Decentralize BC

Neighbourhood Councils

In BC’s larger cities, the municipal governments often lack responsiveness to citizens’ concerns. Getting a pothole filled, repairing a piece of playground equipment, or updating parking rules in response to greater density can take months and many phone calls when dealing with the city bureaucracy.

But what if there was a way for neighbours to handle such matters on their own? And what if neighbours could decide which by-laws are appropriate for their neighbourhood, rather than leaving it up to the municipal council? What if the residents affected by development were the ones to decide what type of Community Amenity Contributions developers must provide?

Aboriginal Self-Government

BC First Nations are at the leading edge of political decentralization. Most of the province is unceded territory, which has provided a unique opportunity for First Nations to negotiate treaties with the federal and provincial governments that allow them clear title to their lands and self-governance structures that align with their unique values, traditions, and needs.

This is great news not just for aboriginal people, but for all British Columbians! As self-governing First Nations demonstrate that decentralization brings cultural, economic, and political benefits to their members, they’ll demonstrate that the idea of local governance, even among small groups of people, is workable and preferable to centralized control. This will encourage other communities to advocate for governance models that put more choice in the hands of locals, and less in the hands of central authorities.

DAO’s

DAO’s (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) are a new way for teams to collaborate and make decisions without hierarchies. DAO’s are built on the blockchain using smart contracts, and are easy to create without any coding skills. They allow for new forms of governance, empowering groups of individuals to pool their resources, make investment or spending decisions in a fair way, and give every member a say in the direction of the organization.

Provincial Autonomy

The federal government now collects the lion’s share of taxes, leaving provincial and local governments only a third of this revenue. However, the vast majority of the public services citizens use on a daily basis are provided by the province, municipalities, or regional districts: roads, schools, hospitals, parks, etc.

It should be the opposite. The largest share of revenue should go to local and provincial governments, in line with the cost of providing services (healthcare being the major one). If that were the case, citizens would have a greater say in the type and quality of services they get for their taxes.

Instead of Ottawa doling out billions of dollars with strings attached, BC and local governments would collect this revenue directly, and have the latitude to provide public services in line with the varied needs and preferences of British Columbians.