Auditor General for Local Government as a Resource to Support Economic Recovery 2021
BC’s businesses continue to face financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local governments are feeling the same financial stressors, due to facility closures and the halting of other revenue streams. Raising municipal revenues through property taxes would only serve to increase costs to businesses. As a result, the pressure on local governments […]
Online Municipal Voting 2021
The success of businesses in BC is directly impacted by the policies of our municipal and provincial governments such as: Business tax levels, including income taxes, capital taxes, commodity taxes; Property tax levels, including the relative proportions to individuals and businesses; and Various regulations that impact the efficiency of doing business in the Province and/or […]
Creating a Comprehensive Action Plan on Building a Sustainable Business Relationship with Indigenous People 2021
The provincial government passed Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act 1 (DRIPA) legislation in November 2019 to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The purposes of the act are as follows: To affirm the application of the Declaration to the laws of British Columbia; To contribute to […]
Use Existing Trade Laws to Benefit Canada’s Interests 2021
The trade tensions Canada experiences for four years during the presidency of Donald Trump will not go away overnight. On the contrary, President Joe Biden has made some shocking policy decisions that have devastated the Canadian economy, cost thousands of jobs, and undermined the already fragile trade relationship between Canada and the United States. Canada […]
Canada-US Relations Committee Needs Business Consultation 2021
The United States and Canada have an interconnected, complex, and, at times, strained relationship. The last 4 years have shown how quickly communication can break down, and the economic toll such a break down can have. While there was hope that the next four to eight years will be amicable, the recent flurry of executive […]
BC Lobbying Act 2020 – Implications for Non-Profits, Smaller Organizations & Chambers / Boards of Trade 2021
The BC Government’s new Lobbyists Transparency Act (2020) (LTA) has placed considerable burden on the not-for-profit sector, and smaller organizations including Chambers of Commerce/Boards of Trade. In addition, this legislation undermines the democratic process that enables organizations to lobby and advocate to government. It significantly constrains communications and collaboration with government on the impact of […]
Residential Tenancy Act Reform (2020)
The rules governing residential tenancies has started to strongly become one sided for the tenant and is greatly affecting a landlord’s ability to protect their property. Furthermore, housing is an issue for several cities across British Columbia and the rules, processes and procedures around residential tenancies do not encourage people to be landlords under the […]
Removing Uncertainty From Community Amenity Contributions (2020)
Community amenity contributions (CACs) are becoming a feature of development in many parts of British Columbia. Municipalities negotiate CACs from those seeking a change in zoning, in order to capture some of the boost in land values that results from a change in use or an increase in density. This practice has grown immensely in […]
Reinstatement of the Business Vote in BC (2020)
Until 1993, a corporate vote existed in British Columbia Municipal Elections. In BC, businesses pay a significant portion of municipal property taxes; however, businesses do not have the right to vote in the municipal election process. Businesses have become the silent taxpayers – essentially taxation without representation. The fact that businesses have become the silent […]
Guidelines for Enforcing Residential Rental Tenure Zoning (2020)
In the next 25 years, it is estimated one million new residents will move to Metro Vancouver. More housing choices are required in British Columbia in order to be economically competitive by attracting and keeping skilled workers. Housing choices that work best are those that meet the needs of various income levels and are located […]