We the signed, call for, in the interests of transparency and accountability before the public in a democracy, as well as for legislation to be consistent; that the Provincial Government of British Columbia, legislate that the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), be subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA/FOIPPA), as is required for other public bodies under the Act.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background:

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), a branch of the BC Ministry of Citizens' Services, has concluded that the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) is not subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

A major government transparency gap has been exposed.

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), has concluded that the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) is not subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act – CRD Watch Homepage

The OIPC concluded that: "UBCM is not a designated body and was never added by regulation to Schedule 2 of FIPPA."

Why was it not added to Schedule 2 of FIPPA, along with the other public bodies?

The Union of BC Municipalities is clearly a public body, functioning as a public corporation.  It is created by Provincial legislation (The UBCM Act), and it is funded by the Provincial Government, in particular, via the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA). If it looks like a public body, and it acts like a public body, in this case it is because the Union of BC Municipalities is a public body.

UBCM's Executive is comprised entirely of elected local government officials.  Elected officials from across British Columbia vote on resolutions there. Its purpose is to act as a conduit of communication between local governments and the Provincial Government.  UBCM also serves as a conduit of provincial grant money to local governments.

Among the stated purposes of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA/FOIPPA) in Part 1 of the Act [2(1)]:

“The purposes of this Act are to make public bodies more accountable to the public and to protect personal privacy by

(a)giving the public a right of access to records”.

Yet the Union of BC Municipalities, despite being a public body, the public have no right to access its records in regard to general information, which means that the public body is not accountable.  The Act's stated purpose is not fulfilled in regard to UBCM.  Thus the Act is incomplete, without incorporating UBCM into it along with other public bodies.

This is clearly an act of the Provincial government to keep the public in the dark about the organization's activities, without transparency nor accountability.  This is unacceptable in a democracy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For more information, please contact: BCPetition@mail.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

References:

Table of Contents - Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Home | Union of BC Municipalities | Union of BC Municipalities

Union of British Columbia Municipalities Act

Municipal Finance Authority Act

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See also:

Index of articles and other material regarding the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) – CRD Watch Homepage

No Transparency: The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) denies that it is subject to Freedom of Information legislation. – CRD Watch Homepage

How much was George Stroumboulopoulos paid, for being Keynote Speaker for the 2024 UBCM Conference? – CRD Watch Homepage

“No, we do not have minutes.” – The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) fails to document meetings that lead to resolutions. – CRD Watch Homepage

Complete lack of transparency: “As far as UBCM Resolutions Committee and my role as chair no we do not take or distribute minutes of the plenary sessions.” – CRD Watch Homepage

After repeated failures by UBCM officials to provide minutes of their meetings when asked, and repeated denials over their availability; UBCM’s Executive Director has now provided minutes from previous years. The bare bone ‘minutes’ fail to even record how the individual elected officials (delegates) voted on resolutions. – CRD Watch Homepage