​It’s that time again! Conference time!

The conference I am referring to is the annual UBCM (Union of British Columbia Municipalities) Conference, held from September 22 to 26, 2025, in Victoria. In the 7 years I have spent on the Princeton Town Council, this is the first UBCM I have attended in Victoria, a place I was last in when I was still in high school. I recall that I was there for a field trip back in 1976 or 1977, so everything there would be fresh and new to me this time around.

I got to the hotel late Sunday afternoon (September 21) and walked around the Inner Harbour of the James Bay neighbourhood of Victoria to locate venues I would be spending time at over the next several days. The Parliament Buildings were literally two doors from the hotel, and the Victoria Conference Centre (behind the Empress Hotel) was a couple of blocks away. I tried to register early for the conference, but had to wait for the following morning.

Here is a short breakdown of each day spent in Victoria:

Monday, September 22
I attended a two-hour session titled “Healthcare: The Heart of the Community.” I was expecting something big, positive, and amazing. Instead, the tone of the presentation was the opposite, painting a rather bleak picture of the future of healthcare in British Columbia. I hoped this was not going to be the overall flavour of the sessions I was scheduled to attend.

In the afternoon, I attended a two-hour session titled “Libraries on the Front Lines,” which had a more positive tone, outlining many ways local libraries connect with their communities. Today’s library is far more than books. As the ORL (Okanagan Regional Library) CEO Danielle Hubbard shared, libraries provide shelter and comfort to many new and displaced individuals and are sometimes the site of serious, stressful situations. Her presentation (one of several during the session) focused on how the opioid crisis has impacted the delivery of services provided by libraries and the extra training library staff receive to deal with various issues that may arise.

At 4pm, I joined the rest of the Princeton delegation for the first of ten “minister meetings” scheduled for the week. This one was with the Minister of Forests, Honourable Ravi Parmar. It was my first time inside the Parliament Buildings in over 40 years. Once we all cleared security, we were escorted to our meeting in the Minister’s office.

Tuesday, September 23
Today was a full day of sessions for me. I attended the three-hour Small Talk Forum, which featured several short presentations from various community leaders. The topics varied, but mostly outlined “good news stories” of triumph over adversity and demonstrated how local governments worked with other levels of government and agencies to reach success.

In the evening, I attended the UBCM Community Excellence Awards Ceremony and Reception. Several communities from throughout BC were vying for these awards in different categories. Each had created a solution to a local problem, and the general theme was innovation. Princeton did not have an entry this year.

Wednesday, September 24
This was our busiest day, which was mostly spent in various halls and offices of the Parliament Buildings. In the morning, we met with Minister of Agriculture and Food, Honourable Lana Popham, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, Honourable Kelly Greene, and Minister of Health, Honourable Josie Osborne.

We all attended the annual SILGA (Southern Interior Local Government Association) Lunch, as the Town of Princeton is a member. Then more minister meetings in the afternoon, including the Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Honourable Sheila Malcolmson, and the Minister of Education and Child Care, Honourable Lisa Beare.

Thursday, September 25
Today was another day full of meetings. In the morning, we met with Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals, Honourable Jagrup Brar, and Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Honourable Spencer Chandra Herbert.

In the afternoon, meetings included Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Honourable Christine Boyle, and Minister of Environment and Parks, Honourable Tamara Davidson. The topic of discussion was different for each of our ten meetings, and private, so I can’t say much about them, but you can probably guess what some were about based on the ministry represented. Plus, Princeton was lucky to receive ten scheduled meetings. Many delegates told me they were either turned down or only received confirmation for two or three meetings.

The evening featured the annual UBCM Banquet and Reception, where BC Premier David Eby socialized with delegates and awards were presented. In addition to UBCM Life Memberships, Long Service Awards were also distributed, and Princeton’s Councillor Randy McLean received one for his years of service on the Princeton Town Council.

Other Activities
Although I did find time each evening to get in some walking (I logged just under 19km in recorded walks, I’m sure I did closer to 30km, counting all the other trips between venues), I also attended sessions that made sense to me. As I share the Healthcare Portfolio and have an appointment to sit on the ORL Board, going to sessions on healthcare and libraries were logical choices. I also attended an evening reception at the James Bay branch of the Victoria Public Library.

As for networking opportunities, I made sure to connect with old and new peers at lunches, dinners, and receptions. The CUPE-sponsored reception was one such example. I also “floated” to other activities when possible and sat in on part of the Address by the Leader of the Opposition, John Rustad. I chose to skip the closing ceremonies on Friday morning (September 26) so I could get home midday.

Conclusion
UBCM this year attracted around 3,000 delegates. These were mayors, councillors, regional directors, CEOs, and staff from communities throughout British Columbia. The common thread I discovered through conversations with other elected officials centred around infrastructure and housing. There is obviously no simple solution to these and other issues faced today by British Columbia’s municipalities.

​However, UBCM gives us a forum to discuss them and access to provincial ministers so we can take our specific concerns to them directly. Does it help? I think that when you sit face-to-face with a decision maker, you stand a better chance of being heard than you do with an email. Results take time, but you have to keep at it and UBCM gives Princeton Town Council an opportunity to keep advocating for the citizens of our community, something we all take very seriously.

