Committee of the Whole

Oh, got it. Alrighty.

Thank you. Uh calling the meeting to order, and um I'll have a statement here to read out.

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So with that um we have uh uh a late item to add uh under seven new business item b correspondence um regarding uh the SIP agenda step item so uh I wonder if I can have uh an approval of the agenda councillor matsen second council McKenzie under notice I'm noticeable motion I have a motion there but it it's kind of two different things so when it comes to that I'm gonna make two notices of motions separately at the same time because it kind of looks like one's trees off there and I didn't want it to come up that way and they are very it's like two an apple and an orange so if if people allow me I'll make two motions at that point.

Okay yes indeed uh thanks for the explanation okay great uh we have a mover and a seconder all those in favor against carried so may I have uh a motion to adopt the minutes so moved councilor Brown and Councillor Matson all those uh any uh errors or omissions at all no okay all of those in favor against carried now public participation period um and I'm going to um ask uh the uh members of the committee uh we do have um uh probably individuals that are going to be speaking to grant um applications their grant applications do you want to hear them now during the public participation or when their agenda item comes up just and we like we do in public participation then if we have any questions we can always call them back yeah if they're still here certainly yeah okay great so um uh so i just um uh uh had to uh get uh that cleared with my colleagues here so if um if any of uh the individuals in the audience and maybe online uh wish to speak to their um matter uh the grant application that's uh before uh the committee uh here's the opportunity to uh give us the benefit of your or your sales pitch whichever okay uh yes would you like to come up to the mic oh sweet hello hi you can provide us your name and street name please the organization yeah my name is ashley cola and i live on Helmcken Road um i'm here representing the View Royal community association i've come and spoke with you guys before um so thank you so much for all you do for our community um i just wanted to uh talk about the two um uh grants that we've put in.

One of them is pretty straightforward.

It's uh for a community summer fest that we want to host um you know, we really, I feel like View Royal is a bit of a drive-through to uh town, and the more we can do to create a sense of pride of View Royal, the better.

I feel like you know, we're still trying to figure out where is our town center and where the hall is located.

I think that we've got a bit of an opportunity there, especially with some of where the development that's going on around and some of the new restaurants and stuff that have gone into the place across the way.

Our other grant that we had put in is we're currently at kind of a pre, we're recognized that our hall is getting older, and so as a board, we're doing our due diligence around, you know, what would development look like in that space.

So we have had started conversations with Habitat for Humanity because we know that that's an area that the town is interested in doing densification.

And so we're seeing if we if there's a possibility for us to work with a nonprofit housing provider or in our in this case, Habitat for Humanity, to see if it's a viable option for the end of our hall, the end of the life of the hall.

And so right now we're in kind of pre-development.

We got $20,000 from Vancouver Foundation to do the kind of first phase of work.

And we're starting to enter into the next phase of work.

So we were asking the city if it would be of interest of you guys to put some money forward for us to continue that looking at that if it's a viable option.

The other, and with your um the money that you guys put forward, we would then be able to go back to Vancouver Foundation and say, hey, look, the city is on board with us looking at this and seeing if this is a viable option for us.

Um, you know, can you offer some more money so that we can do that that kind of pre-development work to see if it's uh makes sense?

I think that's everything for me.

Thanks. Okay. Um I would probably think, you know, it's a pretty complex uh aspect here and what you're asking, and certainly you're the highest uh request that we've got.

Yeah, so very likely we'll need to bring you back up for more questions.

Certainly, no problem.

Thank you for coming and giving us the preview.

Cheers.

Um I will be just taking a step out because I'm uh also in another uh meeting for the uh Canadian Pinball Championships, which I'm a part of uh organizing and all of my meetings for the exact same time on the same night.

So somebody will go get you.

Okay, cheers. And is there anybody else that would like to uh give us the benefit of uh this they were pitch for your particular organization and grant application?

Okay. Um and is anyone else that wants to speak on any of the uh agenda items that you budget?

Okay, great. Uh Carl, do we have sorry Carl, do we have anyone online that um is wanting to participate in the public participation?

Uh Chair Rogers, we have uh no messages on the board this evening.

Okay, thank you. So with that, um Superintendent Gillespie, would you like to come and uh give us an update, please?

Uh good evening.

So uh I have the pleasure of introducing myself uh tonight.

Uh so my name is Terry Glusby, newly arrived officer in charge for the West Shore RCMP detachment.

So just wanted to give myself a quick intro and then uh go into the quarterly report there.

Uh so I came to West Shore from uh Nanaimo.

I was there for six months, uh a brief stay.

Uh prior to that, I was in Terrace as the officer in charge there for three years.

Uh prior to Terrace, I was in Smithers for three years as a detachment commander.

Part of that I was in Hatagwai uh in Queen Charlotte City as a detachment commander there, now Dudge and Geats.

And then part of that, three years in Burns Lake and seven years in Squamish.

So did a nice big circle around the province and uh now I'm in the beautiful West Shore.

So very excited to be at the West Shore Detachment.

Um in my first few months there, I've been able to uh meet pretty much all the staff and I'm impressed by uh uh what a good crew we have at that detachment.

So I get to come here and take all the credit, but they're doing all the hard work.

So yeah, thank you.

Uh so for the uh quarterly report.

Uh not sure uh we did send in a I guess presentation, but need that.

No, okay.

All right, I'm I'll just give it to you.

Uh so um we finished the 2025 uh annual performance plan uh March 31st of this year, uh being federal government, our fiscal years run April 1st to March 31st.

Uh so I'm now looking for input uh for the annual priorities for 2026.

Um so I would ask that if you do have any suggestions or you'd like to see any changes from the previous year that you provide those to the mayor as I will be approaching the mayor next week to get the official word on what priorities you guys would like for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

Last year, the priorities were reducing organized crime and drug trafficking, uh enhancing road safety, reducing property crime, uh, mental health and crisis response, and deterring youth crime, as well as fostering youth and indigenous community relations.

So if you'd like to see any changes to any of those, or even if you're happy with those, uh please let the mayor know, and then I'll be touching base with him to get the official word uh for this coming fiscal year.

Um for the first quarter of 2026, uh largely the uh file counts and crimes are within a few uh percentage points of the previous year.

Uh so for View Royal, your file count for the first three months of the year is 758 files, and that's down from 796 in 2025.

So slight decrease uh for the first three months of this year.

Um the most common uh file types, uh persons' offenses, uh, property fences, other criminal code collisions, and mental health.

Uh overall for the entire West Shore detachment, not just View Royal.

Uh persons offenses did increase 18%.

Uh property offenses uh were up 26%.

Other criminal code was up three and a half percent.

Uh collisions were down six percent.

Uh mental health calls were up five percent.

So uh definitely I think files that we're going to be focusing on in the coming year and trying to get those uh back down to historical levels.

And so uh that's just the rate in comparison to the same quarter last year.

I will get two now.

The uh the persons offenses, uh most common persons offenses over the last quarter uh was assault, uh uttering threat, harassing communications, uh, criminal harassment, extortion, and assault with a weapon, and that's uh View Royal specific.

Uh so 12 assaults, 11 uttering threats, uh five harassing communications, two criminal harassment, uh, one extortion, and one assault with a weapon.

Uh for collisions in View Royal, uh, we had five in January, five in February, and two in March, and those were injury collisions, and then uh non-injury collisions.

We had 14 in January, nine in February, and seven in March.

Uh for traffic enforcement in View Royal.

Uh, there were 51 violation tickets written over the first three months, uh, 21 warnings uh and 25 patrols made for impaired driving.

Uh, there were two uh three-day alcohol roadside prohibitions.

Uh there were two 24-hour drug suspensions, and there were five 90-day roadside prohibitions for alcohol.

Uh, so really good work being done by the uh traffic unit.

Calls for service at Elements Casino, which is I believe a reporting metric that the council uh requested.

Um there were 14 calls for service in January there, uh nine in February and 12 in March.

Uh also for Victoria General Hospital, uh, there were 23 calls there in January, 22 in February and 22 in March.

Uh as far as youth and community engagement, I do have a bunch of slides which are kind of difficult to portray by just reading them to you, but I'll make sure you guys get a copy of this so that you have uh our youth and community engagements.

And that's everything I have for the quarterly report.

Information.

Yeah, yeah, I'll make sure you guys get a copy of this.

I apologize. Uh I do think that we might have only sent that today, in which case that's our fault as we usually try and get that in much earlier.

But we'll make sure that you guys get a copy of the full report.

Sure.

