That the agenda item summary from Alice Johnston, Manager of Corporate Services/Deputy CAO, dated February 21, 2019, regarding resolutions for submission to the 2019 North Central Local Government Association Conference, be received. Further, that the following resolutions be submitted:
CONSISTENCY IN ACCESS TO EMERGENCY SOCIAL SERVICE RESOURCES
WHEREAS during the 2017 wildfires, evacuees ended up in several different locations;
AND WHEREAS evacuees unfairly received varying degrees of Emergency Social Services supports depending on the location/provider/day, which caused confusion, additional stress and resentment:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NCLGA and UBCM urge the Provincial Government to take over management of Emergency Social Services during all Level III Provincial State of Emergencies to ensure consistency in the allocation of resources to evacuees and modernization of the ESS registration process.
MORE SMALL AIRCRAFT PILOT TRAINING NEEDED
WHEREAS small aircraft flights serve rural and northern airports in areas that depend on the economic and socio-economic benefits that air travel provides;
AND WHEREAS a significant percentage of trained pilots are retiring, and many small aircraft pilots are now being hired to fly bigger aircraft serving large urban areas;
AND WHEREAS flights into small rural and northern airports are at risk of being discontinued due to a lack of trained small aircraft pilots:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NCLGA and UBCM urge the Province to lobby for more small aircraft training opportunities in rural and northern post secondary institutions, as well as urge the Federal Government to take the small aircraft pilot shortage into consideration when establishing mandatory pilot hours.
FIRE CENTRE FUNDING
WHEREAS the Provincial Government provides funding for support staff at fire centres throughout the province of British Columbia;
AND WHEREAS the Cariboo Fire Centre experienced record-breaking wildfires in 2017, and more wildfires are predicted in this area:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NCLGA and UBCM lobby the Provincial Government to increase funding to those fire centres that are experiencing substantial increased wildfire activity in their areas.
FIRE MITIGATION ON TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS
WHEREAS safe access/egress are vital to human safety during the ever-increasing wildfire events British Columbians are experiencing;
AND WHEREAS transportation corridors have been left with dry, combustible brush after clearing the side of roadways, increasing the risk of wildfires:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NCLGA and UBCM lobby the Provincial Government to establish a multi-agency approach to fire-smarting transportation corridors in the Province in partnership with BC Hydro, Fortis BC, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
PROVINCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR FIRE SERVICES ACT & REGULATIONS
WHEREAS the Union of British Columbia Municipalities endorsed a resolution in 2015 (A3) calling for the provincial government to provide the resources necessary to inspect and enforce provincial safety regulations, including the Fire Services Act and its regulations, through either the Office of the Fire Commissioner or the BC Safety Authority rather than downloading the responsibility for local governments to enforce Provincial rules;
AND WHEREAS no decision has been made by the Province despite significant opposition, particularly by regional districts, regarding the proposed changes to the Fire Safety Act that would require enforcement by local governments:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NCLGA and UBCM lobby the Provincial Government to expedite the enactment of legislation requiring provincial safety regulations to be enforced by the Office of the Fire Commissioner or the BC Safety Authority rather than pursuing options to download the responsibility for inspections and enforcement of provincial regulations on local governments.