The Cities of Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, Kamloops and the North Vancouver District join long list of municipalities calling on Premier Clark to begin a consultation process leading to the development of a “made in B.C.” social policy framework. A resolution in this regard will be on the table at UBCM this September.
Municipalities get the idea that a framework is not a budget plan or a ministry service plan. A Social Policy Framework (SPF), like the one recently passed in Alberta, lays out the social goals that government, communities and social services agencies are striving for. It can guide decision making, set future direction, identify important connections, and support the alignment of policies and practices both inside and outside government. A SPF helps government address the increasingly complex issues facing BC communities more effectively and efficiently.
Board Voice Chair Michael Davis has been a vocal advocate for a made in BC SPF. “Our province is stronger when every individual and every community can contribute to their highest ability,” says Davis. “A SPF can help us define the kind of province we all want to live in, and help us get there.”
Davis expects to have an opportunity to meet with Premier Clark in the coming months to discuss moving this idea into the political agenda.