BILL Pr 401 — 2021
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
AMENDMENT ACT, 2021

WHEREAS The United Church of Canada was incorporated by The United Church of Canada Act, S.C. 1924, c. 100;

AND WHEREAS the United Church of Canada Act, S.B.C. 1924, c. 50, as amended by the United Church of Canada Act Amendment Act, 1927, S.B.C. 1926-27, c. 74, governs the property, rights and powers of The United Church of Canada in British Columbia;

AND WHEREAS The United Church of Canada's 42nd General Council adopted a motion on August 14, 2015 to restructure the governance of The United Church of Canada and undertook a remit process, the results of which were confirmed on July 22, 2018 by The United Church of Canada's 43rd General Council;

AND WHEREAS The United Church of Canada Act, S.C. 1924, c. 100, was amended by An Act to amend The United Church of Canada Act, S.C. 2019, c. 31, to reflect the changes to the governance structure of The United Church of Canada;

AND WHEREAS The United Church of Canada has by its petition requested that it be enacted as follows, and it is expedient to grant the request in the petition;

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

1 Section 2 of the United Church of Canada Act, S.B.C. 1924, c. 50, is amended by repealing the definitions of "The Basis of Union" and "The Act of incorporation" and substituting the following:

"Basis of Union"

(b) "Basis of Union" means the Basis of Union set out in Schedule A to the Act of incorporation, as amended from time to time under section 28 (b) of that Act by The United Church of Canada:

"Act of incorporation"

(i) "Act of incorporation" means The United Church of Canada Act, S.C. 1924, c. 100: .

2 The following section is added:

Interpretation

2.1  In this Act, if the context requires,

(a) a reference to "Conference" or "Presbytery" is also a reference to

(i) a Regional Council of The United Church, or

(ii) a successor of a Regional Council, established in accordance with the process set out in the Basis of Union,

(b) a reference to "Congregation" is also a reference to

(i) a community of faith, or

(ii) a successor of a congregation or community of faith, established in accordance with the process set out in the Basis of Union, and

(c) a reference to the "General Council", the "General Council of The United Church" or the "General Council of The United Church of Canada" is also a reference to

(i) the Denominational Council of The United Church, or

(ii) a successor of that Denominational Council, established in accordance with the process set out in the Basis of Union.

3 Item 3 of Schedule A is amended in column two by striking out "the Presbytery and Conference respectively" and substituting "the Regional Council" and by striking out "the General Council" and substituting "the Denominational Council".

4 Item 6 of Schedule A is amended in column one by striking out "the Presbytery" and substituting "the Regional Council".

5 Item 6 of Schedule A is amended in column two

(a) by striking out "consent in writing of the Presbytery" and substituting "consent in writing of the Regional Council",

(b) by striking out "for the benefit of The United Church of Canada as the Conference" and substituting "for the benefit of The United Church of Canada as the Regional Council",

(c) by striking out "and regulations of the General Council." and substituting "and regulations of the Denominational Council of The United Church of Canada.",

(d) by striking out "for the consent of a Presbytery" and substituting "for the consent of a Regional Council",

(e) by striking out "Any decision of a Presbytery" and substituting "Any decision of a Regional Council",

(f) by striking out "subject to appeal to the Conference within the bounds of which the said lands are situate," and substituting "subject to appeal to the Denominational Council,",

(g) by striking out "where the consent of such Presbytery or Conference" and substituting "where the consent of such Regional Council or the Denominational Council", and

(h) by striking out "A certificate of the secretary or clerk of any Presbytery or Conference" and substituting "A certificate of the secretary or clerk of any Regional Council or the Denominational Council".

6 Item 9 of Schedule A is amended in column one by striking out "by the Presbytery" and substituting "by the Regional Council" and by striking out "by the Conference" and substituting "by the Regional Council".

7 Item 9 of Schedule A is amended in column two

(a) by striking out "clerk of the Presbytery" and substituting "clerk of the Regional Council",

(b) by striking out "at any time thereafter the Presbytery" and substituting "at any time thereafter the Regional Council",

(c) by striking out "lawful for the said Presbytery" and substituting "lawful for the said Regional Council",

(d) by striking out "minutes of the Presbytery" and substituting "minutes of the Regional Council",

(e) by striking out "lawful at any time or times for the said Presbytery" and substituting "lawful at any time or times for the said Regional Council",

(f) by striking out "as the Conference" and substituting "as the Regional Council", and

(g) by striking out "regulations of the General Council" and substituting "regulations of the Denominational Council".

8 Item 11 of Schedule A is amended in column two by striking out "opinion of the Presbytery" and substituting "opinion of the Regional Council".

Commencement

9  This Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent.