MINUTES OF A COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2026

MINUTES OF A COUNCIL MEETING

HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2026

VIEW ROYAL MUNICIPAL OFFICE – COUNCIL CHAMBERS

PRESENT WERE:

• Mayor Tobias
• Councillor Brown – via Microsoft Teams
• Councillor Kowalewich
• Councillor Lemon
• Councillor MacKenzie
• Councillor Mattson
• Councillor Rogers

PRESENT ALSO:

• S. Sommerville, Chief Administrative Officer
• E. Bolster, Director of Corporate Administration
• I. Leung, Director of Engineering
• S. Vella, Director of Finance
• P. Hurst, Director of Protective Services – arrived at 7:36 p.m.
• S. Scory, Senior Planner
• J. Cochrane, Deputy Director of Corporate Administration
• 7 members of the public
• 0 members of the press

1. CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Tobias called the meeting to order at 6:09 p.m.

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

THAT the agenda be amended to move items 10. d) 1. and 2. to 11 a), and 10. c) to 11. b);

AND THAT the agenda be approved as amended. CARRIED

3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PERIOD

4. BYLAWS

a) Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1163, 2026

1. Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1163, 2026 A Bylaw to Amend Official Community Plan No. 811, 2011, to Add the Residential and Large Lot Residential Land Use Designations Back into Land Use Policy 1.5, Land Use Designations

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

THAT Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1163, 2026 be given third reading and be adopted. CARRIED

5. MAYOR’S REPORT

Mayor Tobias highlighted his attendance at the South Island Prosperity Partnership’s “Rising Economy 2026” conference.

The Mayor congratulated Councillor Kowalewich on his promotion to Deputy Chief of the Saanich Police Department and announced his resignation from View Royal Council. He expressed appreciation for Councillor Kowalewich’s dedication and service on Council, noting his strong commitment to the community and his valuable contributions to the West Shore Parks and Recreation Board, and added that he will be greatly missed.

Councillor Kowalewich expressed gratitude for his time on Council, thanking both Council and the community for their support and shared commitment to improving View Royal, and encouraged others to become involved in local government.

MOVED BY: Councillor Rogers SECONDED: Councillor Mattson

C-32-26 THAT, pursuant to section 54 of the Local Government Act, that Council not proceed with a by-election to fill the vacant seat on Council prior to the next general local election. CARRIED

6. PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS

7. STAFF REPORTS

a) Operational Requirements for Establishing a Natural Asset Inventory Program

1. Report dated February 26, 2026, from the Director of Engineering and Deputy Director of Engineering

The Director of Engineering gave an overview of the report to Council.

Council and staff discussed managing natural assets within the broader asset management program, maintaining the current plan to prioritize higher-risk assets while still tracking natural assets, with environmental benefits to be defined in the upcoming policy and strategy.

MOVED BY: Councillor Rogers SECONDED: Mayor Tobias

THAT staff be directed to initiate a natural asset inventory in advance of the scheduled timeline identified in Project Summary N-111 by:

1. shifting the natural asset management strategy to 2027;
2. authorizing up to $50,000 to retain qualified professionals and software updates in developing the natural asset inventory, and incorporating the inventory into Project Summary N-111 to coincide with the natural asset management strategy work; and
3. deferring existing capital and non-core projects within the Financial Plan, including existing asset management program initiatives and existing discretionary to strategic capital projects.

AND THAT staff pursue external grant funding to offset anticipated consultant costs. DEFEATED Councillor Brown, Kowalewich, Lemon, MacKenzie, Mattson opposed

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Lemon

THAT the report dated February 26, 2026, from the Director of Engineering and Deputy Director of Engineering titled “Operational Requirements for Establishing a Natural Asset Inventory Program” be received for information. CARRIED

b) Request for Decision - Urban Forest Strategy Adoption and Canopy Cover Targeting

1. Report dated February 17, 2026, from the Director of Engineering

The Director of Engineering introduced T. Searls, Urban Forest Planner, Diamond Head Consulting, who gave a presentation to Council regarding the Urban Forest Strategy, specifically methodology, canopy cover, comparisons with other municipalities, and operational enhancements.

