A Memorandum of Understanding on Local Government Financial Resiliency

The Province and Union of BC Municipalities will work together to review the local government finance system in B.C. to ensure that municipal governments and regional districts remain resilient in the face of economic changes. Municipal Affairs Minister Josie Osborne, Finance Minister Selina Robinson, and UBCM President Laurey-Anne Roodenburg have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Local…

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Supporting Small Independent Businesses in BC

Support Local BC was an initiative brought on out of necessity in 2020 due to the closures of many businesses in response to the Provincial Health Orders to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19.  The website provides a place for communities and businesses throughout the province to support each other. Connecting all regions with its…

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Regulations Urged for Short-term Rentals

The Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) has made 13 requests of the province to consider in order to establish a regulatory framework for the short-term accommodations industry, similar to those in place for ride-hailing and other regulated industries.  Read The Report Here

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BC Government Going Foward With Site C

Terminating project would cost at least $10.2B, B.C. government says The Site C dam on the Peace River in northeastern B.C. is estimated to cost about $16 billion, nearly double the originally approved budget of $8.8 billion in 2014. (Submitted by Amnesty International) British Columbia is forging ahead with the Site C dam — the largest public…

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Grants for BC Small Businesses — a conversation with Minister Ravi Kahlon

Ravi Kahlon

The Hon. Ravi Kahlon, British Columbia’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery, and Innovation, chatted with BC Rural Centre Communications Director Randy Morse recently. The conversation focused on Covid-19, its impact on small and medium-sized businesses, and steps the BC Government is taking to help those most affected, cope. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant…

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Website Expands Public Review of Crown Land-Use Applications

A new government website expands access to information and public engagement on applications for Crown land use in B.C. Applications for Crown land use range from recreational to industrial use. Given that 94% of B.C.’s land base is considered Crown land, the public has an important say in how it is managed. The ministry sees…

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Cannabis Clarity from the BC Government

Cannabis clarity

  Cannabis clarity is the goal of the BC Government’s official web page on the new cannabis situation. Given that non-medical cannabis is now legal in Canada, this is a useful resource for anyone in the province unclear about the legal and health implications of the new law for British Columbians.     https://cannabis.gov.bc.ca/  …

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BC Rural Centre’s Recommendations for Rural Development

What kind of provincial policies and tools would help us with rural development in BC? This is an issue the BC Rural Centre/SIBAC has spent a lot of time and effort researching. We have developed a brief document (see below) that provides a summary discussion of the top five recommendations the BC Rural Centre would…

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BC Rural Centre’s Recommendations for Rural Development

What kind of provincial policies and tools would help us with rural development in BC? This is an issue the BC Rural Centre/SIBAC has spent a lot of time and effort researching. We have developed a brief document (see below) that provides a summary discussion of the top five recommendations the BC Rural Centre would…

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