2026 Resolutions

WHEREAS the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) Board of Directors (the Board) is responsible for bringing forward annual membership fee recommendations to the membership for approval at the Annual General Meeting, in accordance with the NCLGA Constitution and Bylaws; and

WHEREAS the Board wishes to improve transparency, consistency, and predictability in how annual membership fee recommendations are developed, while preserving full member approval authority;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NCLGA Board approve the use of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as a reference framework to inform annual membership fee recommendations brought forward to the membership for approval at the AGM; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that CPI be used as a non-binding reference point only, with the Board retaining discretion to recommend fee adjustments at, below, or above CPI where justified, and with all membership fee changes continuing to require approval by the membership at the AGM; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff be directed to incorporate this CPI-informed framework into future AGM materials, including clear disclosure of the CPI value used and the rationale for any recommended increase.

WHEREAS the NCLGA maintains reserve funds held in trust and invested through the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT); and

WHEREAS clarity regarding the classification, purpose, and target levels of the reserve is required to support sound financial governance and long-term sustainability;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NCLGA Board confirm the classification of the reserve as the NCLGA Strategic Reserve Fund, held in trust and invested through NDIT; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board endorse the primary and secondary purposes of the Strategic Reserve Fund and the proposed reserve target ranges as planning guides; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff be directed to develop a phased Strategic Reserve Fund Development Framework, focused primarily on non-operating and strategic funding sources, for future Board consideration.

WHEREAS BC Crown Counsel plays a critical role in ensuring the fair, timely, and effective administration of justice across the province; and

WHEREAS Insufficient staffing levels, workload pressures, and resource limitations within BC Crown Counsel services have resulted in delays, increased adjournments, burnout risk among prosecutors, and challenges ensuring timely access to justice for victims, accused persons, and communities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA advocate to the Province to allocate additional and sustained funding, staffing, and operational resources to the BC Crown Counsel Service to ensure it can adequately meet current and future demands within the justice system.

WHEREAS The Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) has requested provincial support to create an Indigenous‑led, cross‑sector housing alliance to improve collaboration, strengthen service integration, and shape long‑term housing strategies rooted in Indigenous knowledge and self‑determination;

WHEREAS Indigenous‑serving housing providers across British Columbia are required to address increasingly complex social issues—such as life‑skills development, tenancy stabilization, and responses to tenancy breaches—despite not receiving adequate, sustained funding to support these services; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA advocates to the Province to support the creation and identify appropriate funding mechanisms for an Indigenous led, cross sector housing alliance, to be convened and guided by the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA).

WHEREAS tariffs and other international market challenges have created uncertainty across the forestry sector and duties and tariffs combine to exceed 45% on Canadian lumber entering the US market making our forest sector less competitive and endangering jobs; and

WHEREAS wildfire and other climate change related challenges are increasingly threatening the health and sustainability of Canadian forests; 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA urges the Federal Government to appoint a federal minister to actively support the Canadian forestry sector through resolving the softwood lumber dispute, procurement policies requiring companies contracting with the federal government to source Canadian lumber first and aggressively increase work to open new markets to Canadian forest products with all international partners.

WHEREAS Section 9 of the Depreciation of Industrial and Electrical Power Generating Facility Improvements Regulation (the Regulation) significantly reduces municipal property tax revenues at a time when communities are already experiencing substantial job losses, and further impedes the ability of municipalities to build reserves for the reclamation of abandoned industrial sites that lack regulatory requirements for dedicated reclamation funds; and

WHEREAS the Regulation can create incentives for industrial proponents to shut down operations earlier resulting in premature job losses and reduced government revenues; the Regulation limits opportunities for new investors to acquire and redevelop industrial sites; the Regulation provides exclusive subsidies to the natural resource sector that hinder economic diversification; and the Regulation shifts financial risk from investors to municipalities while subsidizing failing or failed enterprises;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM urge the provincial government, through the Ministry of Finance, to repeal and replace Section 9 of the Depreciation of Industrial and Electrical Power Generating Facility Improvements Regulation with provisions that support a clear and intentional strategy to provide more stable local economies, government revenues, revenues for reclamation of abandoned industrial sites, diversified economies, and sustainable economic growth.