The Director of Engineering provided an overview of additional strategies, canopy cover targets, and the associated operational and financial requirements.

Council and staff discussed a 30% canopy cover target, including maintenance of existing trees, new tree planting initiatives, annual planting costs, potential impacts of inaction, planting opportunities along the Trans-Canada Highway right-of-way, the scope of the current tree inventory, and the Resident Tree Planting Program.

MOVED BY: Councillor Lemon SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

C-33-26 THAT the Urban Forest Strategy be adopted with a canopy cover target of 30%. CARRIED

8. BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES

9. CORRESPONDENCE

a) Email dated March 2, 2026, from J. Craig, Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia (PABC) Re: Expanding Diagnostic Imaging Access in British Columbia: How Physiotherapists Can Support Timely, Cost-Effective, and Integrated Care

MOVED BY: Councillor Rogers SECONDED: Councillor Mattson

THAT the email dated March 2, 2026, from J. Craig, Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia (PABC) Re: Expanding Diagnostic Imaging Access in British Columbia: How Physiotherapists Can Support Timely, Cost-Effective, and Integrated Care be received. CARRIED

b) Letter dated March 10, 2026, from K. Morley, Capital Regional District, Re: Municipal Consent for Bylaw No. 4719 - Traffic Safety Commission Establishment Bylaw No. 1, 1990, Amendment Bylaw No. 5, 2025

MOVED BY: Councillor Rogers SECONDED: Councillor Mattson

C-34-26 THAT the Town of View Royal consent to the Capital Regional District adopting Bylaw No. 4719, “Traffic Safety Commission Establishment Bylaw No. 1, 1990, Amendment Bylaw No. 5, 2025”. CARRIED

10. CONSENT AGENDA

a) Minutes of the Council meeting held March 3, 2026

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

THAT the minutes of the Council meeting held March 3, 2026, be adopted. CARRIED

b) Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors meeting held January 15, 2026

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

THAT the minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors meeting held January 15, 2026, be received. CARRIED

c) Email dated March 11, 2026, from J. Dellaviola, RE: Garbage Collection Contract (moved to item 11. b))

1. Email dated March 12, 2026, from Mayor Tobias, Re: Garbage Collection Contract

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

THAT the email dated March 12, 2026, from Mayor Tobias Re: Garbage Collection Contract be received. CARRIED

d) From the March 10, 2026, Committee of the Whole Meeting:

Non-Capital and Capital Projects

1. THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the Urban Forest Strategy GCCC Programming (N-141) non-capital project be approved in the 2026-2030 Financial Plan;

AND THAT staff apply to the Green Municipal Fund Growing Canada’s Community Canopies grant program to support the Urban Forest Strategy GCCC Programming;

AND FURTHER THAT if the grant funding is not successful, the project proceeds using Casino funding. (moved to item 11. a))

2. THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the Pride and Veterans Memorial Decorative Crosswalks (C-202) capital project be amended to remove the Veterans Memorial decorative crosswalk while retaining the Pride crosswalk;

AND THAT staff proceed with the installation of Veterans Memorial banners in place of the Veterans Memorial decorative crosswalk;

AND FURTHER THAT the 2026-2030 Financial Plan be amended to reduce the capital project cost by $10,000, from $40,000 to $30,000, to reflect the revised project scope, including $20,000 for the Pride decorative crosswalk and $10,000 for Veterans Memorial banners. (moved to item 11. a))

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

C-35-26 THAT the Island Highway-4 Mile Trestle to Shoreline (C-020) capital project be removed from the 2026-2030 Financial Plan. CARRIED

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

C-36-26 THAT, as part of the 2026-2030 Financial Plan, $3,000 be approved in 2026 for the design portion of the Admirals Road Active Transportation Improvements (C-180) capital project;

AND THAT the $300,000 funding for the project in 2027 be contingent upon Council approval of the concept design when it is brought forward for consideration. CARRIED