The annual UBCM convention was held September 16-20, 2024 in Vancouver. I was one of four Princeton delegates in attendance. Before I get into the details of my time at this event, let me tell you a little about the UBCM. 

UBCM is the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. It represents local government officials of member communities throughout British Columbia.  The group was formed several decades ago to give local governments a common voice.

The annual convention provides local governments with workshops, study sessions, social interaction with peers, a huge trade show, voting sessions on various resolutions passed onto higher levels of government, and private meetings with several cabinet ministers. This year's event theme was, "Ride The Wave."

Here is a breakdown of my schedule:

Sunday, September 15
This was a travel day for me. I left Princeton around 10 AM and took my time heading to Vancouver with several stops along the way. I don't normally travel in this direction on Highway 3, so I like to soak up whatever I can when I'm on the road. That usually means stops in Manning Park, Hope, and elsewhere. I checked into my hotel in the afternoon. 

I still do some freelance writing "on the side" and took a few projects with me that were due during the week so after I settled into my room, I worked on and completed one 1,000-word project, stopped for a walk on the seawall in Coal Harbour, and had supper. In the evening, I wrote another 1,000-words in a second freelance project before calling it a night.

Monday, September 16
I got up early and registered for the UBCM Convention. This is when I received my delegate badge (worn around the neck) which gives me access to the events and activities I pre-registered for a couple of months ago. My first study session was at 9:30 AM. The 2-hour session was titled, "What's Next For Housing?" The message from that presentation was fairly straightforward...there will be a change, but not anytime soon.

I had time before my next session so I walked the two blocks back to my hotel and wrote another 1,000-words in a third freelance project. At 2 PM, I attended the "Changing Climate, Rising Costs" 2-hour session. The message there was that things would continue to get bad. I was hoping that future sessions I planned to attend were a little more positive, as today's were definitely on one end of the scale.

I finished the day with another walk on the seawall and attended the weekly Zoom meeting of the web development company I work for in Australia. The freelance work I do is mostly from this company. I write web content (blogs, articles) for about 20 different Australian businesses and services with most of them coming from this company so it was important to maintain contact while I was away as I had to take time off (unpaid) from my other job to attend UBCM.

Tuesday, September 17
This was a busy day for all delegates at the convention as the daily schedule of events filled up. I started the day off attending the Resource Breakfast hosted by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. At 9 AM I went to the 3-hour "Small Talk Forum" which was followed by lunch. I took a short break after this session and met the rest of the Princeton delegation at the World Trade Centre for a 3 PM meeting with BC Premier Eby. 

Our second "Minister Meeting" was at 3:30 PM with Minister Fleming (Ministry of Transportation and Highways). The meetings run usually no more than 15-minutes each. Our concerns this year revolve around flooding risk, obstacles that may impact flooding (bridge approaches as an example), and other matters. In all of these meetings, we are seeking assistance or direction in our efforts on Town Council to improve our community.

After these meetings, I went for another walk on the seawall for my self-care and attended the evening UBCM Welcome Reception, but did not stay long. The receptions are usually great networking opportunities, so I will attend a few of them. I don't normally stay long at any of them.

Wednesday, September 18
I started today with attending the early delegates breakfast. As I had some time before my next session, I went back to my hotel and completed two more freelance projects. That freed up the rest of the convention for me as now all the work I took with me was finished. At 12 Noon, I went to the SILGA (Southern Interior Local Government Association) Lunch but had to leave early to meet the rest of the Princeton delegates at another Minister Meeting. This one was with MoTI Staff. 

With a Provincial Election coming up, I felt that meeting with Ministry staff was probably more productive than with the actual Ministers, so I was pleased that our Cabinet Minister meeting schedule was not just with Ministers. I visited the Trade Show, which featured hundreds of exhibitors. I normally just do a quick lap to see what's there. I followed that up with attendance at the Trade Show and BC Government receptions. I took a break after that fitting in another walk on the seawall. I finished the day at the CUPE reception. 

Thursday, September 19
I started my day at the Delegate's Breakfast then I sat in on the Resolution Session. I voted on several including one to change the name of the UBCM. I was against it. The resolution failed. A typical resolution session will see several hundred delegates in attendance. The final Minister meeting scheduled for us was at 9:40 AM with the Ministry of Tourism's Lana Popham. The topic was related to the trestle just past the Tunnel (under Highway 3) and the KVR past the Red Bluffs.

I went back to the Resolution Session and later discovered a small demonstration taking place outside the convention centre that was timed to take place during an address from BC Premier Eby. I sat in on that address and attended the Delegates Lunch. I had some time so I went for my last walk on the seawall and started packing for my return trip home. I find time to get away from the convention daily for self-care and for me, that's a walk on the seawall. It energizes me for the rest of the day. I finished the day at the UBCM Banquet but did not stay long.