Thanks. Uh a couple questions.

The uh with the mental health calls, are you our ongoing issue has been that constables are spending a lot of time at the hospital waiting for the hospital staff to come and collect the patients.

Uh is this still happening or it's yeah, uh still an issue.

Um we're working uh with the health authority on coming up with like a service standard so they would try and get us uh admitted within a certain period of time.

We're looking at uh well still under negotiation, but we're looking at having a set figure for how much time um they would aim to get us in by and admitted to the hospital by.

So that would make a big difference.

Uh another big difference that we're hoping to see results from in the near future is that we just switched to a program called Health IM.

Uh so that's an application on the officer's phone where they can enter data when they've apprehended someone under the Mental Health Act.

And that data gets transmitted to the hospital instantly so that they already have it while we're driving there and en route and by the time we arrive.

Uh so we just implemented that a month ago and we're hoping to see results of our wait times going down by using uh that application and kind of leveraging the data and having the nurses at the hospital have access to that before we even arrive while we're transporting the patient.

Okay, good. And and I guess so they aren't doing it while they're actually driving.

Yes, no. They are doing that while stationary. Sorry.

Yeah, my last question is uh is there a particular areas of the town that are more problematic in terms of where crime occurs more often?

Uh I guess a short answer to that is yes.

Um I didn't bring that data with me, but if it's something you guys are interested in seeing, like a heat map as to kind of where um more calls are being generated, we can definitely look at generating that product for you guys.

Maybe our former RCMP person can actually uh maybe we come up with some town town bylaws or something to accept.

Yeah.

There you go.

All right, thank you very much. Yeah, yeah. And welcome to uh I think this is your first meeting, is it?

Yes, yes. That's my first meeting. So thank you.

From Terrace to here, welcome to what's probably the most complex RCMP position in the province or anywhere.

So we're happy to see you here.

Um you mentioned extortion, and I I heard that there was just one, but I I was wondering if whenever I turn on CBC News or any news, um, extortion, gang-related stor extortion is the big story in Surrey.

Is this a gang-related situation?

Uh this file I actually know is not a gang one. It was an online extortion. Um, so that one in particular wasn't.

Okay. Yeah. But you say that was some um qualification. Is gang-related extortion a thing in West Shore?

Uh I believe so.

I don't think at the rate uh that we see elsewhere in the province.

But I mean, yeah, it it really is everywhere.

So yeah, definitely something we want to keep tabs on and make sure does not become it's not become a problem here, I guess we'd say.

Yeah.

Okay. Thank you.

Yeah, for sure.

Anyone else? No.

So um when you send the uh the you know the report to us, could you give us a reminder um when uh what the deadline is for um us to give you some input on on priorities for 27, 26, 27.

Yeah absolutely.

Yeah that that would be helpful and and I think the the biggest takeaway for me is the um hearing about the the new uh app that uh officers have on their phone as they're driving uh you know clients to the um uh Victoria General Hospital yeah it's uh very proactive yeah I'm yeah look forward to hearing the outcomes of how successful that is yeah yeah I'm very excited to so I'll keep you guys posted.

Right.

Well hearing none uh thank you very much for coming to make the presentation and and again welcome.

Yeah thank you very much yeah yeah we may have to get you to escort someone from the building okay thank you so um we do have um um reports uh there's a staff report on the village initiative um now this is um where staff have had the report and the motion to receive and and I think it's also germane to one of uh counselor brown's uh motions so I'm wondering um if anyone doesn't have any uh questions right now and certainly Merit Tobias uh hopefully we'll be back next meeting so uh I wonder if we could just receive and then bring it forward to um to council that's a motion to receive okay yes second for discussion uh unless of course people have questions did okay just wondering if um anyone it or lost it if anyone is present here in in chambers to looking for a response or anybody no okay good yes second second okay counselor brown for once to put the cart behind the horse but anyway um i yes uh my preference would be to deal with it now because I didn't realize there was other options there rather than dealing with it as a notice of motion because then we're just come just coming back again.

Exactly so um okay I would prefer to deal with it now.

I I know where you're coming from because there is a duplication there obviously but um my notice of motion I'm gonna split them in two anyway.

So if we deal with it now we don't have to deal with the the one motion when it comes to notices of you you're driving a hard bargain.

Let's uh ask the uh mover.

I thought it was to allow uh to wait for Sid to come back for the discussion. I thought that's what I heard.

Well i we do have it on the agenda and um and I and again I'm open to um uh uh the committee's uh direction, but um I since it is formally on, um you know I think I'm I'm happy to hear it.

Can I speak to it now.

Okay. So you're withdrawing a motion for to just receive.

Okay. All right.

So staff, could you take us through the uh the the report, please?

Thank you, Chair.

Not much to add.

Uh the recommendation uh to receive uh is is there, however, you know, considering timing actually uh if if committee were to direct staff toward option two or three, that would be beneficial just in terms of timing to create a financial plan bylaw to come back to council next Tuesday, and this would be incorporated within it.

Um there's discussion in the report about uh aligning it similarly to uh the crossing guard funding that we uh are currently funding through casino.

Um an alternative option would be uh accumulated surplus.

That would be an appropriate funding source as well.

Uh so back to the chair for discussion on that.

Yeah, thank you. Um Councilman, would you like to lead the discussion on this, please?

Yeah, I'll vote against tabling.

Um I would like to make a motion we um adopt option three on our schedule there.

Um and then I'll uh motivate if someone seconds my motion.

Are we we're still have a motion on the floor?

And so yours yours is the a new motion now.

So your your motion is to um uh go for option three.

That's correct.

Um is there a seconder.

Well it happens.

Yeah, yes.

I have a question, so perhaps you could answer it. Colleague.

Let's hold it. Let's have the discussion. Let's have the discussion.

And you know, at this moment we don't have a secondary, but I I think uh question that I I noticed that.

Thank you, thank you.

Um Michosen is has not approved funding.

Highlands is pending, but in the event Highlands did not fund, would they be able to s still be able to hire a coordinator.

Uh I know mach machosen's pending.

Uh and yeah, pen yeah, they're both pending positive.

I mean, um I'm only basing that on my discussions with different counselors.

So it's not guaranteed, and of course, Highlands is is teeny tiny, so I can't remember how much they would be looking at to contribute uh machosen somewhat more, but um certainly called supportive, Lankford's supportive, uh souk approved it recently.

I can't remember if it's listed there.

Um and uh yeah, I think I've already expressed my support for this.

I think it's important that we participate in that way, um, because it's a combined effort for the West Shore and SUK.

Some people include souk as well, sure, some don't.

Um, it's dealing mainly with uh mental health.

Biggest part of this mental health, and to have a coordinator to tie everything together, to apply for grants, make sure you have a good staff, uh, maintain the staff you have, um, get the right supports for the people that need the support.

Um, I know using the term coordinator sometimes turns people off, but that you got a lot of different groups doing different things, and sometimes there's duplication, and uh we we don't do a lot directly for the youth in in in Port Short overall, but certainly for the youth in uh in View Royal, and uh that's one of my uh um uh functions is dealing with the youth.

That's one of the functions I was given by the uh mayor.

So um I've certainly strong support of it.

I think we should throw our money towards it.

Uh I know it's expensive, I know we're dealing with budgets, however, I would feel um kind of like a cheapskate if we're not throwing our portion in.

So that's why I would support option three.

Uh thank you. Now I'm gonna take some liberties here.

Um, if if I may, even though it's not a second, I think it's an important enough matter to to go around and and have some discussion about it and and thoughts.

So um uh council McKenzie, do you have I show your hand up?

Would you have some discussion?

Give me a second?

Okay, thank you.

Yes, thank you.

So I really appreciate the work of the village initiative.

I think my concern with this is the actual position itself being more of an administrative uh position.

And I would prefer our limited money go towards more frontline uh services where we're really painting towards like impacting uh members of View Royal.

So for that reason, I right now I'm kind of leaning towards not supporting it, um, just because of there's so many grant and aid very valuable programs that are being proposed here, which I think are very impactful on our community compared to this one.

So thank you.

Uh secretor, would you like to speak to it?

I'm on the fence.

I really am. Um yeah, I think I I think it's valuable, but it but yeah, it's Grant and Aid night, and there are so many initiatives that are similar.

Uh on the other hand, I don't want to be the only ones opting out.

I you know, my inclination would be to support it but for less.

Um, you know, and I I'm I and I'm uncomfortable with it coming from casino.

Because they're casino.

Oh, I'm I'm rambling.

Go to someone else.

