Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit, Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution, Policies or Program, Regulation

• Advocacy organized by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM): UBCM staff meet with Members of Parliament from BC to discuss the range of federal policies, regulations and funding programs affecting BC local government. Most recently, such discussions have focused on infrastructure renewal, and housing.

Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit, Policies or Program

• Federal Gas Tax Transfer Program: UBCM administers this 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 committee for this program. UBCM staff are also in regular contact with ministerial staff and staff from parliamentary and constituency offices to plan communications and public announcements of projects funded by federal Gas Tax transfers.
• Funding for Community to Community Forum: working with First Nations Summit, UBCM requested a commitment of funding from Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Development Canada. To this end, UBCM has communicated with Dharini Thiruchittampalam and Susanne Theurer via email and phone conversations on various dates in March, April and May. There has also been email contact with other AANDC administrative staff relative to submitting applications and reports, and receiving grant agreement documents.

Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution

• Proposed changes to Fisheries Act: UBCM staff have been communicating with Fisheries & Oceans Canada staff from the Ecosystem Management Branch and Fisheries Management Program regarding proposed changes to the Fisheries Act.
• Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act: UBCM staff communicated about the proposed legislation by email with Jennifer Mercer, Senior Policy Manager, Program Design and Regional Partnerships, Community Infrastructure Branch, AANDC.

Policies or Program

• Additions to Reserve Policy: UBCM staff are communicating extensively with staff from Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Development Canada regarding proposed changes to the Additions to Reserve Policy. AANDC staff contacted: Kris Johnson, Senior Director, Lands Modernization; and Christopher English, Senior Policy Advisor.
• Management of fisheries and aquaculture: UBCM staff sit on the Shellfish Aquaculture Management Committee and the Marine Finfish Committee, communicating with staff from Fisheries & Oceans Canada on an ongoing basis and interacting with them at committee meetings.
• Problem Vessels Working Group: as part of this collaborative working group, UBCM staff engage in ongoing communication with staff from Transport Canada. The working group met by phone on March 17, March 26, May 1, and June 6. The topic was the issue of problem vessels in BC waters. Federal staff in attendance: Ryan Greville, Manager - Navigation Protection Program, Transport Canada.
• RCMP Local Government Contract Management Committee: The Local Government Contract Management Committee is a forum for consultation, analysis and communication between local government and the BC provincial government regarding the management of the Agreement under which the RCMP provide local police services in BC. UBCM provides staff support to this committee, which necessitates communication with RCMP personnel at committee meetings and in carrying out the work of the committee.
• Urban Aboriginal Survey: Wendy Cheney, Manager, Partnerships, AANDC contacted UBCM staff to discuss potential methods of distribution for the survey.

Regulation

• Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations: UBCM staff communicate with Health Canada staff regarding the new Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations and transition to the new regulations from the previous Marihuana Medical Access Regulations.