UBCM Executive Meeting Highlights - July 11-13/2018

Courtesy of the Union of BC Municipalities:

Executive members met on July 11-13, 2018 in Richmond to hold their quarterly Committee and board meetings. In addition to a full complement of Committee meetings, the July Executive meeting agenda provides closure on a number of year-end matters but also establishes direction for the year ahead through the proposed annual work plan. Executive members also reviewed over 200 resolutions submitted for consideration at the 2018 Convention.

Highlights of the July 13th Executive meeting include:

received a report on the President’s activities since the last meeting.
approved a record high number of resolutions at 208 for consideration in September. See report from the Resolutions Committee.

received an update on the following policy files: Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations; Problem Vessels; New RCMP Labour Relations Regime; Legalization of Cannabis; Electronic Roadside Ticketing; Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program; Auditor General for Local Government; The Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act; Care Home Sprinkler Safety; Farm Assessment – Medical Cannabis Grow Operations; Federal Additions to Reserve Policy; Federal Comprehensive Land Claims Policy; Emergency Program Act Review; BC Ferries; National Inquiry into Missing & Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls; Licensing of Commercial Dog & Cat Breeding; Auxiliary Program; 911 Call Answer Levy; Assessment Appeals: special use properties; Off Road Vehicle Management Framework; Natural Resource Roads Act.

received an update on housing and adopted a communications strategy to continue to articulate recommendations from UBCM’s Housing Strategy and promote evidence and research that informs a comprehensive approach to affordability.

received an update on the activities and work undertaken by the Working Group for Responsible Conduct including, and approved, the distribution of a model code of conduct and companion guide.
received a copy of UBCM’s submission to Province as part of its review of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act.

received a report from the 2018 Nominating Committee advising that the nominations process for Executive positions was underway and that the appointment of Chief and Deputy Chief Scrutineer had been completed.

received reports on the annual review of MOU and Agreements; Financial Statements for the month and year ending May 31, 2018; annual statutory compliance report; a year-end status report of the 2017-18 annual work program; and the proposed work plan for 2018-2019.
approved the Preliminary Budget for 2018-2019.

received a report on meetings with visiting Cambodian officials as part of UBCM’s International Program work through FCM.

received an update on the legalization of non-medical cannabis; including a summary of recently passed legislation and work undertaken by UBCM and the Joint Provincial-Local Government Committee on Cannabis Regulation.

received a report on the five year review of the Auditor General for Local Government.

received reports on the status of Local Government Program Services (funding programs) and a status report on the federal Gas Tax Program.

received a report on staff activities since the May meeting.

received a delegation from the Ministry of Attorney General staff on the proposal to amend the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing agreement.

approved tentative dates for 2018-2019 Executive meetings, subject to approval by the incoming Executive in September.

received a status report on UBCM’s legal assistance fund.

approved the annual allocation of $7,500 to the Board of Examiners in support of the Jeff McKelvey scholarship fund.

received a financial statement on the UBCM-FCM Small Communities Travel Fund.

received the financial report for the period ending May 31, 2018.

received a staff report on recent activities and updates for the Local Government Program Services and the Gas Tax Fund.

received a delegation from the Honourable Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and discussed: Phase 2 infrastructure funding; cannabis legalization and taxation; new provincial climate action goals; the Fire Safety Act; and the report on Alternate Area Directors.
met with the First Nations Summit and renewed our Protocol on Cooperation and Communication.
Highlights of the July 12th Committee meetings:

Presidents Committee

Presidents Committee members approved recommendations for the winners of the 2018 Excellence Awards which will be presented at the 2018 Convention; received a status report on the implementation of a UBCM Convention Code of Conduct; discussed next steps with respect to the Commercial Vehicle Licencing Program; received interim report on 2018 member visits; discussed communications strategy related to housing; confirmed participation in FCM’s Towards Parity in Municipal Politics National working group; discussed the federal government’s Investing in Canada infrastructure program; and approved UBCM’s new Employee Policy and Reference Guide.

Committee members also received the financial statements; reports on staffing; UBCM investment policy; 2018 Annual Report; member services; and discussed a number of year end matters such as the preliminary budget for 2018-2019. Delegations were received from KPMG (UBCM auditors) who discussed the Audit Findings Report, and from the Municipal Pension Plan Trustees and Plan Partners.