So I I had I had nothing worthwhile to say there.

I'm sure Councilman Matchin has something to say.

Yeah, again, great program, but some of these things are moving further and further away from what we're supposed to be doing as council.

And it's also three years, so I don't want to be saddling the next council with a 11,000 each year either or an amount each year.

I just um feel that it's we're sort of getting away from what View Royal should be doing.

And again, funding three years, there's lots of and there's no there's no end.

We could we could spend half of our budget just on the various charities and and the good works that are being done.

And uh this work could be better off done by Island Health or the Ministry of Health, because it's more of their responsibility than the town's responsibility.

So I'm not gonna be supporting this motion.

Thank you, your mike.

Thanks. Um my thoughts.

Um indeed, uh the the motion is to uh support for three years, and um indeed uh sounds looks like four years at any rate.

It's um it is something that is overlapping another council's uh position.

We're gonna be locking them in um with with uh either motion two or three.

Um the village initiative is a is a program and a certainly a worthwhile program, but they have one in the West Shore and one downtown.

And um by the looks of things, and I'm really pleased to see that um Langford and Colwood are are um funding this to the to the amounts that they are.

But um I do wonder if the downtown branch uh is more um let's say uh closer, um uh more of a resource for our our youth um uh to consider.

And that's that's so I would uh I would be inviting um village the village in efficient to um uh someone come from their downtown branch and at some point make a grant and aid application the point is the uh as well is that as already mentioned we have some really fine programs that are um asking for funding uh there's the boys and girls service club um and other programs that are um working to help youth um in a whole variety of ways that are I think closer to uh to the town's um um principals if you like um so at this stage no I would not be uh supporting uh commitment of eleven thousand per year um I think if there uh we'd wish to the downtown branch would wish to come and make a grant and aid application that um is uh something I would be willing to listen to as well.

So um Councillor Brown.

Yeah I don't disagree with Counselor Madsen at all.

It's certainly a case of the provincial government downloading once again onto municipalities.

Certainly it's a position that should be funded by Ireland Health or or VHA I mean it's just uh to me and really in some sense certainly from their presentation uh maybe not directly to us but there could be some savings because there won't be as much overlap.

Um also to uh coordinate all those little groups that are here there and everywhere um provide a better function um cut out the overlap maybe even the ability for a coordinator to get grants maybe grants from the province I mean maybe hell of resort too but anyway the uh uh to me it it it ties everything together uh ensures you get the staff that you need and retain and it's dealing with youth mental health mainly in the West Shore and I understand uh Councilor Rogers as well however if you're living in souk I know we don't have not SUK isn't part of us but it's a long ways to to downtown and let's face it the West Shore lacks a lot of services that uh downtown has Santa's has and other people have I know there's lots of good programs and uh to me to me it's money well spent and you you can tell from the support of the other our neighboring municipalities uh those supported uh wholeheartedly I know we're small um but again uh I'm one vote but anyways to me I was uh I fully support it well thank you very much for that and um I'll call the question uh we have movement second or uh all those in favor of motion uh option three against okay motions defeated okay second move by councilor matts and second by council McKenzie all those in favor of a seat thank you you're opposed to just receiving?

Yeah. Okay. One one opposed.

Thank you so uh members, if we can now move to the 2026 uh grant and aid uh staff, do you want to take us through this, please?

Thank you. So each year council may wish to grant up to 5% of the previous year's casino revenue to assist not-for-profit societies and other nonprofit and community organizations.

For 2026, that amount is uh $87,267.

Of the total budget, council may award up to 95% of that or 82,904 to those applications received by the deadline of March 1st, with the remainder being allocated throughout the remainder of the year.

The attachments to the report provide a summary of the applications and staff's assessment of each application against the policy.

Staff are looking for direction via recommendation as to which organizations to fund uh and a dollar amount.

And you'll note on Schedule A, the and as mentioned in the report, the total requested is $96,080.

So that's well above the the budget.

So back to you for discussion.

Thank you. So um members, shall we um go through the list and uh get a sense of it?

Um, you know, line by line and see how the chips fall.

So uh the first one is uh peninsula streams, and um they're asking for $10,000, one for the mill stream salmon habitat enhancement for $700 7500.

The others for an environmental education program for $2,500.

What's the wishes?

Councillor Maxon.

Yeah, I I'm concerned that this is sort of becoming an ongoing funding request.

And it's increasing.

So I certainly won't be supporting 10,000, but if we wanted to drop it in half or something, I could probably go for that.

Well that yeah, that certainly uh sounds like a second. Any further comments or questions? Councillor Lemon.

I am not in favor of the full amount, but I think half, given that there's two projects here, um, is too little.

So if this is defeated, I am going to I'll make a motion that we go for 7500.

Okay. Um, let's uh put the motion forward and um so all those in favor of council matts' motion five thousand.

Okay. So uh those against okay.

All right. So the motion passes, and um there we are.

Let's move on to the next, and this is Rail Max West Shore Community.

Reimagine, reimagined, sorry.

Okay, I'm happy to comment that one too.

Yes, Council Matson. Yeah.

When I first saw it, I figured what reimagining would be a hard time getting funding from me.

But um the program sounds pretty good to me.

And um all again, I have concerns that they're asking us again and again and again.

But uh yeah, I anyways, I can support it.

Second. Uh so councillor Matson moved, uh Council Lemon seconded.

Any further discussion uh for the full amount?

Okay, all those in favor against carried.

Council Mattson, would you like to try the third one?

Um when this first came to us, it was gonna be a one-time funding event.

And so what they've done is they've haven't gone to other municipalities or but it just seems like it's well they want this to become sort of a view royal initiative.

And uh I was happy to fund it the first time, but I'm not willing to support it at all this time.

Second time. Okay, so again, Council Matson moved uh no support uh for item number three, councilman has seconded any discussion.

Okay, seeing none, all those in favor against carry.

Oh we'll we'll shift that around.

If would someone like to uh talk to number four?

This is the Vancouver Island South Island film I move support I'll second okay we have uh council limit moving councilor madsen seconding for the full amount of three thousand dollars for the film association all those in favor against carry okay now um the Victoria Brain Injury Society um for 4500 peer support expansion to reach interview royal comments sure you know another great program but it's not specifically a view role initiative if we want to continue on giving 500 or a thousand dollars uh to show that we support them but forty five hundred I don't really see the benefit for us so somebody wants to come up with a number councilman I move a thousand dollars okay to brain injury okay councilman move a thousand council matching you seconding okay any discussion on that one okay hearing none um all those in favor of a thousand dollars for the brain injury uh carried uh staff are you keeping a tally of this for us thank you okay the uh victoria compost and conservation uh sure I'm happy to comment on this one and I can support it only because they have school programs.

And the yeah okay uh second second.

And let me speak to this one.

This is um uh I I I agree with um the move in the second or and what uh really impressed me was that there are um they have seven other municipalities uh that are funding into this program.

So it's uh it it does have um uh credibility for many years and that we've been funding it since 2025.

So uh call the question, all those in favor against carried, non opposed.

Okay, we're gonna come to the fun one.

Can we split this one into two? There's two programs, one for six and the other for 30.

Right. So there are the two programs um uh that are being um we've if you will community association apply for uh six thousand dollars and thirty thousand.

So council mansion, which one would you like to go first?

The first the six thousand one.

Um I'm happy to support.

I like the idea of an initiatives in View Royal promoting Bureau and there's no argument against that.

They're uh they do a lot of great things for the town.

So we have a mover and a senator, all those in favor against carried 30,000.

Who would like to discuss that one?

Chair, if I may, yes.

Um I'm not sure that all of this would fall under Grant Sydney Eat typically, but because of the location, I'm gonna recuse myself.

Oh no. All right. Just quiet.

Okay, council Lemon's uh recused herself.

So folks, we um we have to discuss it.

And I wonder um given this the amount and so forth, I wonder if uh any you would like to have uh the presenter come back and give us more details.

Yeah, I mean, for me uh one of the things the presenter said was that we want density.

Like I don't know if the town wants density there at all.

And so I would like before I provide funding into something, I want an indication.

I I would need an indication of what they're thinking of.

Yeah. Like, you know, for example, they decided they wanted a six-story building and they were gonna have two stories of community association.

Yeah, I probably wouldn't support that at all.

So I I need I need more information on what what it is before I'm willing to spend 30,000 taxpayers money on anything.

Well, let me take the liberty and and uh call our presenter back to the mic, please. Welcome back.

