Ashcroft, Cache Creek and Clinton are Looking into Hiring a Bylaw Officer

Even though talks about a bylaw enforcement officer had been kicked around before, the Sept 14/2020 Ashcroft Council Meeting is where the idea grew traction, the suggestion in the agenda said “EBCM Funding for Bylaw Officer “That Council direct staff to gauge the current interest of Clinton and/or Cache Creek in a shared community bylaw officer. If neighboring communities are uninterested, staff recommend that Ashcroft draft a plan for how a bylaw officer would be utilized solely within the Village. If one or both neighboring communities are interested, staff recommend that this partnership and funding be pursued.”

After this meeting this topic was brought up at the Cache Creek Council and Clinton Councils, as of December (as far as I understand) an actual decision on this has not been confirmed, although there is a proposed budget .

That being said this is something that is fairly certain to move forward. What does this mean to you? Well currently with no bylaw officer, a citizen calls the village office, and the village asks the person who is doing the infraction to stop. According to both municipalities this usually stops the issue, sometimes however its does not. Having a bylaw officer gives each area “teeth”.

You might be wondering what a bylaw officer is, or the rules and procedures that by-law officers follow while doing their job. The following is a brief explanation:

Local Government Bylaw Enforcement Local government bylaw enforcement refers to actions that may be taken by a municipality or regional district to ensure members of the community comply with local government bylaws.

Bylaw Enforcement Activities Local governments have authority to regulate, prohibit and impose requirements, by bylaw, in relation to various matters. To enforce those rules, local governments may engage in a range of bylaw enforcement activities such as: Educating the public about regulatory rules Conducting inspections to ensure that rules are being followed Mediating between members of the public Leveraging voluntary compliance with the rules where possible Seeking formal consequences for bylaw contraventions where compliance is not forthcoming or harm has been done to the community When undertaking bylaw enforcement, local governments must make choices about when to take enforcement action. Most bylaw investigations are initiated after a complaint, although some bylaws are subject to ongoing inspections for compliance. Local governments often establish bylaw enforcement policies to guide their staff and clarify for the public the general approach taken to bylaw enforcement in that community. The Office of the Ombudsperson has developed a guide to help local governments develop, adopt and implement best practices that encourage fairness in bylaw enforcement. Bylaw Enforcement: Best Practices Guide for Local Governments

Inspection & Personnel Local governments may conduct an inspection for specific purposes including to determine compliance with their bylaws. Inspections may include entering onto or into property. That entry may typically take place only at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner after taking reasonable steps to advise the property owner or occupant. Inspection of a private dwelling is more restricted. Local governments may also apply to the provincial court for an entry warrant if reasonable requests are refused or to enter into a private dwelling. Most bylaws require enforcement by individuals with specialized training, knowledge or experience. Bylaw enforcement is carried out primarily by employees and officers of a local government who are appointed by name or job classification as bylaw enforcement officers. Police officers and special constables under the Police Act may also be bylaw enforcement officers. The License Inspectors' and Bylaw Officers' Association of British Columbia is the professional association to which many bylaw enforcement officers belong.

You can find more by-law officer regulation on the government of BC website.