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

C-37-26 THAT, as part of the 2026-2030 Financial Plan, staff engage with the federal funding provider to confirm whether accessible playground grant funding may be allocated to a park other than Chancellor Park, and report back to Council;

AND THAT, should the funding be eligible for use at an alternate location, staff investigate and bring forward a recommended park location for installation of the accessible playground equipment. CARRIED

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

C-38-26 THAT the Off-Street Parking Review (N-099) non-capital project budget be reduced from $75,000 to $40,000 in the 2026-2030 Financial Plan. CARRIED

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

C-39-26 THAT funding for the Demolition Waste Management Bylaw (N-134) non-capital project in the amount of $10,000 in the 2026-2030 Financial Plan be contingent upon Council’s consideration of additional information provided by staff regarding the Capital Regional District’s Demolition Waste and Deconstruction Bylaw. CARRIED

11. CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA

a) From the March 10, 2026, Committee of the Whole Meeting:

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

C-40-26 THAT the Urban Forest Strategy GCCC Programming (N-141) non-capital project be approved in the 2026-2030 Financial Plan;

AND THAT staff apply to the Green Municipal Fund Growing Canada’s Community Canopies grant program to support the Urban Forest Strategy GCCC Programming (N-141);

AND FURTHER THAT if the grant funding is not successful, the project proceeds using Casino funding. CARRIED

MOVED BY: Councillor Brown SECONDED: Councillor Mattson

C-41-26 THAT the Pride and Veterans Memorial Decorative Crosswalks (C-202) capital project be amended to remove both Pride and Veterans Memorial crosswalks;

AND THAT staff proceed with the installation of Pride and Veterans Memorial banners in lieu of the decorative crosswalks;

AND THAT the project be reclassified from a capital project to a non-capital (operating) initiative;

AND FURTHER THAT the 2026-2030 Financial Plan be amended to reduce the total project budget from $40,000 to $20,000, to reflect the revised scope, including $10,000 for Pride banners and $10,000 for Veterans Memorial banners, with funding allocated within the operating budget. CARRIED Councillor MacKenzie opposed

b) Email dated March 11, 2026, from J. Dellaviola, Re: Garbage Collection Contract

MOVED BY: Councillor Lemon SECONDED: Councillor Mattson

THAT the email dated March 11, 2026, from J. Dellaviola, Re: Garbage Collection Contract be received. CARRIED

11. NEW BUSINESS

a) Official Community Plan - Western Gateway Corridor - Mayor Tobias

Mayor Tobias and Council discussed the exclusion of Hart Road.

MOVED BY: Mayor Tobias SECONDED: Councillor Mattson

C-42-26 THAT the study area for the Western Gateway excludes the area of Hart Road from the Western Gateway Corridor as it was not the initial study area agreed upon by Council. CARRIED Councillors MacKenzie and Rogers opposed

12. QUESTION PERIOD

13. MOTIONS & NOTICES OF MOTION

14. CLOSED MEETING RESOLUTION

MOVED BY: Councillor MacKenzie SECONDED: Councillor Lemon

THAT there is a need to have a meeting closed to the public and persons other than the immediate members of Council, officers and employees of the Town, and those identified under Section 91 (2) of the Community Charter shall be excluded on the basis of Section 90 (1)(a) - appointment, (c) - labour, (g) legal, and (k) – municipal service. CARRIED

15. RISING REPORT

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

a) Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee Appointment

From the March 17, 2026, In-Camera Council meeting

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

C-43-26 THAT the Corporate Officer be appointed as the Town of View Royal representative to the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee for the remainder of the current term from March 17, 2026 to December 31, 2026;

AND THAT staff undertake a recruitment process in Fall 2026 to appoint a View Royal resident representative for the new two-year committee term commencing January 2027. CARRIED

16. ADJOURNMENT

MOVED BY: Councillor Lemon SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie

THAT this meeting now adjourn. Time: 9:19 p.m. CARRIED