The NEBC Resource Municipalities Coalition will support natural
resource development in Northeast B.C. based on the following goals
and conditions and will: Have as their top priority the development of
vital, permanent, sustainable communities that provide its citizens
with a high quality of life through the provision of municipal
services that ensure community safety, education, health, economic
vitality and a high quality natural environment. Support building
permanent communities rather than unbridled, long term reliance of the
Provincial government and industry on the fly in/fly out and drive
in/drive out models for securing the necessary labour supply for
industrial development as this model places large costs on municipal
governments without corresponding benefits. Advocate for extensive and
timely investments by the Provincial government in both provincially
and municipally funded services and infrastructure in order to ensure
that adequate services and infrastructure are in place before growth
occurs in order to avoid a decline in the quality of existing health
care, education, social services, justice and municipal services and
to ensure required capacity to serve population growth associated with
increased levels of industrial activity. Will ensure that the costs of
industrial growth are fairly allocated to industry and the Provincial
Government and will oppose any measures that place the cost of growth
on existing residential and business taxpayers of the municipalities.
Recognize the importance of long term, integrated and ongoing planning
involving all four key partners to ensure coordinated management of
the socio economic and other impacts associated with resource
development and will support natural resource development only where
such planning has been carried out. Ensure that both the existing
Peace River Fair Share Agreement and the Northern Rockies Regional
Municipality infrastructure Development Contribution Agreement are
maintained, protected and sustained.
