TABLE OF CONTENTS

COMMUNITY PROFILE ....................................................................................................... 2 MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR ............................................................................................ 5 MAYOR & COUNCIL.......................................................................................................... 6 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART............................................................................................... 8 MISSION, VISION & VALUES ............................................................................................... 9 SUMMARY OF SERVICES & OPERATIONS....................................................................... 11 MUNICIPAL HIGHLIGHTS................................................................................................ 12 VIEW ROYAL’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY ............................................................................. 14 2013 MUNICIPAL GOALS & OBJECTIVES ..................................................................... 16 ENSURING FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY....................................................................... 17 RESPONDING TO INCREASING EXPECTATIONS .......................................................... 19 BUILDING COMMUNITY IDENTITY ............................................................................... 20 CRITICAL PROJECTS & INITIATIVES ............................................................................... 22 LOOKING AHEAD ........................................................................................................... 24 FINANCIAL INFORMATION............................................................................................. 27

COMMUNITY PROFILE

A gateway between Victoria's urban core and the growing West Shore municipalities, View Royal is a vibrant community. This year’s Annual Report outlines the Town’s achievements and major projects for 2013. It shows the progress on our 2013 municipal goals and objectives, highlights financial reporting, and gives insight into plans for the future.

• INCORPORATED DECEMBER 5, 1988
• 10,858 POPULATION*
• 1,436 HECTARES LAND AREA
• 28KM BIKE LANES
• 25KM TRAILS
• $20.5M BUILDING PERMITS
• 70 MUNICIPAL PARKS & 733 HECTARES PARKLAND
• 237 BUSINESS LICENSES

*as per 2013 BC Stats

View Royal is divided into eight distinct precincts based on such factors as topography, major transportation corridors, natural environment and the age of housing stock. These precincts are:

• Craigflower
• Harbour
• Helmcken
• Hospital
• Thetis
• Burnside
• Atkins
• Wilfert

The municipality encompasses McKenzie, Pike, Prior and Thetis Lakes and portions of Esquimalt Harbour and Portage Inlet and is situated adjacent to the established jurisdictions of the Township of Esquimalt, the District of Saanich and the City of Colwood.

MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

On behalf of View Royal Council and staff, it my pleasure to share this Annual Report, outlining the key objectives and accomplishments of 2013.

This was a defining year for our town in which we celebrated a silver anniversary and saw key projects that are hallmarks of View Royal values get underway and to completion.

In 2013 we invested in the safety and security of the town and its place in the region. Having received approval from residents in a 2012 referendum, site work began on the new Public Safety Building that will replace our 55-year old fire hall. The new building will be constructed to post-disaster standards and will serve the community as an emergency operations and assembly centre in the event of disaster.

Replacement of the 80-year old Craigflower Bridge, a joint initiative between the Town of View Royal and the District of Saanich also got underway this year. The project was largely funded by a $10.75 million grant from the Federal Gas Tax Fund. We also turned the sod on the $100 million Eagle Creek Village development that will provide residential, commercial and recreation opportunities for the town and the region.

There was a first-ever vegetable harvest at View Royal Park this year with residents eagerly taking to seeds and soil in our new community gardens. In September we celebrated our 25 years as the Town of View Royal with music, picnics and games at Centennial Park.

Please take a few moments to review the accomplishments of the town in these pages. I am proud that View Royal remains committed to its values and standards, and continues to be one of the best places to live and call home.

Graham Hill

MAYOR & COUNCIL

The Mayor and Council of the Town of View Royal were elected for a three-year term in the municipal election held in November 2011. Each member is appointed to Town and regional committees.

Mayor Graham Hill (December 2, 2002 - present)

• Finance & Administration - Chair
• CRD Board/Committee of the Whole
• CRD Hospital Board
• CRD Core Area Liquid Waste Management
• CRD Planning, Transportation & Protective Services
• Greater Victoria Harbour Authority
• Island Corridor Foundation
• Te’Mexw Treaty Advisory Committee
• Tourism Victoria
• Municipal Insurance Association
• Victoria Chamber of Commerce

Councillor Ron Mattson (December 6, 2011 - present)

• Public Works & Transportation - Chair
• Parents Advisory Committee
• Victoria Family Court & Youth Justice Committee

Councillor Heidi Rast (December 2, 2008 - present)

• Protective Services & Community Services - Chair
• Capital Region Emergency Service Telecommunications (CREST)
• Community Policing
• Joint School District/Municipal Committee
• Police Building Liaison Committee
• West Shore Parks & Recreation Society

