The opening session at UBCM’s housing summit, Housing BC Together, will feature Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon in discussion with local elected leaders from B.C.’s high-growth regions.   Mayor Ken Sim (Vancouver), Mayor Brenda Locke (Surrey), Mayor Marianne Alto (Victoria), Mayor Mike Hurley (Burnaby), Mayor Malcolm Brodie (Richmond), Mayor Tom Dyas (Kelowna) and Councillor Jenna Stoner (Squamish) will join with Minister Kahlon to explore how local governments are innovating to accelerate the delivery of homes most needed in their communities and to identify the blocks that are limiting the pace of development.

Provincial responses to many of the resolutions from the 2022 UBCM Convention are now available. 

The UBCM Executive held its quarterly committee and board meetings in Richmond from February 23-24. A full slate of Committee meetings was held and Executive members welcomed a delegation from Anne Kang, Minister of Municipal Affairs.

As part of a $150 million investment towards the implementation of Next Generation 911 (NG911) services, the Province has provided $60 million to local governments, to be distributed through UBCM. This funding will help local governments address the costs associated with the transition to NG911. A funding program is currently under development. 

The deadline for hotel reservations at the UBCM Housing Summit group rate is Friday, March 10th. If you are attending the Housing Summit and have not yet reserved a room at the host hotel, The Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, please do so this week, and reference the UBCM Housing Summit.

The Disability Alliance of BC (DABC) has developed an Accessibility Toolkit and Hub to assist prescribed organizations to come into compliance with the Accessible BC Act. DABC is also seeking feedback on the Toolkit, the Hub, implementation progress, and additional tools and resources that are needed. Local government-specific tools will be developed by DABC in the coming months.

UBCM is seeking one representative to contribute to an inland boater safety project led by the B.C. Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU). This 3-year project seeks to increase public education towards recreational boat safety on inland waterways. Interested individuals have until March 17, 2023, to apply.

RCMP E Division has recently updated its Elected Officials Guide, which provides an overview of the BC RCMP and the services that are delivered to BC communities. In addition to broad information regarding RCMP policing services and priorities, the document also contains sections specific to each RCMP policing district in B.C.