The Union of B.C. Municipalities and First Nations Leadership Council have come together to call for a controversial provincial bill to be paused.
Bill 15, or the Infrastructure Projects Act, was referred to as overreaching and rushed in a joint news conference by the Union of B.C. Municipalities and First Nations Leadership Council Thursday (May 22).
The province says Bill 15 will help build projects faster in B.C., citing uncertain times due to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The bill was tabled May 1.
Bill 15 is currently at the committee stage. The B.C. legislature is on a break this week, but will resume sitting Monday (May 26) and a final vote is set for May 28 at 8 p.m.
However, since then local leaders, First Nations and B.C. Greens and Conservatives have called out the bill.
Union of B.C. Municipalities president Trish Mandewo said her organization and the First Nations Leadership Council signed a memorandum of understanding last year to address common challenges 鈥� and Bill 15 has become a common challenge for the two.
"The process leading to the drafting of the legislation has been rushed and did not include meaningful consultation with UBCM or member local governments," she said.
Mandewo said it's been proven before that a "fast-tracked approach that skips over consultation is more likely to lead to problems down the road." She added mistakes happen when legislation is pushed through too quickly.
"Bill 15 provides the cabinet with extraordinary powers to override regulations, including local governments, official city plans, zoning by law, amendments and subdivision approval processes," she said.
"While the legislation is not designed to change the quality or rigour of the provincial permitting process, it remains unclear if the legislation equally protects the quality and the rigour of local government permitting processes."
B.C. Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee said Bill 15 "falls against the commitment towards reconciliation." He added that part of the concern is the "fast tracking of not only this legislation under the guise of the pending tariff discussions and motivations from south of the border."
The province has said the Infrastructure Projects Act will help build hospitals, long-term care homes, cancer centres and schools faster.
Teegee said he understands that some projects will get the green light and blessing for development, as well they're not against the development of schools and hospitals.
"However, First Nations and other local governments need more consultation, and perhaps need discussions in terms of how decisions are made within our traditional territories, and now how this legislation is overreaching."
More to come.
