92

Item Description

That Council direct Staff to submit the following resolutions to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) for consideration at their 2025 Annual General Meeting and Convention:

1. WHEREAS Section 506 and Section 506.03 of the Local Government Act enable a local government to regulate and require the provision of works and services in respect to the development of land;

AND WHEREAS there is no mechanism currently in the Local Government Act to allow for local governments to accept payment of money in lieu of the provision of works and services, unlike in other circumstances in the Local Government Act;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that AVICC advocate for the provincial government to amend the Local Government Act to allow for the payment of money in lieu of works and services in respect to the development of land being established through subdivisions and building permits, enabling local governments to pool funding for more impactful projects which could benefit a broader area and better assist in achieving community goals for safety, connectivity or transportation management.

2. WHEREAS the current funding model in Canada is outdated and unsustainable, as outlined in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ report Making Canada’s Growth a Success: The case for a municipal growth framework, leaving municipalities with limited options to pay for growth-related infrastructure which is critical for municipalities to meet their housing needs;

AND WHEREAS British Columbia is the only province in Canada requiring elector approval to allow local governments to borrow money for necessary infrastructure-related projects;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that AVICC call on the provincial government to amend the Community Charter to expand the criteria for the type of infrastructure and capital projects that utilize borrowing without the requirement of electoral approval, to better assist local governments in securing adequate funding for projects that are necessary for the delivery of municipal services.

Votes cast ‘In Favour’ are labeled as 'Climate-Positive' for the climate.