On September 22, Resource Works will be hosting a whole-day event titled Get It Done BC at the Union Club of British Columbia in Victoria, on the eve of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention week.
Tickets are available for purchase here.
Lasting from September 22 to 26, UBCM week is the premier event for the debates, issues, and discussions affecting cities, towns, and other communities across the province, and we are proud to be part of it.
Get It Done BC will be a single-day forum in the BC capital that unites leaders across government, private industry, and Indigenous communities in the pursuit of practical solutions to issues like the urban-rural divide, which affects energy, infrastructure, and economic development across the province.
Every single one of these issues is top of mind at UBCM this year, and Get It Done BC wants people to come away from it with solutions, not unanswered questions.
We know there are disparities between Vancouver, Victoria, and the rest of BC when it comes to attention, resources, and priorities.
In June, Campbell River Mayor Kermit Dahl started a movement across the province to ensure that the voices of resource-reliant towns and communities are not drowned out.
Dahl wrote an open letter that invited every mayor and regional district chair in BC to join in “a collective advocacy movement aimed at amplifying the voices of resource communities across B.C. … together, we can amplify our shared concerns, influence policy decisions, and drive change that will support the long-term growth and resilience of resource communities.”
His words are the sort that start movements, and Get It Done BC will provide a stage for them on September 22. There will be time for all voices to be heard, from both urban and rural leaders, all of whom will hear each other’s insights and find common ground.
At 2:00, the Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions, will address the audience. It is not every movement that top cabinet ministers will make time for, especially during UBCM week.
Guests of Get It Done BC will have a special chance to hear from one of the most important members of the provincial government, and he will be joined by several others making a difference in BC and across Canada.
Among them are Port Coquitlam mayor Brad West, one of the youngest and most well-known figures in BC municipal politics. His presence brings an urban, youthful perspective to the links between our cities and small towns.
Another mayor from the Lower Mainland will be Brenda Locke, who had led Surrey’s government since 2022, as well as Nanaimo’s Leonard Krog who will be joining us to help represent Vancouver Island’s many municipalities.
Among the many faces will also be former premier Christy Clark, who remains a tireless advocate for resource communities in BC, and MLAs from across the partisan divide. No matter your party, Resource Works welcomes all to join us at the Union Club for Get It Done BC.
Fauziah Marzuki, Global Head of LNG at BloombergNEF, the strategic research provider of the eponymous media company and financial firm will be there too.
Marzuki brings an international perspective to BC’s place in the global energy marketplace now that LNG Canada has come online in Kitimat.
Joining Marzuki will be the Coastal Forestry Policy Coalition, whose representatives will take centre stage for a candid discussion on whether the province’s coastal forestry sector can be saved.
Our colleague Heather Exner-Pirot, who serves as Director of Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, will be in attendance as well. Joining her will be Barry Penner, the Chair of the Energy Futures Institute, who is set to unpack the energy policies that matter most to consumers, such as EV mandates and the domestic energy supply.
Stay tuned for an announcement of a special presentation, which we promise will add even more weight to an already stacked agenda.
Following a final panel, the day will continue from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. with a hosted reception and open bar that offers a chance to connect with speakers and attendees in a relaxed, congenial setting.
Later in the evening, there will be another conversation from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. with an After-Hours Bull Session for an unscripted, no-nonsense exchange about what the future holds.
Get It Done BC will be the highlight of UBCM, and you do not want to miss out on this special occasion.
Please see the full program below and more information here.