WHEREAS there is a significant and ongoing shortage of health care professionals in the South Cariboo and across communities within the Northern Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) region; and

WHEREAS access to reliable and timely health care services is essential to the effective treatment, recovery, and overall well-being of residents in small rural, and remote communities throughout British Columbia;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NCLGA, in collaboration with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), advocate to the Provincial Government for increased and sustained support for the expansion of the Nurse Practitioner Services as a means to address health care service gaps and better meet the needs of rural British Columbians.

WHEREAS there is significant and on-going shortages of healthcare professionals in the South Cariboo and across communities in Northern Central Local Government Association (NCLGA); and

WHEREAS efforts have been made in some healthcare professions, many other healthcare professions need attention for the overall wellbeing of residents in small, rural, and remote location;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NCLGA, in collaboration with the Union of British Columbia (UBCM), advocate to the Provincial Government for increased educational training seats in any appropriate college/university; and

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NCLGA, in collaboration with the Union of British Columbia (UBCM), advocate to the Provincial Government look to reduce any barriers in accessing those training seats and create incentives to encourage healthcare professionals to practice in rural areas.

WHEREAS the provincial government incurs substantial expenses and carbon emissions on product distribution to its ministries and agencies due to the use of central stores and purchasing; and

WHEREAS with a variety of the products for these agencies and ministries could be sourced locally to support local businesses who have lost income due to provincial policy decisions which have changed the environment and reduced heavy industry dollars to local municipalities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and Union of BC Municipalities call on the Province of British Columbia to amend its procurement policies and practices to allow ministerial and agency operations to source products directly from local businesses to economically support the communities they serve.

WHEREAS BC Housing’s planning, operation, and management of affordable and supportive housing directly influence local governments’ ability to plan for housing supply, infrastructure, and community services; and

WHEREAS limited access to timely, community level data, including vacancy rates, operational pressures, and annual priorities, impedes effective local planning and coordinated responses to housing needs;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities lobby the Provincial Government and BC Housing to improve transparency by regularly providing local governments with community level housing data, including vacancy rates and annual plans outlining goals, targets, and challenges.

WHEREAS many communities across British Columbia face ongoing challenges with contaminated, abandoned, vacant, or underutilized brownfield sites that limit housing supply, economic development, and efficient land use, and impose significant financial and administrative burdens on local governments; and

WHEREAS while British Columbia has established contaminated sites legislation and regulatory processes, local governments lack access to a coordinated provincial strategy and practical financial, fiscal, and risk management tools to support the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities urge the Province of British Columbia to develop and implement a comprehensive provincial brownfield redevelopment strategy that builds upon existing regulatory frameworks and provides local governments with practical and accessible tools to support the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites across the province.

WHEREAS provincial highway rights‑of‑way across British Columbia are experiencing increasing growth of noxious weeds and inadequate vegetation management, which negatively affects agricultural operations, local ecosystems, road safety, and the visual appearance of communities; and

WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia is responsible for highway maintenance through contracted service providers, and inconsistent levels of service in mowing, brush control, and noxious‑weed management have resulted in preventable impacts on farmland, infrastructure, and community well‑being;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of BC Municipalities urge the Province of British Columbia to improve the maintenance of highway rights‑of‑way by ensuring regular vegetation management, effective noxious‑weed control, and clear, enforceable service standards for provincial maintenance contractors, supported by adequate funding and oversight to protect agricultural lands, community safety, and the environment.

WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia is implementing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) and undertaking ongoing and future related legislative and policy reforms; and

WHEREAS local governments exercise statutory responsibilities for land use planning, infrastructure, and community services that may be affected by provincial legislative and policy changes arising from DRIPA implementation;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities request that the Province of British Columbia establish early, ongoing, and structured engagement with local government associations to ensure that local government responsibilities are considered in the development and implementation of DRIPA-related legislative and policy reforms.

