UBCM: THE FIRST CENTURY

Read the First Chapter More Information Order UBCM: The First Century Testimonials

No matter where you live in British Columbia – from the smallest rural community to the largest metropolitan region – all communities in BC have one thing in common: their local government is a member of the Union of BC Municipalities. For 100 years the UBCM has fought for the interests of local governments, providing municipalities and regional districts with a common voice in support of their needs. UBCM has shaped the development of each and every community in BC, changing what local governments can do, how they are financed and much more.

This book details what local governments have achieved by working together through UBCM but it is more than a history of UBCM – it is a slice of local-provincial relations, a perspective on the evolution of local government in BC, and a unique perspective on some of the personalities that have affected the evolution of community and regional governance that has ultimately influenced the quality of life in the communities British Columbians call home. 

Testimonials
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This is an extremely well-crafted history not only of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities but of the province itself. It will command the attention of not only those with some involvement with the activities of the UBCM but everyone interested in the social and political history of British Columbia.

— Norman J. Ruff
Associate Professor Emeritus, University of Victoria
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No organization in British Columbia has persevered more diligently for the public good with less fanfare than the UBCM. Anyone interested in the governance of British Columbia should read this book. Its combination of text, biographies, contemporary documents and images is impressive and rewarding.

— Jean Barman
Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia
Author of The West Beyond the West: A History of British Columbia
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The First Century overflows with arcanum sure to please students of governance (accounts of the births of both the Municipal Finance and Assessment Authorities, lists of UBCM convention dates, locations and presidents, and a 1959 banquet menu). For the rest of us, it’s mostly a good read, and a fascinating journey through BC’s shifting political and social landscape.

— Mark Forsythe
Host – BC Almanac, CBC Radio One
Co-author (with Greg Dixon) of The BC Almanac Book of Greatest British Columbians
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Founded by local governments to provide a coherent voice in dealing with senior provincial authority, the UBCM has kept local interests and thinking on the agendas of every BC government for the past 100 years. That in itself is something of an accomplishment. UBCM: The First Century makes that history available to all interested British Columbians, and students of local governing more generally, in a highly readable and accessible form.

— Patrick J. Smith
Director, Institute of Governance Studies, Simon Fraser University
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This book is a well-written fair and accurate portrayal of UBCM's 100 years of progress. UBCM in my opinion is the best municipal organization in Canada.

— The Honourable Mike Harcourt
Former Premier of British Columbia
Senior Associate, Liu Institute for Global Issues, UBC
Vice-Chair, cities^PLUS project
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