Legacy Material from the 2024 LGLA Forum:
BC Lottery Corporation Community Benefit Presentation
Municipal Finance Authority of BC (MFABC) Update
BC Assessment Presents: The 2024 Assessment Roll
BC Assessment Presents: Highest and Best Use
Christopher Paine Presents: Fair Value Accounting Concepts
Linda Tynan Presents: Budget 101
Christina Benty: 8 Pitfalls of Political Life
Destination BC Presents: The Power of Tourism
Kim Fowler: Integration of Land Use Planning, Climate Action & Asset Management
Jan Enns, Jan Enns Communications: Building Credibility in Local Government
Event Flow and Presenters!
Opening Ceremonies 1:30-2:00pm
Laurey-Anne Roodenburg is a proud Quesnel citizen, inspired by her community and driven to further support economic growth, inclusion andcommunication.
Throughout her time as an elected official she has held positions of leadership on various committees and is an experienced City Council Member with 15+ years of service and a demonstrated history of working in the government administration industry. President of the Local Government Leadership Academy since 2020 and leads an exceptional board that concentrates on creating learning opportunities for Local Government officials that are aimed at improving the competencies needed to effectively manage and lead BC’s communities.
Chief Wayne Sparrow (yəχʷyaχʷələq) has served as elected chief of Musqueam Indian Band since 2012, after serving as an elected councillor beginning in 1995.
He is board chair of Musqueam Capital Corporation
(MCC), the economic development arm of Musqueam, and sits on the Musqueam Fisheries Commission, which he chaired from 2000-2020.
During his time as chief, the MST Development Corporation (MSTDC), a business partnership between Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, has acquired substantial property holdings of over 20 million square feet, including the Jericho Lands and Heather Lands.
Chief Sparrow leads Musqueam in signing precedent-setting agreements that renew and strengthen relationships between Musqueam, neighbouring First Nations, governments, industry and other partners.
Councillor Trish Mandewo was elected to the Coquitlam City Council in 2018 and is currently serving her second term. She has an extensive background in policy and governance, coupled with a solid track record of effective leadership. She ardently supports initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable development and improving the quality of life for British Columbians. Trish is unwavering in her commitment to encourage cooperation across all tiers of government, advocate for the diverse needs and interests of local communities, and pioneer innovative solutions to address the challenges faced by both urban and rural areas.
With her diverse background encompassing education in Microbiology, Embryology, and experience as an entrepreneur, Trish finds fulfillment in sharing her knowledge through mentoring, public speaking, writing, and serving as a business consultant through her company.
Mayor Malcolm Brodie has been a member of Richmond City Council since 1996. Following a by-election, he was sworn in as Mayor on October 29, 2001 and was re-elected in 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2022.
Mayor Brodie has been appointed as First Director to the Board of Directors of Metro Vancouver since taking office in 2001. He has been active on various Metro Vancouver committees. He has represented Metro Vancouver on the Municipal Finance Authority as a Trustee since 2006, Vice Chair from 2009-2015, and Chair since March 2015. Mayor Brodie was appointed by UBCM to the Local Government Policing Modernization Roundtable in January 2022 and previously to the Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee from 2013-2017.
Wednesday, 2-3pm, Keynote Address
Frank Leonard will be delivering the Keynote Address for the 2024 Forum. Frank, who is known for his straight talk, wisdom, and sense of humour, was Mayor of Saanich and Chair of the Police Board from 1996-2014 after serving as a Councillor from 1986. While in public office, Frank chaired the Municipal Finance Authority of BC, was President of the Union of BC Municipalities and a Director of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. We are very much looking forward to his Keynote, entitled:” Embrace It, Don’t Fight It”…The Governance-Management Divide
Wednesday 3-3:30pm – Refreshment Break sponsored by Lidstone & Company Law Corporation
Wednesday, 3:30-5:00pm
Plenary Workshop- Identity and Power Dynamics: Bakau Consulting
A session with a focus on psychological safety and inclusive leadership, touching on identity, power dynamics, and what this means to council, staff, and the public (both in-person and over social media).
Presenter, Cicely Belle Blain is a Black, mixed heritage, non-binary, queer activist, writer and CEO from London, UK, now based in Vancouver. They are the Editorial Director of Ripple of Change Magazine and the author of the bestselling poetry book Burning Sugar (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2020). Burning Sugar was shortlisted for the 2021 Pat Lowther Memorial Award and longlisted for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. In 2023, Cicely Belle was selected as a juror for the RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers.
