WHEREAS there is an increasing number of abandoned buildings and yard sites in municipalities, particularly in unorganized hamlets that have become part of the jurisdiction and responsibility of the rural municipality in which they are situated. Many of these properties have safety and liability concerns such as wells, cisterns, septic tanks, and derelict buildings.

WHEREAS tax enforcement and nuisance abatement orders on these properties are costly, time-consuming, and quite often an effort in futility.

WHEREAS environmental regulations have become increasingly costly and difficult to manage for municipalities.

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government to provide funding and/or relax environmental regulations specifically to help alleviate the costs to municipalities and ratepayers in cleaning up abandoned or derelict buildings and yard sites.