Victoria City Council has decided 8-1 to discontinue the City's membership in the Urban Development Institute (UDI), a registered lobbying organization on the BC Lobbyists Registry, representing billions of dollars of corporate interests involved in development and real estate. 

The decision took place after over a decade of the City's corporate membership in the lobbying organization.

The City of Victoria withdraws its UDI lobby membership. – CRD Watch Homepage

4 other municipalities withdrew their UDI memberships on the island over the last several years, as did the regional government, the CRD after 23 years of membership in the organization.

Multiple elected officials have also made it known after that the Township of Esquimalt will be ending its membership in the UDI this year.

A Councillor in the City of Colwood announced that he will soon be putting forth a Notice of Motion that the City of Colwood withdraw its membership.  If that happens and it is likely, that would leave only the City of Langford being a paying member municipality on Vancouver Island. 

Thank you again for all of your critical support in this successful effort!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unfortunately, the City of Victoria Staff still meet with the UDI municipal liaison committee, meetings which are unrecorded, and City money is still likely to be spent on lobby events.

It is important that the people of the City continue to demand full transparency surrounding the City's meetings and communications with the organization and an end to taxpayer dollars subsidizing the lobby.

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

Thank you again for all of your much needed help.  You've moved a mountain in this regard.