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Wednesday, 5-6pm
Indigenous Realities – “More Than Halfway, More Than Half of the Time”
Perspectives on Leading and Living in Both Indigenous and Settler Governments
- Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) Director John Jack/Sayaač̓atḥ, Chief Councillor for the Huu-ay-aht First Nations;
- Adam Olsen / SȾHENEP, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands
- Eric Nyce, Director of Capital, Housing & Facility Operations at Nisga’a Lisims Government
Adam Olsen (SȾHENEP), MLA for Saanich North and the Islands and B.C. Green Caucus member, was first elected to the British Columbia Legislative Assembly in May 2017 and re-elected in 2020. Deeply connected to his Salish Sea home (W̱SÁNEĆ), he champions good governance and public engagement.
A former Central Saanich Councillor (2008, 2011), Adam has extensive experience in service and communications. Born in Victoria, BC, and a Tsartlip First Nation (W̱JOȽEȽP) member, he lives with his wife Emily and their children, Silas and Ella, on the Saanich Peninsula
John Jack is an elected Member of Council for the Huu-ay-aht First Nations. Through the Maa-nulth Treaty, the HFN is also a voting member of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District and John has been their representative to that board since 2012. In addition, his other portfolios include economic development and law & policy development. John believes that mutual understanding and meaningful communication between First Nations and Local Governments are necessary first steps to active reconciliation.
Eric Nyce is a member and resident of the Nisga’a Nation, he is experienced both living and working within the various levels of Nisga’a Government and Regional District. He was elected to the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine in 2018 and is serving his second term as Electoral Area A Director.
Eric has over 20 years of experience working in the public sector as an Engineering Technologist for the District of Kitimat and currently as the Director of Capital, Housing and Facility Operations for the Nisga’a Lisims Government. Eric is leading the Nisga’a Nations’ growth with respect to the lifecycle management of Public Infrastructure, Facilities and Housing within the 4 Nisga’a communities.
Wednesday 6-7:30pm – Networking Reception sponsored by BCLC.
Thursday, 7:30-8:30 am – Breakfast Sponsored by Young Anderson Barristers and Solicitors |
MFA CEO, Peter Urbanc has 30 years of experience in global banking and the public sector, having worked as an investment banker, treasurer and executive officer. From 1990 to 2009, he was an investment banker in New York and London with a specialty focus on the debt capital markets. In 2009, Peter joined the Province of Nova Scotia’s Department of Finance in Halifax as Executive Director and Treasurer. Mr. Urbanc also served as a Director of the Nova Scotia Pension Services Corporation and Trustee of both the Nova Scotia Teachers’ Pension Plan and the Nova Scotia Public Service Long Term Disability Plan Trust. In January 2016, Mr. Urbanc took on the role of Chief Executive Officer at the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia. Mr. Urbanc holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University and an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management.
Graham has been with BC Assessment since graduating from UBC with a B.Com in 1993. Graham spent 15 years as a Deputy Assessor, starting in the Surrey office in 2004 and moving to the Kamloops office in 2007. Graham was the Manager – Assessment Appeals from 2019 to 2023.
Graham has spent over a decade as a member of the Board of Directors of the Appraisal Institute of Canada – British Columbia, including two years as the President. Graham represents BC Assessment on the Board of the Local Government Leadership Academy. He has also been a Tutor for the Real Estate Division of the Sauder School of Business since 2007.
Thursday 8:50-9:30am
Overview of the 2024 Completed BC Assessment Roll
Provincial and Regional statistics for a variety of property types. The 2024 roll includes some significant growth from non-market change, NMC, which will be highlighted in this session.
Graham returns in the afternoon, following the refreshment break, to deliver Part II – BC Assessment Presents: “Highest and Best Use”
Thursday 9:30-9:45am
Opposition Address: MLA Shirley Bond
Shirley Bond was first elected in 2001 as the MLA for Prince George-Valemount. She currently serves as the Shadow Minister for Health, Seniors Services and Long-Term Care.
Shirley has extensive experience serving as Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, Deputy Premier, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Minister of Education, Minister Responsible for Early Learning and Literacy, Minister of Advanced Education, and Minister of Health Services. She was the first female to hold the position of Attorney General in British Columbia’s history, a title she held while Minister of Justice. She has been honoured as a trailblazer in the B.C. justice system.
Shirley also served as the Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Strong Economy, Vice Chair of the Treasury Board, as a member on the Priorities and Planning Committee and the Cabinet Committee on Climate Leadership and worked directly with the Premier’s Women’s Economic Council.
In Opposition, Shirley has served as the Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Official Opposition Finance critic.
Before her election to the Legislative Assembly, she served three terms on the Prince George School Board, the last as chair. She also worked with the continuing education department of the Prince George School District, becoming its business manager. She was given the B.C. Interior, North & Yukon Woman of Distinction Award for her work in public education.
