Post Event Report

2018 Union of BC Municipalities’ Convention

Whistler BC from September 10th – 14th, 2018

To: Constituents of Electoral Area ‘D’ (Commodore Heights – McLeese Lake)

From: Area ‘D’ Director S. Forseth

Date: September 29th, 2018

From Monday, September 10th to Friday, September 14th, 2018 – CRD Chair Margo Wagner along with Directors
Ted Armstrong, Jerry Bruce, John Massier, Angie Delainey, Joan Sorley, Al Richmond, Roger William, Betty
Anderson, Brian Coakley and I attended the 115th Annual Convention (2018) of the Union of BC Municipalities’.
Area I Director Dylan Cash was unable to attend

All presentations from the Convention be viewed in their totality at

https://www.ubcm.ca/EN/main/convention/2018-convention-information/presentations-from-clinics-
workshops-and-other-sessions.html

The Resolutions that were debated at the Convention can be viewed at

https://www.ubcm.ca/assets/Convention/2018/2018%20UBCM%20Annual%20Report%20and%20Resolutions%2
0Book.pdf

On Monday, September 10th:

I attended a workshop with my CRD colleagues, Angie Delainey (Area E) and Brian Coakley (Area L) on electric
vehicle charging stations across Northern BC. This workshop was a presentation on a project that the Cariboo
Regional District, along with other Northern BC Regional Districts’ are working on, which is a network of electric
vehicle charging stations to connect to the Southern BC network and the charging network in the Kootenays

And then in the evening, attended an Electoral Area Directors’ Meet and Greet. I also gave a pitch for my 2018
UBCM Director at Large bid

On Tuesday, September 11th:

In the morning, I attended a clinic called “Ammonia Risks in Our Community: The Regulator's Perspective” then off
to the Electoral Area Directors’ session. Interesting debates on “Unelected Alternate Directors’” and “Fire
Inspection in Rural Areas” ….

In the evening – attended the UBCM Welcome Reception

Post Event Report – UBCM 2018, cont. Page 2

On Wednesday, September 12th:

In the morning, I attended a clinic called Words into Action: Implementing Codes of Conduct followed by the
Opening of the 2018 UBCM Convention. Later in the morning, I had a meeting with senior BC Ministry of
Transportation Staff along with the CRD Board Vice-Chair John Massier around public communications for
ditching in the Commodore Heights area and garbage collection at the McLeese Lake Boat Launch. The Ministry
apologized for the lack of public communications before the ditching started in the Commodore Heights area and
would be following up with Interior Roads Ltd and Stakeholder Relations would be one key feature of many in the
next road maintenance contractors. On the question of garbage collection at the McLeese Lake Boat Launch –

The Ministry contends that the question of ownership of the boat launch is “murky” but agreed to continue to
explore the question then over to meet with BC Liberal Transportation Critic Jordan Sturdy and Cariboo-North
MLA Coralee Oakes on these same two topics… they both were a receptive audience!

Then it was over to UBCM Resolutions Debate (I also enjoy these!!)

In the afternoon – I attended a Cabinet Town Hall called “Building a Better BC”. I let Municipal Affairs Minister
Selina Robinson know about an issue I have with the Local Government Act that lets an Electoral Area Director
sign off on a bylaw to expand an existing RD Service that would effectively impose new taxation without any
requirement for public input beforehand. I called this Undemocratic! Her Deputy Minister took my contact
information and I suspect I will be hearing from her in the days to come (this was a result of imposed Building
Inspection on Area D residents between north of Wildwood to South Marguerite in 2006 with NO public
consultation)

Finally in the evening, I attended the BC Government Reception and called it an day!

On Thursday, September 13th:

In the morning, I attended a clinic called “Social Media and Democracy” then over to hear an address from the
Leader of the Official Opposition, Mr. Andrew Wilkinson, QC. Then, continued in Resolutions debate. Gave my
speech to UBCM Delegates as to why I should be elected as a Director At Large

In the afternoon – Attended a clinic called “Engaging Millennials – Tips from a Youth Council” then in the evening,
attended the annual UBCM Banquet with my CRD colleagues

On Friday, September 14th:

In the morning, attended the final session of UBCM Resolutions debate. Then the Director at Large and Small
Community Rep Elections Results were announced – 100 Mile House Mayor Mitch Campsall was re-elected
however I was not elected as a Director at Large….

Kamloops Councillor Arjun Singh was installed as the 2018-19 UBCM President and then we heard from BC
Premier John Horgan and the Convention was adjourned
Post-Event Report/2018 UBCM Convention Page 3

Costs to attend:

Mileage (Roundtrip from WL to Whistler and return) -- $573.12

Daily Attendance Fees -- $555
Hotel Costs – Currently unavailable, due to room block for CRD Directors. But generally is cheaper than booking
individually

Respectfully submitted,

Steve Forseth
Director, Electoral Area ‘D’
Cariboo Regional District