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The UBCM has lost its clout
Letter to the Editor
When I first became involved in municipal government the direction from the province to the municipalities came from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. This situation existed for many years.
The municipalities and regional districts, in order to have their voice heard in Victoria, formed the Union of BC Municipalities. This organization was designed to do much of the lobbying on behalf of the municipalities and regional districts.
During the past several years the Ministry of Municipal Affairs has quietly been downsized to the point of practically not existing and the job of giving out services normally performed by the Ministry is now performed by the UBCM.
The result of this is that the UBCM has lost its clout because rather than primarily representing the municipalities and regional districts the UBCM is now representing the province.
Last year the municipalities and regional districts in B.C. paid $1,136,096 to the UBCM in membership fees. This is a lot of money to pay to an organization which represents the province more than it represents the municipalities and regional districts.
Angus Davis,
Councillor, City of Cranbrook
