Provincial support needed to address Short Term Rentals

Local governments are doing what they can to manage the impact of short-term rentals on their communities’ housing supply, but provincial support is needed in two key areas: requiring booking platforms to provide data to local governments, and ensuring all rental suites have a valid business licence. These recommendations from the joint UBCM-Province advisory group on STRs are showing up again in news coverage.

Propose a session for 2023 UBCM Convention

Clinic and workshop proposal applications for the 2023 UBCM Convention in Vancouver were opened on Tuesday, April 25 and will close on Friday, June 2. Interested parties are asked to review the criteria and deadlines in the Session Proposal Process, and submit a proposal using the online form.

Guide for meeting Accessible BC Act requirements

The provincial government and the Disability Alliance of BC have created a guidance document to assist local governments in meeting their requirements under the Accessible BC Act by the September 1, 2023 deadline. The guide provides information about the requirements, shares resources, offers strategies to comply, and highlights current funding opportunities. 

Register for a webinar on the Community Investment Opportunities Tool (CIOT), a free, online provincial tool that connects investors with available industrial, commercial, and agricultural land in BC communities. Local government staff and elected officials are encouraged to join the webinar to learn how to use the CIOT to promote investment opportunities in their communities, and facilitate engagement with potential investors.

Registration still open: Heat preparedness webinar

UBCM and the Province will be hosting a heat preparedness webinar from 2 – 3 pm on May 23, 2023. Interested local elected officials and staff members are asked to RSVP by May 19.

Local Government Awareness week in the news

This week is Local Government Awareness week and the Regional District of Nanaimo has been recognized in the media for its efforts to engage residents in learning more about what it does. The regional government has created some local-government related prizes to encourage engagement including a gift certificate for its Parks and Recreation centres, transit passes, credit on an RDN utility bill, and a voucher to a local business.