Member Notice

Two new laws passed at July 11 WLFN Council Meeting

by Brandon Hoffman

BUSINESS LICENCE LAW ENACTED

Williams Lake First Nation (“WLFN”) Council passed a resolution (BCR 24-88) during a regular meeting of Council on July 11, 2024 which enacted the Business Licence Law 2024-02 as WLFN Law in accordance with section 32.3(a) of the Land Code.

The Business Licence Law was initiated under the process outlined in section 29.2 of the WLFN Land Code on February 9, 2024 when Council passed resolution BCR 24-55. A notice of initiation was published on the same day to inform Membership. The First Reading of the draft law occurred on April 5th, 2024, at a regular meeting of Council, where Council passed a resolution (BCR 24-69) that gave acceptance in principle to the draft law and directed a Special Membership Meeting to be held. On May 15th, 2024, WLFN staff presented the First Reading draft of the law at a Special Membership Meeting. WLFN staff and Chief Sellars also met with WLFN Elders on May 6th with the purpose of receiving their input on the draft law. The feedback received from Members was presented to Council on May 31st with the purpose of seeking direction on how to proceed with revising the First Reading draft Business Licence Law. Staff then prepared a Second Reading draft which was considered by Council at regular meeting on June 13, 2024. At the meeting, Council passed a resolution (BCR 24-85) that gave acceptance to the Second Reading draft Business Licence Law and referred the draft Law to a Third Reading. The final draft Business Licence Law was given Third Reading and enacted by Council by resolution (BCR 24-88) on July 11, 2024.

The WLFN Business Licence Law includes provisions dealing with the following subject matters:

  • Requirement for businesses to be licensed
  • Businesses and business activities prohibited on WLFN Lands (brothels & places of prostitution & the sale, processing or production of cannabis that has not been permitted under the WLFN Cannabis Law)
  • Businesses and commercial activities exempted from licencing requirement (events hosted by WLFN, yard sales, sale of homemade baked goods, the delivery of mail, parcels, newspapers, food, and taxis dropping off or picking up passengers)
  • Issuance of a licence and application for a licence
  • Declaration and display requirements
  • Changes, renewal and transfer of a licence
  • Period of licences
  • Suspension and revocation of licences
  • Appeals
  • Payment of fees
  • Duties of WLFN Law Enforcement Officer and Business Licence Officer
  • Direct selling, soliciting for charity, soliciting, contractors, public events, nightclubs and cabarets, fruit and vegetable vendors, and vending machines
  • Offences and penalties
  • Fees and forms
  • Application of Law
  • Immunity

The following is included in a schedule attached to the law:

  • Business licence fee schedule (Businesses owned by WLFN and WLFN Members will be exempted from the licensing fees)

If you have any questions with respect to the law enactment process or wish to request a full copy of the full Business Licence Law, please contact Wenona Gordon, Lands Manager, at [email protected] or Ty Sorensen, Governance Coordinator, at [email protected].

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT LAW ENACTED

Williams Lake First Nation (“WLFN”) Council passed a resolution (BCR 24-89) during a regular meeting of Council on July 11, 2024, which enacted the Solid Waste Management Law 2024-02 as WLFN Law in accordance with section 32.3(a) of the Land Code.

The Solid Waste Management Law was initiated under the process outlined in section 29.2 of the WLFN Land Code on February 9, 2024, when Council passed resolution BCR 24-55. A notice of initiation was published on the same day to inform Membership. The First Reading of the draft law occurred on April 5th, 2024, at a regular meeting of Council, where Council passed a resolution (BCR 24-68) that gave acceptance in principle to the draft law and directed a Special Membership Meeting to be held. On May 15th, 2024, WLFN staff presented the First Reading draft of the law at a Special Membership Meeting. WLFN staff and Chief Sellars also met with WLFN Elders on May 6th with the purpose of receiving their input on the draft law. The feedback received from Members was presented to Council on May 31st with the purpose of seeking direction on how to proceed with revising the First Reading draft Solid Waste Management Law. Staff then prepared a Second Reading draft which was considered by Council at regular meeting on June 13, 2024. At the meeting, Council passed a resolution (BCR 24-86) that gave acceptance to the Second Reading draft Solid Waste Management Law and referred the draft Law to a Third Reading. The final draft Solid Waste Management Law was given Third Reading and enacted by Council by resolution (BCR 24-89) on July 11, 2024.
The WLFN Solid Waste Management Law includes provisions dealing with the following subject matters:

  • Solid Waste Disposal
  • Solid Waste Management Collection System
  • General Provisions
  • Right of Entry
  • Notices, Charges & Offences
  • Immunity
  • Application of Law

The following is included in a schedule attached to the law:

  • General Container Requirements
  • Container Requirements for Persons Utilizing Collection System
  • Disposal Requirements – General
  • Disposal Requirements – Garbage
  • Disposal Requirements – Recycling
  • Prohibited materials

If you have any questions with respect to the law enactment process or wish to request a full copy of the draft Solid Waste Management Law, please contact Wenona Gordon, Lands Manager, at [email protected] or Ty Sorensen, Governance Coordinator, at [email protected]. Full copies of the final draft law can be obtained by Members at the WLFN Yorston Administrative Building (315 Yorston Street).