New meeting rules will strengthen Indigenous and local government relations

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

The Province is proposing legislative amendments in response to the desire of First Nations and local governments to make it easier to work together and better protect confidential and culturally sensitive information.

Currently, local governments can only close meetings for a limited set of reasons that do not include First Nation relations. The amendments to the Community Charter and Vancouver Charter would allow local governments to hold closed meetings when discussing culturally sensitive and confidential information shared by First Nations, and require meetings to be closed during negotiations with First Nations or other local governments.

Local governments can vote or pass resolutions in closed meetings, but all bylaws must be adopted in open meetings.

“Today’s changes are a practical step towards better collaboration, stronger relationships and reconciliation,” said the Hon. Christine Boyle, BC's Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These changes give First Nations and local governments the space to discuss culturally sensitive and confidential information related to government-to-government negotiations without fear of harm.”

The new rules would apply only to specific situations and are being enacted to balance the need for public transparency with requests from local governments and First Nations to support their ability to hold in-camera (confidential) discussions about certain Indigenous heritage sites and knowledge, or during government-to-government negotiations and discussions.

The proposed amendments are in response to direct requests for changes from the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM), the City of Vancouver and other local governments.

“Local governments have sought a legislative amendment that would allow for in-camera meetings when confidential information relating to negotiations with First Nations or another local government are under discussion,” said Cori Ramsay, President of the Union of B.C. Municipalities. “I am pleased to see this change brought into law to provide measures to safeguard confidentiality when it is needed.”

For example, if a local government is considering a land-use decision that could affect a First Nation’s traditional bathing site along a river, the First Nation may not want to share the exact location in a public meeting, to protect the site from vandalism, increased public use or unauthorized removal of culturally significant items. The new rules would allow the local government to close the meeting for this purpose.

“We support the intention of the proposed legislative amendment. It is essential to have the ability to conduct in-camera meetings when discussing sensitive matters, resulting in a more open and frank discourse, and which will provide an opportunity for various perspectives to come forward,” said Hugh Braker, First Nations Summit political executive. “Many First Nations have sensitive cultural information that is kept confidential, even within the First Nation. It is important that First Nations have the ability, when necessary, to protect their culture and traditions while engaging in sometimes sensitive discussions with local governments. This amendment addresses requests from First Nations and local governments to provide the space for respectful government-to-government dialogue.”

The proposed legislation will also require that a meeting be closed if it includes confidential information related to negotiations between local governments, or between a local government and a First Nation. There will be no changes to the requirements for local governments to make final decisions and pass bylaws in open meetings.

“As the City of Reconciliation, Vancouver welcomes these changes that strengthen government-to-government relationships,” said Ken Sim, Mayor of Vancouver. “They represent an important step forward in how local governments and First Nations work together, grounded in respect, trust and a shared commitment.”

The proposed changes support B.C. government’s obligations under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and follow Section 18.1 of B.C.’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Under this section, public bodies must not release information that could harm the rights of Indigenous Peoples, such as their ability to protect cultural heritage or traditional knowledge.

The B.C. government introduced the miscellaneous statutes amendment act (No. 2), 2025 to the legislative assembly on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. If passed by the Legislative Assembly, the changes to the Community Charter and Vancouver Charter would come into effect upon receiving royal assent.

Quick Facts: 

The Union of B.C. Municipalities passed resolutions B79 (2017) and EB68 (2023) calling for these changes. 

In March 2024, the City of Vancouver formally requested that the Vancouver Charter be amended to provide the ability to conduct government-to-government negotiations in-camera with Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation, and Tsleil-Waututh Nation.

The amendments will be made to sections 90 (1) and 90 (2) of the Community Charter and sections 165.2 (1) and 165.2 (2) of the Vancouver Charter.

The process for a local government to close a meeting would remain the same, as currently outlined in the Community Charter.

The Province will provide additional guidance to help local governments make informed choices under the new rules.

Expanded borrowing powers for BC Local Governments'

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Municipalities throughout B.C. will now have quicker access to financing to deliver capital projects, such as infrastructure or amenities, thanks to changes in provincial borrowing regulations.

The updated regulations respond to concerns raised by municipalities about the cost, complexity and risk of delays associated with implementing capital projects.

