UBCM convention: Two of three special resolutions focused on housing

Housing is key issue for B.C. municipalities Mayors and councillors sent a string message to the province about what their priorities are – and housing topped the list.

Mayors and councillors voting at the annual convention of the Union of BC Municipalities have passed three special resolutions, two of them focused on housing and the third on rural health care.

Special Resolution 2, which has been the subject of much conversation during the week-long gathering, passed handily demanding the province “invest in a long-term, predictable allocation-based funding program to support expansion and operation of local government infrastructure services to support provincially mandated housing growth.”

The third special resolution calls on the province to develop temporary shelters and support services for asylum-seekers, which has been the subject of bickering between the provincial and federal governments.

Special Resolution 1 calls for the review of local government contributions to regional hospital districts, citing the unsustainability of 40 per cent contributions made by smaller communities.

UBCM uses those member-voted resolutions to show the provincial government their priorities for the year and where they want senior governments supports, with special resolutions representing the most important issues.

This year there are 267 resolutions, 30 per cent more than last year, which deal with subjects as varied as mental health liaison officers, agricultural water management, illegal buoys, and vacancy control.

A city councilor from Nelson made a rare motion from the floor for an emergency resolution on "modernizing carbon pricing" that will be heard after all the other resolutions are handled on Friday, the last day of the convention.

Rik Logtenberg provided CTV News with the full resolution that "the UBCM request a significant portion of carbon pricing revenue be directed to local governments to support climate action initiatives such as transit, energy efficiency programs for homes, and adaptation of critical infrastructure, thereby directly helping local communities and their residents prepare for the impacts of catastrophic climate change."

The NDP government surprised observers when the premier announced last week that he would scrap the consumer carbon tax if the federal government removes its current requirement.