So council matching would like uh yeah, so we uh we're at this is very like pre um phase of us looking at what we want to do with our with our space.

Um, you know, we um uh it's along a bus route and so we felt like, you know, do we want to just try to, you know, invest in the current hall that's there?

Will it, you know, does it have good enough bones that we can do that?

Um, you know, we ended up connecting with habitat around, you know, affordable housing and and building a bit of a bigger, a bigger building.

Um, what we would like it to look like um kind of um at this point is um we would like it to be a bit of a gathering space for for community.

Um I'm not sure if it would be a four, four stories or six stories.

Um one of the reasons that we came to the town to ask for this uh money, and we understand it's a large amount of money, um, is to help us if we decide to go this route of trying to have us as a community association partner with another nonprofit, which trying to do that kind of stuff is already a little bit complicated.

Um, and we as an association don't have the money to build a big building.

Um, but if we have the town to say, hey, we're gonna put uh a substantial amount of money um to you guys in the pre-development kind of phase, I think that would really help us if we were to build something bigger than just what our little community center can do.

Um, that when we would go to get funding from the city or sorry, from the province or um uh from other funding sources, we could be like, look, this the town is interested in us developing this in a different way.

Um any other questions?

Pretty um I I wonder staff um, I kind of need some help here.

So this is a um asking for town money to investigate a development proposal.

Well, it it it pardon me.

Yeah.

Yeah, we don't either.

Pardon, yeah.

That's that's where we're at.

And so trying to find uh at um being at this at this phase of the game, as a us as a small nonprofit, we can't we don't have the money to um do this kind of investment.

And this is a challenging um uh at this point in where we are at um to to fund those kinds of uh developers to come and help us.

But the idea is that we want to have nonprofit or low like lower income housing um connected to a community center, and what what would that look like?

Um oh sorry, I don't have a question, I have more of a comment.

Okay. Um so I I'm not sure that this necessarily falls under the Grant and Aid kind of purpose.

You know, so we have mostly for events and things like that, but and ongoing operations, and whereas this money, it sounds like it wouldn't go directly to uh something that impacts our community immediately.

It sounds like it's investing in research to pursue something, and so ultimately there might not be an output or outcome for residents.

So for that reason, I'm like, I don't know if it really fits our purpose for this.

So it yes, it certainly is a stretch.

And and um I know that um gosh, for the many, many years um uh with uh being in V World since 1960, even my father was president of the uh uh rate pay association back then.

And um over the years there have been this constant uh uh consideration, reconsideration, purpose function philosophy.

And um it it it certainly is um an interesting turning point considering the age of the building and and um and uh I certainly admire your um determination to be a a contributing member and and you are very valued in the in the community what's interesting is that um um in with the official community plan and with other properties that are um as i said being discussed the uh Henry Louis is no secret Henry Louis interested in selling his uh properties the motel and and um the thrift store and other properties there and one of the things that um uh speaking to the developer there is is you know could there be an opportunity to bring in um community amenities you know such as um as uh a community hall a community meeting place but I know you're you're restricted in many senses with the the very founding document of um of the community hall and uh obligations of how you should if you were to you know sell the property how could you um uh deal with the monies that you received you have to give it to another nonprofit organization so it's um I think the there's and I'm curious has the Victoria Foundation um been involved or helping out in this no not at all no we got some money from the Vancouver foundation um uh through Habitat for humanity and uh and thought that like again I I totally hear what you guys say for sure um and we we thought as a board you know it would be it would be helpful if this project was to move in this direction or in a a certain or in a similar direction um for us for us to be able to say look the town you know cares about um us trying to do something as a community association a community hall and connecting it to um affordable housing um but it i i understand completely where you guys are coming from um just to be clear we have we have no uh interest in selling our land or stopping running a community association um we were just curious about is there is there an opportunity to do something bigger and harder um and that's kind of it this is the audacious pie in the sky uh this isn't the only investigation we're gonna be doing um but this is the most expensive one that we can't really foot the bill ourselves yeah from you know sitting up here if if you came to us with a rendering and a vision even a broad vision it would be easier but right now it's it's it's just too amorphous I have no idea yeah where you're going and and you know and whether or not what what what when you're talking about nonprofit housing what do you what are you referring to uh like there's a yeah I I just need a I would just need a vision and uh something that you know what what you're trying to approve because again $30,000 out of our grants and age is you know a huge bunch and you've seen the way we've already been whittling them down um but more than happy to have approved the first one.

Can we say that again more than happy to approve any other comments or thoughts?

No. All right so um we we do have a um an application for 30 000.

Um is any prepared to move that.

Sorry, move your seat.

Is there a second here? Okay. Uh Councilman speaking to the rationale.

I I think we've already spoken. I've already said enough.

So Council McKenzie?

You know, we like um we like where you're going.

We just have I um going through the grants and aid is probably not the best way to do it.

And um hopefully there's some other initiatives, but um uh please keep us uh appraised on on what direction you're going because I think it's it definitely uh um innovative and uh we'd like to see how that uh transpires.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, members.

So um we're moving on down to number eight, uh the role elementary.

Oh, she's coming in. I'm happy to support the PAC.

Okay. Um Councilor Matson, you're prepared to uh support the PAC application for 2930 uh is yeah councillor Mattson moved.

Um council McKenzie, you've seconded uh this is uh for the uh VO elementary school pack 2900 293 30.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor?

Against carried.

Now boys and girls club.

I move five thousand dollars.

Okay. Second, yeah.

Sorry, moving secretary, councillor matts and counts sorry, uh council lemon moved, uh councillor Brown seconded.

Um any further comments.

So I know that um uh Langford has uh contributed six thousand so and um so there we are hearing no further discussions.

Um we have a move a motion on the floor.

All those in favor against carry.

Capital bike, three thousand.

I'll move a thousand okay second second okay move and a second or uh councilor Matson moved to a thousand dollars, counselor uh lemon seconded.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none, all in favor against carry.

Now re-wired recovery foundation uh requesting 10,000.

Um I'm going to move five thousand.

Um I understand this is regional, but we do have new roads here, and perhaps it there's a connection.

Oh. Hmm. Interesting.

Okay, thank you for that.

So uh council McKenzie, sorry, Council Lemon is uh moving five thousand for our way riot.

And the I will second for discussion.

Uh Council McLeman, can you uh speak to uh to this and why you it's a regional issue and I'm hoping and assuming that other municipalities will chip in.

Um and I there was no indication it was going to be held in View Royal either, but I think that it is a you know it's it belongs to us all and we have already um um made our support clear through supporting you roads.

Yes, and uh I know that uh Langford is um is contributing 15,000 and um destination grade of Victoria had uh I'm not sure if it's this year or the pre year previous had uh also donated um um or com contributed to the program.

How do I know that?

Just in the details okay, so um question, yes.

Oh uh question.

It looks like it's taking place at Starlight Stadium.

Um so maybe that's also why Langford contributed that much.

Probably so my comment, yeah.

I just think five thousand is even is too much for what what it is.

And if it was about half that amount, I'd be happy to support that.

Okay, if you hadn't, then I'll move 2500.

Okay.

I'll second that.

Okay.

So we have uh councillor, you know Council Matson moving 2500, seconded by Council Matson Mackenzie.

Any further discussion on that?

Council Matson.

Oh you you're okay.

Oh, there's okay.

Oh, there's a favorite?

Can't scared. Thank you.

Okay, now we have the View Royal Arts Foundation for 5,000.

Uh move full support. I have reasons.

So um uh Council Matson has seconded your motion. Uh Council Lemon motivate.

Um this is a new and perhaps V Royals only uh arts organization.

It's a new foundation, and they're planning um this just for oh boy, they're planning lots of things, but Pure Royal's got talent has been it's run two years now, and it's a fantastic success and so much fun.

Um they're going it it it sells out and and early um every year, and so they're seeking a bigger, more costly um venue this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if they feel it.

It's a really great event and it showcases the talent here.

Yeah.

The figure venue.

I mean, we have uh four or five uh things where we can use the uh Scottish Hall.

I'm just wondering if if part of our donation could be one of our rentals to the hall.

Or one of our access to the hall so they don't have to pay rent.

Sure, but let's just give them the five anyway.

Well I want I wanted to give them less because we're giving them the hall.

So uh since Council McCracken.

But yes, uh Councillor Mattson seconded for discussion.

So allow me um uh to interject.

Uh Councillor Emmanuel, I totally agree.

The um um the time we had it a few years ago, um that was at Eagle Creek uh shopping center, hugely successful.

