British Columbia municipalities demand more autonomy from provincial government

At the annual Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention, local leaders are calling for a shift in how the provincial government interacts with municipal authorities. Representatives are urging the province to stop downloading responsibilities without providing necessary resources and to cease making policy without meaningful local input.

Key grievances include the imposition of housing targets and sweeping zoning changes through a top-down approach. While the goal of increasing housing supply is supported, critics argue that provincial mandates regarding transit density and limited public hearings create friction between local implementation and provincial objectives. Additionally, municipal leaders have criticized the current competitive grant system as a “lottery system that creates winners and losers,” advocating instead for local governments to be treated as partners rather than entities to be managed.