The role of local government in gambling expansion in British Columbia

This thesis examines the role of local governments in British Columbia in gambling expansion, during the period 1994 to 2004. In particular, it tries to explain why municipalities in BC are able to define gaming policy to an extent unparalleled in Canada and posits three reasons for this: 1) the historical roles of BC municipalities, particularly through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), their province-wide association; 2) the role and influence of charitable organizations, who while defending their interests have struck strategic partnerships with local governments; and 3) the increasing reliance on gaming revenues on the part of provincial governments has required partnerships with local governments. This thesis concludes that while recognizing the limiting constitutional constraints of local governments in Canada, municipalities in British Columbia have nonetheless managed to assert a role in the development of public policy, with gambling policy being a good example of this development.