As I did last year, I'm using this post to prepare for the 2024 Union of BC Municipalities convention in Vancouver during the week of Sept. 16. All of us on council will be attending this year as in the past, just as we typically do at the regional Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) conventions. Smaller groups of us attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) national conventions, in part given the cost of these excursions. At UBCM this year, we'll be joining over 2,000 other elected representatives from across BC.
The first UBCM convention was held in 1905, and this will be its 119th such gathering -- coinciding, of course, with an increasingly unpredictable provincial election campaign and hence assured of no end of politicking. Yet UBCM is all about apolitical local governments progressing through consensus and collective action. Here's a snapshot of its genesis and history. This image captures some of UBCM's achievements, including participation in the formation of such keystone organizations as BC Assessment, the Local Government Management Association and the Municipal Finance Authority. Over the many decades, UBCM has worked to ensure welfare payments are not a local government responsibility (which they were circa the Great Depression), pushed for establishment of the Community Charter (2003), lobbied for the federal gas tax (first enacted in BC and other provinces in 2007), and demanded that local governments be recognized as "an independent, responsible and accountable order of government." Sincerest of hoorays for all that.
Sooke's delegation this year has requested meetings with cabinet ministers as well as senior representatives from a select group of ministries and provincial agencies -- BC Housing, BC Hydro, the RCMP, the Office of the Seniors' Advocate and the Agricultural Land Commission included. In addition to voting on resolutions, soaking up the rich content of workshops and seminars, touring the trade show and networking, these short, hopefully impactful appointments are the major, Sooke-specific reason to attend UBCM -- building relationships with Provincial powers-that-be, expressing local wants and wishes, and starting processes that will eventually (yes, I'm going to stay resolutely optimistic as one need and must in these long-game campaigns) deliver tangible benefits to the District -- next-phase Highway 14 improvements and funding for wastewater expansion to Kaltasin for starters, please.
Starting Points
- 2024 convention home page
- Full program schedule
- 2024 UBCM Annual Report (published Aug. 28)
- 2024 Resolutions Book (258 resolutions this year vs. 202 in 2023. These are comprised of 3 special resolutions from the UBCM executive; 105 in the “Endorse Block”; 14 in the “Not Endorse Block”; 104 in the "No Recommendation" category to spur individual consideration, debate and voting; 35 more resolutions are deemed by the executive to duplicate other resolutions.)
- Resolutions Results 2023-2024 (at-a-glance summary)
- Province of BC 2023 resolution replies package (received Feb. 2024)
- UBCM Local Government Financial Review Working Group – Sept. 2024 Annual Report
- Potential For Change: Responsible Conduct Framework for Local Government Elected Officials (Sept. 2024)
- Funding and Resources Update: September 2024
- UBCM Policy Papers (archive with 60+ papers dating from 2000)
- UBCM e-newsletter The Compass (archive)
Sooke Advocacy Priorities
The Province invites, through its annual Appointment Book, municipal Mayors and councils to meet with Ministers for a limited number of 15-minute pitch sessions during UBCM week. This year Sooke requested the following meetings. Mayor Tait will again lead our council delegations and we'll be joined again by CAO Raechel Gray and MLA Ravi Parmar. As of this writing, meeting confirmations have yet to be received.
Ministerial Meetings
Minister of Municipal Affairs Anne Kang: i) Request a progress report on the District's intent for sewer extension to Kaltasin in association with the T’Sou-ke Nation; ii) Request a second round of the Growing Communities Fund for essential infrastructure funding in Sooke and other communities across BC. (Follow-up to last year's meeting with the Minister).
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming: i) Discuss the short, medium and long-term vision for Highway 14 while addressing current traffic issues; ii) Request a commitment from the Minister to direct staff to identify the next phase of corridor improvements now that the 2017-22 work is complete and ensure funding for this work is included in the Ministry’s 10-year capital plan; iii) Request that the Ministry prioritize and include Sooke’s need for a second bridge across the river in its near-term plan; iv) Infrastructure funding to support the completion of Sooke's Transportation Master Plan (TMP) to determine transit priority and support taking cars off route 14.
Minister of Education and Child Care Rachna Singh: i) Request information on the plan for schools in the Sooke School District's Milnes Landing (aka Sooke) region; ii) Advocate for efforts to secure fair funding and new school developments for Sooke, such as the new Sooke Elementary and Sunriver Elementary, in response to the area's fast-growing population and given the current focus on Langford and Colwood in SD #62’s five-year capital plan.
Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth: i) Discuss the inclusion of the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIMCU) and the next steps; ii) Advocate for the Victoria Family Court & Youth Justice Committee to secure stable, long-term funding and additional staffing for Greater Victoria’s Mobile Youth Services Team alongside the existing funding for the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit.
Sooke has also requested meetings with senior ministerial staff from the following ...
* Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure: Highway 14 status update with senior staff as a follow-up on the council presentation by MOTI on April 8 and to augment Sooke input to Minister Fleming.
* Ministry of Health: Request for status of service planning approvals related to the Community Health Centre/Urgent Primary Care Centre destined through the BC Builds program to be built on the northeast quadrant of the town centre Lot A + request funding for prenatal care given the current necessity of partial District funding for programs delivered by the Sooke Family Resource Society; overall service-level request status.
* Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport: Introduce the Juan de Fuca Corridor Tourism Plan and seek insights into the status of Sooke's Municipal & Regional District Tax Program (MRDT) application.
* Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions: Address the mental health and addiction issues affecting main street life in Sooke; Discuss how to locally adapt and implement Peer-Assisted Care Teams (PACT) and/or mobile integrated crisis response teams, which pair an RCMP officer with a nurse and have shown remarkable effectiveness; Request for suicide prevention support.
* Ministry of Citizens Services: Follow-up on request for a provincial government co-working hub in Sooke as per the Mayor's advocacy letter of July 28, 2022. Some 250 provincial employees reside in Sooke, approx. 10% of our commuter traffic load. Wrote the Mayor: "A co-working facility in Sooke’s town centre is one of the short-term priorities in the District’s Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2021). A teleworking hub is also cited prominently in the District’s newly released Climate Action Plan as one of other solutions that will cut community transportation emissions. These ambitions are mirrored in our pending Official Community Plan in its Action #8, which calls for teleworking spaces in Sooke’s town centre." [Minister Beare's reply (Aug. 11) stated: "My ministry is exploring the idea of locating teleworking hubs in other areas of the province based on where employees currently live, and considering future trends and economic activity, as well what provincial assets are available for creating regional hubs. I have forwarded the District of Sooke’s request to staff; please be assured it will be considered in light of these factors as our work progresses."]
And a series of meetings have been requested with reps from the following provincial agencies, commissions and corporations ...
* Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Share Sooke's plan to significantly grow our policing complement, cost pressures related to new recruits, VIIMCU and EComm charges + our desire to understand the impacts of Surrey's transition to its own police force (the second largest in the province) in lieu of the RCMP (effective on Nov. 29).
* Office of the Seniors Advocate (OSA): Discuss issues impacting seniors in Sooke, such as isolation and precarious housing, and seek an understanding of how the advocate is addressing these issues.
* BC Housing: Request an operational funding increase at the Sooke Shelter for 19 overnight shelter beds.
* BC Transit: Advocate for the comprehensive and expedited implementation of the Sooke Local Area Transit Plan, emphasizing the need for increased service hours. This is particularly important given the removal of double-decker buses on Route #61, the anticipated establishment of a RapidBus mobility hub in Langford, and direct service to Victoria during rush hours.
* BC Hydro: Request input on accelerating the adoption of the zero carbon step code; Address concerns about the Province's ability to meet future demands as we move towards greater electrification; Discuss continued collaboration on infrastructure upgrades, including hydro wraps for beautification; and Request buyback power as an incentive program for renewable energy.
* Agricultural Land Commission (ALC): Small scale farming - update on Homeplate project in Sooke and discussion on challenges for making smaller acreages more productive.
UBCM Priorities
Sooke is a member of the UBCM and relies on its collective strength and advocacy power through its representation of 193 local, regional and First Nations governments in BC. UBCM strategically works year-round on hot-button issues requiring attention, policy tweaks, legislative amendments and/or funding from the Province. It does so during annual Advocacy Days meetings with MLAs and cabinet Ministers in Victoria each spring and ongoing year-round via a set of standing committees represented in joint working groups involving provincial staff.
- President's Committee
- Convention Committee
- Environment
- Indigenous Relations
- Community Safety
- Community Economic Development
- Health and Social Development
- Nominating Committee
- Resolutions
UBCM Executive Priorities (see 2024 annual report, pp. 3-5)
~ Housing and Homelessness - Subject of UBCM's Housing Summit in April, 2023, scheduled at time of release of the Province's Homes For People action plan. UBCM's initial response to the plan is here. The Ministry of Housing has indicated it will track 47 growing BC municipalities (Sooke included) as we/they enact recommendations and meet targets in our/their respective Housing Needs Reports. (Sooke is already well ahead of its targets; we have nearly 1,000 units approved for construction and another 1,000 anticipated. See MOTI meeting request above as to why this is problematic.)
