VANCOUVER — Premier Christy Clark talked about plans to build a new bridge on the Lower Mainland and work to widen Highway 1 between Kamloops and the Alberta border, but made no mention of a revenue-sharing proposal for all local governments in her address wrapping up the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver Friday.
Delegates to the convention had earlier unanimously endorsed a white paper calling on the government to explore new ways for municipalities to share in provincial revenues and ease the burdens faced by local property taxpayers.
The report advocates revenue-sharing through creation of an Infrastructure Development and Community Building Bank designed to ensure that local governments all benefit when the economy performs above a set benchmark.
Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard, one of the report’s authors, said he was disappointed Clark didn’t raise the issue.
Later, when asked by reporters, Clark said she’s intrigued by the revenue-sharing suggestion.
“The part of the proposal I was really interested in was the idea that local governments should get a piece of economic growth,” Clark said. “I think it is important if we want local governments to be partners in growing our economy, that they have some incentive to do that.”
Clark said she has committed to work with municipalities to create better incentives.
“Municipalities that are really working hard to create jobs and create economic growth, I think they should be rewarded. But we haven’t figured out how we’re going to get there yet. We’ve just agreed to sit down and talk about it.”
Victoria Coun. Chris Coleman said it was apparent from the address that Clark is “still living off the unexpected election win” and she’s using that to spring into the economic development message.
Coleman said it was somewhat disappointing she made no mention of either Vancouver Island or the UBCM’s white paper on revenue-sharing. But, he said, it’s understandable.
“Everybody was saying, ‘We’ll call her bluff in the election.’ Well, she won the election, and she’s now sticking to her guns,” Coleman said.