Councillor John Rogers (December 2, 1996 - present)

• Planning & Development - Chair
• CRD Climate Action Steering Committee
• CRD Housing Trust Fund Commission
• Chilco Trails Plan Steering Committee
• CRD Water Supply Commission
• Esquimalt Harbour Advisory Committee
• Friends of Cole Island
• Island Corridor Foundation
• Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Commission
• CRD Harbours Environmental Action Program Cost-Sharing Sub-Committee

Councillor David Screech (December 2, 2002 - present)

• Parks, Recreation & Environment - Chair
• CRD Arts Committee
• View Royal Reading Centre
• Westshore Chamber of Commerce
• West Shore Parks & Recreation Society
• Greater Victoria Public Library

2013 Town of View Royal Organizational Chart

MISSION - WHY WE EXIST

Building a resilient, vibrant community that fosters and balances social, environmental and economic well-being.

VISION - THE FUTURE WE STRIVE TO CREATE

Liveable View Royal – simply the best place to call home.

VALUES - OUR GUIDEPOSTS

The Town of View Royal pursues good community through a corporate culture that is:

• Accountable,
• Respectful,
• Ethical,
• Collaborative,
• Innovative,
• Proactive,
• Efficient, and
• Effective.

COMMITMENT TO ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE

The Town of View Royal is committed to providing the best possible local government for our residents and business community. This commitment drives constant improvement, with particular emphasis on:

• providing strong, strategic policy-based governance,
• demonstrating collaborative leadership and effective shared decision-making within the community, with our regional partners, including First Nations,
• nurturing productive working relationships at the legislative and executive level,
• pursuing excellence founded on core values, approved plans, policies and our commitment to innovation,
• decision-making processes to be transparent and responsive,
• integrating strategic planning, business planning, budgeting and performance management systems,
• embracing evidence-based best practices for professionalism,
• enhancing customer service and related communications capacity, and
• positioning sustainability as the foundation of our municipal culture.

SUMMARY OF SERVICES & OPERATIONS

The TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL is responsible for the provision of a wide variety of local services and programs. These include:

• Transportation network (e.g. roads, bridges, street cleaning, sidewalks)*
• Stormwater management
• Garbage/household food waste collection
• Sanitary sewer collection system
• Parks, recreation and cultural facilities
• West Shore Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
• Fire protection and inspection
• Emergency preparedness planning
• Land use planning
• Building permits
• Business licensing
• Bylaw establishment and enforcement
• Economic development
• Heritage and revitalization

*excludes Admirals Road, Six Mile Road and the Trans Canada Highway (Highway 1) which are controlled by the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure.

Town Services provided by OTHER organizations include:

• School system (Provincial Government and Local School Boards)
• Social and health programs (Provincial Government)
• Hospital care system (Provincial Government)
• Real property assessments (B.C. Assessment)
• Library collection and distribution system (Greater Victoria Public Library; Town is a part owner of the Downtown Branch)
• View Royal Reading Centre (Town provides partial support through a grant-in-aid)
• Planning and the management of public transit (Victoria Regional Transit System)

Town Services provided by the CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT:

• Animal control
• Sewer system management
• Water management
• Recycling

The Town is represented on the following BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, which provide a variety of services to the residents of View Royal:

• Capital Regional District
• Capital Regional District Hospital
• Capital Regional District Housing Trust Fund Commission
• West Shore Parks & Recreation Society
• Greater Victoria Public Library
• Community Policing

2013 MUNICIPAL HIGHLIGHTS

NEW PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING IS UNDERWAY

Construction on the new Public Safety Building began in August 2013. Following a tender process, the contract was awarded to Ledcor Construction Ltd. Preliminary work included clearing, drilling, blasting and excavating to prepare the project site for construction of the new building.

In addition to a centrally located fire hall, the new Public Safety Building will include drive-through apparatus bays, teaching and training areas and volunteer space for the Firefighters’ Association. The building will also serve as an administrative base and Emergency Operations Centre.

CRAIGFLOWER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT BEGINS

Construction began on one of the Town’s largest capital projects to replace the 80 year old Craigflower Bridge. The project could not proceed on the basis of the grant funding established through the Regionally Significant Projects program. As such, the Town redirected the funding source for other capital projects to enable this project to proceed. The Town of View Royal budgeted an additional $1.9 million to support this regionally significant infrastructure.