WHEREAS local governments experience increasing pressures on emergency services, policing, bylaw enforcement, homelessness response, and community safety systems associated with gaps in timely and accessible mental health services; and

WHEREAS access to counselling and other mental health supports is often dependent on private insurance coverage, employer benefits, session limits, or out-of-pocket costs, creating barriers to equitable access, particularly in rural and northern communities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities request that the Province of British Columbia take steps to improve access to universal, publicly funded mental health services, including counselling and related supports, with a focus on early intervention and prevention.

WHEREAS the Northern and Rural Area Homeowner Benefit was repealed effective January 1, 2027; and

WHEREAS the repeal of this benefit further diminishes the purchasing power of homeowners in accessing services and supporting daily life thereby impacting housing, health, social and economic well-being of all northern and rural communities; and

WHEREAS northern and rural communities face recruitment and retention challenges to support healthy, socially and economically resilient communities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM petition the Province to reinstate the Northern and Rural Area Homeowner Benefit effective January 1, 2027.

WHEREAS the Government of British Columbia through BC Housing funds temporary, community-based emergency shelter spaces for individuals experiencing homelessness during severe winter weather, typically from October 15 to April 15; and

WHEREAS residents of the temporary shelters are displaced once the temporary shelters are shut down annually;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Union of British Columbia Municipalities advocate to the Province and BC Housing for an end to Extreme Weather Response (EWR) shelters and to convert existing EWR shelters to year-round shelters.

WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia requires land for the delivery of provincial services such as healthcare and social housing and relies on the availability of suitable land from local governments to accommodate these projects; and

WHEREAS local governments have limited or significantly diminished land holdings available, while the Province owns significant Crown land resources that are suitable for development;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) urge the Province of British Columbia to prioritize the use of Crown land for provincial services before pursuing land owned by local governments

WHEREAS construction costs in Northern and rural communities are significantly higher than in urban centres due to factors such as transportation, labour availability, climate, and supply chain constraints; and

WHEREAS provincially funded capital programs often prioritize the number of units or spaces created without adequately accounting for regional cost differences; and

WHEREAS this approach can disadvantage Northern and rural communities by limiting their ability to access sufficient funding to deliver comparable projects;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) urge the Province of British Columbia to develop and implement a funding matrix or regional cost adjustment model within provincial capital programs that reflects the higher construction costs faced by Northern and rural communities.

WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia has introduced phased improvements to building energy efficiency requirements through the BC Energy Step Code and related amendments to the BC Building Code in support of CleanBC objectives and the transition toward net-zero energy-ready new construction by 2032; and

WHEREAS rural and northern communities experience significantly different climate conditions, infrastructure capacity, and energy system realities than larger urban centres, including longer heating seasons, limited electrical grid capacity and redundancy, and a continued reliance on reliable and diverse energy systems to support residential, commercial, and industrial buildings;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and Union of British Columbia Municipalities urge the Province of British Columbia to ensure that future building energy regulations, implementation timelines, and related policies recognize regional infrastructure capacity, climate conditions, and energy system reliability considerations in rural and northern communities, and that these policies be developed in consultation with rural and northern local governments.

WHEREAS Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits administered by the Government of Canada provide temporary income replacement for workers who are unable to work due to illness or injury, with benefits available for up to 26 weeks under the Employment Insurance Act; and

WHEREAS health-care system wait times for diagnostic services, specialist consultations, and surgical procedures in Canada and British Columbia frequently extend for several months and, when combined with medically required recovery periods, may exceed the 26-week duration of Employment Insurance sickness benefits, particularly for residents of rural and northern communities who often face additional barriers to timely access to specialized medical care;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities urge the Government of Canada to review the duration and flexibility of Employment Insurance sickness benefits to better align with current medical treatment wait times and recovery periods, including consideration of mechanisms to extend benefits where treatment delays are beyond the control of the claimant.

