DEPARTMENTAL UPDATE
A report from the Chief Administrative Officer providing highlights of significant activities across various town departments including Corporate Administration, Development Services, Engineering, Parks, and Protective Services.
TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE REPORT
TO: Committee of the Whole FROM: S. Sommerville, CAO DATE: February 20, 2026 MEETING DATE: March 10, 2026
DEPARTMENTAL UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the report dated February 20, 2026 from the Chief Administrative Officer titled “Departmental Update” be received for information.
PURPOSE:
To provide Council with information from each department regarding material events and happenings at Town Hall.
BACKGROUND:
A report for the Committee of the Whole meeting to apprise Council of the highlights of significant activities of the Town.
INFORMATION:
Office of the CAO:
Meetings between Colwood, Langford and View Royal Mayors and CAOs to assist Colwood with their independent review process have been ongoing. The CAO has continued in his role as the Owner’s Representative to the Integrated Project Delivery team, which patiently awaits Colwood’s “go/no-go” decision on the RCMP Detachment Expansion.
The CAO met with Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs regarding the Town’s decision to grant amnesty to the Short-Term Rental prohibition in View Royal during this summer’s FIFAA World Cup.. Ministry staff shared the administrative penalties that short-term rental accommodators can expect if they do not register with the Province.
Corporate Administration:
Front counter staff continued to experience a high volume of activity through the end of February processing secondary suite type 2 applications, as well as dog licence and business licence renewals.
The Spring/Summer View Royal hard copy newsletter is being finalized and is scheduled for distribution in late March and early April.
The Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee Terms of Reference have been amended to include a public participation portion on meeting agendas. The Corporate Officer continues to attend these meetings regularly to respond to questions and bring forward relevant information for the organization.
Acoustic treatments were installed in the Town Hall foyer and upper work area to improve sound absorption and reduce ambient noise levels. These upgrades enhance ease of communication and privacy at the front counter, creating a more comfortable and functional environment for both customers and staff.
Staff have supported a range of communications and digital initiatives in February. This included coordinating communications related to the eastbound closure of Island Highway associated with BC Hydro underground transmission maintenance, helping ensure residents and commuters were aware of impacts and detour routes. Staff supported communications for several Town initiatives and projects, including the West Shore RCMP Detachment Expansion, the Official Community Plan update and review, and the Transportation Master Plan. In collaboration with the Engineering Department, Corporate Administration also launched Municipal511, a new web-based map providing live updates on road closures, construction activity, and other service disruptions.
Preparations for the 2026 Municipal Election are underway behind the scenes, including development of website content, contracts, and coordination of online training for staff involved in election administration.
Work continues on preparing materials for the Archives website and planning for public workshops scheduled for the spring.
The annual file rollover process has been completed, with new 2026 folders prepared and records from previous years transferred to storage. The RIM365 project has completed the information-gathering phase and is now in the final stages of solution design development. Development of the records management structure is approaching the halfway mark, with project completion currently forecast for the end of September.
Development Services:
In February, the Development Services team received a considerable increase in planning and building enquiries, related to land use, zoning, parking, etc. The department received 25 new applications, which are summarized in the following table:
| Application Type | Number of Applications |
|---|---|
| Rezoning | 0 |
| Development Permit | 1 |
| Development Variance Permit | 0 |
| Temporary Use Permit | 0 |
| Subdivision | 1 |
| Sign Permit | 1 |
| Board of Variance | 0 |
| Building Permit | 14 |
| Plumbing Permit | 2 |
| Business License | 6 |
A Special Council meeting was held on February 24, 2026, to allow Council an opportunity to review and provide comments on the proposed land use designations for the Western Gateway Corridor prior to completing the first draft of the Official Community Plan (OCP). The discussion was facilitated by Katie Hamilton of Tavola Consulting Ltd. At this meeting, Council discussed the proposed land use designations, including uses, heights and densities, in relation to the 2011 OCP, and transportation and environmental protection concerns. Overall, Council supported the proposed land use designations for the Western Gateway Corridor, except for one change to a land use designation on Wilfert Road.
Engagement on the first draft of the OCP is anticipated to commence in the middle of March. More details on engagement will be communicated with Council, the OCP Review Advisory Committee and the public in the upcoming weeks.