UBCM's advocacy focus:
i) "Scale up investments in affordable housing, supportive housing, complex care facilities, and shelter spaces.
ii) Improve BC Housing operations to minimize delays in affordable and shelter housing projects.
iii) Create new strategies and supports to address the unique needs of rural and remote communities and incentivize affordable development in those areas."
~ Local Government Finance - Sustainable, long-term, predictable Province of BC funding for local governments paired with policy support in three priority areas: attainable housing, climate change and community safety. See Ensuring Local Government Financial Resiliency (2021), which presents recommendations that reiterate and expand on those found in UBCM's Strong Fiscal Futures report (2013).
This work is coordinated by UBCM and provincial staff within the Local Government Financial Review Working Group
(see its August, 2024 report). Top of mind always is this consensus "problem statement" - "Property tax is useful and important as an own-source revenue tool, but local governments report difficulty raising enough revenue from property taxes, particularly regarding infrastructure capital costs and select service delivery costs driven by senior government regulations and environmental factors."
These efforts align with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Municipal Growth Framework campaign at the federal level. Its key point: "Local governments’ scope of responsibilities continues to expand—including driving action on-the-ground in new areas like homelessness, housing, mental health and addiction, as well as sustainability, climate adaptation and mitigation—outstripping funding provided by an outdated funding framework. Who pays for it all, through what means, and how do we keep municipal budgets balanced?"]
In brief: Thanks for the municipal funding to date, but more $$$ please and thanks.
~ Infrastructure funding renewal. UBCM represents local governments re: the Canada-Community Building Fund (formerly Gas Tax Fund). A new 10-year agreement with Ottawa was signed on April 1 this year and will deliver $3.5 billion to BC over the next decade; half of it is dedicated to Greater Vancouver, and funds are also hived off for BC Transit, Trans-Link and non-profits. The amount is indexed to rise incrementally each year. See UBCM page + 2018 UBCM outcomes report.
Sooke received approx. $630k in 2023 + the new agreement will deliver (over the next five years) approx. $750,000 per year through 2027 and $780,000 per year for 2028 and 2029. Funding to Sooke over the years has gone towards multiple road, trail and other infrastructure improvements, master-planning documents, the Fred Milne turf field, the SEAPARC weight room/fitness studio and more. [A permanent doubling of the $293 million transferred to BC as happened in 2019 and 2021 would be much appreciated, of course.]
- Investing In Canada Infrastructure Program (now in its final year)
- Community transition support via the BC Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program
~ Indigenous Relations. "UBCM continues to advocate for local governments to be engaged throughout the reconciliation process on issues that impact them. These issues include land management, local government access to resources for public purposes, property taxation, servicing, and economic development."
UBCM activities over the years have included land use planning as it relates to Indigenous land claims and TRC recommendations + submissions (2021 and 2016) to the National Inquiry into Missing & Murdered Aboriginal Women & Girls + Pathways to Collaboration showcases of economic collaboration between First Nations and municipalities + advocacy for safe drinking water on reserves (2024 national update: "145 long-term advisories have been lifted since November 2015. An additional 31 long-term advisories remain in effect in 29 communities.")
~ Community Safety. From the 2024 annual report: "Local first responders are frequently asked to answer calls for service outside their core expertise, to support the most vulnerable in our communities. This includes local police and fire departments providing front line services to those struggling with substance abuse, mental health issues, homelessness, and other complex situations. As locally funded resources are being used to respond to Provincial areas of responsibility, there is a need for ongoing investments and co-ordination to address this cost pressure for local governments."
Strong support expressed for Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act and its recommendation #4, which asks that the Province: "Create and appropriately fund a continuum of response to mental health, addictions and other complex social issues with a focus on prevention and community-led responses and ensuring appropriate first response. This includes: a) Increasing coordination and integration across police, health, mental health, and social services; and b) Integrating mental health within 911 call options."
"The joint UBCM-Province Local Government Financial Review Working Group has begun work on reversing the downloading of jurisdictional responsibility for mental health, addiction, and homelessness services on local governments."
