Resolutions at the 2017 Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver largely centred on lobbying provincial action on issues such as finance reform, affordable housing, the opioid crisis and marijuana legalization. Regarding the latter, municipalities generally feel that policies will primarily become their responsibility to enforce when pot becomes legal next July. While Ottawa governs licensing, production, testing and quality control of recreational marijuana, provinces are responsible for distribution and retail sales.
“There will be ongoing discussion. It’s similar to tobacco regulations in terms of No Smoking and that kind of thing,” said Comox Mayor Paul Ives, noting the province will need to determine the type of distribution model. “Whatever model they employ hopefully will be something that will be familiar to people and will involve the most paramount concern, the safety of the public, and particularly those underage.”
Cumberland Mayor Leslie Baird and Courtenay Mayor Larry Jangula also attended last week’s gathering. In a meeting with Environment Minister George Heyman, Baird discussed provincial regulations on logging companies burning slash piles.
“He says for us to wait because they will have a solution brought forward very shortly,” she said, noting concerns about air quality in the village. “We’ve been asking for many years for something to be done.”
Jangula noted some interesting issues concerning animals and rodents. Problems with rats, for instance, have been plaguing the entire province.
“Alberta has forever had a rat control officer,” Jangula said. “The province has assumed responsibility of that. That goes right back to the ’50s. If you talk to Alberta, and I believe Saskatchewan, and maybe some other provinces are completely rat-free.”
Deer are also problematic, especially in the Grand Forks area, as are beavers in northern communities, he added.
Courtenay Couns. Bob Wells and David Frisch, and CAO David Allen also attended UBCM. Baird was the lone representative from Cumberland. Her council cohorts chose instead to attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Ottawa.
Besides Ives, Comox couns. Barbara Price and Hugh MacKinnon, and Town CAO Richard Kanigan attended UBCM. The Comox delegation updated Scott Fraser, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, about ongoing dialogue with the K’ómoks First Nation, with whom the Town signed a Memo of Understanding in 2012.
“We’re looking to continue to work on that MOU which involves lands in the northeast part of Comox,” Ives said, noting a couple of specific parcels outside of the Northeast Woods. “There’s potential development that could happen.”
They also met with Health Minister Adrien Dix, who is supportive of the continued role of St. Joseph’s General Hospital as a non-profit health care provider, in light of the opening of the new hospital; and with BC Hydro representatives about a funding application for under-grounding of wiring in downtown Comox.
“There’s a parcel across the street from the Berwick expansion that we’re going to look at doing next year,” Ives said. “We’re eligible for up to one-third funding of that. The budget costs are about $400,000, so just over $100,00 we hope to get from BC Hydro.”
