Proposed legislative amendments respond to local government requests, give communities new tools to deliver housing, and dissolve the Jumbo Glacier Mountain Resort Municipality.
The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendments Act (No. 2), 2021 will update a variety of acts that impact British Columbians. Changes to the Local Government Act, Community Charter and Vancouver Charter will add a new requirement for all municipal councils and regional district boards to publicly consider whether they wish to develop codes of conduct for their council or board members. Updates to the Local Government Act, Community Charter, Islands Trust Act, Municipal Replotting Act, University Endowment Land Act and Vancouver Charter will enable local governments to determine and specify, by bylaw, the methods they will use to provide public notice that will reach the greatest number of people in their communities. The amendments to the Local Government Act will remove the default requirement for local governments to hold public hearings for zoning bylaw amendments that are consistent with their official community plan and enable local governments to delegate decisions on minor development variance permits to staff. Amendments the Islands Trust Act address specific requests made by the Islands Trust board of directors to deal with some administrative barriers. Changes to the Powell River Incorporation Act will support Powell River’s economic development objectives by removing the city-owned lots from the ‘Mill Site’ area to allow for further development.