~ Climate Action: Continued work on advancing the Nov. 2020 recommendations of the UBCM Special Committee on Climate Action via the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 and its related Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy: 2022-2025, namely:
* Zero emission housing and low-carbon retrofits
* World-class low carbon vehicle charging network
* World-class active transportation infrastructure (based on the province's Move, Commute, Connect Active Transportation Strategy)
* Land-use planning for vibrant, compact & complete communities
* Management of solid and liquid waste as resources
* Regional climate risk assessments and capital plans
* Creating climate champions (10 test-pilot communities)
Reference: BC Climate Change Accountability Report (2022)
Upcoming in 2024/25: "A (UBCM) guidebook is in the works that will share best practices for several relatively attainable solutions to common climate action challenges, such as reducing emissions from buildings and transportation, and preparing for climate-driven disasters such as floods and wildfires."
~ Development of Code of Conduct for elected officials, committee members and municipal staff + introduction of an online course. More materials forthcoming as local governments introduce codes.
~ BC Fire Safety Act modernization (see 2022 convention slide deck) and revision of the BC Emergency Program Act + needed municipal funding to enact arising new responsibilities (UBCM emergency services page). The working group makes "recommendations regarding the implementation of the revised BC Structure Firefighter Minimum Training Standards by providing information related to current fire service infrastructure and priorities of local government fire services."
~ Decriminalization. Provincial response to the opioid crisis -- decriminalization (2021) backed by provincial support for safe consumption, drug testing, detox and treatment.
"A significant file over the past year for UBCM members has been the decriminalization of illicit drugs in BC. This is a pilot program that began in January 2023 and runs until January 2026, removing criminal penalties for people who possess a small amount of certain illicit substances for personal use. Local governments raised concerns regarding the use of illicit drugs in public spaces, including parks, playgrounds, sports fields, beaches, and bus stops. Health Canada amended the exemption. The first change was made in September 2023 to add additional places such as playgrounds, spray pools, wading pools, and skate parks as areas where the possession of illegal drugs was prohibited. The second amendment was made in May 2024, to prohibit the use of illegal substances in all public spaces, including hospitals, on transit, in playgrounds, parks, and other areas."
Other areas of policy and advocacy focus in recent years ...
- Cannabis taxation revenue sharing. Not on the radar this year, it seems.
Despite multiple near-unanimous resolutions since 2017, the province "remains unwilling to engage in meaningful discussion" about sharing this revenue with local governments. See 2019 UBCM position paper and this year's resolution from Port Moody. The Province figures the cannabis industry contributes $2.4 billion to the provincial economy annually; federal tax revenue is currently distributed to municipalities in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta.
- Public safety: Addressing "random violence, street disorder and repeat offenders" through reform of the federal Bill C-75 as it pertains to the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and others -- largely re: detention of repeat offenders for appropriate periods + UBCM submission to the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act (2021) and slide deck
- Wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels + Transport Canada's Abandoned Boats program
- Improved elections eduction for candidates via BC Municipal Affairs website
- Rail safety improvement program
2024 Resolutions to be forwarded to the province if successful
UBCM attendees debate (at pro and con microphones) and then vote annually on a set of resolutions submitted by municipal councils for approval by the UBCM Resolutions Committee. These typically add fresh urgency and/or new textures to long-time campaigns that continue to evolve as municipal members annually shape UBCM advocacy with the Province.
Successful resolution votes (50% + 1) are forwarded to the appropriate BC ministry for consideration. Ministerial responses flow back in over the next six months and are catalogued on the UBCM website here (searchable back to 1987). The 2023 replies package details how the Province is responding on the many and varied fronts raised through resolutions. (See pp. 34-45 of the 2023 annual report for an overview of provincial responses over the previous five years).
This year's resolution book features 258 resolutions from 98 BC local governments and regional districts. (Sooke did not submit one this year). As ever, these well-documented wishes are divided into categories:
~ Extraordinary Resolutions (ER) to amend UBCM bylaws;
~ Special Resolutions (SR) determined by the UBCM executive;
~ Endorse Block (EB) and Non-Endorse Block (NEB) of resolutions that either align with or are contrary to existing UBCM policy. (These are dealt with in a single vote unless delegates wish to remove one or more resolutions for debate.)
~ No Recommendation (NR) resolutions left by the UBCM to the will of delegates. This takes up the lion's share of the allocated time.
~ Referred Resolutions (RR) which either duplicate other resolutions or are best dealt with by the UBCM executive.
And thematically divided as follows:
* Health and Social Development
* Housing
* Community Safety
* Environment
* Regional Districts
* Finances
* Land Use
* Taxation
* Transportation
* Legislative
* Assessment
* Community Economic Development
* Elections
The resolutions session will begin Wednesday morning with three UBCM board-directed resolutions. Like previous years, it will be a challenge to the moderators to work through the entire resolution book, which is 22% thicker this year.
(more to follow)
The first UBCM convention was held in 1905, and this will be its 119th such gathering -- coinciding, of course, with an increasingly unpredictable provincial election campaign and hence assured of no end of politicking. Yet UBCM is all about apolitical local governments progressing through consensus and collective action. Here's a snapshot of its genesis and history. This image captures some of UBCM's achievements, including participation in the formation of such keystone organizations as BC Assessment, the Local Government Management Association and the Municipal Finance Authority. Over the many decades, UBCM has worked to ensure welfare payments are not a local government responsibility (which they were circa the Great Depression), pushed for establishment of the Community Charter (2003), lobbied for the federal gas tax (first enacted in BC and other provinces in 2007), and demanded that local governments be recognized as "an independent, responsible and accountable order of government." Sincerest of hoorays for all that.
Sooke's delegation this year has requested meetings with cabinet ministers as well as senior representatives from a select group of ministries and provincial agencies -- BC Housing, BC Hydro, the RCMP, the Office of the Seniors' Advocate and the Agricultural Land Commission included. In addition to voting on resolutions, soaking up the rich content of workshops and seminars, touring the trade show and networking, these short, hopefully impactful appointments are the major, Sooke-specific reason to attend UBCM -- building relationships with Provincial powers-that-be, expressing local wants and wishes, and starting processes that will eventually (yes, I'm going to stay resolutely optimistic as one need and must in these long-game campaigns) deliver tangible benefits to the District -- next-phase Highway 14 improvements and funding for wastewater expansion to Kaltasin for starters, please.
Starting Points
- 2024 convention home page
- Full program schedule
- 2024 UBCM Annual Report (published Aug. 28)
- 2024 Resolutions Book (258 resolutions this year vs. 202 in 2023. These are comprised of 3 special resolutions from the UBCM executive; 105 in the “Endorse Block”; 14 in the “Not Endorse Block”; 104 in the "No Recommendation" category to spur individual consideration, debate and voting; 35 more resolutions are deemed by the executive to duplicate other resolutions.)
- Resolutions Results 2023-2024 (at-a-glance summary)
- Province of BC 2023 resolution replies package (received Feb. 2024)
- UBCM Local Government Financial Review Working Group – Sept. 2024 Annual Report
- Potential For Change: Responsible Conduct Framework for Local Government Elected Officials (Sept. 2024)
- Funding and Resources Update: September 2024
- UBCM Policy Papers (archive with 60+ papers dating from 2000)
- UBCM e-newsletter The Compass (archive)
Sooke Advocacy Priorities
The Province invites, through its annual Appointment Book, municipal Mayors and councils to meet with Ministers for a limited number of 15-minute pitch sessions during UBCM week. This year Sooke requested the following meetings. Mayor Tait will again lead our council delegations and we'll be joined again by CAO Raechel Gray and MLA Ravi Parmar. As of this writing, meeting confirmations have yet to be received.
Ministerial Meetings
Minister of Municipal Affairs Anne Kang: i) Request a progress report on the District's intent for sewer extension to Kaltasin in association with the T’Sou-ke Nation; ii) Request a second round of the Growing Communities Fund for essential infrastructure funding in Sooke and other communities across BC. (Follow-up to last year's meeting with the Minister).
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming: i) Discuss the short, medium and long-term vision for Highway 14 while addressing current traffic issues; ii) Request a commitment from the Minister to direct staff to identify the next phase of corridor improvements now that the 2017-22 work is complete and ensure funding for this work is included in the Ministry’s 10-year capital plan; iii) Request that the Ministry prioritize and include Sooke’s need for a second bridge across the river in its near-term plan; iv) Infrastructure funding to support the completion of Sooke's Transportation Master Plan (TMP) to determine transit priority and support taking cars off route 14.
Minister of Education and Child Care Rachna Singh: i) Request information on the plan for schools in the Sooke School District's Milnes Landing (aka Sooke) region; ii) Advocate for efforts to secure fair funding and new school developments for Sooke, such as the new Sooke Elementary and Sunriver Elementary, in response to the area's fast-growing population and given the current focus on Langford and Colwood in SD #62’s five-year capital plan.
Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth: i) Discuss the inclusion of the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIMCU) and the next steps; ii) Advocate for the Victoria Family Court & Youth Justice Committee to secure stable, long-term funding and additional staffing for Greater Victoria’s Mobile Youth Services Team alongside the existing funding for the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit.