WHEREAS Highway 97 is the longest transportation corridor in the Americas running North – South, from Alaska, through the Yukon Territory, into British Columbia, the United States of America, Mexico and South America; and

WHEREAS although we recognize that there have been significant upgrades to parts of  Highway 97, it still requires Safety Upgrades, better Maintenance and Repairs, Expansion of, and Infrastructure Development, to facilitate the stated goals of both the Provincial and Federal Governments for transporting goods, like Agriculture Products, Forestry Resources, Minerals and other Mining Extractions to International Markets. Accesses need to kept open for Oil, Gas and Hydro right of ways. Alternative routes are necessary when sections of the main Highway are closed (like the Quesnel- Hixon and Durrell Roads), relief from bottlenecks near cities like Quesnel (new route around Quesnel and Replace the Taylor River Bridge), and Safety in all weather conditions for the general motoring public and truck transportation;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA, UBCM, and FCM work with both the Province of British Columbia and the Federal Government of Canada to Maintain, Repair, Upgrade Road Safety Issues, and Expand and Develop the Road Infrastructure of Highway 97; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NCLGA request that UBCM and FCM insist that the $1.2 Billion Allocated through the 2020 – 2021 Natural Disaster Financial Assistance Financing from the Government of Canada to the Province of British Columbia for the 10 Road Recovery Projects in the Cariboo be spent on repairing all of the roads identified, including the Quesnel – Hixon Road and Durrell Road.

Whereas rural and northern communities in the Cariboo North Central region face significant labour market shortages across multiple sectors, including healthcare, education, skilled trades, and emerging natural resource industries; and

WHEREAS the region has experienced substantial economic disruption due to mill closures and contraction within the forest sector, increasing the need for retraining and workforce transition opportunities; and

WHEREAS access to locally delivered post-secondary and skilled trades training is essential to workforce development, economic resilience, and the long-term sustainability of rural and northern communities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and UBCM advocate to the Province of British Columbia to prioritize and fund the delivery of post-secondary and skilled trades training in rural and northern communities to address regional labour shortages and support economic resilience.

WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia has been faced with an increasing number of natural disasters annually and the downturn of the Forestry Industry has resulted in Forest Service Roads deteriorating; and

WHEREAS many remote communities rely on Forest Service Roads to serve as emergency egress routes in the case of natural disaster evacuations;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM petition the Ministry of Forests to review and identify Forest Service Roads that serve as community emergency egress routes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Ministry of Forests incorporates increased maintenance standards for the Forest Service Roads that are identified as community emergency egress routes.

WHEREAS the Depreciation of Industrial and Electrical Power Generating Facility Improvements Regulation closure allowances create an imbalance within the property assessment system by providing significant relief to large industrial property owners after closure, while transferring financial responsibility to local businesses and residents who had no role in the closure decision and lack the capacity to absorb additional costs; and

WHEREAS this imbalance undermines fairness and limits a community’s ability to stabilize and recover economically; 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA lobby the Province to have the Assessment Act amended, and associated regulations, to eliminate or substantially revise the closure allowance framework so that property assessment practices do not shift the fiscal impacts of major industrial closures onto small and medium-sized businesses, residents, and local governments, and instead support municipal fiscal stability and community economic recovery.

WHEREAS the loss of the Squamish–Cariboo rail line, which may ensue from CN Rail’s plans announced in July 2025 to terminate its lease, would result in shippers being forced to use higher‑cost truck transport, increased public highway maintenance costs, loss of passenger (tourist or commuter) rail opportunity, higher GHG emissions, loss of transportation corridor redundancy affecting Western Canada, and constrained regional economic development; and

WHEREAS rail discontinuance policies applying to the former BC Rail line do not necessarily account for regional and long‑term transportation needs and priorities, and may undermine the economic viability of potential new short‑line operators, while infrastructure funding solutions for maintaining this valuable rail line remain lacking; 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the provincial and federal governments be encouraged to consider establishing a new regional authority or ownership structure including First Nations and to support a transition to a short‑line operator model to strengthen regional enterprise while maintaining the strategic redundancy of the line, and further be encouraged to explore potential public‑private funding solutions for ongoing rail line maintenance.