Thursday 9:45-10:45am
Plenary: Planning on the Ground – Making Sense of Current Provincial Legislation – Bill Buholzer, Young Anderson
Bill Buholzer is associate counsel at Young Anderson Barristers and Solicitors in Vancouver and a member of the College of Fellows of the Canadian Institute of Planners. He has a Master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from UBC and worked in the planning profession for 14 years before obtaining his law degree from UBC. His law practice, now extending over 30 years, has focused on planning and land use management. He teaches planning law at UBC and Vancouver Island University and has written extensively on local government and planning law.
Thursday 10:45-11am
Leader of the Green Party Address – MLA Sonia Furstenau
Sonia Furstenau studied at the University of Victoria, where she completed her BA and MA in History, and her Bachelor of Education degree. She has worked as a small business operator, a bookkeeper, as the National Administrator for Results Canada, and as a high school teacher in Victoria and Shawnigan Lake.
Sonia’s advocacy in protecting her community’s drinking watershed led to her election in 2014 as Area Director forArea B of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. In 2017, Sonia was elected as the first B.C. Green MLA for CowichanValley and in 2020 was elected as the new leader of the B.C. Green Party and re-elected as MLA for Cowichan Valley
Thursday, 11-11:15am Refreshment Break Sponsored by Municipal Finance Authority of BC
Thursday, 11:15-12:12pm
Local Crisis, Global Attention: Political and Fire Department Perspectives on Spokesperson Survival from the 2023 Wildfire in West Kelowna.
Join West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom and Fire Chief Jason Brolund as they share their pivotal roles as spokespersons for the McDougall Creek wildfire, one of the most devastating wildfires in BC’s history. Balancing local information needs with international media attention requires a game plan with clear guidelines on who speaks and when, to ensure a clear and consistent message that fosters trust and confidence in a time of crisis. Host Jan Enns of Jan Enns Communications will lead the panel discussion and audience Q&A as our seasoned spokespersons share their first-hand insights on navigating the challenges, opportunities, and outcomes for the City of West Kelowna.
12:20-1:30 pm – Lunch Sponsored by FortisBC
Thursday 1:30-2:45 pm
Budget 101 with Linda Tynan, BBA, CPA, CGA – Local Government Management Consultant
Linda Tynan has an extensive background in local government management. For over 12 years, she held senior positions including Chief Administrative Officer for the District of Summerland and the Village of Nakusp, and Chief Financial Officer/Corporate Officer for the City of Nelson. She also held a general manager position with the Regional District of Central Kootenay. Currently, Linda is working with local government clients as a consultant providing strategic planning and organizational development services. In October 2021, she was also appointed as a Commissioner with the BC Electoral Boundaries Commission which continues until April 2023. Tynan is a former president of the Government Finance Officers Association of BC and CivicInfo BC, and is a member of the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.
Thursday 1:30-2:45 pm
Fair Value Accounting Concepts – Christopher Paine
Christopher is a Chartered Professional Accountant with 15 years in experience working in local government finance and 2 years experience as an Accounting Instructor.
Christopher is currently the Director of Financial Services and Asset Management for the District of Oak bay, and has earned his Professional Certificate in Infrastructure Financial Management through the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia, and is currently a member of the Asset Management BC Community of Practice. Christopher Paine is also Principal of FIT Local Government Finance Consulting.
Christopher’s work has been the recipient of many awards including a Union of BC Municipality’s Community Excellence Award, a GFOA of US & Canada Award for Excellence, and a GFOA of BC’s Outstanding Achievement Award.
Christopher has been a strong proponent of establishing sustainable and equitable funding for local government infrastructure levels of service.
Thursday, 2:30-2:45 pm Refreshment Break Sponsored by Municipal Insurance Association of BC.
Thursday, 2:45 – 3:45 pm
BC Assessment – Part 2 of 2
Graham Held, P.APP AACI Manager – Local Government Relations
Highest and Best Use. The government introduced Bill 28 in 2022, giving municipal councils the authority to, by bylaw, apply a reduced tax rate to the assessed value of certain occupied commercial and industrial properties with development potential. Development potential is really a function of “Highest and Best Use”, a concept that is even challenging for professional real estate appraisers (so potentially confusing for elected officials) This session will introduce a case study to illustrate how “Highest and Best Use” is reflected in the market values on the assessment roll.
Thursday, 2:45 – 3:45 pm
Natural Asset Management for Local Governments
Roy Brooke, Executive Director at Natural Assets Initiative & Principal, Brooke & Associates
Roy is the Executive Director of the Natural Assets Initiative, a national not-for profit that works with local governments and others to help them understand, account for, and manage natural assets as a critical part of resilient infrastructure systems.
During the 1990s, Roy served as a political advisor to Canada’s environment minister. He then worked for the United Nations for approximately a decade. This included roles in the World Health Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme and UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. During his time with the UN, he was based in Geneva, Switzerland, and later in Kigali, Rwanda, where he was UNEP’s Environment Programme Coordinator. Roy also served as Director of Sustainability for the City of Victoria between 2011-2013.