Um the the public got a um um uh a real bang out of it and I I think it's a really a great way of supporting the arts and also having a a uh homegrown um fuel oil activity.

So um I would uh certainly support the 5,000.

Councillor McKenzie.

Sorry, I'm just not clear what the five thousand would go towards if I I do uh oh Ellen has a question.

Yeah, okay. Um no, I I prefer Councillor Mattson's idea about potentially giving the space and then reducing the amount that that we give.

I think I'll let staff speak.

I'm sorry. Um so I just want to clarify that regarding our agreement with the uh you for the use of the Vic uh Cultural Center, the Scottish Cultural Center, that agreement isn't transferable to a third party.

It's just for use within uh you know town use for their events.

So okay, so we have it for Canada Day and other other meetings that we would hold with the public, but not transferable.

So um innovative, but um that's not going anywhere.

So we have um 5,000 on the floor.

I'm gonna call a question.

All those in favor.

Don, do you have an opinion?

Yep. Okay. All those in favor.

Okay, carried. And now the Bureau Climate Coalition.

I'll move that about uh move by uh Councilor Mattson.

Is there a second or second sold?

All right, so we have a second or council Lemon, thank you.

Any further discussions at all?

All those in favor?

Again, it's carried.

Okay. Um staff, what total did we come to?

Thank you, Chair.

Uh Councilor Matson's correct.

We are at 35,080.

And so I can do some quick math in terms of what's left, but might take me a couple seconds.

Yeah, so I'll leave it for now.

Thank you for your patience. So we are at fifty-two thousand one eighty-seven for the balance of the year.

Okay. Um members, do you I don't know, we've we've um we've gone through this, we've certainly been um uh very judicious.

Is there um the interest to increasing any of the amounts?

Uh councilman, I see your hand out.

I just had a question for staff, whether there is anything that uh of this amount that we need to set aside for other potential things that will pop up.

I'm thinking um the uh the event that Songhees Nation organizes and normally asks us to contribute towards.

And also, I think it's already been taken out, but the MOU for the crossing cards.

I mean we we aren't in the sort of just giving away money for no particular good reason.

We got our reasons for what we did.

I and I'm I'm happy with them.

And later on, if somebody comes back with uh a proposal that even the rate the rate bears, they come back with another proposal that actually we can support for a smaller amount on something.

I'd much rather save the money for something that comes later on.

I see what you're saying.

And certainly um in previous years we had um been um contributing to the song he's uh event um every September through Grant Aid.

And so, in a sense, it's still money that we're we're supporting and even indirectly through a casino or whatever.

So um it gives us some uh move movement um and any other um great grant applications that uh come into the town.

Are we uh finished with this um agenda item?

Okay, great. Thank you, staff, for putting this together and and uh providing us the material and the uh the ongoing counting.

So we're on to now the uh agenda item C, which is the draft financial plan.

If you could take us through that, Steph.

Thank you. Uh beginning in November 2025, council's been provided with information relating to the 2026 to 2030 financial plan.

And over three meetings since February of this year, council and staff have discussed operating budgets, uh, the related tax revenue drivers and special projects where resolutions were passed providing staff direction.

On February the uh 10th of this year.

The first draft of the plan was presented, forecasting an increase of 9.11%.

After refining the numbers with updated assessments and new information, staff have arrived at a budgeted tax revenue increase of 8.15%.

The impact of the average taxpayer within the residential class is 193 on a property valued at approximately 1,085,000.

Attached to the report are the financial plan schedules representing the 8.15% increase, as well as results from a survey that was opened from March 19th to the 31st.

Council does have discretion over the tax increase as indicated in the report.

And should committee uh wish to make further recommendations toward lowering the tax increase, staff have identified a few more options.

Um any recommendations from committee would then be incorporated in the 2026 financial plan and property tax rate bylaws scheduled to go to council on April 21st for first three readings.

Happy to take any questions.

Yes, I I see um uh staff you provided the um uh I'm not sure what page I'm on.

Page two, I see.

Page two, we see that um the uh resulting revenue would be 8.15% or 193 per uh representative class A property.

And uh staff have also given us options to uh if we wish it to reduce the um 2026 tax increase on page, the top of page three.

Councilor Matchin.

So just to confirm with staff, most of the options for reducing the tax increase is just delaying it for another year, and we'd have to just put it on next year.

Correct. Or sorry, D.

It's essentially deferring the tax impact.

A and B the reality of those is that our actual expenditures will come in under the current budget because of the prorated um duration of those positions.

But the but next year it'll be funded fully.

So there will be that slight increase in the numbers.

And sure. And my other question is what's our projected tax increase next year?

Currently projected at five percent.

Sorry, how much?

Five percent.

Five percent. Okay.

So I guess just in terms of this, I'm I'm happy to support staff's recommendation to proceed along the lines that he's just spoken about.

But I really think we're gonna have to start looking at ways of, I mean, we did a good job of cutting costs on uh the boulevard maintenance, but we're gonna have to start looking for other things because with what the province did in terms of not allowing or making it so unpalatable to defer taxes, more and more residents who had been deferring taxes are gonna have to just start paying them.

And as as I know, I talked to one of my council colleagues for for some retirees, that's like one or two uh months of their pension just to pay the property taxes.

So I think in the future we're gonna have to be uh fine-tune things a little more.

And my last comment about this so there were a number of things here that uh we had no choice in um and then and couldn't reduce because you know either uh programs that the province brought on that we had to pay for, or uh increases for the RCMP and increases for the fire fire hall, and we just didn't have a say in those, had no option to not fund them.

So uh I'm again anyways, sorry.

I'll move staff recommendation.

Um just to be clear then, um, are you moving the staff recommendation um that itemizes the um on the top of page three, all those possibilities, the opportunities to reduce the income tax.

Is that what you're saying?

Or are you moving 8.15?

Sorry, I'm just moving staff recommendation.

Uh prepare the 2026 or 26 to 30 financial bylaw and based on attachment A of the report.

Staff, are you seeking guidance from council as to what percentage we should be setting?

Yes, the the ask would be to have a recommendation and and some guidance um toward a final tax increase.

Uh, we're starting at the 8.15.

And then if if any of these items were to be incorporated into the financial plan, uh the resulting uh increase would be sorry.

So my understanding, I or at least I understood that the recommendation was staff was recommending 8.15 uh percent, and these are some options they were giving us.

So I support the 8.15% increase.

And not entertaining these other options because we'll just have to pay them next year.

I say so. Okay, thank you, Mass.

Councillor Matchon.

So let's go to um and we've had the discussion started by Councillor Match and Councillor Brown.

Council Brown.

Personally, because of the year, I would prefer, and I would have made the motion to adopt all five suggested redo reductions for the taxation year of 2026.

Um we don't know what's gonna happen in 2027 moving onward.

I know we're passing stuff on to future councils, which may or may not be us.

However, I think it's if we adopt all five, we will have the distinction of having the lowest tax increase of every municipality in the CRD.

Um future years, okay.

Well, it is what it is.

Um are straightforward, like the prorated wages and that, but um, you know, to repay the uh the extra money we have uh to subsequent year.

Well, I'm sorry, we're in 2026.

Um, I would like to see adopt all five suggestions.

That would reduce it down to somewhere between five and six percent.

So uh council Matson, if you want to see low taxes, I suggest that you include that in your motion.

No, I the only thing I would ask about staff to say is what would our tax increase be next year?

From five, would it go back up to eight?

Okay, staff a good question.

Um just uh let me um ask an uh in between question.

So in the um uh top of page three, when you were uh itemizing the uh possibilities or opportunities to reduce, uh if we were to take all the um percent from A to E, uh is that a reduction of 3.55%?

That is what uh my my math results in.

Okay. So um uh then if and and Council Matson's then asking the question if we're um going to employ A through E, uh, which and how much do we think that the projected in tax increase of next year of five percent would go up?

I guess it's any one of these, eh?

Yes.

Thank you. Um so uh incorporated in A to E is the uh redirection uh of that non market change from 2025, which is what the 142,500.

And so that would permanently reside as operational funding.

That would not make up any sort of uh deferred increase in 2027.

So if we're we remove that from the 3.55, we land on 2.45.

That 2.45 theoretically would be added then to the forecast of five.

So we'd be looking at about a 7.45.

Okay, so let me just buy and I'm just folks.

I have to just check with this.

So at this moment we're 8.15.

And um if we were to reduce by 2.5, then we would see that that 2.5 would probably come back to us and and then subsequent year 2027.

Okay. Uh Councillor McKenzie.