WHEREAS the Interior Health (highway death rate 15.2 per 100 000) and Northern Health (highway death rate 18.1) regions of BC, in combination, make up the largest number of fatalities for vehicle incidents in the province (average provincial highway death rate 6.0), being 189 out of 331 deaths in 2023 or 57%, while only representing 22% of the province’s population; and

WHEREAS the province’s commitment to upgrade Highway1 between Kamloops and the Alberta border mitigates safety issues on one specific corridor, but does not address safety concerns on the other highway corridors through the interior and north connecting to the rest of BC;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and Union of BC Municipalities request the Province of BC’s Ministry of Transportation and Transit to invest in and prioritize road upgrades, improve road maintenance standards and oversight of provincial highways across the interior and northern health regions, with the goal of reducing fatalities

WHEREAS safe, reliable transportation routes are essential for emergency response, access to health care, commerce, education, and daily travel; and

WHEREAS ongoing concerns continue to be raised regarding the state of Highway 29, including hazardous winding sections at Bear Flat and the unstable stretch at Halfway Hill, which is at significant risk of washout and poses a threat to public safety;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities lobby the Provincial Government to prioritize the remediation of Highway 29, including slope stability and hazard mitigation at Halfway Hill, as well as installing additional passing lanes and chain-up areas to enhance safety and ensure reliable travel for all users.

WHEREAS stable access to primary care and community-based medical services is essential to the health and safety of residents, and recruitment and retention challenges in rural and remote communities can lead to service gaps, increased travel for care, and added strain on emergency services; and

WHEREAS retaining local doctors requires coordinated action on physician supports, including sustainable workloads, locum coverage, housing availability, clinic operations, and community integration;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities lobby the Provincial Government to implement and strengthen retention measures for local physicians, including competitive incentives for communities that are both rural and remote, reliable locum relief, and supports that reduce administrative burden and provide appropriate clinic and staffing resources.

WHEREAS mental health and substance use challenges affect individuals, families, workplaces, and community safety, and rural and remote communities often face barriers to care, including limited counselling and psychiatric services, wait times, travel requirements, and challenges in crisis response; and

WHEREAS evidence-informed prevention, early intervention, and community-based supports—coordinated with schools, primary care, Indigenous partners, social services, and law enforcement—can improve outcomes and reduce pressure on emergency services;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities lobby the Provincial Government to expand local mental health and substance use services in the northeast region, including counselling, crisis response, addictions support, and after-hours and virtual options where appropriate.

WHEREAS the Government of British Columbia’s 2026 Budget expands the application of the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) to a broader range of services, including professional services such as engineering, architectural, and related advisory services that are routinely required by local governments to deliver core infrastructure and services; and

WHEREAS local governments have limited revenue tools and are already facing significant financial pressures related to infrastructure renewal, climate adaptation, housing delivery, and regulatory compliance, and unmitigated application of the expanded PST further constrains local government fiscal capacity; and

WHEREAS local governments are public-sector entities that deliver provincially mandated and community-essential services, and the application of PST to local government purchases represents a cost shift within the public sector that does not increase service value but places additional pressure on local government operating and capital budgets;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of British Columbia Municipalities urge the Government of British Columbia to exempt or eliminate the impact to local governments from the application of the expanded Provincial Sales Tax requirements introduced in the 2026 Budget, including PST applied to professional and related services, to avoid intergovernmental cost downloading and to protect local government financial sustainability and local affordability.

WHEREAS at the 2025 Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention, the membership endorsed Extraordinary Resolution ER 1, which introduced significant changes to the resolution submission process; and

WHEREAS the changes implemented through ER 1 represent a fundamental shift in the resolutions framework that may impede the ability of local governments to collectively advance advocacy priorities and respond to evolving concerns;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of B.C. Municipalities consider rescinding Extraordinary Resolution ER 1 and restoring the prior resolutions submission process.

WHEREAS fee simple title has long been the primary form of land ownership in British Columbia and provides landowners with certainty, stability, and the ability to securely own, use, and transfer property; and

WHEREAS recent public policy considerations have raised questions and concerns about the future of fee simple title and the security of private property rights in the province;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and Union of British Columbia Municipalities demand that the Government of British Columbia affirm and uphold the security of fee simple title and the private property rights of landowners in British Columbia.

WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada are engaged in important ongoing discussions and negotiations with First Nations regarding Indigenous title and land governance arrangements that may affect lands within the jurisdiction of municipalities and regional districts; and

WHEREAS recent developments, including the recognition of Indigenous title in the Cowichan region have occurred with limited prior notice or consultation with affected local governments;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities call upon the Province of British Columbia to establish a transparency framework for Indigenous title and related negotiations that includes timely information sharing and consultation with affected local governments.

WHEREAS there is a provincial crisis with lack of health care providers that is even more pronounced in Rural BC; and

WHEREAS Rural BC is at increased risk of closing universities due to low enrollment while additional local availability is urgently required;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM lobby the Provincial Government to facilitate training/laddering of health care providers financially and through policy support. And further to work with universities in all rural communities to focus on targeted education needs.

WHEREAS British Columbia is experiencing increasingly severe wildfires that pose significant risks to public safety, public health, critical infrastructure, and local government finances; and

WHEREAS extensive areas of fire-killed and weakened forest represent a known and ongoing wildfire hazard that, when left untreated, increases wildfire intensity, smoke impacts, suppression costs, and risks to nearby communities and infrastructure; and

WHEREAS proactive removal of hazardous standing fuel prior to ignition is a cost-effective wildfire risk-reduction measure that improves firefighter safety and reduces long-term public liabilities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM urge the Province of British Columbia to establish stable, multi-year funding programs for Indigenous-led fire-killed fibre recovery and land rehabilitation as a core wildfire risk-reduction and public safety measure.

WHEREAS the Village of McBride and surrounding region rely heavily on outdoor recreation activities such as snowmobiling, skiing, hiking, camping, and horseback riding that attract visitors and support local businesses including hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, grocery stores, and retail shops; and

WHEREAS the decommissioning of Forest Service Roads in the Robson Valley, for example areas such as Castle Creek, Dore River, and McKale River, limits access to these recreational areas and negatively impacts tourism and the economic sustainability of rural communities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM urge the Provincial Government (Ministry of Forests) to review road decommissioning policies and work with rural communities to ensure continued reasonable access to recreation areas that support local tourism and economic development.

WHEREAS rural communities require reliable and adequate electrical infrastructure to support economic development, industrial growth, and population stability; and

WHEREAS the Village of McBride continues to experience concerns related to power reliability, limited capacity, and lack of three-phase power infrastructure, which constrains industrial development and long-term economic growth;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM request the Provincial Government and BC Hydro to prioritize investments in rural electrical infrastructure, including improvements to reliability, expansion of transmission capacity, development of electrical substations, and completion of transmission loops to enable three-phase power and increased power availability.

WHEREAS small rural municipalities rely on affordable aggregate resources, such as gravel, to maintain and construct essential infrastructure, including municipal roads; and

WHEREAS regulatory, land access, and development constraints have made it financially unfeasible for small municipalities to access crushed aggregate, which significantly increases infrastructure costs and financial pressure on small communities.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM request the Provincial Government (Ministry of Transportation and Transit) to work with rural municipalities to improve access to affordable aggregate resources.

WHEREAS rural residents require timely access to essential healthcare services, which includes the need to increase the number of extended care units within their communities; and

WHEREAS reductions in rural medical services have resulted in patients travelling long distances for procedures such as childbirth and minor surgeries, while physician shortages and limited appointment availability increase pressure on emergency departments;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM urge the Provincial Government and Regional Health Authorities to restore and expand rural healthcare services, including maternity care and minor surgical procedures, implement measures to improve physician recruitment and retention and support the expansion of extended care units in rural communities.

WHEREAS there is a need to improve emergency communication infrastructure, including radio repeaters, for ambulance communication and cell tower expansion to address substantial coverage gaps in the Robson Valley Region; and

WHEREAS an increased number of repeaters and cell towers would improve communications for BC Emergency Health Services, improving timely access to emergency health care and increasing safety during emergency transportation; 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM urge the Provincial Government and Regional Health Authorities to develop and expand emergency communication infrastructure to address the gaps in communication in the Robson Valley.