Local Government 2024

March 1, 2024 at 9:00AM PST

Live Webinar - online only!

Register Now
Description
Agenda
Faculty

Local Government 2024

March 1, 2024

Overview

The issues facing local governments continue to shift and change.  Those working for or with municipalities need the latest information on emerging trends and best practices for facing new challenges and taking advantage of opportunities.  This forum assembles leading experts with extensive experience advising local governments, in order to provide insights on many of the most important issues in local government today.   

Attendees will come away with new strategies for solving difficult problems and maximizing important opportunities available in exciting new areas. With an emphasis on practical advice and real-world examples, this program should not be missed. 

 Please note this program is only offered online as a live webinar event.

Issues to be Addressed:

  • Recent case law and legislative developments

  • Matters concerning conduct of elected officials

  • Homelessness issues

  • The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and its impact on local governments

  • Housing infrastructure, financing and density

  • Drainage issues and liability affecting local governments

Who Should Attend:

  • Mayors/chairs and councillors/directors

  • Local government officers and employees

  • Lawyers practising municipal, administrative, environmental, insurance, or civil law

  • Risk managers

  • Consultants to local governments

  • Municipal insurance professionals

Agenda

9:00 - Welcome and Introduction by PBLI

9:05 - Chairs’ Welcome and Introduction

Don Lidstone, KC
Lidstone & Company

James Yardley
Lidstone & Company

9:10 - Legal Update

Michael Moll
Civic Legal LLP

Kai Hsieh
Civic Legal LLP

  • Recent cases of interest to local governments

9:50 - Questions and Discussion

10:00 - Bullying, Harassment, Code of Conduct

Marcia McNeil
Pulver Crawford Munroe LLP

  • What constitutes bullying and harassment

  • Employer responsibility and liability

  • Sanctions for elected officials

10:45 - Questions and Discussion

10:55 - Adjournment

11:10 - Homelessness and the Role of Local Government

James Yardley
Lidstone & Company

  • Enforcement issues

  • The impact of Bill 45 on injunctive relief

  • Does Vandenburg v Vancouver change anything?

11:30 - Questions and Discussion

11:35 - DRIPA and Local Governments

Brent Lehmann
Ratcliff LLP

  • UNDRIP in BC

  • How does the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act apply to and impact local governments?

  • Relevant cases

12:20 - Questions and Discussion

12:30 - Lunch Adjournment

1:15 - Housing and Density

Tom Zworski
City of Victoria

Lisa van den Dolder
City of Victoria

  • Implications for Official Community Plans and zoning processes

  • Victoria’s model

  • Best practices for infill

2:05 - Questions and Discussion

2:15 - Adjournment

2:30 - Housing, Infrastructure and Financing

Don Lidstone, KC
Lidstone & Company

Janae Enns
Lidstone & Company

  • Servicing: providing for infrastructure under new regime

  • Financial matters: paying for growth

    • Development cost charges

    • Amenity contributions

    • Servicing agreements and triggers

3:20 - Questions and Discussion

3:30 - Drainage and Local Governments

Ryan Bortolin
Stewart McDannold Stuart Barristers & Solicitors

Jessica Eastwood
Stewart McDannold Stuart Barristers & Solicitors

  • Liability issues faced by local governments as owners of land and owners of drainage infrastructure

  • Risk of liability for drainage issues when regulating drainage and related areas such as planning and building regulation

  • Tools available to local governments to effectively tackle drainage issues within their jurisdiction

4:20 - Questions and Discussion

4:30 - Chairs’ Closing Remarks

4:35 - Forum Concludes

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Meet the Co-Chairs

  • Managing Partner, Lidstone & Company, Vancouver, BC

    Don Lidstone is licenced in BC, Alberta, and Yukon. He practices generally in the area of local government law. His municipal law focus is in the areas of governance, finance and taxation, land use and development, environmental law, aboriginal law and bylaw/legislative drafting. Invited to speak regularly at conferences, symposia and universities, Don has chaired the Sustainable Region Initiative (Governance and Finance), Liquid Waste Expert Review Panel, Fire Services Review Panel, Whistler Waste Blue Ribbon Panel, and the Municipal Law Section of the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association. He has published numerous papers and manuals and consulted on the development of the Community Charter and other municipal statutes in a number of provinces. Don was designated King’s Counsel in 2008.

