THE Union of British Columbia Municipalities has presented its 2020 Community Excellence Awards during the UBCM virtual convention.

The awards showcase municipalities and regional districts that have implemented projects and programs that demonstrate excellence in meeting the purposes of local government in BC.  The awards are designed to profile promising practices and to create successful pathways and incentives for others to follow. UBCM has offered the Community Excellence Awards since 2004.

The purpose of local governments in BC are set out in both the Community Charter and the Local Government Act and generally focus on good governance, providing services for community benefit, providing stewardship of public assets, and fostering sustainability. Based on this, the award categories recognize UBCM members that demonstrate:

Excellence in Governance – by utilizing decision-making processes and policies that are outcomes-based and consensus oriented, support and encourage citizen participation, are efficient, equitable, inclusive and transparent, and exemplify best practices in accountability, effectiveness, and long-term thinking;

Excellence in Service Delivery – by providing effective and beneficial services to the community in a proactive manner and drawing on performance measures, benchmarks and standards to ensure that service delivery is sustainable;

Excellence in Asset Management – by developing comprehensive, integrated, innovative and effective approaches to the management of existing and new infrastructure in order to maximize benefits, reduce risk and provide satisfactory levels of service to the community in a sustainable manner; and

Excellence in Sustainability – through commitment to the premise of meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs, and incorporating the four pillars of sustainability (cultural, social, economic and environmental) into local government planning, policy and practice.

Excellence in Governance

WINNER: City of Kamloops – Adopting a “Let’s Talk” Commitment Guides Kamloops’ Engagement During COVID-19

Honourable Mention: City of Burnaby – Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing – Your Voice. Your Home.

Excellence in Service Delivery

WINNER: City of Surrey – Surrey Makes Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Honourable Mention: Township of Spallumcheen – Sustainable Service Delivery & Water Improvement District Conversion

Excellence in Asset Management

WINNER: Town of Gibsons – Eco-Assets Strategy

Honourable Mention: Village of Ashcroft – Small Municipality Focused Asset Management

Excellence in Sustainability

WINNER: City of Vancouver – Rain City Strategy:  a green rainwater infrastructure and rainwater management initiative

Honourable Mention: Regional District of Central Okanagan – Regional Floodplain Management Plan