Policing townhall; Extreme heat funding; Disaster financial assistance

UBCM town hall on policing

UBCM will be hosting a virtual Town Hall on Policing from 1:30 – 3:00 PM PDT on May 31, 2022. The Town Hall will also include participation from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. Interested local government elected officials and staff members are asked to RSVP by May 25. Read more

New funding for extreme heat planning

The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund has added a new funding stream for Extreme Heat Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning. The application deadline is June 24, 2022. Read more

Changes to Disaster Financial Assistance

The Province has announced regulatory changes to the Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program that are intended to support local governments. These changes come after the Province received over 2,200 DFA applications following the November 2021 flooding events. The DFA program provides post-disaster compensation for essential uninsurable losses. Read more

Declaration Act webinar resources

Resources from a webinar providing guidance on the Declaration Act for local governments are now available. The session, led by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs with support from UBCM, included an overview of the act, next steps, implications for local government and a presentation from the City of Prince George on ways to enact reconciliation locally. Both a video of the webinar, and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs presentation are now available.

Ghost Gear funding deadline

Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) Ghost Gear Program has a total of $10 million available for projects focused on the reduction, prevention and retrieval of ghost gear (abandoned and lost fishing gear). Interested proponents are encouraged to submit their applications by June 6, 2022, by 23:59 pm PST to be considered. Read more

ICBC decal phase out, continued online renewals

ICBC has announced that as of May 1, 2022, British Columbians are able to renew personal insurance policies online. BC drivers are also no longer required to display a license plate decal to show they have valid insurance. Read more

Rail safety funding information session

Transport Canada is presenting an information session for local governments on key points to consider when applying for funding under the Rail Safety Improvement Program (RSIP). The session will also touch on the requirements of the Rail Safety Grade Crossings Regulations (GCR) and the revised GCR compliance deadline. Read more