Resolutions Committee

Mayor Sharon Gaetz, Chair of the Resolutions Committee, presented the Committee’s comments and recommendations on 208 resolutions to the Executive. She noted 205 resolutions came through the Area Associations and directly from members by the June 30 deadline. The three remaining resolutions include one Extraordinary Resolutions (ER1) and two Special Resolutions (SR1 and SR2) which are being put forward by the UBCM Executive.

The Extraordinary Resolution, ER1, addresses the handling of off-the-floor resolutions. SR1 will address cannabis tax revenue sharing; and SR2 will address the loss of Greyhound bus service across BC and throughout Western Canada.

The Executive approved comments and recommendations on the resolutions for consideration at the 2018 Convention. These resolutions will now be published in the 2018 Annual Report and Resolutions Book.

Due to the earlier UBCM Convention date, the Annual Report and Resolutions Book will be distributed first as a soft copy, via email to members; and posted to the UBCM website by the August 10 deadline. Hard copies will be distributed later in August to all elected officials and CAOs.

Mayor Gaetz also noted that Ian Izard, Q.C., the parliamentarian for the Annual Convention, provided training for the members of the Resolutions Committee. Mr. Izard reviewed the Convention Rules and Procedures for Handling Resolutions with the Committee members, and discussed techniques for supporting the flow of debate while remaining responsive to the assembly.

Convention Committee

The Committee received updates on the overall planning schedule for the upcoming Convention as well as reports on catering and sponsorship. The Committee provided comments and recommendations on the session proposals that were submitted and brought forward for Executive approval.

Environment Committee

The Environment Committee received two delegations from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. The first was on the Province’s work on the Species at Risk legislation and the Species and Ecosystems at Risk Charter. The second was on provincial initiatives on spill planning and preparedness.

The Committee also received and discussed a report on BC’s Environmental Assessment Revitalization Process, and recommended making a submission on the recently released discussion paper on the process. The Committee also received an update on provincial action on climate change, including new legislation and measures supporting the creation of a new climate change strategy. Committee action reported in the annual UBCM report was also reviewed.

Community Economic Development Committee

The Committee received reports on forestry noting that UBCM had made a submission to the BC Forest Inventory Review Panel; congratulated Vice-Chair, Councillor Brian Frenkel, on his appointment to the Private Forest Land Council; and received the Minister of Forests' response to referred resolution 2017-B66 on management and preservation of old growth forests.

The Committee also discussed the status of the BC Utilities Commission inquiry into electric vehicle charging infrastructure; reviewed the draft survey questions by the Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology on local economic development; agreed to provide a submission in response to the discussion paper released on the Environmental Assessment Revitalization Process; and received information on BC’s aquaculture policy and Greyhound service withdrawal.

A delegation was also received from the Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology, seeking local government input into BC’s Provincial Nominee Program – Entrepreneur category in order to best promote settlement outside the major urban centres, encourage regional economic development, and ensure entrepreneurs are filling a void/need within a community, including determining that the right supports are in place within the community to assist the entrepreneur.

Healthy Communities Committee

The Committee received a delegation from the Honourable Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care and Christine Massey, ADM, Ministry of Children and Family Development. The group discussed the Universal Child Care program, including the need for flexible childcare, increased wages for early childhood educators, and the need to move child care to the Ministry of Education. The group also discussed funding streams, and the UBCM/Coalition of Child Care Advocates project on childcare in rural and remote communities.

The Committee also reviewed a request from the BC Alliance for Healthy Living to provide a financial contribution towards their advocacy. A decision was made that UBCM would provide $1500 for the 2018/2019 fiscal year.

Updates were received on the Regional Hospital District Convention session and the Emergency Medical Assistants Education Fund. Committee action reported in the annual UBCM report was also reviewed.

Community Safety Committee

Community Safety Committee members considered reports regarding changes to liquor policy; the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Agreement; the BC Flood and Wildfire Review; relevant policing activities and issues, including security requirements for the June 2018 G7 Leaders’ Summit and the most recent Local Government Contract Management Committee meeting; and, the 2018 Annual Report. The Committee also discussed and considered an amended referred resolution seeking to expedite accident clearing.

Indigenous Relations Committee

The Committee discussed ongoing work towards renewing an MOU on communications and consultation on Indigenous policy and initiatives with the Province, as well as the renewal of a Protocol on Cooperation and Communication with the First Nations Summit. The Committee also received information on the Draft Principles on the Province of British Columbia’s relationship with Indigenous peoples.