Starting on April 10, 2013, Admirals Road was closed to traffic between Island Highway and Cowper Street for the duration of the project. A temporary crossing was installed to allow for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the Gorge for the duration of the bridge closure.

The new bridge began to take shape as steel trusses were set into place to be followed by the installation of precast deck panels and the pouring of a concrete deck. In addition to the replacement of the bridge, upgrades include new sidewalks, bike lanes, street lighting, rain gardens and traffic signals.

EAGLE CREEK VILLAGE GROUNDBREAKING

Omicron CEO, Bill Tucker, and Mayor Graham Hill, gathered with colleagues and business owners on November 14 for the ceremonial ground-breaking at Eagle Creek Village, the $100-million mixed-use development at Helmcken Road and Watkiss Way. In addition to celebrating the exciting new development in View Royal, the celebration also marked the announcement of a new View Royal YMCA-YWCA at Eagle Creek Village!

HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE

• 237 business licenses issued in 2013 (97 commercial).
• Construction value of building permits issued in 2013 totaled $20,530,680.
• Installed 30 new garden plots to create a new Community Gardens in View Royal Park.
• Hired a Senior Accountant, Auxiliary Building Inspector and Parks Workers to replace vacancies.
• Volunteers for the Ecological Restoration Project removed approximately 0.4ha of invasive plants from Portage Park.
• Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medals were awarded to Mayor Graham Hill, Chief Paul Hurst, Gerry Cadwallader, John Chow, Cindy Heslop, Ruth Reynolds, Robert Smith and Andria Tetlow.
• LifeCycles Project Society was awarded the contract to be the primary steward of the orchard at Welland Legacy Park. Future plans include the installation of irrigation, pathways, interpretive signage, tool shed and covered teaching area.
• View Royal initiated a review of its Zoning Bylaw as a means to implement the land use goals and policies of the newly adopted Official Community Plan.
• The View Royal Emergency Management team was chosen to participate in an exchange program with the city of Portmore, Jamaica to share experiences and ideas regarding Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives and Climate Change Action.

VIEW ROYAL’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY

A HISTORY SNAP SHOT OF VIEW ROYAL

A quarter-century after incorporation as a Town, View Royal's persona -- its ambience, style and future -- have emerged. Perhaps it began when first inhabitants of today's Esquimalt Harbour crossed a handy isthmus -- now Portage Park – to harvest seafood in Portage Inlet. The name View Royal was unheard of when, in the mid-19th century, Dr. John Helmcken paid the Hudson's Bay Company $5 per acre for hundreds of it, between Esquimalt Harbour and today's Greater Victoria Hospital. Land was cleared to sustain a growing Victoria. It was not until 1912 that the name View Royal appeared. From Dr. Helmcken’s son James, the Island Investment Company bought 80 acres below the Four Mile Hill, fronting on the harbour. They marketed lots as “View Royal” because of their "royal view".

For half a century the amorphous community watched content while Greater Victoria grew around it. Neighbours Esquimalt and Saanich took shape. Like Colwood, Langford and Metchosin to the west, View Royal remained unorganized. By the 1950’s things had begun to change. In 1959 a group of residents in the Shoreline Drive area circulated a petition urging annexation by Esquimalt. Several studies and referenda came and went but View Royal continued with its unorganized status. Then in 1966, the Capital Regional District emerged bringing with it regional approaches for delivery of some services such as sewage collection. Then an authoritative Price Waterhouse study presented three options: status quo, union with Esquimalt, or incorporation as a Town. The Town’s incorporation became official December 5, 1988. Intervening years have witnessed formative policies for parkland acquisition and inclusive, diverse community development. View Royal's paradoxical seclusion and proximity to the rest of the Capital Region underlies its theme: "Liveable, green, sustainable.”

View Royal Archives:

25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

In 2013, View Royal celebrated its 25th Anniversary of incorporation with a variety of special events throughout the year.

KICKOFF CELEBRATION

On May 25, 2013, nearly 300 residents gathered for View Royal's 25th Anniversary Kickoff event! Celebrations began with delicious pancakes the musical talents of local artists. Attendees made their way across Island Highway to watch the time capsule be buried away for 75 years in the bottom corner of the stone mural wall. Families enjoyed a fun scavenger hunt in Portage Park while John Adams and Maureen Duffus wrapped up the morning with a Historical Walking Tour of the area.

PICNIC IN THE PARK

Approximately 1,000 View Royal residents came out on September 14 to enjoy the 25th Anniversary Picnic in the Park! The Picnic in the Park included a trade show that featured a variety of local organizations and vendors, fire trucks, clowns and performers, games and inflatables, and live entertainment including the Naden Band, Terry Brennan and the Maureen Washington Quartet.

