulate a form of transportation that will continue to increase in use as B.C.’s population ages.
The motion: BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM support regulating the use of motorized scooters and the licencing of scooters and scooter operators and that UBCM encourage the provincial government to implement these provisions under the Motor Vehicle Act. (Sidney)
5: Fund a reliable air ambulance system.
The motion: BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request the provincial government to further support the development of a reliable air ambulance service that fully meets the emergency health care needs of all British Columbians. (Northern Rockies RM)
6: Re-open Riverview.
An institutional mental hospital in Coquitlam, Riverview closed in 2011 after decades of cutbacks as the idea of getting mental health patients into the community grew popular. But police say the increasing number of homeless people with mental health issues takes up more and more of their time. Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin says it’s better to give some people the option of a fixed environment.
The motion: BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government immediately begin to undertake all necessary action, including funding, to reinstate Riverview as a modern centre of excellence for mental health care and support. (Maple Ridge)
7: Ban the tethering of dogs.
Surrey councillors want tethering a dog for a long period of time to be a criminal act. Several municipalities already have their own rules, as animal advocates say that dog tethering is a form a passive cruelty that can make them fearful and aggressive. The SPCA has said it supports the idea of a ban, but that the exact resolution needs tweaking.
The motion: BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request that the Government…amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act…to specifically reference “tethering of dogs” and to permit enforcement actions under the Act in situations where tethering causes a dog(s) to be “in distress” within the meaning of the Act. (Surrey)
8: Have local elections every four years.
British Columbia is the only province in Canada where elections are every three years for all local governments. While the Lower Mainland Local Government Association has put forward this motion, saying it would save money and standardize election terms, the UBCM Resolutions Committee did not endorse it.
The motion: BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM ask the provincial government to increase the interval between civic elections from three years to four years. (LMLGA Executive)
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