Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Results — Continued

Goal 1: Local governments are open, accountable and effective.

Core Business Area:

Local Government.

In Canada, responsibility for local matters is provided to the provinces under the Canadian constitution. All provinces discharge this responsibility by providing a legislative framework for local governments. In British Columbia local governments include 153 municipalities and 27 regional districts serving communities whose populations range from under 250 in the Village of Silverton to over two million in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Local governments provide a broad range of services to citizens, including fire protection, policing, land use planning, parks, recreation, local streets, water, sewer and garbage collection and disposal. In 2002 local government expenditures ranged from $430,000 in the Village of New Denver to $821.6 million in the City of Vancouver.

The Ministry is also responsible for providing a legislative, policy and program framework for efficient service delivery and cooperation amongst British Columbia's 70 public libraries.

With respect to heritage, BC has more than 215,000 buildings that pre-date 1945 as well as many other historic resources. Approximately 15,000 historic places have been identified by communities, but fewer than 1,500 have been legally protected by local governments or the Province. Development pressures, disincentives to rehabilitation, neglect and other factors have resulted in the loss of 21 per cent of Canada's historic properties in the past 30 years.

Objective 1:

Local governments are able to effectively exercise broader authority in the context of enhanced accountability to citizens.

The Community Charter, which came into force on January 1, 2004, provides a modern framework for the core functions of BC municipalities. The Ministry will begin consultations this year to identify priority issues to be addressed in regard to other areas of local government law, including land use and regional districts.

Strategies:

1. Implement the Community Charter² core municipal provisions.

2. Identify scope and priority issues to be addressed in future local government legislative reform.

Objective 2:

Efficient and effective local government systems.

Local governments are accepted as efficient suppliers of local services. However there are instances where:

• local structures, such as boundaries, need to adapt to meet changing conditions;
• local government revenue needs to be augmented;
• collective actions by local government, such as pooled borrowing through the Municipal Finance Authority, require provincial government support;
• communities need to work through periods of economic and social transition; and
• regional solutions are required to address issues such as housing, urban transportation or economic development.

The Ministry provides targeted support for the work of local governments in these and other areas.

Strategies:

1. Assist communities engaged in restructuring activities.

2. Allocate unconditional grants to communities.

3. Support pooled borrowing arrangements through provincial oversight of local government long-term borrowing and related transactions.

4. Facilitate cooperation among governments by assisting in dispute resolution, community transition and advancing approaches to sustainable urban development.

Objective 3:

Communities are able to provide safe drinking water and appropriate sewage treatment.

Local governments are responsible for providing their communities with infrastructure to ensure safe drinking water and appropriate sewage treatment. Such infrastructure is expensive and major projects often challenge the financial capacity of both large and small local governments. Since investments of this type are important to community quality of life and often support local economic development, the federal and provincial governments are currently investing $400 million in 188 water, sewer and energy efficient building projects throughout British Columbia. The overall value of these projects is over $600 million.

Strategies:

1. Deliver the Canada-BC Infrastructure program.

2. Deliver the infrastructure planning grant program.

Objective 4:

Cooperation and coordination amongst public libraries is maximized, allowing them to provide the highest quality service to British Columbians.

The 70 libraries in British Columbia are supported by the Province as they work together through networked services to maximize the investment, by all levels of government, in library programs. Cooperation is realized by libraries sharing materials, information and staff expertise province-wide. An electronic network reduces traditional barriers of distance and size by making public access to library resources available across the province. The Ministry provides administrative and organizational support to ensure libraries are able to maximize these cooperative opportunities.

Strategies:

1. Develop a strategic plan for public libraries.

2. Support community plans for libraries to form cooperative models for service delivery.

Objective 5:

British Columbia's heritage is preserved and promoted.

Heritage is a critical part of the identity of communities and the province. Conserving heritage is central to people's understanding of their history as a people. Preservation of heritage is also a part of healthy communities, contributing to their confidence and resilience.

Previously heritage sites were operated by government and while the Ministry maintains responsibility for preserving British Columbia's heritage, the method of delivering this service is shifting to a more community-driven approach. The Ministry works to build heritage capacity in the private and non-profit sectors, and to strengthen partnerships with the federal and local governments in the delivery of national heritage initiatives.

Strategies:

1. Devolve responsibility for British Columbia heritage properties to community partners.

2. Increase the public profile, understanding and appreciation of heritage in the province.