UBCM 2025 - Day 5 of 5

Today is the Final Day (Day 5) of the 122nd (2025) Annual Convention of the Union of BC Municipalities being held in Victoria, BC.  The Convention guidebook and other related material can be viewed at https://www.ubcm.ca/convention-resolutions/2025-convention/program

For UBCM2025/UBCM25 Delegates - today is also Orange Shirt Day! 

On today's Agenda:

* Federal Government Address - Hon. Gregor Robertson (Federal Minister of Housing/Infrastructure) 

* Complete Resolutions Debate/Decision -- any Resolutions not completed will be referred to the 2025-2026 UBCM Executive for follow-up/decision

* Provincial Government Address - Hon. David Eby (Premier of BC) 

* Adjourn 2025 UBCM Convention 

Once home from the UBCM Convention -- I will post my usual Post Event Report respecting my attendance at the 2025 UBCM Convention for my constituents... 

Have a great Friday, 

~SF

UBCM 2025 - Day 2 of 5

Today is Day 2 of 5 of the 122nd (2025) Annual Convention of the Union of BC Municipalities being held in Victoria, BC.  The Convention guidebook and other related material can be viewed at https://www.ubcm.ca/convention-resolutions/2025-convention/program

Today - I am attending: 

* A Path Forward for Responsible Conduct (Early Morning Clinic)

* Electoral Area Directors' Forum (Morning Session)

* The Road Ahead for BC's Economy (Afternoon Session)

And finally -- I have a meeting in the late afternoon with BC Assessment regarding an Property Assessment issue raised with me earlier this year by a Fox Mountain resident

Have a great Tuesday, 

SF

2018 BC Beef Day

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Barbecue fired up? Check. Tasty B.C. beef on the grill? Check. Big appetite at the ready? Check!

The day that is circled on many people's calendars is underway with the official proclamation of B.C. Beef Day at the provincial Parliament Buildings.

The celebration is about recognizing the ranching sector’s contribution to communities throughout the province, and acts as an unofficial kickoff to grilling season in B.C.

“B.C. Beef Day is an opportunity to recognize our province’s ranching sector,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture. “I’m excited to continue to work with the dedicated people who represent ranchers, farmers, and meat processors across BC. It is important to connect our consumers, restaurant industry, and tourism industry to this incredible B.C. product. Today, we celebrate the important contribution that B.C. ranchers make to our rural and urban economy.”

The Province has proclaimed May 16, 2018, as B.C. Beef Day, recognizing the partnership between government and industry stakeholder groups, including the BC Cattlemen’s Association, BC Association of Cattle Feeders, the BC Breeder and Feeder Association, and the BC Association of Abattoirs.

“B.C. Beef Day is a great day to fire up the barbecue and recognize ranchers for the hard work they do supplying a healthy, nutritious product for British Columbians,” said Brian McKersie, BC Cattlemen’s Association president. “It gives us an opportunity to meet with government to strengthen the partnerships, and discuss how we can grow our industry together for today and the future.”

In her remarks at B.C. Beef Day, Popham acknowledged the hard work of the sector, as it continues to recover from last summer’s wildfires. The governments of Canada and B.C. are continuing to provide support through AgriRecovery, and this includes making funding available for those ranchers who lost grazing land in fire-damaged areas.

The B.C. beef is being grilled at today’s barbecue by the award-winning team from House of Q. The beef was supplied by Meadow Valley Meats. The family-owned business in the Fraser Valley has been supplying meat products for almost 50 years.

BC Communities receive Grants in place of Property Taxes

Today, the Government of BC reports the list of communities that will receive "grants-in-lieu".

