REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING - APRIL 9, 2002
MOTION B.2

2. Preserve British Columbia's Universal Public Auto Insurance (File: 1263)

At the Council meeting of March 26, 2002, Councillor Bass submitted the following Notice of Motion, which was recognized by the Chair.

MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Louis

WHEREAS, the Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) was founded in 1973 following the Wooten Royal Commission that investigated shoddy practices of private insurance companies;

AND WHEREAS, ICBC is mandated to provide fair rating which does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, marital status, or community of residency;

AND WHEREAS, ICBC provides more than 6,000 direct jobs and many more in support industries such as independent brokers, autobody shops and others;

AND WHEREAS, while 90 per cent of all motorists in British Columbia carry valid insurance, in other jurisdictions, such as Ontario, the incidence of uninsured motorists is as high as 25 per cent, according to 1998 statistics compiled by the Ontario Provincial Police;

AND WHEREAS, ICBC contributes $60 million annually to road safety initiatives -30 times more than all Ontario private insurance providers;

AND WHEREAS, safer roads make our communities better and more secure places to live;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the City of Vancouver ask the minister responsible for ICBC and the Premier of British Columbia to preserve the provincial universal public auto insurance system.

Referred

Also before Council was a letter, dated April 8, 2002, from the Office & Professional Employees' International Union, Local 378 requesting to speak. The Chair advised consideration of the motion will be referred to a future Standing Committee meeting to hear the speaker.

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver