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No Transparency: The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) denies that it is subject to Freedom of Information legislation.

UBCM wrote to me this morning: “Please be advised that the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) legislation does not cover UBCM.”



By Sasha Izard
Oct 27, 2025


Over the last month I have written a whole series of articles regarding a lack of transparency surrounding the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM). This is the 7th article in that series.

Freedom of Information is crucial for transparency when it comes to government, yet UBCM, the Union of BC Municipalities which operates as a conduit between local governments and the provincial government, considers itself immune from having to comply with it.

I recently wrote the following article.

How much was George Stroumboulopoulos paid, for being Keynote Speaker for the 2024 UBCM Conference? – CRD Watch Homepage

Although the Municipal Finance Authority financed the speech, they denied that they paid any money to George Stromboulopoulos, and that rather payment had been made to him through UBCM.

How much was George Stroumboulopoulos paid, for being Keynote Speaker for the 2024 UBCM Conference? – CRD Watch Homepage

On Oct 24, 2025 the same day that I published that article, I wrote to UBCM:

Hello,

I am submitting a Freedom of Information request for all documents showing the sponsorship and other arrangements for George Stroumboulopoulos to be keynote speaker at UBCM in 2024.

Please include in the FOI response the documents showing the payments from UBCM to George Stromboulopoulos and the amounts that were included in the payments from UBCM to him.

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UBCM’s Office Administrator wrote back to me this morning (Oct 27, 2025):

Hello,

Please be advised that the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) legislation does not cover UBCM.  As such, UBCM neither processes requests under the legislation regarding its own operations nor processes FOI requests directed toward those bodies covered by the legislation, such as the provincial government.

https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96165_02#section5

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This is not the first time, that I have received a response from UBCM denying that they are subject to comply to Freedom of Information requests. They wrote to me, telling me the same last year.

This time, however I’ve reported UBCM to the Office of the Information Officer for refusing an Freedom of Information request.

When I recently reached out to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) , asking if UBCM is subject to Freedom of Information legislation (acronyms FOIPPA or FIPPA), the office responded:

“Good morning, Sasha,

UBCM is a public body and falls under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).”

Yet when I informed the OIPC, that UBCM denied that they are subject to such legislation, the OIPC wrote back apologizing that they could have been wrong. I then wrote to the Ministry of Citizen’s Services and the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs to find out for certain whether, whether or not UBCM is subject to Freedom of Information legislation. So far, neither Ministry has yet to respond.

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) does not know if public bodies, the UBCM, and the Municipal Finance Authority, fall under Freedom of Information legislation. – CRD Watch Homepage

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Conclusion:

The Union of BC Municipalities is a public body under Provincial authority. It is setup to serve as a conduit between local governments (which are required to conform to Freedom of Information legislation), and the Province of British Columbia, and this conduit includes not only intergovernmental relations, but financial dealings a well including the transference of grant money to local governments.

By every measure, UBCM is a public body, yet if they are not covered by Freedom of Information legislation, then there is a major lack of transparency and accountability with this public organization.

Or maybe, they are covered by Freedom of Information legislation, if to take the OIPC’s original words that they are. If so, then UBCM will not be in compliance with the Act, if they do not respond to the FOI request that I have made. Non-compliance to the Act by a public body subject to it, is illegal.

I replied to UBCM this morning:

Thank you for your response.

Given that as you noted Freedom of Information legislation, does not cover UBCM.  Is there any transparency regarding UBCM’s financial dealings?

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Index of articles and other material regarding the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) – CRD Watch Homepage