Tag Archives: Union of BC Municipalities

Indigenous Nations, Politics

The Battle Over DRIPA & Land Claims

(The first in a series of articles about Indigenous consent, property rights and the future of DRIPA)

British Columbia is currently navigating a widening divide. On one side, the courts are handing down historic decisions affirming Indigenous rights. On the other, a growing wave of anxiety over private property and economic certainty. Today, we look at the fallout from the Gitxaala and Cowichan Tribes decisions—and the political battleground forming around the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). 

These are actually three separate topics: two court cases regarding the duty to consult before registering mining claims (Gitxaala versus British Columbia and the 2025 appeal); a court case regarding the Aboriginal title to an ancient village site that was sold out from beneath the Cowichan Tribes (Cowichan Tribes v. Canada); and DRIPA, the provincial legislative framework that formally adopts and implements the the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

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Forests

The State of Campbell River’s Forestry Sector

Forestry has been one of the three economic pillars of Campbell River. In the article that follows, Mayor Kermit Dahl states that ’70% of what the city does is resource-related, and their sales in the previous year were down by just over 20%.’ While many do not agree with the industry practise of cutting big tree old growth – the iconic subset which often comes to mind when hearing the words ‘old growth’ – there is much more to the story. The following article consists of select gleanings from statements made by Mayor Dahl and several MPs (including Aaron Gunn) at a recent meeting of the federal government’s Standing Committee on Natural Resources. 

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Food, Politics

SRD Will Not Use Gas Tax Funds for Cortes Food Bank

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The Strathcona Regional District will not use $28,000 of its gas tax funds to help the Cortes Island Food Bank. At their October 22 meeting, 7 of the 14 district directors voted against a motion to fund the food bank.

Directors opposed to the motion were concerned about the potential impact that supporting a third party organization could have on future SRD applications for gas tax funding. 

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Forests

Long-awaited changes to BC’s private forests not coming, government confirms

 Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 

Local governments on Vancouver Island are frustrated after finally receiving a long-awaited answer to when legislative changes are coming to the law governing how some forest lands are managed in BC.

The answer: with the trade war targeting BC lumber, the priority is protecting forestry jobs. In short, after years of fighting, change is not coming.

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Health, Indigenous Nations, Politics, Transportation

Area C Director’s Report: update on UBCM advocacy

Hello, 
The past week was a blur of learning, advocating, and networking as I was immersed for five and a half days at the annual Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention which this year took place in lovely Victoria BC.

Along with study sessions, learning workshops, discussion forums, and plenary sessions from early morning till late afternoon, UBCM provides an opportunity for regional districts and municipalities to advocate on their priority issues with provincial Ministers and to meet with provincial staff as well. This report shares an update on advocacy the SRD Board & I engaged in, representing regional and community concerns with the Province.

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