See the full press release here

Here, in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, the following communities received grants:

Wells - $1,434.08
Quesnel - $52,991.48
Williams Lake - $49,721.32
100 Mile House - $23,065.09

Total Received - $127,211.97 out of $16,927,132.32

Top 3 Communities for Grants received:

1) Victoria - $3,056,317.78
2) Vancouver - $2,883,676.05
3) Prince George - $2,123,940.49

BC Premier's July 4th Quarterly Web Report

Open Government in BC

As part of her platform when running for the Leadership of the BC Liberals - BC Premier Christy Clark announced the provincial government's recent moves towards open government in British Columbia.  See the government press release here.  The direct link to the website is here

Update on Tuesday, July `19th at 5:07pm - CBC reports on this initiative as well here

One aspect of this initiative that I was personally disappointed with (see the appropriate section of the "Open Information" website here) was with the lack of information, pertaining to monthly travel expenses.  The information only shows a total of monthly travel expenses for members of the BC Cabinet and the Deputy Ministers.  I'd like to see a breakdown, by date, location and exact purpose of travel, of the travel expenses, but perhaps this is coming in the not-too-distant future

In fact - I'd like to see this kind of information (monthly breakdown of expenses for civic officials - Mayors, Councillors, School District Trustees and Regional District EA Directors) posted at local government websites as I think taxpayers' who pay the elected officials salary and expenses should know how that money is being spent and let taxpayers' decide for themselves if they are getting "value for money"

SBF

BC Gov't maintains support for Arts Sector

The BC Arts Council received $16,831,000 from the provincial government to help fund artists and cultural organizations in British Columbia for April 1st 2011 to March 31st, 2012.

Arts groups large and small apply to the BC Arts Council – an independent agency of the Province – to support opportunities for artists, strengthen local economies and enhance quality of life for citizens in communities across British Columbia.

This year’s funding will benefit artists, major cultural organizations and institutions, as well as local community arts councils. British Columbia’s diverse and robust arts scene draws significant support annually from the BC Arts Council for art galleries, theatres, orchestras, museums, festivals and more.

Quotes:

Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Hon. Ida Chong –

“Arts in British Columbia enrich families and support careers, while infusing creative and economic energy into communities in every region of the province. We will continue to work with artists and cultural organizations through the BC Arts Council, our principal development and funding agency for the arts, to build on British Columbia’s well-deserved international reputation for artistic excellence.”

BC Arts Council chair Stan Hamilton –

“On behalf of the board we thank the minister for this support – the second-highest level in the council’s history. The funding is the key to ensuring the long-term health of B.C.’s creative sector. It means that council can continue to provide a high level of service to our clients. These resources allow council to take the strategic steps to ensure the arts in this province will grow and thrive over the long term.”

Quick Facts:

· BC Art Council’s $16.831 million 2011-12 budget consists of:

o $7.931 million from the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.
o $2.150 million from the BC150 Cultural Fund (a $150-million interest-generating endowment fund).
o $6.75 million from the 2010 Sport and Arts Legacy.

· Total arts and culture support from the B.C. government exceeds half a billion dollars over the last decade.

· From 2001 until March 31, 2011, the BC Arts Council granted $152 million to artists and cultural organizations in British Columbia.

· B.C.’s creative sector employs more than 78,000 people and contributes $5.2 billion to our provincial economy.

Backgrounder:

By restoring core funding for the BC Arts Council this year to 2008-09 levels, the Province is standing by a government recommendation and a commitment from Premier Christy Clark to make funding of the arts a high priority in British Columbia.

In 2011, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services recommended a return to funding levels in 2008-09 for the arts. This year’s $16,831,000 in BC Arts Council funding is only $20,000 below the Province’s core funding for council in 2008-09.

Recent fiscal years reflect the stability of provincial government funding for the BC Arts Council.

Provincial government support for the BC Arts Council:

2008-09 funding - $16,851,000 (April 1, 2008 to March 31st, 2009)
2009-2010 funding - $11,593,000 plus an additional $7 million in one-time supplemental funding from the previous year. (April 1st, 2009 to March 31st, 2010)
2010-11 funding - $16,831,000 (April 1st, 2010 to March 31st, 2011)
2011-12 funding - $16,831,000 (April 1st, 2011 to March 31st, 2012)

The BC Arts Council awards funding to over 1,000 recipients annually across British Columbia. Council funding supports many of British Columbia’s key cultural organizations and events. Recipients include the Vancouver Art Gallery, Prince George Symphony, Alert Bay U’mista Cultural Centre, Fort St. James Community Arts Council, ArtsBC and Pacific Opera Victoria.

The funding benefits diverse organizations and individual artists working in visual arts, literary arts, theatre, dance, film, music and more.