Um some of the things on here, like the A and B makes a sense to me, I think to um reduce it.

This year, there was so many new things, like the, you know, going into police station, things like that, that um I actually think going forward, hopefully the percentage will be lower in future years.

I think if we can kind of balance it out, um eight is still above eight is actually still a very high percentage increase this year.

So if there's anything that we can do to kind of even it out, and it sounds like it would even it out with next year if we um kind of deferred some of these these payments to next year.

So uh yeah, maybe not all five, but I am definitely uh hoping that we could reduce it some more, especially seeing other municipalities.

I believe Cullwood had a very low increase this year.

So see if we can do the same.

So of the um the five um items there, you're you're interested in A and B.

Any other the options?

Five options. I think A sorry, A through C.

I feel she's comfortable with that.

Okay. So that's 1.25% reduction. Right. Councilor Lemon.

Um yeah, question to staff.

Um in uh on this table of five, number C, uh the rep they suggested that we use police operating reserve for the first quarter.

Um I and in asking this, I haven't looked, but you would you would probably know.

Uh how punishing would that be for our reserves.

We have sufficient reserves uh to cover the 9650, if that's your question.

Uh but would yeah, I assume that, but would it deplete them? Would we have yes? Go ahead, Scott.

I'll I'll just chime in here, Councilor Lemon.

Uh the last year we paid for nine months of the E-Comm bill that was downloaded from the province.

This year we have to pay all 12 months.

So the the 25% is really to pay for the extra three months to take us through the full year.

Um the police operating reserve we've been building up for the eventuality that we hit 15,000 people.

And that's not gonna happen for quite some time.

Okay. Uh population statistics have been downgraded for various reasons.

And so we're possibly we're building up a police operating reserve that's a bit more ambitious than what we actually need in the near future.

As well, you know, Colwood, the reason they have a low tax increase is they were not funding the requested number of officers.

They were asked to provide three, they provided 0.4.

Inspector Gillespie might have touched on it, but we're providing uh the requested strength of officers.

But the RCP is having a hard time filling those positions.

So every year they don't fill the positions.

The extra surplus we have goes into that uh police operating reserve.

So it's quite a healthy reserve.

And uh I I fully support um council accessing that funding.

Uh a large, I believe almost 7%, 6.75% of our budget increase is related to protective services.

So uh increase in RCMP positions per officer.

We added four full-time uh fire department members, and then we've got the the three extra months of E-Comm to pay for this year.

So I I I support that move um for what that's worth.

It's worth a lot. Thank you very much. Okay, I'm cup I'm comfortable then with eight A through C.

And uh if I understand um if we were to take um A through D off of 8.5, we would probably be about 6.25%ell Steven's calculating, um, I'll just to weigh in that that those two options are really I consider those kicking the can down the road.

Um one of them is robbing from our infrastructure reserves, which we have a policy on, and we've uh we've done a pretty good job at uh putting money aside for for future infrastructure projects.

And the other uh borrowing from accumulated surplus is not considered a best practice, um, even if you have a healthy surplus at the end of the year, um, because we end up having to fund that in future years.

So it's not a great starting point um uh or uh gift, if you will, to kick that can down the road to a future council say, you know, first item of business is how are you gonna make up for borrowing from the accumulated surplus year to year?

We we try to save that for emergencies if we can.

So and and what I'm hearing then, uh however the the uh the recommendations A through E are are staff supported.

Uh I will speak for myself. I would uh I would support A through C.

Um Yeah.

Yeah, A to C or A to D would be my second choices.

And I feel more comfortable passing stuff on, knowing uh in fact I would bet money on it that we're not gonna hit 15,000 because we hit 15,000 or 90% of the policing cost opposed to 70 percent.

So I don't feel too bad.

If if we knew from the census we're gonna be at 15,000, I'd be thinking a lot differently.

But I'm happy with either A to C or A to D.

Okay. Thank you for that.

Are we are we ready for motion?

A to uh counselor Lemon, would you like to make a motion?

Yeah, um that we approve a um taxation increase of what is it?

What is it, Steve?

Eight point one five minus twelve, point twenty-three, point seventy-five.

A A to C is C is two point two.

Okay, so two point two.

So we would be at five point.

Sorry, one moment.

My apologies, I added D in there as well.

So it's actually one point one.

A to C is one point one.

So one point one point one, so that is seven point oh five. Oh five percent? Okay, all right. That's my motion.

Sorry, any other comments.

So uh counselor Lemon, you moved uh seven point uh 7.05.

Councilor Brown, you're second to that.

Any discussion?

Do we want to round it to seven?

No. Okay. So fair enough.

We have the motion on the floor.

All those in favor.

And staff did say that 6.8% of that 7% was because of police and fire.

Uh I said 6.75, um 4.01% due to the hiring of the four uh career firefighters.

1.89 related to uh just per officer uh cost, not not adding new officers, but just related to the 14.35 officers we provide.

And then the extra quarter of E-Comm uh works out to 0.85 percent.

Okay, so certainly all of our protective services are are driving the tax increases.

I mean I just wanted that repeated over again for the people in the audience.

Would you like me to repeat myself?

Okay, uh members, if we move to uh agenda item D, which is the 2026 tax multiples and rates, and staff love for you to help us with this one.

Thank you, Chair.

Before you is a report recommending a uniform tax increase across all classes to align with the town's financial planning objectives of maintaining consistent tax burden for all property classes.

This is widely accepted best practice among municipalities.

Alternatively, staff have provided two options to adjust the business class ratio relative to the residential class.

These alternative options are not recommended since, in order to uh avoid making arbitrary decisions, uh shifting multiples up and down should be informed by analysis and discussion around the respective classes use of municipal services, which is a fairly large undertaking.

Back to you for discussion.

I move staff recommendation to keep the general municipal tax rates uniform.

Okay. Uh Council Matt for speaking to it.

Yeah, as staff pointed out, we spent a long time last year discussing this, and we came up with uh rates for each each category, and so I don't want to go back through that again.

I was happy with it and I want to keep it the same.

Council Brown.

Yeah, I like the idea of the uniformity for sure.

Question just after um, if I may, um going to appendix A, and I really appreciated you um laying out the uh the different municipalities and comparing those and as well as the CRD, I think somewhere.

Um on the the business class um how competitive are we with um uh the proposed uh um increase or rate i know but you know come the competition with um other like um west shore municipalities um have we kind of broken that down and i i we always think of it with um with residential but on a commercial level are we in the middle of the pack in terms of uh so those are the multiples you're looking at there on appendix a and so that's that is that's part of the part of the equation right we've got we've got tax rates we've got assessment values so it's it's a little bit difficult to comment on that in isolation of multiples um there there's there is quite the range uh i do know uh anecdotally view royals have been in the in the four range to 4.3 range um recently um and i from from my colleagues in the crd my understanding is there's there's a feeling of wanting to keep things fairly consistent throughout as well if that provides any further context.

Okay. Thank you.

Okay, folks. We have um a motion on the floor.

I'll call the question.

All those in favor.

And it's carried.

Staff, would you like to um take us through the uh departmental update?

Or unless unless uh you just want to hand it over to members of the committee to make comment?

I'm happy to do my little introduction.

Uh please do. Before you this evening is the departmental overview for the last month.

Um staff are here to answer questions and anything that might uh occur to you late at night.

Uh feel free to email us with any questions.

I just imagine.

Yeah, sorry, I haven't been down Atkins and I just wonder how how's that going? The uh sidewalks, etc.

Working on the uh right hand side up to Langford already.

They put uh really good uh drainage in there because there's been some open uh water coming down from the side of the mountain there, and it's uh they've even put curves in some of the driveways there, but they've done an excellent job laying pipe uh uh up.

They've already paved the portion uh the the lower portion right up to my place at 199.

And of course you've got to put the crosswalk in there to go up the right hand side, but they're already making really good progress on the right hand side already.

It's really nice.

In fact, I walked it yesterday.

I left my footprints in it, I think.

Maybe thank you. And staff, any updates on it?

Chair, I believe Councillor Brown has said it perfectly. No, it's uh I couldn't pay you to say anything more.

Do we have a an estimated completion date?

Uh Chair, I don't have one at the top of my head, but uh I would say probably late spring.

Yeah, that's great. Uh any other comments?

Uh to the engineering department or parks department, the uh Stuart Road road end decking is noticed and appreciated.

So thank you. But also to the engineering department, absolute mayhem on the roads today.