The Building and Housing monthly reports are attached to this report.
Engineering:
Administration
Staff understand that getting in and around View Royal is important to residents. With BC Hydro projects and Town Capital projects potentially disrupting several main corridors in the near future, the Town has subscribed to Municipal511: a map-based road information program that will help communicate these disruptions at a glance so that residents can choose the best route and mitigate delays. As the service directly informs Google Maps and Waze, it is anticipated that this service will help mitigate shortcut traffic too. Finally, it is anticipated that this service will reduce staff time needed in issuing traffic advisories.
Town Hall roof inspections were completed.
Sewer & Drain
Maintenance work on the Town’s storm pond inventory is being coordinated. The work will be prioritized during the dry season.
Staff are preparing for the commencement of the Glenairlie Pump Station upgrades, scheduled to commence (shovel in ground) early spring this year.
Streets & Roads
Atkins Road Sidewalk Project: Commenced Feb 18, 2026. Advisory posted. Contractor has mobilized and started clearing and grubbing, tree fencing, sediment control and excavation for the new asphalt sidewalk.
Island Highway was closed 24/7 in the eastbound direction at Helmcken Road for several days to accommodate BC Hydro’s emergent repair work on their buried transmission cables.
The CRD’s Galloping Goose Regional Trail will be closed between Six Mile Road and Atkins Road from March until May to accommodate bridge repair work at Six Mile Road, which belongs to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit.
The Town entered a 3-year contract with a new boulevard maintenance contractor, Shield Landscaping Ltd. Their services began at the start of February, and staff continue to onboard the Contractor to ensure safety and management of expectations.
Development Servicing
Erskine Lane: Continued progress for off-site work. Contractor infilling traffic islands at the end of Erskine. Final paving of cul-de-sac scheduled for the week of Feb 23rd.
Parks
On Saturday, February 7th, 2026, Greater Victoria Green Team (GVGT) hosted 39 community members at the View Royal Park for the removal of invasive plants. 18 cubic metres of invasive Himalayan blackberry, & English Ivy were removed.
The broken entrance bollard to Chalmers Park has been replaced with a removable bollard, improving accessibility for parks maintenance while preventing other vehicles from entering the Park.
Finance:
Finance staff worked in collaboration with other departments to prepare the 2026-2030 Draft Financial Plan, to be presented to Council in March. Staff have also been focused on finalizing the 2025 financial statements, in preparation for the year-end audit scheduled for the week of April 6, 2026. As in recent history, the Town’s auditor, MNP, will conduct most of their audit work remotely.
Information Technology:
IT continues to support the Records and Information Management (RIM) SharePoint Project. We are currently focused on coordinating access and providing any technical assistance required. In addition, IT is preparing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the renewal of the Managed IT Services contract. This work includes developing the technical specifications, defining the service scope, and establishing evaluation criteria to support the process.
Protective Services:
February was a busy month with the wrap of a hiring competition. A total of four career firefighters were hired and began their careers in late February. All have been assigned to existing platoons and have hit the ground running.
Firefighters executed a complex rescue at Thetis Lake at the end of February where a person had fallen off the cliffs on the east side. Utilizing the boat and Langfords tech rescue team, the patient was successfully recovered and transported to VGH with serious life altering injuries.
The new Engine, a 2025 Spartan, has been placed into service after a three-and-a-half-year design and build/delivery. Crews have been training on the truck, It t has already realized several emergency runs, and although some minor warranty issues are being addressed, this truck will serve the community for the next 20 years. Training will continue in the coming months to ensure all staff are signed off.
We are saddened to announce the passing of Ruth Reynolds, our previous ESS Director. Ruth was a tireless advocate for the View Royal ESS Team and served in the Town since 2008. Ruths work with the team saw us through many large-scale Provincial events and managed the View Royal/Colwood Team. Her contributions set up a foundation for the current team to follow. She will be greatly missed and our sincere condolences to the family.
Bylaw has had a challenging month with the primary focus on homeless camps throughout the district, and parking complaints. Work continues to update the animal control bylaw, in conjunction with CRD. The Division will be presenting amendments to the existing bylaw in April.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the report dated February 20, 2026 from the Chief Administrative Officer titled “Departmental Update” be received for information.
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