CRIME, DRUGS, HOMELESS ON CITIES' AGENDA

Environmental Issues Also Rank High With Municipal Politicians At
Annual Convention

Crime, drugs, housing and the environment will be the top issues when
the province's municipal politicians gather later this month for
their annual convention.

Crystal meth, biker gangs, pawnshops and growing operations all show
up as concerns throughout the province, with communities from
Langford to Port Moody to the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District
putting forward resolutions for the Union of B.C. Municipalities
convention asking for stiffer penalties for crystal meth, more access
to anti-crystal meth programs, more regulation of hydroponic
businesses, and other measures to help communities deal with various
aspects of crime.

One small Vancouver Island town has even put forward a resolution
asking for a provincial "anti-bunker" bylaw to prevent motorcycle
gangs from building bunkers that they can use to prevent police from coming in.

Cumberland Mayor Fred Bates said his village, which is near Comox and
Courtenay, hasn't had any problems like that, but he read a book
about the Hells Angels that mentioned Quebec towns incorporating
anti-bunker bylaws to deal with problems like that.

"It's the prevention that's important," Bates said. "You don't see
the jackets, but there's organized crime here run in the area by bike groups."

Communities are also asking for more mental health and addiction
services, more detox facilities, and more supportive recovery houses.

Housing is a hot topic as well, especially in the wake of Housing
Minister Rich Coleman's announcements that the provincial government
will begin a program of rent subsidies for low-income people. The
premier's panel on homelessness is also due to report some
recommendations at the convention.

While people welcome the infusion of some money into housing
programs, many are still concerned that the provincial government is
not doing more to build social housing. They also are concerned with
the continuing rise in homelessness and the steady loss of affordable housing.

"The social issues are really coming to the forefront for local
government," says Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard, a past president of
the UBCM. "People look to us, but we have the least power and only
the property tax to pay for anything."

The 228 resolutions coming to the convention also show a high level
of concern about environmental issues. The Greater Vancouver Regional
District wants milk containers to be included in the paid-recycling
program. Vancouver wants a measure to mandate a reduction in
excessive packaging. Grand Forks wants the province to petition the
federal government to require a certain level of cellulose ethanol in
vehicle fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Four communities
have resolutions asking for a tax on plastic bags.

For rural communities, the big issues are recent B.C. legislation
that took away their power to regulate private power projects, a
recent business recommendation to reduce taxes on industry that could
dramatically affect mill towns, and the provincial government's move
to have rural communities pay 100 per cent of their policing costs.

The convention is the first since civic elections last fall, which
means that about 40 per cent of the politicians are rookies in the
province's 209 cities and towns and the 27 regional districts.

The convention is being held in Victoria Oct. 23-27.