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VIDEO: Mayor Bruce Banman speaks about issues raised at UBCM

Meetings between civic representatives provided opportunity to discuss issues facing B.C. communities
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Mayor Bruce Banman speaks about his experiences at the Union of B.C. Municipalities' meetings last week.


Mayor Bruce Banman was at last week's meetings of the Union of B.C. Municipalities, which brought together civic representatives from across the province to discuss issues facing B.C. communities.

Banman said the event provided an opportunity to meet with other delegates and discuss issues that matter to all communities in the province.

"You get a chance to talk to mayor and councillors from other cities, and see how they are doing with their budgets, and their best practice on anything from how to deal with the homeless, for instance, or how to run a great park."

Banman said he thought the biggest concern raised was the issue of medical marijuana. When Ottawa cancels medical marijuana licenses in the spring to bring in commercial producers, Banman said he is worried about how communities can deal with contaminated houses.

At UBCM, he told federal government representatives that they have a moral obligation to help ensure medical pot grow houses are made safe so subsequent buyers don't unsuspectingly move into homes with mould problems or electrical or fire code violations.

Banman said he also used the opportunity of UBCM to discuss the city's concerns about enforcing regulations on propane cannons with representatives from the ministry of agriculture.