Eight topics of relevance set out for resolution by City council for consideration
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The City is jumping the queue when it comes to higher level resolutions.
After approving eight thoughtful and insightful resolutions for consideration at the 2024 Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments (AKBLG) annual general meeting (AGM) to be held in April, City council took the process a step further.
The City will be inviting three local regional district boards — Central Kootenay, Kootenay Boundary and East Kootenay — to co-sponsor seven of its eight resolutions.
“Then everyone will see them and have the opportunity and be primed before they get there,” said Coun. Keith Page, also the City’s representative on the RDCK board of directors.
The idea will be to try and begin to fit similar ideas together before it goes to AKBLG and then onto to the Union of B.C. Municipalities, Page explained.
But when sponsorship is added in does it amplify or muddy the waters on the resolutions, asked Coun. Jesse Woodward.
“There is always strength in numbers, so when you see people grouping together there is always impact from that. It doesn’t diminish our requests in any fashion,” said Mayor Janice Morrison.
Funding for the Youth Climate Corps
Urging the Province to expand and scale a Youth Climate Corps that will provide good green jobs and training to young adults to work on important climate adaptation and mitigation projects in their communities, such as wildfire mitigation, building retrofits, ecosystem restoration and community engagement.
Funding model for local government emergency management
Resolution to urge the Province to create an annual funding model for local governments to more adequately prepare for, and respond to, local emergencies.
Streamlining of grant applications and reporting
A resolution to the governments of British Columbia and Canada to coordinate their efforts across all grant program streams to establish more consistent and flexible application criteria and deadlines, simplified reporting requirements and provide funding for the general administration of grant programs.
Expanding transit in rural communities
Resolution to ask the provincial government to provide sufficient additional funding to double services in British Columbia regional rural transit systems.
Reducing regulatory complexity in freshwater sources
Resolution to advocate to the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship to provide leadership and functional involvement in the creation and management of consistent regional water supply strategies and simplify the associated regulatory process, with the aim of ensuring that resilient and sustainable drinking water supplies are in place now and for the future.
Mandating health authorities to address mental health and addiction problems
Resolution to encourage the Province to mandate regional health authorities to take a proactive approach to developing and implementing regional plans to address mental health and addiction issues.
Implementation of advanced metering infrastructure for public utilities
Resolution to encourage the Province to begin exploring a funding model to support the implementation of AMI across public utilities in the province.
Provincial funding towards zebra and quagga mussel prevention
Resolution to urge the Province to recognize the urgency of addressing the zebra and quagga mussel issue and commits to allocating additional funding for comprehensive prevention efforts.
Bring the noise
Each year local governments in the Kootenay Boundary region receive notice of the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments (AKBLG) annual general meeting and are requested to submit resolutions in advance of the meeting.
Resolutions that pass at the AKBLG meeting are presented at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) annual convention each year.
AKBLG Resolutions for past years can be reviewed at: https://akblg.ca/resolutions.html
Resolutions are only accepted from AKBLG member local governments and must have been endorsed by board or council, and must be relevant to other local governments within AKBLG rather than a specific single member government.
Source: City of Nelson Feb. 6 agenda