Friday, September 20
I started the day with the Delegate's Breakfast. I stayed for the address from Jonathan Wilkinson (Federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources). He was followed by John Rustad (BC Conservative Party Leader). I went back to the hotel, checked out, left Vancouver by 10 AM and pulled into my driveway in Princeton at 2:30 PM.

As I don't normally spend much time with my fellow Princeton delegates (except at Minister meetings), I take advantage of networking opportunities and meet as many people as I can. I was encouraged to do this at my first UBCM in 2019. I find that sometimes in conversation a delegate may have a solution to a problem or suggestion that may be worth exploring. I know I've given delegates ideas. I also like to reconnect with delegates I've met before at these events.

UBCM for me is a lot of work that I fit around work I've taken with me. It is not a holiday, or a party. It is a schedule of educational events that include learning and sharing opportunities. I look forward to it each year, but I also look forward to getting home once it is over.

September is convention time for municipal elected officials. The big event during the month is the UBCM Conference and Election of Officers. It is commonly just referred to as “UBCM” which stands for the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. It is an event that attracts Mayors, Councillors, CEOs, and CFOs from communities all over the province.

UBCM 2023 ran from September 18 to 22 and was hosted at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The theme this year was “Balancing Act” and with the type of schedule we had, it was the perfect theme. It was the third UBCM for all of us on the Princeton Town Council. Our first was in Vancouver in 2019, the 2020 and 2021 events were virtual due to the pandemic, and the 2022 conference was in Whistler. Regardless of the venue, the organizers always put on a first-class event filled with interesting workshops, sessions, presentations, and social activities.

My schedule was fairly full as I wanted to attend as many sessions as possible however, scheduling conflicts with meetings planned with ministry officials cut into those plans. Here is a brief rundown of what UBCM was for me.

Sunday, September 17
I got to Vancouver in the early evening. Traffic was backed up due to an accident outside of Abbotsford, so my arrival was later than I had expected. I got checked into the hotel and settled by 6:30 PM. I took it easy that evening taking a walk in the neighbourhood and ending up on the seawall. It was a nice way to start a week in Vancouver.

Monday, September 18
I attended a couple of two-hour sessions during the day: “Building Economic Resiliency” and “Building Homes, Building Communities.” I had a third event booked, but could not make it. Our first ministry meeting was in the afternoon and was with Bruce Ralston (Ministry of Forests) and his staff. The evening featured a reception hosted by FortisBC. I finished the day with another walk on the seawall.

Tuesday, September 19
This was one of our busiest days. I attended the “Small Talk Forum” and had to leave near the end to be with the rest of council at our second ministry meeting with Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation. That was quickly followed by our third meeting with Pam Alexis, Minister of Agriculture and Food. I attended the “Small Talk Forum Lunch” and then in the afternoon, went to our fourth meeting with Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship which was followed by our fifth meeting of the conference with BC Premier David Eby. I went for another seawall walk in the early evening and enjoyed some social networking afterward at the “Welcome Reception.”

Wednesday, September 20
Today was a bit of a working day for me as I took a couple of writing projects with me and spent the morning completing them. I attended the SILGA (Southern Interior Local Government Association) lunch. I had been at the annual SILGA Convention this past April in Vernon. Our sixth meeting was with Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and our seventh meeting of the week was later in the afternoon with Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure staff. I checked out the massive UBCM Trade Show, fit in another seawall walk, and attended three different receptions in the evening. I started at the one hosted by the BC Government, then headed over to one hosted by COFI (BC Council of Forest Industries), and finished at the CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) reception. These receptions allow me to meet other municipal officials from different parts of BC, share ideas, and generally socialize. They also bring me in contact with delegates I’ve met at other conferences so we can catch up or renew friendships.

Thursday, September 21
In the morning, I attended our final meeting of UBCM with Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation. The “minister meetings” give us a private 15-minute audience with a provincial government minister and/or staff to discuss various issues of concern to our community. They often produce various levels of success and, according to our Mayor at the October 5 regular meeting of Town Council, there has already been some follow-up from more than one of our meetings at UBCM. I attended the Delegate's Lunch and a wonderful Port of Vancouver Harbour Tour where delegates were shown the shipping activity in Burrard Inlet. The evening featured the UBCM Reception, and I finished the night at the UBCM Banquet.

Friday, September 22
The final day of UBCM is usually just a morning of keynote speakers. I opted to skip that so I could head home early like many of the over 2,000 delegates who attended the 2023 event. My usually good sense of direction failed me and it took me an hour to get out of Vancouver. I was quite happy to pull into my driveway in Princeton later that afternoon.

Conclusion

Although there are many social activities planned during UBCM, there are as many business items, meetings, and important events included. For me, I find importance in the “minister meetings” where we sit as an entire council team with a minister and staff to discuss matters that impact our local citizens. These meetings give us a forum that is more direct than an email, phone call, or video chat. They also foster dialogue and collaboration. I also find importance in attending key sessions and always try to sign up for ones that have some connection to the needs of our community. It is challenging to attend everything provided at one of these conferences, but whatever you fit in is always worth it.

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