Even even on even on B Royal Avenue, people were getting stuck on on B Royal Avenue by Town Hall for five to ten minutes, as you know, people were trying to wrap run, rat run through.

Um and it and I think it seemed unexpected um all around.

So this ends on Friday, does it, Ivan?

Yeah, Chair, it was expected and unexpected in the sense that we issued a traffic advisory.

Um the development had to install a utility vault.

And if it was done and delivered on time, then it would have been done with minimal disruption.

However, yesterday we understood that it got delivered.

This big concrete vault got delivered late, and so the work ended late, which means that it went into the PM peak.

So that was beyond the town's control, except for the fact that we've kind of read them the riot act about that.

My understanding is that today was the last day for single lane alternating traffic, and that tomorrow would be back to double lane.

There would be still some works, but less lane closures.

Uh, however, staff are monitoring that quite um quite carefully, knowing that the last two days has been um quite impactful.

Thank you. Any other comments?

Yeah, okay, uh staff.

If I may, um always great that um you the CAO and the director of um uh development services are working with um destination rate of Victoria on the hotel uh aspect.

So yeah, really great to see that.

Um can you tell us a little bit more about the website refresh project and and uh when we're gonna be able to see that launch.

Um unfortunately at this moment we do not have a date forecast for this.

Um we're hoping that in the next few months, but uh we haven't been provided a date yet.

Okay, great, thank you. And and yes, Steph.

Uh just wanted to add on that our communication staff will be working with me to develop the West Shore RCMP project website.

So um now that I'm uh no longer the SMT member for the project, uh we will be focusing View Royal's efforts on on communicating about the project.

So uh communication staff are keeping very busy, and uh first we have them working on the OCP, uh then they'll be on the RCMP project website, and then we'll work on our our own website.

Probably uh Q3 and Q4 of this this year.

Yeah, it's nice to see the uh the communication happening there and and look forward to that.

Um it sounds like it's uh better communication than what you had with BC Hydro when you put in the gates from North Reef Oil.

That's uh that i hope we can get that uh communication improved as well the um uh staff i'm gonna go back to the um uh burnside road uh sidewalk that seems never to be completed do we have a census with the arise um complex burn uh helmic and burnside sidewalk there do we have any sense when they'll get that be able to get that sidewalk done uh chair not at the top of my head uh but i do know staff are there just to make sure safety is kept paramount yeah pretty amazing okay so um anyone wish to move a seat council manson sick councillor brown all those in favor against carry okay we'll go through um the portfolio reports um mayor toias is not here today he's not well so uh we wish him maybe give a report at the council meeting just kidding uh counselor brown protective services yeah thank you chair uh it's too bad mayor to bias is sick but anyway uh my report's short um it's always disappointing when you your motions don't pass but anyway it is what it is i'm really happy that the forge is moving ahead uh with their projects they uh have uh youth uh programs and youth is 25 and under for them and you'll be happy to hear that they're looking for a location in your collard or langford on a bus route so um youth can access and it's for youth and their families so and uh also using uh peer counseling, so um a good program.

So we aren't totally uh this uh uh disregarding all the youth in uh in view role because it's access for view role youth as well.

So other than that, nothing else, nothing bad.

Okay, great. Um Council Lemon, Arts and Library.

Um thank you, Chair.

Um few things, and uh all of them, all of them good.

Uh I'm a I'm for a long time member of the CRD um arts commission, and uh a lot a lot of grants go by us, and almost none of them uh reflect or represent View Royal until last month when the new View Royal Arts Foundation, which is affiliated and so far operates out of the community hall, was awarded a grant of five thousand eight hundred and twenty dollars for a professional multidisciplined cabaret style show.

There's lots of activities going on on mostly Saturday evenings at the hall now.

So I hope people you know can check out the website and see what's what's on, what's um there's some top talent.

Uh the the uh the uh cabaret style show um Veroyal resident who goes by the name of just it just a name, she has stage name, um, very professional, uh, great singer, uh, fabulous performer, and uh I think it'll be worth taking in.

You're the promoter?

I am not, but I am a neighbor.

Um and uh oh yeah, the the grant was not the full amount, but none of them were.

There are so many people, so many organizations that are trying to tap into these CRD dollars.

Um and uh I should mention that at this same arts commission meeting uh there was mention in the manager's report of View Royal's request to reduce its level of participation.

Um it there was there was no vote on it.

Uh, so I believe it goes to the board first.

Um on these Wonder Fuca Performing Arts Front, um, with the CRD's unanimous support for performing arts facilities service that paves the way for a potential West Shore, hopefully, View Royal.

Um still looking for a site, uh performing arts center venue.

Um there's uh uh the board members met with the with MP Stephanie McLean, who identified the Canada Community Building Fund as an option for federal support, but we have to, you know, we we need a spot to put shovels in the ground.

Um library, uh GPPL, um, as everyone here will know uh Morris Maureen Sawa, the CEO of the last 15 years has announced her retirement late this coming summer.

So there is a there is a search underway.

Um but she says she will hopefully, you know, this someone will be found by summer because she plans to stay on um for the transition, which is really reassuring.

Also, uh the Sundays are now open at the Wanapucas library branch and the central branch.

So we're back to pre-COVID times at those two branches.

And uh just just to mention, you know, it I I know I've always talked about the new things I discovered about the library.

And at the last board meeting, I learned that um we the GBPL offers monthly ID clinics for people to come, you know, many of them new residents, new um, yeah, you new Canadians or almost new Canadians who need guidance in applying for or renewing uh birth certificates, um, all kinds of documentation.

Um they get help from they can and they could get help with birth certificates from all provinces and territories.

And it's really just another really useful service that the library performs.

And that's me.

Thank you. Yeah, environmental question and regulation.

Uh thank you. So really just an update regarding the West Shore Parks and Recreation Facilities master plan.

Um at the last meeting I had updated that all the feedback from each of the municipal municipal councils had been received by the consultant and they were updating the plan.

And so I've now received that plan, which is still confidential at this point.

Um, but we will be meeting as a board next week to review it and just and any changes, discuss any changes with the consultant.

And then hopefully not long after that it will be public and yeah we're getting there.

But um yeah just moving along.

Just a question um we've been talking so much in the Grants and aid um you know services for youth and so on.

The West Shore recreation is is how are they doing with the youth program there?

Is that still going well?

So yeah so um that youth program's continuing as part of our budget discussions we you know gave funding towards that so yeah they're um it's going along popular as ever.

I don't know if you've ever been there on a Friday night but it's very busy.

Thank you youth around uh Admiral's area now that the number 40 bus can take them up to the um the blink and then it's another easier easier route to get um for uh youth around the Admirals area to get up to the West Shore rack.

So thank God for the 14, 40 I should say.

Thank you, Councilor Match on planning and development.

Oh well I haven't too much reported uh new planning and development.

Uh one of the things I will like to bring forward to council is uh it came to the the whole issue about parking and the fact that the town allows developers to pay at certain or to basically buy parking spots they don't have to put in so I guess I will be putting up a motion forward later to ask staff about the uh the the impact of of this and to see for those areas that we have uh allowed to happen and what what are the parking consequences on road parking consequences of not requiring developers to put all the parking and that they're supposed to according to the bylaw.

So uh to be coming soon, yeah.

Thank you. And um I'm gonna speak to the public works and transportation.

We've we've uh discussed um a number three Helmican and uh the acting sidewalk, and as you can uh see that the um um ministry highways um um and the bus on bus shoulder project is uh going on great guns.

Um staff a question with the the work that is on hell on the Helmican overpass.

Are are they redesigning the um um the bus stops there?

Is that what they're seems to be quite uh involved.

Yeah, Chair, I believe they will be doing some modifications, although the work they're doing right now is not directly due to that.

I think that's a later part of the project.

Um but I can certainly ask the question uh to the ministry of that.

I know that we we did get a uh a report and and I'm assuming that the ministry highways report is is available on the website um for for people to look and get an update there as well.

Uh yeah, Chair, the website provides updates.

Um I'm not too sure about the details or or or what you're asking for.

Certainly something that we can ask if that's something that can be put on to the website.

Okay. Thank you. And that's all I have. So uh new business. We have um the notices of the motion uh councilor Brown.

Yeah, very straightforward motion just to uh the town review or annual SIP, that's the South Island Prosperity Partnership, um, which expired on March 31st, 2026.

So, in other words, uh we've already gone through the extension period and uh we're we're not a member right now, so we could discuss whether we want to continue or not.

Hmm so those emotion, yeah, just agree.

So um I I see uh you know your your wording is um uh the town review the membership.

