2024 R07 – Urging Legal Action for Constitutional Accountability: Addressing Provincial Failures in Healthcare, Criminal Rehabilitation, and Public Safety Responsibilities

Whereas the Province, as outlined in the Constitution Act, 1867, bears constitutional responsibilities for essential services, including healthcare, including mental healthcare, and the administration of justice, including the administration of criminal rehabilitation through prisons;

And whereas it is observed that the Province has failed to adequately fulfill these constitutional responsibilities, resulting in an ineffectual and inequitable downshift of the associated responsibilities and costs to municipalities, particularly impacting their ability to address social issues related to healthcare, mental health care, and public safety:

Therefore be it resolved that AVICC and UBCM direct its members to explore the viability of initiating a legal proceeding against the Province to address the failure of the Province to meet its constitutional responsibilities, specifically in the areas of healthcare, mental healthcare, and the administration of criminal rehabilitation through correctional facilities, leading to an undue burden on municipalities and compromising public safety.