Union of British Columbia Municipalities
Registration:
4
of
26
(2010-01-04
to
2010-07-02)
Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
- Request funding to support the publication of a newsletter entitled C2C Connect published by UBCM and the First Nations Summit.
Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit, Policies or Program
- Advocacy efforts around the design and implementation of the Build Canada Communities Component Agreement and the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. The Communities Component Agreement was signed between the Government of Canada and Province of B.C. and UBCM in July, 2008 and is an infrastructure funding program for municipalities under 100,000 in population. UBCM will participate in the Communities Component Management Committee. The Stimulus Fund was announced in Budget 2009.
Federal Departments involved are Transportation and Infrastructure Cda. In the past 6 months UBCM has provided briefings on this file to the BC Conservative Caucus, the B.C. Liberal Caucus and the B.C. NDP Caucus; and has been in contact with Minister Stockwell Day and Minister Chuck Strahl.
- UBCM administers the Federal Gas Tax Transfer Program in British Columbia. Our staff are in contact with Infrastructure Canada staff on a regular basis. UBCM has both staff and a Board representative on an oversight committees for this program. In addition, UBCM has staff and a Board representative on oversight committee and staff joint secretariat for the Building Canada Plan -- Communities Component, and in that regard, UBCM are in frequent contact with staff of Western Economic Diversification.
Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
- Bill C-32 "An Act Respecting the Sustainable Development of Canada's Seacoast and Inland Fisheries. In past years the UBCM had provided comments with respect to Bill C-45 "An Act Respecting the Sustainable Development of Canada's Seacoast and Inland Fisheries. With the introduction of Bill C32 UBCM was consulted and made enquiries about the differences between the former Bill and the new Bill.
- Resolution from UBCM membership forwarded to federal goverenment requesting adequate funding for early childhood initiatives and childcare. No specific legislation referenced.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of Justice & Attorney General and Minister of Public Safety, asking that local governments be allowed to share in the proceeds from property seized due to the cultivation and / or production of illegal substances on the premises or to acquire such property for community purposes at no cost.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of Transport, Infrastructure & Communities asking for federal recognition of the need for parallel corridors to be provided within rail rights of way, specifically through:
support of joint-use agreements with railway companies for Rails-with-Trails corridors; and
amendments to the Canada Transportation Act to authorize provincial and local governments to apply to the Canadian Transportation Agency, in absence of agreement with the railway company, for authority to place trails within rail rights of way.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Prime Minister, Minister of Justice & Attorney General, and Minister of Public Safety, asking for revision of the Criminal Code as follows:
update sections related to disclosure, search warrants and lawful access to enable law enforcement agencies to arrest, charge and convict criminals involved in organized crime;
enable law enforcement agencies to manage and monitor new forms of communication technology.
Resolution also called for long term, annual federal funding for police forces to combat gang violence and enable the deployment of highly-intensive gang surveillance operations over an extended period of time.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to the Minister of Justice requesting the creation of a permanent criminal justice commission. No specific legislation or regulation cited in resolution.
Policies or Program
- Resolution from UBCM membership to Government of Canada requesting new funding to private landowners for the removal of pine beetle infested trees from their properties
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of Canadian Heritage asking the federal government to reinstate full funding to the creative sector and related programs, and to consider additional investment as part of economic stimulus programs.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of Citizenship, Immigration & Multiculturalism asking the federal government to immediately cancel all outstanding refugee transportation and pre-entry medical loan debt and to cease seeking repayment of the transportation and pre-entry medical costs for new Government Assisted Refugees coming to Canada.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of Environment asking for changes to compel the remediation of contaminated sites. No specific program requested but rather a general request.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of Environment, Minister of Public Safety and Minister of Fisheries & Oceans, asking the relevant agencies to permit proactive, preventative repairs to dykes and work in the streambed in order to mitigate flood risk and the potential for damage from floods.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of Fisheries & Oceans asking the federal government to cease all efforts to de-staff light stations and instead commit to maintaining light station staffing levels indefinitely.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of Health requesting federal equipment grants to health authorities. No specific program or legislation specified.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Transport, Infrastructure & Communities, asking for a flexible funding formula for infrastructure programs (such as Building Canada Fund - Communities Component, and Infrastructure Stimulus Fund) with the capability to increase the funding level where it can be demonstrated that local financing of one-third of the costs will place an undue burden on local tax payers.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Minister of Transport, Infrastructure & Communities asking the federal government to prioritize expansion of internet and cellular phone service, and to provide incentives for companies to offer adequate cell phone and internet services to all rural residents.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Prime Minister and Minister of Human Resources & Skills Development, requesting the following changes to the EI system:
a) reduce the number of hours of work hours required to qualify;
b) eliminate regionalization of EI eligibility and benefits (which are tied to regional unemployment rates) and require a minimum number of hours worked that would be the same across the country;
c) enhance benefits from current levels (55% of claimant’s weekly average earnings); and
d) eliminate the 2 week waiting period for EI.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Infrastructure & Communities asking the federal government to direct NAV Canada not to withdraw Remote Aerodrome Advisory Service (RAAS) and other key aeronautical services from community and regional airports in British Columbia.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Infrastructure & Communities, asking for development of streamlined application processes for general infrastructure funding programs accessed by local governments. No specific program requested but rather a general request.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Prime Minister, Minister of Human Resources & Skills Development, and Minister of Transport, Infrastructure & Communities, asking the federal government to:
work with community partners to develop a National Affordable Housing Strategy to respond to the specific needs of British Columbians; and
provide long-term funding for construction of the full range of affordable housing choices needed in communities across the province.
- Resolution from membership forwarded to Prime Minister, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Transport, Infrastructure & Communities, asking the federal government for significant, assured and stable revenue sources, with the first priority for application being to fund the infrastructure gap. No specific program requested but rather a general request.
- Resolution from membership requesting establishment of policies to protect and conserve drinking water. No specific policy referenced.
- Resolution from membership requesting that the federal government be requested to create an enhanced, comprehensive and sustainable program providing flood assistance to local governments. No program specified.
- The RCMP Contract for local governments in British Columbia is due to expire in 2012. Negotiations for a new contract are underway. UBCM is an advisor to the Provincial negotiator from the Province of BC involved in RCMP contract discussions.
Regulation
- The Riparian Areas Regulation is a provincial regulation. UBCM staff sit on a Riparian Areas Coordination Committee along with federal staff from Department of Fisheries and Oceans.