Premier Announces Pair of Local Funding Boosts as Part of UBCM Convention Key Note Address

Premier David Eby closed out his key note address at the Union of BC Municipalities convention by announcing a pair of local funding boosts.

One will see $61 million invested in local governments to help them build the capacity to bring more housing to their communities.

Of that, $51 million over 3 years will help municipalities align their policies with new provincial initiatives to build more multi-family housing.

It comes in light of the province’s plan to rezone single-family lots across BC to allow for duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses.

Another $10 million will go towards grants to help local governments implement practices to accelerate the development approval process.

Eby also announced a combined $4.75 million to help communities strengthen the capacity of local fire response.

Most of that will go to UBCM and the Fire Chiefs’ Association of BC to support training opportunities and new equipment purchases.

Meanwhile $1.6 million will go towards a a marketing campaign from the BC Injury and Research Prevention Unit seeking to educate the most at-risk residents.