The City of Duncan is applying for a grant of up to $20,000 from the Union of BC Municipalities to support relationship-building events and the development of agreements with Cowichan Tribes. Jessica Hodgins, the city’s corporate services coordinator, told council at its meeting on July 28 that the UCBM’s regional community-to-community grant program offers up to $20,000 to local governments and First Nations to organize forums that support dialogue to build relationships, support reconciliation efforts, resolve issues of common responsibility, interest, or concern, and to advance tangible outcomes including the development of service agreements. “During the strategic planning process, council identified a strong relationship with Cowichan Tribes as a key goal for council’s 2023-2026 term,” Hodgins said. “Among the action items associated with this goal is to hold a joint breakfast meeting annually, update service agreements, and for the CAOs to meet two times annually.” Hodgins said the city was successful in its application for funding from UBCM’s program in 2023/24 and received almost $9,000. She said with the funding, council hosted a breakfast meeting with Cowichan Tribes’s council which was followed by a presentation on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, as well as facilitated conversations on understanding different ways of communicating and placing the local government-First Nations relationship in historical context. “The funding also supported further progress at the staff level on service agreements for the provision of water, fire, and sewer services by the city on Cowichan Tribes reserve land,” Hodgins said. “Following the progress made in 2025, staff recommend that the city submit another application for funding to support ongoing relationship-building events and further progress on service agreements between the city and Cowichan Tribes.” Mayor Michelle Staples said she’s grateful that the funding is still available and that it’s an ongoing program through the UBCM because it takes time and a lot of work to build relationships. “I want to thank staff for all the work they are doing behind the scenes to continue those conversations,” she said.
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