“Municipalities told us that outdated borrowing thresholds were slowing down their ability to deliver the infrastructure people count on,” said the Hon. Ravi Kahlon, BC's Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “We have responded by expanding the borrowing powers for municipalities so they can act faster, reduce costs and deliver the services that support growing communities. These changes reflect today’s economic realities.”

The Province has amended the municipal liabilities regulation and the short-term capital borrowing regulation to give municipalities more flexibility to plan and finance infrastructure projects that support population growth and housing development. Municipalities can now borrow up to 10% of their annual revenue, without having to hold a public vote, saving time and costs. These changes will help municipalities deliver a wider range of essential infrastructure more efficiently.

“We are pleased to see these changes implemented in response to requests from BC local governments,” said Trish Mandewo, president, Union of B.C. Municipalities. “The amendments will help some local governments manage essential infrastructure more efficiently, ensuring public assets continue to meet the needs of communities facing climate change and population growth.” 

Provincial law regulates how much money municipalities can borrow before requiring an elector approval process. The Province is now adjusting that amount to account for decades of inflation, giving municipalities a greater opportunity to make the investments needed to continue building British Columbia’s future.

Municipalities can borrow up to $150 per capita without elector approval, up from $50, when the term of the borrowing is less than five years (amendment to the short-term capital borrowing regulation). For larger amounts of debt or longer-term debt, municipalities can borrow twice as much without elector approval (increased from 5% to 10% of dependable revenue, through an amendment to municipal liabilities regulation).

To help local governments build housing people need, the Province has delivered a range of tools and funding. This includes:

the historic $1-billion Growing Communities Fund to support 188 local governments;

$51 million in grant-based funding to support activities or projects, such as updating housing needs reports, official community plans, and zoning bylaws; and

$25 million through the Local Government Development Approvals Program.

These new regulatory improvements build on that support by giving municipalities more flexibility to invest in infrastructure more efficiently and with greater confidence.

Quick Facts:

The amended municipal liabilities regulation and short-term capital borrowing regulation took effect on June 9, 2025.

The amendments apply to all 161 municipalities in B.C., except the City of Vancouver.

The City of Vancouver is governed by the Vancouver Charter, which provides different authorities and requirements related to short- and long-term borrowing.

In 2024, the local government financial review working group, comprised of staff from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Ministry of Finance and the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM), reviewed the existing borrowing limits and recommended updating.

The revisions identified would assist communities in funding critical infrastructure more effectively.

Learn More:

Information about the Municipalities Liabilities Regulation can be found here: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/254_2004

Information about the Short-Term Borrowing Limit Regulation can be found here: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/368_2003

To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/

First Nations Leadership Council & UBCM both call for withdrawal of Bill 15

Courtesy of the BC Union of Indian Chiefs:

The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) and its member organizations joined with the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) today to call on the Province to withdraw Bill 15 – the Infrastructure Projects Act.

If passed into law, Bill 15 would give greater powers to Cabinet to expedite the approval of projects it deems to be “provincially significant”. First Nations and local governments have expressed concern with the lack of consultation prior to the legislation being drafted. First Nations leaders have also highlighted the Province’s failure to fulfill its constitutional, legislative, and environmental obligations and commitments, including those under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the Interim Approach on the Alignment of Laws, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

First Nations Chiefs and leadership recently met with Premier Eby to express their collective opposition to Bill 15 which has the potential to greatly impact First Nations’ inherent and Aboriginal rights, title, and jurisdiction. Local governments also met with Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma and have expressed concern that Bill 15 would provide Cabinet with extraordinary powers to override local regulations, including local government Official Community Plans, zoning bylaw amendments and subdivision approval processes.

Bill 15 has passed second reading and moved to Committee last week, slated for completion of Committee and a third reading in the legislature next week before final vote

UBCM President Trish Mandewo stated:

“The provisions in Bill 15 constitute an unnecessary over reach by the Province into local decision making. Local governments welcome provincial efforts to expedite project development, but not through transferring power from communities to Victoria. If the goal is to reduce the regulatory burden on major projects, local governments are more than willing to work with the province to improve the system – let’s work together. It’s time for the Province to withdraw Bill 15 and find a new path forward”

While Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President, Union of BC Indian Chiefs said:

"It is time for the Eby government to action their commitments to reconciliation and uphold their own laws and processes. Despite repeated earnest efforts to reason with Premier Eby, Minister Ma, and others within the Province, the Province continues to stubbornly advance Bills 14 and 15 regardless of the political and relational costs. First Nations are not opposed to responsible development, and we understand the need to expedite the approval and construction of hospitals, schools, and other critical infrastructure. But Bills 14 and 15 go well beyond that, and the process that led to their development flouted First Nations’ basic human rights and the Province’s own law, policy, and processes. There’s only one way forward: the Province must withdraw the bills as currently drafted, and we must work on principled solutions to the myriad of crises we face together.”

