Transcript: Special Council Meeting - 2026/06/22

Speaker A · All right. Welcome everyone to. All right. Welcome everyone to today's special counsel meeting for Monday, June 22, 2026. I call this meeting to order. Councillor Harder, can I have our territorial acknowledgment, please?

Speaker B · Thank you, Mayor.

Speaker C · The city of Langford sits upon the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people, represented by the Wasabzim, Songhees and Chiana nations, as well as the Wassonic peoples, represented by the Sortlet, Goukuchin, Seot Sachem and Malahat First Nations. We thank them for clearing this beautiful land.

Speaker A · Thank you very much.

Speaker D · Good evening, everyone. My name is Marie Watmo. I'll be the moderator for tonight's meeting. Participation by the public is in person or via Zoom using the Zoom app or telephone. If you're joining us through the Zoom app and wish to make a comment, please use the raise hand function in the app. Keeping in mind you're able to both raise and lower your hand in the app and you'll be called on based upon your username, you'll need to unmute yourself when it's time for you to speak. If you're joining us by telephone, you must press star nine to raise your hand. You'll hear a recording advising you. The moderator will be notified that you wish to speak.

Speaker D · You'll be called on using the last three digits of your phone number, and please press star6 to unmute your phone in all cases. Please begin by providing your first initial last name, municipality of residence, and during public participation, you can speak to any item on the agenda subject to the three minute time limit. For matters not appearing on tonight's agenda, please contact City hall by calling 250-478-7882. During regular business hours, and if you experience technical difficulties in getting through tonight, please contact City hall tomorrow. As always, the city also accepts written submissions and comments.

Speaker A · Thank you very much. Can I have an approval of the agenda? Please

Speaker E · remove the council approve the agenda as presented.

Speaker A · Second, any alterations? Okay. Call to question all those in favor. Those that passes. We're on public participation. Is there anyone in the gallery or online that would like to speak? Okay. Seeing no. Hands up, I will close public participation. Thank you. So we are now on to item number six. Notice of Motion 6. 1. Notice of Motion from June 15, 2026. Funding for the Local Government Climate Action Program, ODCAP. Councillor Wagner.

Speaker B · Thank you. Whereas the local government Climate Action Program, LG cap, provides crucial external grant funding that Lankford has used for climate staff emission reductions and resil initiatives, with many of these initiatives directly supporting the goals of the provincial CLEAN BC Roadmap and the Climate Preparedness and Adaptation strategy and whereas for more than 15 years the province has provided consistent annual climate action funding to local governments, recognizing our essential role in meeting provincial greenhouse gas GHD reduction targets and climate adaptation goals and whereas the provincial government released the 2026, 27, 202029 Service Plan for the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions that does not peer to include funding for the renewal of the LG cap.

Speaker B · Therefore, be it resolved, that Council direct the Mayor to send a letter to the province and local MLAs outlining the need for continued local government Climate Action Program LG CAP funding and share this letter with the Capital, Regional District Board of Directors, other BC Municipal elected officials and Chief administrative officers.

Speaker A · Do we have a second I'll second motivation?

Speaker B · Thank you. I did provide a background which hopefully you've had a chance to read. But one of the things about this funding that was really important is that it was reliable long term funding since 2008 and it was a base allocation with additional per capita funding. So it was increasing with our growth. It was very flexible funding which was really important because there's some grants that are very specific. It has to be used for a specific capital project. This LG CAP funding was really important to so many communities. And so if you look through the background you'll see the Community Energy association talked about the benefits across the province for leveraging funding for bigger impacts by securing additional grants, sometimes including federal grants, improving energy security and helping communities of all sizes and types prepare for extreme weather.

Speaker B · And this type of action will generally save up to at least $10 in future costs for every dollar invested now. So it's really important that we get our communities climate ready and also be able to meet our targets and in fact the province's targets. So an independent review of the Clean BC Plan, which is a provincial plan, showed that they are not on track to meet their legislative targets of reducing climate changing emissions by 40% by 2030. So it was recommended that LG Gap funding should be continued. So the fact that this funding has been not continued is really not acceptable in terms of meeting our targets and actually following the CLEAN BC Plan and the climate preparedness and adaptation strategy.