  • Partner, Lidstone & Company, Vancouver, BC

    James’ practice mainly involves litigation and dispute resolution, although he also provides advice on a broad variety of local government matters. James has practised law involving local governments since his call to the Bar in both B.C. and Alberta. He was born and raised in Prince George, has a law degree from the University of Toronto, and a Masters degree in Community and Regional Planning from UBC. James has appeared in numerous trials, appeals, petitions, mediations and arbitrations on matters that involve administrative law, judicial review, construction disputes, planning law, expropriation and injurious affection claims, bylaw challenges, bylaw enforcement, constitutional law, claims alleging misfeasance in public office and bad faith, environmental law disputes and prosecutions, contract disputes, insurance coverage disputes, election challenges, human rights complaints, property taxation disputes, and claims involving police forces. James has been involved in proceedings before tribunals that include the B.C. Utilities Commission, the National Energy Board, the Environmental Appeal Board of British Columbia, the Property Assessment Appeal Board of British Columbia, the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, the B.C. Comptroller of Water Rights and the former Expropriation Compensation Board.

Meet the Faculty

  • Partner, Stewart McDannold Stuart Barristers & Solicitors, Victoria, BC

    Ryan is a partner with Stewart McDannold Stuart and a member of the firm’s solicitor’s group. He advises clients on the full range of legal matters that confront local governments, including bylaw drafting, procurement and tendering, development matters, privacy, real estate transactions, and governance issues. He has represented local governments at all levels of court in BC on matters ranging from bylaw enforcement to contractual disputes. Ryan has presented on several different topics related to local governments. He is currently the Co-Chair of the Municipal Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch).

  • Associate, Stewart McDannold Stuart Barristers & Solicitors, Victoria, BC

    Jessica is an associate involved in both the solicitors and litigation departments of Stewart McDannold Stuart. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Victoria and also received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Victoria in 2018. She joined SMS as an articling student shortly after receiving her Juris Doctor degree and was called to the bar in May 2019.

  • RPP, MCIP, Associate, Lidstone & Company, Vancouver, BC

    Janae graduated from Thompson Rivers University as the recipient of the Law Society of British Columbia Gold Medal. She holds a bachelor’s degree in geography with a concentration in planning and a master’s degree in community planning. Janae has spent several years working in local government in planning and economic development. In her roles, she has worked on a variety of economic strategies, organized and facilitated community engagement initiatives, provided technical planning advice, and processed land use applications. Her education and work experience has provided a valuable foundation for local government procedures and influenced her decision to pursue a career in municipal law. Janae has volunteered with local organizations to draft accessible information related to city bylaws and worked at the Thompson Rivers University Community Legal Clinic to provide free legal services to lower income community members. She has completed extensive academic research for disability rights, as part of a multi-disciplinary team, and remains involved in the project. Janae is also actively involved in the planning profession and is passionate about using legal tools to elevate planning practices.

  • Associate, Civic Legal LLP, Vancouver, BC

    Kai maintains a general municipal law practice with a focus on real estate development. In particular, he regularly drafts section 219 covenants, statutory rights of ways and other legal agreements for real estate projects, and he has provided assistance during various stages of the development process, from rezoning and development permit issuance to air space parcel subdivision and occupancy permit issuance. He has also assisted with other local government matters, ranging from procurement to regulatory issues.

  • Partner, Ratcliff LLP, Vancouver, BC

    Brent is an experienced and innovative advisor to Indigenous communities on treaty negotiation and implementation, Indigenous corporate and economic development, and governance. As legal counsel in the development and implementation of the Maa-nuth First Nations Final Agreement, Brent works closely with the five signatory Nations (as well as other Indian Bands and non-treaty Nations) to restore governance capacity, draft and codify legislation, and develop a framework of re-empowerment that provides economic and cultural development opportunities. His work within the Indigenous law context intersects a variety of sectors including law enforcement, fisheries, forestry, housing, among others. Brent is a frequent presenter to Indigenous societies, companies, and governments as well as civic municipalities, federal government committees, and professional organizations.