New Funding to help Indigenous/Non-Indigenous Communities support implementation of Emergency/Disaster Management Act

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Under B.C.’s new emergency management legislation, people and communities are safer and better prepared for the increasingly severe emergencies and disasters the province is experiencing due to climate change.

The work of an expert task force on emergencies is also well underway and will reinforce the legislation by providing action-oriented recommendations in advance of the 2024 wildfire season. B.C.’s newly enshrined Emergency and Disaster Management Act is focused on disaster risk reduction and enhanced emergency preparedness, and recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ inherent rights of self-government in relation to emergency management.

“In B.C., summers are getting hotter, winters are getting more unpredictable, and flooding is becoming more severe. The new Emergency and Disaster Management Act places a greater emphasis on mitigating the impacts of emergencies before they happen,” said the Hon. George Heyman, acting Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “We’re working with First Nations and local governments to ensure our collective readiness against climate-related hazards, but time is of the essence. That’s why we’re providing funding to help communities put Indigenous engagement requirements in the act into motion.”

The new act brings in a number of changes that make it the most comprehensive and forward-looking emergency management legislation in Canada. Some of these changes include:

• increasing emphasis on disaster risk reduction and shifting from a response focus to all four phases of emergency management (mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery);
• implementing a need for climate-informed risk assessments by provincial ministries, local authorities, critical infrastructure owners and public-sector agencies to better understand and prepare for the hazards communities face;
• recognizing Indigenous Peoples as true partners in emergency management and establishing a framework for agreements between First Nations and other authorities that can help advance shared decision-making and co-ordination.

By working together, communities can be better prepared for emergencies and can more effectively co-ordinate response efforts. Guided by the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the new Emergency and Disaster Management Act includes engagement provisions that require municipalities and regional districts to consult and co-operate with Indigenous governing bodies and incorporate Indigenous knowledge and cultural safety across emergency management practices.

To support this work, the Province is providing $18 million to communities to consult and collaborate in advance of emergency events. The funding is intended to:

• support relationship-building across jurisdictions through consultation and co-operation with Indigenous governing bodies;
• ensure the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and cultural safety across emergency management practices;
• support policy improvements that reflect the lived experience of Indigenous Peoples and;
• address the disproportionate effects on Indigenous Peoples during emergency events.

Under the Act, municipalities and regional districts must include available Indigenous knowledge in their approach to emergency management, ensuring this knowledge contributes to actions that are taken before, during and after emergencies.

“It is critical for local governments and authorities to fully understand our inherent rights and jurisdiction in relation to emergency management,” said Robert Phillips, First Nations Summit political executive. “We welcome this new funding to support First Nations and local authorities’ engagement as an essential and necessary component to the implementation of the act. First Nations governments are in full support of building strong relationships and open communication regarding emergency planning, prevention, response and recovery, with their neighbouring authorities and governments.”

Indigenous knowledge is based on thousands of years of accumulated experiences and can provide expertise and insight into how to reduce disaster risk and manage emergencies. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has recognized that local Indigenous knowledge is a valuable contributor to planning and decision-making in emergency management.

“With the climate crisis rapidly escalating, it is critical that First Nations are supported to be full partners in decision-making about our territories,” said Chief Don Tom, vice-president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. “Engagement on legislation and regulations is incredibly expensive and requires legal and technical capacity, and the funding announced today will help us participate.”

Terry Teegee, Regional Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations, said: “The Chiefs in B.C. recently supported the First Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan that guides priorities for improving emergency management jurisdiction and services by First Nations. B.C. and local governments must respect and implement First Nations priorities, laws and policies. The climate emergency affects First Nations disproportionately more than any other people and we have only seen inadequate investments in all pillars of emergency management. All new regulations require First Nations to co-draft, co-develop and reach consent. We applaud the Province’s efforts to improve emergency management in B.C.”

