The Local Weekly The heart and soul of our communities with news and information about the Sunshine Coast
From September 23 to 27, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) will come together with other local governments at the annual Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver to discuss a number of important local government initiatives and community needs.
The UBCM was formed to provide a common voice for local government and this role is as important today as it was 100 years ago. The convention is the main forum for UBCM policy-making where local governments have an opportunity to put forward resolutions to express concerns, share their experiences and take a united position on issues of common concern. At last year’s convention, a total of 205 resolutions were submitted by various local governments.
This year, the SCRD sponsored 10 resolutions to be considered for endorsement by the UBCM membership:
• To declare a province-wide climate emergency.
• To include intergovernmental collaboration on land use planning.
• To establish buffer zones in urban areas where logging is taking place.
• To review parking enforcement in rural areas.
• To increase investment in alternative transportation infrastructure.
• To explore a BC Ferries foot passenger service.
• To increase BC Ferries core service levels.
• To provide regional districts authority over tree cutting.
• To undertake natural capital valuations in all aspects of its forests and land resources management.
• To increase funding provided through recreation sites and trails partnership agreements.
Directors have requested meetings with cabinet ministers and provincial government staff on a variety of subjects including increasing core service levels for coastal ferry routes, provision for dedicated foot passenger ferry service, discussion of the highway system on the Sunshine Coast, collaboration on land use planning with the Province and First Nations, prioritizing provincial authorizations for communities with water supply problems, increasing funding provided through recreation sites and trails partnership agreements, and a review of rural police resourcing.
The convention is a key event for SCRD Directors to reinforce what is crucial in our community. Our board is committed to keeping that energy going and the conversations around these important resolutions at the forefront.