  • Partner, Pulver Crawford Munroe LLP, Victoria, BC

    Heading up the Victoria office of Pulver Crawford Munroe, Marcia McNeil has practiced in the areas of labour, employment and human rights law since 1990 and represents employers in the private and public sectors, particularly municipalities, Police Services Boards and high-tech companies. Marcia has been recognized consistently since 2012 in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in the area of employment law. She was the Chair of the B.C. Industry Training Appeal Board and the Vice-Chair of the Community Care and Assisted Living Appeal Board of British Columbia. In 2013, she was a sessional lecturer in Employment Law at the University of Victoria. In 2014, Marcia authored a report for the Provincial Government entitled: Investigatory Process Review: 2012 Investigation into Employee Misconduct in the Ministry of Health, which led to the Province making significant changes to its employee investigation, suspension and termination policies. Marcia began practicing in Vancouver after clerking with the British Columbia Court of Appeal. She subsequently became a senior counsel at the B.C. Labour Relations Board and later transferred to a position with the then Public Service Employee Relations Commission providing advocacy and bargaining services to the Government of British Columbia. In 1998, she joined the Victoria-based labour and employment firm Fuller, Pearlman, McNeil before joining a national law firm in 2008. Together with Peter Sheen and Susan Arnold she founded Sheen Arnold McNeil in 2013 and continued her practice with that firm until its lawyers joined with Pulver Crawford Munroe in 2018.

  • Partner, Civic Legal LLP, Vancouver, BC

    Michael has over 15 years of experience advising and representing local governments. He maintains a mixed practice of both litigation and solicitor work with a particular focus on land use, development, local government finance and bylaw regulation and enforcement. Michael regularly gives advice on and represents local governments in general matters, including property taxes, elections, highways, construction disputes and expropriation. He also routinely assists clients with tax sales and remedial action requirements, both unique and powerful local government remedies. Michael presents regularly at local government conferences and workshops, including the Government Finance Officers Association (BC) and the Licence Inspectors and Bylaw Officers Association. In 2014, Michael obtained a Master of Laws degree, writing a thesis on the municipal regulation of business. Prior to pursuing a career in law, Michael studied economics and worked in procurement for a telecommunications company in Germany.

  • Assistant City Solicitor, City of Victoria, Victoria, BC

    Lisa van den Dolder is Assistant City Solicitor at the City of Victoria. She provides advice and assistance on a broad range of municipal law matters, including planning and development, transportation and infrastructure, and governance issues. Before joining the City, she worked in municipal law both in private practice and at the City of Delta. She completed her law degree at University of Victoria and also has a Master’s Degree in English.

  • City Solicitor, City of Victoria, Victoria, BC

    Mr. Zworski provides advice on all aspects of municipal law and legal issues involving the City, including administrative, constitutional, construction, general litigation, and zoning and development law matters. He has appeared before all levels of BC courts and the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as various administrative boards and tribunals. Mr. Zworski teaches municipal law at the University of Victoria and has spoken at local and national legal conferences and continuing legal education programs in BC and Ontario.

Registration Form

Program:

Local Government 2024

Date:

March 1, 2024

Location:

Live webinar - online only!

Registration:

The registration fee is $890.00 plus GST of $44.50 totalling $934.50 for webinar attendance. Registration fee covers your online attendance at the program and electronic materials.

Early Bird Discount:

Register by February 2nd, 2024 and receive a $100 discount on the registration fee ($790.00 plus GST). Discounts cannot be combined.

Group Discount:

Register four persons from the same organization at the same time and you are entitled to a complimentary fifth registration. Discounts cannot be combined.

If you would like to register a group, please fill out this form and email it to registrations@pbli.com:

DOWNLOAD FORM

Payment:

You may pay by VISA, Mastercard or cheque. Cheques should be made payable to the Pacific Business & Law Institute and mailed to Unit 2-2246 Spruce Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 2P3. Please do not send cheques via courier with signature required.

When and Where:

Online check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. (PST) The program starts at 9:00 a.m. (PST). Webinar instructions and access will be emailed prior to the program.

Materials:

The faculty will prepare papers and/or other materials explaining many of the points raised during this program. Materials will be distributed electronically. Please contact us at registrations@pbli.com if you are unable to attend the program and wish to purchase a set of materials.

Cancellations/Transfers:

Refunds will be given for cancellations (less a $60.00 administration fee) if notice is received in writing five full business days prior to the program (February 23, 2024). After that time we are unable to refund registration fees. Substitutions will be permitted. We reserve the right to cancel, change or revise the date, faculty, content, availability of webinar or venue and transfer in-person registration to webinar registration for this event.

To register by phone:

Telephone us: 604-730-2500

Your Privacy:

We will keep all information that you provide to us in strict confidence, other than to prepare a delegate list containing your name, title, firm and city for our faculty and the program delegates. We do not share our mailing lists with any non-affiliated organization.

Course Accreditation:

Attendance at this course can be listed for up to 6 hours of continuing professional development credits with the Law Society of BC. For practitioners in other jurisdictions, please check your governing body’s CPD requirements.

If you would like to register a group, please fill out this form (DOWNLOAD FORM) and email it to registrations@pbli.com; for individual registration, please continue with form below.