Public engagement is underway on future regulations, including for local authorities and post-emergency financial assistance. People are encouraged to share their experiences and feedback on Disaster Financial Assistance to help inform new regulations for people recovering from a disaster. Engagement is open until Jan. 31, 2024.

Once local authority regulations are developed and in force, municipalities and regional districts will be required to include available Indigenous knowledge in risk assessments and emergency management plans. Plans will identify hazards and potential consequences, including consequences to sites of heritage value, and include a consideration of people disproportionately impacted by the effects of emergencies.

All First Nations in B.C. are eligible to apply for the $200-million Declaration Act Engagement Fund. This fund is helping enhance capacity for First Nations to consult and co-operate with the Province on the implementation of the Declaration Act Action Plan, as well as the development and alignment of provincial laws with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“The Declaration Act Engagement Fund is creating flexibility for First Nations to engage with the Province on areas of interest in ways that respond to their unique needs and priorities, including emergency management preparedness,” said the Hon. Murray Rankin, BC's Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. “The new Emergency and Disaster Management Act responds to a key action item in our Declaration Act Action Plan and supports the work being done together to implement the Declaration Act.”

Communities can also access funding for preparing for and mitigating emergencies and climate-related disasters through the $369-million Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF), which has six funding streams. The next application deadline for the Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Adaptation funding stream is March 28, 2024.

“Improving collaboration and co-operation between First Nations and local governments will strengthen the ability of all communities to prepare for emergencies and work together when they arise,” said Trish Mandewo, president, Union of British Columbia Municipalities. “The consultation requirement placed upon local governments through the recent emergency management legislation is as considerable as it is important. The funding provided through this initiative and the CEPF program will assist local government engagement with neighbouring First Nations. Local governments look forward to receiving guidance from the Province on the details necessary to fulfil this requirement.”

The legislation follows global best practices for disaster risk reduction and incorporates all four phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

Quick Facts:

• The Emergency and Disaster Management Act replaces the Emergency Program Act, which hadn’t been substantially updated since 1993.
• Modernized emergency management regulations to complement the act are being introduced in a phased approach.
• The regulations, including local authority and post-emergency financial assistance, will be developed in consultation and co-operation with First Nations.
• In addition to continuous improvements to emergency management, the act will be reviewed within five years.
• A 14-member task force composed of experts in emergency and wildfire management has been appointed by Premier David Eby and is working on providing recommendations on enhancing emergency preparedness and response in advance of the 2024 wildfire season.

Learn More:

For guidelines on the Indigenous Engagement Requirements funding program, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-management/local-emergency-programs/financial/ierfp

To learn more about the Emergency and Disaster Management Act, including details about phased implementation, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/EmergencyManagementAct

To participate in the public engagement on emergency management regulations, visit:
https://engage.gov.bc.ca/emergencymanagementregulations

To learn more about B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/indigenous-people/new-relationship/united-nations-declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples

For more information about B.C. legislation, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/legislation

Local Gov't Mtgs - Wk of July 12-16

The following local governments of the Cariboo-Chilcotin are meeting the week of July 12-16th, 2021, as follows:

Wells - Next Council meeting is July 20th

Quesnel - Next Council meeting is July 20th

School District #28 (Quesnel) - On summer recess.  Board of Education meetings to resume in September

School District #27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin) -- On summer recess.  Board of Education meetings to resume in September

Williams Lake - Meetings as noted below:

1) Special Closed (In-Camera) Council Meeting - July 13th at 12pm under the provisions of Sections 90(1a/c - appointment/labour) of the Community Charter.  View the closed meeting notice here

2) Committee of the Whole - July 13th at 6pm in WL Council Chambers (450 Mart St) and to be livestreamed via the City's YouTube account (click here) .  On the Agenda:

Delegations (2) -- 

a) Rehan Siddiqui, Williams Lake Muslim Community re Request for Location to Worship, Multi-Faith Engagement with the Community

b) Dr. Thor Jensen, Dr. Hadi Dowlatabadi, Kamel Singh of ReSeed Capital re Request for Letter of Support for GHG Reduction Program.

Committee Business:

a) Travel Expense and Council Compensation Policy Updates - Attendance at Virtual Events/Mileage

b) Council Meeting Update - Phase 3 Reopening

c) Discussion - First Nations Reconciliation

View the full Agenda here

100 Mile House - Next Council meeting is July 27th

Cariboo RD - On summer recess until August 20th