Cannabis Costs Survey; Caribou Recovery Consultation; Housing Needs

Survey on Legalized Cannabis Costs

UBCM, in collaboration with GFOABC, is preparing a survey on the costs to local government as a result of cannabis legalization. The data from this survey will inform ongoing discussions with the province and UBCM on the appropriate sharing of the cannabis excise tax so that the one time and ongoing local government costs are not funded through the property tax. Read more

Caribou Consultation Extended, Liaison Appointed

Due to concerns raised by communities and other stakeholders on the draft caribou recovery agreements, the provincial government has extended the engagement period to May 31, 2019. The Province has also appointed Blair Lekstrom as community liaison to engage residents in the Peace River region. Read more

Housing Needs Funding

A new funding program is receiving applications from local governments to support the development of housing needs reports. Local governments can apply for grants ranging from $15,000-$70,000 depending on the population of the planning area(s) included in their application. Read more

Coast Forest Sector Revitalization

Working with UBCM, the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) is hosting a series of webinars on the Province's Coast Forest Sector Revitalization initiative. FLNRORD has also launched a new web page and booklet describing the elements of policy reform that were shared in an earlier webinar series in January 2019. Read more

Advisor Appointed for Marine Debris

MLA Sheila Malcolmson has been appointed as special advisor to Minister Heyman on marine debris protection. Her responsibilities include making recommendations for a provincial action plan to eliminate environmental threats caused by derelict vessels. Read more

Input Sought on Fisheries Act Regulations

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is seeking input on proposed modifications to the Fisheries Act Regulations, which will affect fish and fish habitat protections. Comments are requested by May 3, 2019. Read more

Community Health Data

The BC Community Health website has been refreshed with the latest available data. The website provides three tools: Community Health Profiles; a searchable health database; and a visual health atlas. The tools provide an overview of multiple health and well-being indicators for a geographic area to support health and wellness planning. Read more

April 17, 2019