25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION COUNCIL MEETING

Council, staff, dignitaries and residents came together on December 3, 2013 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Town’s incorporation. The Celebration Council Meeting, which capped the end of a year of 25th anniversary celebration events, included special guests expressing anniversary greetings, a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal presentation to Mayor Hill, a video presentation of the year's festivities, and a reception that followed the meeting.

2013 MUNICIPAL GOALS & OBJECTIVES

The 2012 - 2014 Strategic Plan provides a regular opportunity to step back, look at the bigger picture and identify a few key areas or opportunities that require special attention or emphasis in the three to five years ahead. Three Strategic Priorities have been identified for 2013 to 2014:

• Ensuring FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY,
• Responding to INCREASING EXPECTATIONS, and
• Building COMMUNITY IDENTITY.

The reality and importance of ongoing work related to the core and fiduciary responsibilities of the Town – work that requires significant investment of time and dollars over and above the flow of regular duties - is also identified:

• Critical PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES.

ENSURING FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

STRATEGIC PRIORITY:

• Systematically consider ongoing and related costs as major decisions are made and/or projects are approved;
• Position View Royal as a development-friendly Town, committed to development opportunities identified in the OCP and efficient approval processes;
• Ongoing commitment to providing full value for money;
• Nurture entrepreneurial approach to revenue generation; and
• Be a strong voice at the regional level to ensure that affordability is a major factor in cost-shared initiatives.

DESIRED OUTCOMES:

• Confidence in the fiscal health and financial sustainability of the Town of View Royal;
• Diversified revenue base;
• Predictable property tax and user fee increases; and
• Optimized corporate efficiencies.

2013 INITIATIVES:

RESPONDING TO INCREASING EXPECTATIONS

STRATEGIC PRIORITY:

• Develop an innovation culture that regularly generates suggestions for service improvement;
• Communicate service levels, standards and related costs for each municipal function;
• Commit to a business model that aligns both services and support functions with the defined levels of service;
• Manage implications of governance processes and decisions within the capacity of available resources.

DESIRED OUTCOMES:

• A clear service model defining level of service and resource requirements for each municipal function;
• Community satisfaction within the parameters established in the service model;
• High public confidence in municipal governance.

2013 INITIATIVES:

BUILDING COMMUNITY IDENTITY

STRATEGIC PRIORITY:

• Look for opportunities to expand residential and business volunteerism;
• Support community-driven events that bring View Royal residents together;
• Commitment to on-going development of parks and trails;
• Build alliances with community service organizations;
• On-going commitment to recognize our heritage.

DESIRED OUTCOMES:

• Build alliances with community service organizations;
• Strong identity - a unique Town with its own character and common purpose;
• Clearly defined, well services neighbourhoods with local service nodes and gathering places;
• Increased community connectivity and engagement in community events;
• A strong and growing volunteer corps, investing in View Royal.

BUILDING COMMUNITY IDENTITY (con’t)

2013 INITIATIVES:

CRITICAL PROJECTS & INITIATIVES

STRATEGIC PRIORITY:

The final strategic priority addresses projects that will consume significant financial and staff resources. Each are priorities on their own merits, reflecting:

• Commitments made in Council-approved plans and reports;
• Projects that are already underway;
• Legislated or regulatory requirements;
• Fiduciary obligations of Town Council to provide for social, environmental and economic well-being of the community.

CRITICAL PROJECTS & INITIATIVES (con’t)

2013 INITIATIVES:

LOOKING AHEAD

Three Strategic Priorities have been identified for 2012-2014. The foundation bar at the bottom recognizes the reality and importance of ongoing work related to the core and fiduciary responsibilities of the Town; work that requires significant investment of time and dollars over and above the flow of regular duties.

ENSURING FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

the next years will require strategic focus on financial sustainability.

RESPONDING TO INCREASING EXPECTATIONS

the Town will be challenged to respond to and manage these increasing expectations and financial sustainability simultaneously.

BUILDING COMMUNITY IDENTITY

we have made a great deal of progress on the physical, urban landscape front; the next three years provides an opportunity to strengthen our social sense of what it means to live in View Royal.

CRITICAL PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES

the Town must deliver on initiatives designed to meet legislated or regulatory requirements, projects already underway, and commitments made to the community in approved plans and reports.

TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2013

Financial Information Table of Contents