BURNABY Councillor Sav Dhaliwal has been acclaimed as president of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM).

UBCM provides a common voice for local government to carry to other orders of government and organizations involved in local affairs, enabling local governments to better influence local regional, provincial and federal policies.

UBCM activities include presentations to cabinet, involvement in intergovernmental committees, meetings with ministers and daily contact with senior government representatives.

“I’m very pleased to have been acclaimed to this position,” said Dhaliwal. “During the 12 years I have served on Burnaby City Council, the importance of recognizing the larger context in which our city’s planning and development takes place has become increasingly clear to me. To be successful in all of our city’s undertakings, we need to provide input and feedback on issues that affect us at all levels.

“For this reason, I have welcomed the opportunity to represent Burnaby at the provincial level as the president of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (now past president), at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (most recently as first vice president), and at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities as a director.

“In my new role as president of UBCM, I look forward to representing Burnaby and all other UBCM local government members to maximize the many benefits UBCM membership affords us as we work to ensure local government voices are heard by provincial and federal governments and agencies as they develop and implement policies that will affect our citizens.”

“I would like to congratulate Councillor Dhaliwal on his new role as UBCM president,” said Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan. “This speaks to his commitment to ensure Burnaby and all UBCM member governments are well represented regionally, provincially and federally, and demonstrates the value he places on the many opportunities UBCM provides to collaborate with other municipalities in the region, the province and the country or the benefit of local citizens.”

Dhaliwal has been a Burnaby City Councillor since 2002. He serves on several regional, provincial and national boards, committees and commissions.