CITY OF VANCOUVER
CITY CLERK'S DEPARTMENT
Public Access and Council Services
MEMORANDUM Date: June 10, 2004
File: 3252
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Charlene Imai, Meeting Coordinator
SUBJECT: 2004 UBCM Resolutions
The following resolutions have been received from City departments for Council's consideration and submission to the 2004 UBCM Convention:
Subject |
Submitted by |
(a) Riparian Area Regulations |
Environmental Protection Branch |
(b) The Public Library Role in Early Childhood
|
Vancouver Public Library |
- - - - -
(a)
City of Vancouver
RIPARIAN AREA REGULATIONS
WHEREAS the UBCM resolved in 2002 that a new riparian assessment regulation:
· Provide liability protection for local government when making land use decisions based on a report by a Qualified Environment Professional on fish habitat;
· Ensure that no new responsibilities are downloaded on local government and that all training and management costs required to implement the new regulation are paid for by either the federal or provincial government;
· Ensure the process is timely and cost effective, from the community perspective;
· Ensure an integrated approach is implemented to avoid conflicts between the different levels of government;
· Ensure that a balance is maintained between development and protection of the environment.
AND WHEREAS for the past two years, the Province has been proceeding with development of the "Riparian Area Regulation" without open consultation with local governments, therefore let it be further resolved that the UBCM membership not endorse the tripartite agreement to implement the provisions of the "Riparian Area Regulation" unless the following conditions have been met:
· A legal and logistical review of the regulation is conducted to determine the implications to local governments;
· Full liability protection for local governments is assured in the regulation;
· Local governments are involved in the development of the "Guidebook" for implementation of the regulations; and
· Local governments are involved in the development of the compliance and enforcement strategy.
BACKGROUND
PROPOSED RIPARIAN AREA REGULATION
On January 19, 2001 the provincial government enacted the Streamside Protection Regulation It's purpose was to protect streamside riparian setbacks on land adjacent to streams and watercourses and required municipalities to administer these requirements. Local governments were given five years to implement the regulation. Local governments and the development sector had a number of concerns and requested the Provincial government to clarify or amend the regulations.
In 2001, the new Provincial government decided to revisit the Streamside Protection Regulation and struck a task group to seek consensus on whether to abandon or amend the regulation. The task group included representatives from Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), a representative from the municipal Environmental Managers, the UBCM, stream stewards, and land developers. The task group could not reach consensus on amendments was disbanded in 2002. The Province then established an internal working group, involving staff and scientists from DFO and the Provincial Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection (MWLAP). Over the past year and a half, they have been developing a new method for defining streamside protection areas, and amending the Streamside Protection Regulation. The new name of the Regulation is the "Riparian Area Regulation" (RAR).
Representatives from UBCM have reviewed the draft RAR and have sought to ensure that it continues to meet the spirit and intent of the current Streamside Protection Regulation. However, the Province required that any reviewer of the RAR sign a confidentiality agreement and that information would not be shared with other parties. As such, there has been no review of the Regulation by local government staff. Since 2001, local government Environment Managers have enquired on numerous occasions to the Province, DFO, and UBCM about the status of the revised Regulation, but have been told that information was not available.
In late April 2004, local Environmental Managers were finally invited to review the draft Regulation, on the condition that they also sign a confidentiality agreement, that the contents would not be shared with any other parties, including other staff or Council. This approach was deemed unacceptable, and the Managers requested an open discussion process.
· The Province agreed to meet with local government Environmental Managers on May 12, 2004. The Province emphasized that this was a briefing and not a consultation. Staff from the City's Environmental Protection Branch attended this meeting. Copies of the revised Regulation were not available, but elements of the Regulation were discussed. Without seeing the proposed Regulation, meaningful comment was not possible. Again, the only way that staff could review the proposed Regulation was to sign a confidentiality agreement. Staff did not do so
The Province noted that Cabinet was seeking to make a final decision by June 2004 on whether to adopt the new RAR or entirely eliminate the Streamside Protection Regulation. If the RAR is adopted, the Province envisages a phase-in process of a year or more, in which the process and details could be refined. At the meeting, several managers expressed frustration at the lack of consultation and ability to meaningfully comment on a Regulation that has significant implications for local governments.
The five conditions of the UBCM resolution of 2002 regarding the development of this new regulation have not been met. Local Governments have not been consulted.
City of Vancouver
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY ROLE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
WHEREAS research consistently demonstrates the crucial importance of pre-school learning and literacy in ensuring an individual's subsequent success in school and later life;
AND WHEREAS BC public libraries are in every BC community, run thousands of children's and early literacy programs and are the only social institutions mandated to foster literacy skills in pre-school children and to support and empower their parents in creating a learning environment;
AND WHEREAS the Provincial Government in its most recent Speech From the Throne stated its commitment to "ensure that all children have every opportunity to experience the excitement of learning and be the best that they can be";
AND WHEREAS the Provincial Government is creating a strategic plan to direct its future involvement with public libraries.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Union of BC Municipalities strongly encourage the Provincial Government to recognize the indispensable role that BC public libraries play in fostering early childhood education;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Province's strategic plans for both Early Childhood Development and public libraries recognize the important role public libraries play by enhancing and funding support for BC public libraries in early childhood education endeavours;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Provincial Government ensure that BC public libraries are represented on all provincial advisory committees on literacy and Early Childhood Development.
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