Sooke has also requested meetings with senior ministerial staff from the following ...
* Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure: Highway 14 status update with senior staff as a follow-up on the council presentation by MOTI on April 8 and to augment Sooke input to Minister Fleming.
* Ministry of Health: Request for status of service planning approvals related to the Community Health Centre/Urgent Primary Care Centre destined through the BC Builds program to be built on the northeast quadrant of the town centre Lot A + request funding for prenatal care given the current necessity of partial District funding for programs delivered by the Sooke Family Resource Society; overall service-level request status.
* Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport: Introduce the Juan de Fuca Corridor Tourism Plan and seek insights into the status of Sooke's Municipal & Regional District Tax Program (MRDT) application.
* Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions: Address the mental health and addiction issues affecting main street life in Sooke; Discuss how to locally adapt and implement Peer-Assisted Care Teams (PACT) and/or mobile integrated crisis response teams, which pair an RCMP officer with a nurse and have shown remarkable effectiveness; Request for suicide prevention support.
* Ministry of Citizens Services: Follow-up on request for a provincial government co-working hub in Sooke as per the Mayor's advocacy letter of July 28, 2022. Some 250 provincial employees reside in Sooke, approx. 10% of our commuter traffic load. Wrote the Mayor: "A co-working facility in Sooke’s town centre is one of the short-term priorities in the District’s Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2021). A teleworking hub is also cited prominently in the District’s newly released Climate Action Plan as one of other solutions that will cut community transportation emissions. These ambitions are mirrored in our pending Official Community Plan in its Action #8, which calls for teleworking spaces in Sooke’s town centre." [Minister Beare's reply (Aug. 11) stated: "My ministry is exploring the idea of locating teleworking hubs in other areas of the province based on where employees currently live, and considering future trends and economic activity, as well what provincial assets are available for creating regional hubs. I have forwarded the District of Sooke’s request to staff; please be assured it will be considered in light of these factors as our work progresses."]
And a series of meetings have been requested with reps from the following provincial agencies, commissions and corporations ...
* Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Share Sooke's plan to significantly grow our policing complement, cost pressures related to new recruits, VIIMCU and EComm charges + our desire to understand the impacts of Surrey's transition to its own police force (the second largest in the province) in lieu of the RCMP (effective on Nov. 29).
* Office of the Seniors Advocate (OSA): Discuss issues impacting seniors in Sooke, such as isolation and precarious housing, and seek an understanding of how the advocate is addressing these issues.
* BC Housing: Request an operational funding increase at the Sooke Shelter for 19 overnight shelter beds.
* BC Transit: Advocate for the comprehensive and expedited implementation of the Sooke Local Area Transit Plan, emphasizing the need for increased service hours. This is particularly important given the removal of double-decker buses on Route #61, the anticipated establishment of a RapidBus mobility hub in Langford, and direct service to Victoria during rush hours.
* BC Hydro: Request input on accelerating the adoption of the zero carbon step code; Address concerns about the Province's ability to meet future demands as we move towards greater electrification; Discuss continued collaboration on infrastructure upgrades, including hydro wraps for beautification; and Request buyback power as an incentive program for renewable energy.
* Agricultural Land Commission (ALC): Small scale farming - update on Homeplate project in Sooke and discussion on challenges for making smaller acreages more productive.
UBCM Priorities
Sooke is a member of the UBCM and relies on its collective strength and advocacy power through its representation of 193 local, regional and First Nations governments in BC. UBCM strategically works year-round on hot-button issues requiring attention, policy tweaks, legislative amendments and/or funding from the Province. It does so during annual Advocacy Days meetings with MLAs and cabinet Ministers in Victoria each spring and ongoing year-round via a set of standing committees represented in joint working groups involving provincial staff.
- President's Committee
- Convention Committee
- Environment
- Indigenous Relations
- Community Safety
- Community Economic Development
- Health and Social Development
- Nominating Committee
- Resolutions
UBCM Executive Priorities (see 2024 annual report, pp. 3-5)
~ Housing and Homelessness - Subject of UBCM's Housing Summit in April, 2023, scheduled at time of release of the Province's Homes For People action plan. UBCM's initial response to the plan is here. The Ministry of Housing has indicated it will track 47 growing BC municipalities (Sooke included) as we/they enact recommendations and meet targets in our/their respective Housing Needs Reports. (Sooke is already well ahead of its targets; we have nearly 1,000 units approved for construction and another 1,000 anticipated. See MOTI meeting request above as to why this is problematic.)
UBCM's advocacy focus:
i) "Scale up investments in affordable housing, supportive housing, complex care facilities, and shelter spaces.
ii) Improve BC Housing operations to minimize delays in affordable and shelter housing projects.
iii) Create new strategies and supports to address the unique needs of rural and remote communities and incentivize affordable development in those areas."
~ Local Government Finance - Sustainable, long-term, predictable Province of BC funding for local governments paired with policy support in three priority areas: attainable housing, climate change and community safety. See Ensuring Local Government Financial Resiliency (2021), which presents recommendations that reiterate and expand on those found in UBCM's Strong Fiscal Futures report (2013).
This work is coordinated by UBCM and provincial staff within the Local Government Financial Review Working Group
(see its August, 2024 report). Top of mind always is this consensus "problem statement" - "Property tax is useful and important as an own-source revenue tool, but local governments report difficulty raising enough revenue from property taxes, particularly regarding infrastructure capital costs and select service delivery costs driven by senior government regulations and environmental factors."
These efforts align with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Municipal Growth Framework campaign at the federal level. Its key point: "Local governments’ scope of responsibilities continues to expand—including driving action on-the-ground in new areas like homelessness, housing, mental health and addiction, as well as sustainability, climate adaptation and mitigation—outstripping funding provided by an outdated funding framework. Who pays for it all, through what means, and how do we keep municipal budgets balanced?"]
In brief: Thanks for the municipal funding to date, but more $$$ please and thanks.
~ Infrastructure funding renewal. UBCM represents local governments re: the Canada-Community Building Fund (formerly Gas Tax Fund). A new 10-year agreement with Ottawa was signed on April 1 this year and will deliver $3.5 billion to BC over the next decade; half of it is dedicated to Greater Vancouver, and funds are also hived off for BC Transit, Trans-Link and non-profits. The amount is indexed to rise incrementally each year. See UBCM page + 2018 UBCM outcomes report.
Sooke received approx. $630k in 2023 + the new agreement will deliver (over the next five years) approx. $750,000 per year through 2027 and $780,000 per year for 2028 and 2029. Funding to Sooke over the years has gone towards multiple road, trail and other infrastructure improvements, master-planning documents, the Fred Milne turf field, the SEAPARC weight room/fitness studio and more. [A permanent doubling of the $293 million transferred to BC as happened in 2019 and 2021 would be much appreciated, of course.]
- Investing In Canada Infrastructure Program (now in its final year)
- Community transition support via the BC Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program
~ Indigenous Relations. "UBCM continues to advocate for local governments to be engaged throughout the reconciliation process on issues that impact them. These issues include land management, local government access to resources for public purposes, property taxation, servicing, and economic development."
UBCM activities over the years have included land use planning as it relates to Indigenous land claims and TRC recommendations + submissions (2021 and 2016) to the National Inquiry into Missing & Murdered Aboriginal Women & Girls + Pathways to Collaboration showcases of economic collaboration between First Nations and municipalities + advocacy for safe drinking water on reserves (2024 national update: "145 long-term advisories have been lifted since November 2015. An additional 31 long-term advisories remain in effect in 29 communities.")
~ Community Safety. From the 2024 annual report: "Local first responders are frequently asked to answer calls for service outside their core expertise, to support the most vulnerable in our communities. This includes local police and fire departments providing front line services to those struggling with substance abuse, mental health issues, homelessness, and other complex situations. As locally funded resources are being used to respond to Provincial areas of responsibility, there is a need for ongoing investments and co-ordination to address this cost pressure for local governments."
Strong support expressed for Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act and its recommendation #4, which asks that the Province: "Create and appropriately fund a continuum of response to mental health, addictions and other complex social issues with a focus on prevention and community-led responses and ensuring appropriate first response. This includes: a) Increasing coordination and integration across police, health, mental health, and social services; and b) Integrating mental health within 911 call options."
"The joint UBCM-Province Local Government Financial Review Working Group has begun work on reversing the downloading of jurisdictional responsibility for mental health, addiction, and homelessness services on local governments."
