Mission, BC—Members of City of Mission Council attended the annual Union of BC Municipalities convention last week. The convention was an opportunity for Council to meet with Ministers and senior staff to discuss local issues in Mission.
This year City Council focused on discussing the need for a commitment to planning the Mission Memorial Hospital site, capacity issues at Hayward Lake, South Mission Transportation planning, illegal dumping, the waterfront dyke project, and housing.
The following are highlights and reflections on the conversations Council had with Ministers and senior staff throughout the convention.
Mission Memorial Hospital
“We asked Minister Dix to ensure that health care planning for our area moves forward in a concrete manner, and that the voices of patients and professionals are heard in those processes,” said Mayor Paul Horn on behalf of Council. “The Minister emphasized that Mission Memorial Hospital is a vital ingredient in the Ministry’s vision for healthcare and was supportive of the approach we are taking.”
BC Hydro Recreational Sites
Discussions with BC Hydro were equally productive. The City looks forward to continued partnership moving forwards to address public safety in and around Hayward Lake and the Stave Lake Boat Launch. Staff from the City and BC Hydro will be meeting later in the fall to develop a join plan to communicate and implement in time for the May long weekend.
“Last year, we left our BC Hydro meeting with a sense of frustration, but this year’s meeting was far more positive,” said Mayor Horn. “BC Hydro emphasized that they shared our concerns and had reserved resources to improve the area. We will begin meeting immediately to create a plan that will start before next summer.”
South Mission Transportation Planning
“We asked the Minister to help us expedite the South Mission Transportation planning process and the planning of our east Waterfront dyke. We were told we would receive an update soon.”
Illegal Dumping in the Fraser Valley
“Illegal dumping is an issue across the Fraser Valley, and Minister Pam Alexis is keenly aware and very concerned about it as a resident of this area,” said Mayor Horn. “It was very heartening to see that she and her staff were eager to ensure a multi-pronged solution to this issue.”
Waterfront Dyke Project
Council raised the question of funding the construction of a dyke in our eastern precinct once the design phase is completed with Minister Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. There is currently no provincial program, but the Minister encouraged the City to apply for the federal program and to seek their help when doing so.
“We expressed how the enhancement of our waterfront aligns with provincial goals, including jobs, education, Reconciliation, and environmental enhancement,” said Mayor Horn.
Housing
“I asked Minister Kahlon whether there was a specific process plan for engaging with municipalities on a regular basis now that these pieces of legislation have been implemented so that we can share lessons learned and adjust as we move forward,” said Mayor Horn. "The Housing Minister indicated that they are already doing that sort of work, and that they have made some adjustments already based on that feedback, but also said yes, to ensuring that further review was undertaken.”
Transit Oriented Area
“It’s clear that the city has taken the right approach in saying that we will review our Transit Orientated Area Bylaw after one year, and we are gratified to hear that other municipalities, both large and small, are advocating for the same infrastructure needs as we are,” said Mayor Horn. “We are going to closely monitor how these new pieces of legislation work in our community, and we will work with other communities to ensure that we are taking a collaborative approach to advocacy.”
Mayor’s Reflection on Premier Eby’s Speech
“The highlight of the speech for us was the Premier using Mission as a positive example of working collaboratively with other levels of government and our Board of Education,” Mayor Horn said. “He referenced our new high school and the work we are doing to improve transportation along the Lougheed corridor. This was particularly nice to hear because Board of Education Chair Tracy Loffler had decided to come out to hear the speech in her role as Vice President of the BC School Trustees Association and was sitting beside me at the time.”
Photo Gallery
About the UBCM Annual Convention
UBCM’s annual Convention brings together local government and First Nations members to identify key policy issues and engage with other orders of government. The 2024 UBCM Convention took place September 16 – 20 in Vancouver.