I'm amending my uh motion for it, which are written out and given to Elda so she has the exact name.

Okay, so there's the notice of motion, and we'll be discussing that at that council coming up.

Great. Thank you.

And I wonder if we could get a uh motion to receive the uh correspondence on new business email.

Moved by council Matson.

Second it, second, council McKenzie.

All those in favor against carried.

Thank you. Question period.

Does anyone in the audience have a question?

And I yes.

Yeah, there we go.

Uh good evening, Chair Council.

Uh, thank you for giving me an opportunity to ask a couple questions tonight.

Uh uh number one, um can you give your name?

Oh, thank you. Sorry, yes, uh, Ryan Painter one two zero court.

Thank you, uh Chair.

Um number one, uh I did send an email to council and um engineering uh today around the continued challenges that we're experiencing with backups in Thetis Vale.

Um this morning we experienced uh another very lengthy uh backup going right up to Carly, uh leaving people on the Chilco Hill waiting about 30 to 45 minutes.

Um one of the big challenges that we experienced was starting to see uh commuters getting very impatient and driving into oncoming traffic to try to get out of Thetis Vale to get up six mile and off to the off-ramp.

So it's a very serious concern that we're starting to experience.

Uh I'm not sure if the issue was because of the Atkins light, um, which was an issue that happened previously, um, or not Atkins, my apologies, the the new uh light on the um on the highway there by the Integret Tire, um, or if it's the work being done on the island highway further up, but it it is an issue.

So I just wanted to make it public here, and I'm not sure if engineering has anything to say about that.

My second question around the South Island Um uh South Island uh prosperity partnership.

Um I'm not sure if staff or council have any ideas of the accrued benefits that V Royal has seen uh since 2016.

I think that's when V Royal first signed on.

I know Colwood uh left uh because they didn't see any material benefits to being on board with uh SIPP.

Um, and and so I think reviewing that participation is sound.

Um, and I would just wonder if anyone knows of any material benefits that have come from that membership.

Thank you very much.

Yes, uh thank you with that.

Um staff, can you help us with the the traffic congestion and issues around the Chilco six mile?

Yeah, Chair, that happened today.

Uh the culprit was the aging traffic signal at the six-mile island highway intersection.

So it was an old piece of equipment, and what happens is that it doesn't um the timing system is not it it's not able to be as accurate so it loses seconds and sometimes it gets to a perfect storm where where it turns red with everything else.

So staff are looking at fixing that it was very similar to an issue that happened a few I guess a month or so ago at a different signal.

So um but that signal is scheduled scheduled to be replaced this year.

So we're working the staff to prioritize that to make sure that um that uh failure mechanisms aren't aren't uh met there.

I'm sure the whole community is anxious to have that repair done.

Yes thank you. Um and uh thank you Mr.

Painter the um uh very good point uh is made um um with respect to the South Island prosperity partnership given the consideration of of the motion that's um um council brown would be presenting at council next is it worthwhile to have and make an invitation for the South Island Prosperity to come speak to and give us an update uh so we have the latest information Council Brown yeah Aaron Stone did come not too long ago and counselor McKenzie may have some more insight too because she met him one on one at I think UBCM was it or Avices so um you may have some insight to it.

I wish someone else other than me had done a a term with them rather than be the same person all the time um to get a better aspect.

So um this this is I know the mayor to buy us is about one in one with uh Aaron Stone as well.

And I believe he went to the uh the their big AGM that you may put on every year where they promote um what they've done and what they're going to do.

So um uh perhaps Mr.

Gilson from them, or maybe Aaron comes back again.

I think uh um Counselor uh Counselor um uh Qualchuk asked uh for some kind of uh update from them, you know, like an itemized thing of things specifically that have helped the royal.

The reason I'm asking is that uh some time ago we had had when we had the debate about um should we reduce the amount of contribution to the um uh CRD Regional Arts Foundation, right?

And so the the um members of that uh I think the the the chair and and uh members of the CRD came to present and and speak to that matter, and in in fairness, I would think that um given the uh the considerations that council would have whether to uh review or withdraw the membership, this might be um in fairness uh an opportunity for them to speak to it and and give viewpoints.

Um is it uh would council support a uh a motion to have uh SIP come and present on that matter?

I just wanted clarification. So we we are no longer a member because it's expired.

I could be corrected, but I believe it was for three years with an option for two years, and we've already uh gone through those two years.

Actually expired March 31st.

So if we were to decide to withdraw, it would be the time to do it because there's no penalty or we're not uh breaking a contract.

But it's also time to renew.

We haven't been issued a invoice yet for the subsequent years.

Okay, except I guess my point is we don't have to withdraw because it's already finished.

Exactly. So my my position would be if they want us to continue funding, uh uh having new funding, they should come and talk to us and tell us why they we should continue funding.

Either way, it would be worthwhile to get a a fresh update uh from uh uh from the SIP representative.

So we'll we'll extend an invitation.

And and sorry, if we could ask, uh I don't want you to come with a very broad uh regional concept, however, uh please focus on some examples of where the town of Uroyal has um gained some advantage, okay?

Because uh sometimes I go to the meetings and wow, I mean uh their AGMs are fantastic, like the lights and the presentations and the ideas are like wow, but you're a small town, right?

It's a lot of money.

It's 22,900. So it'd be nice to get uh some more specifics.

Well, since this is turned into a discussion, wouldn't it?

A discussion to bring uh invite away.

That's great. And and because I think that Mr.

Stone and his team would be very willing to work with the town of Uroyal on a plan.

So maybe that is as long as they can come to when when the motion is uh before us, uh then that would be helpful to bring it all together and see the plan and so forth.

Yep. Okay, great.

So do we need to vote? Do we do we need to vote on the no?

I think I think we're good.

We'll just um make sure that that uh will take place.

Thank you, staff.

Okay. Um question uh we've now uh I have to ask um Carl, is is there any uh questions from the outside audience?

Chair Rogers, uh we have no new no new questions on the board.

Okay, thank you.

Um I do uh Carl did pass on one question from the beginning of the meeting.

Um I I know that there's an FOI request on this issue, and uh Ellen is going to start the two-minute timer on me, so I will parse it down to the question.

Uh this is from Jay Jennan from Street Name Creed.

I'm writing follow-up on the update provided by the engineering department during the March 10th committee of the whole meeting regarding the Marler Park and Northern Stormwater Ponds.

Uh I'm concerned by the director's statement that hazards at these sites are currently at a minimum.

Were the physical breaches and safety fencing included in the analysis?

Was the lack of maintenance of these stormwater ponds included in the assessment?

I guess a request is a question.

Um I'm requesting the town provide the public a written copy of the risk management exercise report they referenced so we can understand the criteria used to justify these safety and environmental risks.

And further, are there any updates or reports to share?

And has a commitment been made to repair the fencing and restore the functional capacity of these ponds to protect Craig Flower Creek.

And my short answer would be not since last month's committee meeting.

Have we had a chance to act on those?

But uh if council has questions, uh Ivan would be prepared to so I'm um assuming that an update is forthcoming.

Uh yeah, Chair.

Um there's been a lot of boots on the groundwork has been done, and I think based on that correspondence it's clear that uh Mr.

Janssen um hasn't engaged with our staff for an update, or vice versa.

Maybe staff have not.

So after this meeting, I'll uh personally commit to having someone uh reach out to Mr.

Jansen to provide an update.

Uh for the committee's sake, uh analysis has been done.

Generally speaking, the pond is operating as intended purpose.

Uh there is some maintenance that needs to be done, uh, some clearing of some debris.

Uh so that work is going to be happening fairly soon.

We just need to wait for environmental permits.

So that's a section 11 under the Water Sustainability Act and the bird uh window essentially to make sure that we don't um affect any nests.

But that said, that's uh that's just an overview.

Uh I'll likely have staff reach out to Mr.

Jackson himself to provide uh more fulsome response.

Uh Council Matchman.

Yes, and and again I'm speaking from ignorance because I I don't know, but I was was advised that the trees that were growing all the way through the banks of the pond were problematic.

I will your report address that.

Uh the report has been done, Chair.

I don't know the specifics, but generally speaking, from what I heard, um there's nothing in the pond that affects the hydraulics.

It's just a maintenance kind of item of reducing the brush and debris that may prevent flows from going.

So we should be getting some kind of report.

Okay. Thank you very much.

I think we're we're done with question period.

Uh can I have a motion to adjourn?

Councillor Brown.

Second, Councilor McKinsey.

All in favor, no.