MINUTES OF A COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2025

TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL MINUTES OF A COUNCIL MEETING

HELD ON TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2025 VIEW ROYAL MUNICIPAL OFFICE – COUNCIL CHAMBERS

PRESENT WERE:

• Mayor Tobias
• Councillor Brown
• Councillor Lemon
• Councillor Mattson
• Councillor MacKenzie
• Councillor Rogers

REGRETS:

• Councillor Kowalewich

PRESENT ALSO:

• S. Sommerville, Chief Administrative Officer
• L. Taylor, Director of Development Services
• S. Vella, Director of Finance
• E. Bolster, Deputy Corporate Officer
• 7 members of the public
• 0 members of the press

1. CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Tobias called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

The Mayor acknowledged that the meeting is being held on the traditional territory of the Songhees Nation and Esquimalt Nation. He noted he had the honour of attending a celebration to honour the incoming and outgoing Songhees Nation Council on June 25, 2025.

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Brown

THAT the agenda be amended to table item 9.2 a) to the July 15, 2025 Council meeting;

AND THAT the agenda be approved as amended. CARRIED

3. MINUTES, RECEIPT & ADOPTION OF

a) Minutes of the Council meeting held June 17, 2025

MOVED BY: Councillor Brown SECONDED: Councillor Lemon

THAT the minutes of the Council meeting held June 17, 2025 be adopted as presented. CARRIED

4. MAYOR’S REPORT

The Mayor thanked the organizers, volunteers, and staff who worked to make the Canada Day celebration at the Craigflower Manor historic site a success. He acknowledged the 103rd birthday of a View Royal resident, and noted that another View Royal resident, will be representing Team BC at the 2025 Canada Summer Games.

5. PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS

a) D. Straith, Royal Roads University, Re: Royal Roads University Community Learning Partnership Model

Ms. Straith introduced Royal Roads University's Community Learning Partnerships. She detailed its purpose, its connection to the new WestShore Innovation and StartUp Hub at the John Horgan Campus, and opportunities for Town involvement.

Council and Ms. Straith discussed programming, subscription rates, technological tools, downloading of projects, municipal staff involvement in projects, the program’s focus on primarily serving Westshore municipalities, and the idea of providing a brief overview of the project to the Capital Regional District Board.

6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PERIOD

7. BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES

a) Destination Greater Victoria/Toursim Victoria Membership – Councillor Rogers

MOVED BY: Councillor Rogers SECONDED: Councillor Brown

C-109-25 THAT View Royal join Destination Greater Victoria/Tourism Victoria as a standard member commencing in 2025 at a prorated rate of $545.00. CARRIED

8. REPORTS

8.1 STAFF REPORTS

a) Annual Report for Year Ended December 31, 2024

1. Report dated June 25, 2025 from the Executive Assistant

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

C-110-25 THAT the Annual Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 be approved. CARRIED

8.2 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE RESOLUTIONS

8.3 OTHER REPORTS

a) Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors meeting held May 8, 2025

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

THAT the minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors meeting held May 8, 2025 be received. CARRIED

b) Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Annual General meeting held June 13, 2024

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

THAT the minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Annual General meeting held June 13, 2024 be received. CARRIED

c) Minutes of the Official Community Plan Review Advisory Committee meeting held June 2, 2025

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

THAT the minutes of the Official Community Plan Review Advisory Committee meeting held June 2, 2025 be received. CARRIED

9. CORRESPONDENCE

9.1 FOR ACTION

a) Email dated June 18, 2025 from J. Wytrwal, Re: Request for a Reading Room/GVPL Depot in the Admirals Walk Area

Councillor Lemon noted she will bring forward Mr. Wytrwal’s suggestion to the Greater Victoria Public Library Board. She encouraged Mr. Wytrwal to gather support and discuss his ideas for improving service in View Royal with her.

Council discussed funding, operational costs, and possible locations for a reading room in View Royal.

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

THAT the email dated June 18, 2025 from J. Wytrwal, Re: Request for a Reading Room/GVPL Depot in the Admirals Walk Area be received. CARRIED

9.2 FOR INFORMATION

a) Western Gateway OCP Housing and Population Projects received June 16, 2025 from D. Wilson tabled to the July 15, 2025 Council meeting

10. BYLAWS

a) Procedure Bylaw No. 677, 007, Amendment Bylaw No. 1155, 2025 A Bylaw to Amend Procedure Bylaw No. 677, 2007

MOVED BY: Councillor Rogers SECONDED: Councillor Mattson

THAT Procedure Bylaw No. 677, 2007, Amendment Bylaw No. 1155, 2025 be adopted. CARRIED Councillor Lemon opposed

11. NEW BUSINESS

12. QUESTION PERIOD

13. MOTIONS & NOTICES OF MOTION

14. RISING REPORT

a) Letter from Assistant Deputy min. T. Faganello, Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Re: Legislative Amendment – Closing Meetings to the Public

1. From the June 17, 2025 In-Camera meeting:

MOVED BY: Councillor MacKenzie SECONDED: Councillor Kowalewich

THAT the Mayor write to the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs to express Council’s opposition to the proposed legislative amendments that would broaden the circumstances under which local government council meetings would be allowed and required to be closed to the public.

2. Letter dated June 18, 2025 to Assistant Deputy Min. T. Faganello from Mayor Tobias, Re: Proposed Legislative Amendments to Closed Meeting Provisions

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Lemon

THAT the letter dated June 18, 2025 to Assistant Deputy Min. T. Faganello from Mayor Tobias, Re: Proposed Legislative Amendments to Closed Meeting Provisions be received. CARRIED

15. CLOSED MEETING RESOLUTION

MOVED BY: Councillor Brown SECONDED: Councillor Mattson

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

16. TERMINATION

MOVED BY: Councillor Rogers SECONDED: Councillor Brown

THAT this meeting now terminate. Time: 8:10 p.m. CARRIED

MAYOR

CORPORATE OFFICER