~ Climate Action: Continued work on advancing the Nov. 2020 recommendations of the UBCM Special Committee on Climate Action via the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 and its related Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy: 2022-2025, namely:
* Zero emission housing and low-carbon retrofits
* World-class low carbon vehicle charging network
* World-class active transportation infrastructure (based on the province's Move, Commute, Connect Active Transportation Strategy)
* Land-use planning for vibrant, compact & complete communities
* Management of solid and liquid waste as resources
* Regional climate risk assessments and capital plans
* Creating climate champions (10 test-pilot communities)
Reference: BC Climate Change Accountability Report (2022)
Upcoming in 2024/25: "A (UBCM) guidebook is in the works that will share best practices for several relatively attainable solutions to common climate action challenges, such as reducing emissions from buildings and transportation, and preparing for climate-driven disasters such as floods and wildfires."
~ Development of Code of Conduct for elected officials, committee members and municipal staff + introduction of an online course. More materials forthcoming as local governments introduce codes.
~ BC Fire Safety Act modernization (see 2022 convention slide deck) and revision of the BC Emergency Program Act + needed municipal funding to enact arising new responsibilities (UBCM emergency services page). The working group makes "recommendations regarding the implementation of the revised BC Structure Firefighter Minimum Training Standards by providing information related to current fire service infrastructure and priorities of local government fire services."
~ Decriminalization. Provincial response to the opioid crisis -- decriminalization (2021) backed by provincial support for safe consumption, drug testing, detox and treatment.
"A significant file over the past year for UBCM members has been the decriminalization of illicit drugs in BC. This is a pilot program that began in January 2023 and runs until January 2026, removing criminal penalties for people who possess a small amount of certain illicit substances for personal use. Local governments raised concerns regarding the use of illicit drugs in public spaces, including parks, playgrounds, sports fields, beaches, and bus stops. Health Canada amended the exemption. The first change was made in September 2023 to add additional places such as playgrounds, spray pools, wading pools, and skate parks as areas where the possession of illegal drugs was prohibited. The second amendment was made in May 2024, to prohibit the use of illegal substances in all public spaces, including hospitals, on transit, in playgrounds, parks, and other areas."
Other areas of policy and advocacy focus in recent years ...
- Cannabis taxation revenue sharing. Not on the radar this year, it seems.
Despite multiple near-unanimous resolutions since 2017, the province "remains unwilling to engage in meaningful discussion" about sharing this revenue with local governments. See 2019 UBCM position paper and this year's resolution from Port Moody. The Province figures the cannabis industry contributes $2.4 billion to the provincial economy annually; federal tax revenue is currently distributed to municipalities in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta.
- Public safety: Addressing "random violence, street disorder and repeat offenders" through reform of the federal Bill C-75 as it pertains to the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and others -- largely re: detention of repeat offenders for appropriate periods + UBCM submission to the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act (2021) and slide deck
- Wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels + Transport Canada's Abandoned Boats program
- Improved elections eduction for candidates via BC Municipal Affairs website
- Rail safety improvement program
2024 Resolutions to be forwarded to the province if successful
UBCM attendees debate (at pro and con microphones) and then vote annually on a set of resolutions submitted by municipal councils for approval by the UBCM Resolutions Committee. These typically add fresh urgency and/or new textures to long-time campaigns that continue to evolve as municipal members annually shape UBCM advocacy with the Province.
Successful resolution votes (50% + 1) are forwarded to the appropriate BC ministry for consideration. Ministerial responses flow back in over the next six months and are catalogued on the UBCM website here (searchable back to 1987). The 2023 replies package details how the Province is responding on the many and varied fronts raised through resolutions. (See pp. 34-45 of the 2023 annual report for an overview of provincial responses over the previous five years).
This year's resolution book features 258 resolutions from 98 BC local governments and regional districts. (Sooke did not submit one this year). As ever, these well-documented wishes are divided into categories:
~ Extraordinary Resolutions (ER) to amend UBCM bylaws;
~ Special Resolutions (SR) determined by the UBCM executive;
~ Endorse Block (EB) and Non-Endorse Block (NEB) of resolutions that either align with or are contrary to existing UBCM policy. (These are dealt with in a single vote unless delegates wish to remove one or more resolutions for debate.)
~ No Recommendation (NR) resolutions left by the UBCM to the will of delegates. This takes up the lion's share of the allocated time.
~ Referred Resolutions (RR) which either duplicate other resolutions or are best dealt with by the UBCM executive.
And thematically divided as follows:
* Health and Social Development
* Housing
* Community Safety
* Environment
* Regional Districts
* Finances
* Land Use
* Taxation
* Transportation
* Legislative
* Assessment
* Community Economic Development
* Elections
The resolutions session will begin Wednesday morning with three UBCM board-directed resolutions. Like previous years, it will be a challenge to the moderators to work through the entire resolution book, which is 22% thicker this year.
(more to follow)
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