Thursday 4:00-5:00pm – Accentuating the Positive, Eliminating the Negative
Christina Benty, Strategic Leadership Solutions, Presents: Golden rules to avoid the pitfalls of political life.
Christina Benty, MA is a strategist and a human systems change agent. She works with leaders and organizations who want to build a culture of excellence in an environment that is kinder, wiser, and more conscious. As a national speaker, facilitator, published author, and a performance coach for governing bodies and senior management teams, she masterfully uses her lived political experience and her educational background to deliver intellectual content with energy and enthusiasm. Christina has
developed and facilitated various leadership retreats, educational sessions, and roundtable discussions across Canada.
Friday, 7:30-8:30am Breakfast sponsored by Destination BC
Friday, 8:30-9:15am Integration of Land Use Planning, Climate Action & Asset Management Kim Fowler, Manager, Long Range Planning, Sustainability and Energy with the Regional District of Nanaimo.
Kim Fowler is a professional planner and sustainability expert with over 30 years’ experience working with local governments in Canada. She is best known for project managing the redevelopment of the Victoria Dockside lands, which were awarded the highest LEED™ Platinum point total in the world for the first two development phases by the successful land sale developers. She has authored a book on Dockside Green’s 18-year innovative project history. Some other notable projects are:
The Planning Institute of BC awarded Kim the Individual Outstanding Achievement Award for Innovation and Advocacy in 2022.
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Friday, 9:15-9:30 am – Destination BC Presentation by Alison McKay, VP, Destination Management
Friday, 9:30-10:45 am Climate Damage & Risks of Local Government Liability Don Lidstone, Lidstone and Company Law Corporation Maryam Sherkat, General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer, Municipal Insurance Association of BC (MIABC) |
Negligence, nuisance, contractual claims; Infrastructure – actions and omissions; Spectrum of governmental duties and standards; Proactive preventive measures.
Don has practiced municipal law since 1980. His focus is in the areas governance, finance, land use, sustainability, and drafting bylaws and legislation. Invited to speak regularly at conferences and universities, he has chaired the Sustainable Region Initiative, Liquid Waste Expert Review Panel, Fire Services Review Panel and the Municipal Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. Mr. Lidstone has published numerous papers and manuals and consulted on the development of the BC Community Charter as well as other municipal statutes in a number of provinces. He was designated Queen’s Counsel in 2008.
Maryam joined the MIABC after practicing civil and commercial litigation in the Vancouver office of Canada’s largest law firm. Seeking out a role where she could continue to pursue a challenging litigation practice in a niche area of law, Maryam initially joined the MIABC’s Legal Department in the role of Legal Counsel. In 2022, she became the MIABC’s General Counsel, responsible for overseeing the MIABC’s Legal Department, litigated claims, corporate commercial matters, and external counsel.In addition to her role as General Counsel, Maryam is the MIABC’s Chief Risk Officer. Maryam oversees the MIABC’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program, which includes the identification and evaluation of new risk exposures for the organization, and is the primary contact with the MIABC’s regulator, the B.C. Financial Services Authority.
Maryam is a graduate of the University of British Columbia where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2000 and her Bachelor of Laws degree in 2004. After graduating from law school, she served as a judicial law clerk to two justices of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia.
Friday, 10:45-11:00am – Refreshment Break Sponsored by BC Assessment
Friday, 11:00-12:00 pm Jan Enns, Jan Enns Communications – Building Credibility in Local Government: After the Election Promise |
Delve into strategies for building and maintaining credibility, particularly when fulfilling election promises gets tough. Join local government communications specialist Jan Enns in this interactive workshop to gain five essential steps to boost your credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of your constituents and colleagues, creating a more constructive community legacy
Best known for her interactive training, Jan Enns brings 30 years of local government experience to her work as a communications trainer, speaker, and consultant. She thrives on empowering public sector leaders to become confident communicators.
She’s here to boost our ability to tell our story through social media so we can better inform and engage our communities, reduce damage control and do overs, and build trust and reputation along the way.
She has a Masters in Communications, certificates in local government administration and public participation and has taught public engagement at the University of Alberta. She is a faculty member for MATI and the Local Government Leadership Academy and a regular presenter at LGMA.
You can find her informing and uplifting others from her home base in Kelowna.
For more information, check out her website or follow her on LinkedIn or Facebook.
Friday 12:00-12:15 pm
Minister’s Remarks-The Honourable Anne Kang, Minister of Municipal Affairs Forum Closing Remarks-President of LGLA, Councillor Laurey-Anne Roodenburg |
Cathy Watson Memorial Award, & Grand Prize Draw