Speaker B · Other municipalities in the region have already done some advocacy on this. So Victoria and Saanich have had motions come to their councils and I believe that Lankford should be a leader in the region as well and raise our voices and ask for this funding to be reinstated. And in fact The Union of B. C. municipalities is also taking action on this. It's just recognized how important this funding is. So we know that climate change impacts are increasing and are increasingly expensive. And our budgets are really tight, especially with fast growing communities like Lankford. We need to keep up with essential services, rcmp, firefighters, other infrastructure for our growing community.

Speaker B · And we need this stable funding to meet our targets and to support our community for the future.

Speaker E · Thanks.

Speaker A · Thank you, Mother. Mason.

Speaker E · Yeah, just briefly, Councillor Wagner covered so much there. I just. I'll note that we've been waiting for this independent review of the Clean vc and that that was kind of the reason that we were told that the province was not continuing not only with this funding, but with active transportation funding as well. And now that this review is. Is completed and it's public, it's. It's time to start being effective with our taxpayer money and doing work in the community that has real impact. So this included.

Speaker C · Thank you.

Speaker A · Thank you. Anyone else? Any questions? All right, call to question. All those in favor. Those that passes. Your hand. Close it. We are now on to Item 6. 2. Notice a motion from June 15, 2026 establishing a scholarship award for the late Councillor Lillian Spock. Councillor Harder,

Speaker C · thank you. Whereas the family of the late Councilor Lillian Spock has expressed an interest to the city of Langford in establishing a scholarship award at Royal Roads University to honor the legacy of Councillor Spock's leadership. Therefore, be it resolved that council direct staff to provide a one time 10,000. $10,000 financial contribution from the council contingency fund towards the creation of an endowment fund for Councillor Lillian Spock's scholarship award at Railroads University.

Speaker A · Second motivation.

Speaker C · Thank you. I just want to begin by acknowledging that this was a motion that was created in spirit with Councillor Guyrie and Councillor Wagner following the express wishes of Councillor Spock's family to create a scholarship in memory and in honor of Councillor Spock. I want to as well say thank you to everybody who took the time to come out to Councillor Spock's service. I guess last weekend. Now it was a beautiful day and a wonderful way to officially launch the opening of the scholarship award. So for members of the public, there is now a link that is live if anybody would like to contribute towards the scholarship award.

Speaker C · The intent of this motion with the $10,000 financial contribution from the council contingency fund is to help establish the endowment fund for the scholarship so that it can run in perpetuity. The idea is to support young women in the West Shore who have shown or demonstrated wonderful leadership pursue post secondary opportunities and make a meaningful impact in our community. And I just want to say thank you as well to Councillor Spock's family for bringing this idea to the city to celebrate Councillor Spock's legacy. It really is a wonderful opportunity that we have to celebrate the impact of her life and her contributions. Thank you.

Speaker A · Motivation.

Speaker B · Thank you. Just to add a couple of points, that Councillor Spock had a master's in leadership from Railroads University. And it was a really significant body of work that she carried out that was quite unique and supported women and those in particular that were vulnerable. And she really wanted to raise those voices and carry forward for all types of mental health and youth type of initiatives as well as throughout her work. Women in leadership just generally. So I think this is a wonderful way to honor her memory. And I'm very grateful that the family and Railroads University are interested in being partners on this. And that's just what I wanted to add is this is quite a beautiful way to have a legacy. Thank you.

Speaker A · Thank you. Anyone else?

Speaker E · It's hard to not to feel so deeply about the impact Councillor Spock had and how in line this is with the impact she had on the community and particularly lifting and sharing strength with other women. It is very much in line with how this council has been supporting education. We've contributed to bursary at Royal Rhodes already. And I'm imagining this is coming out of council contingency, which is similar budget line for how that those initiatives were budgeted. The CRD also has the capacity to honor folks that have served the region with a bursary as well. So these are, you know, these are very hard conversations, but they're very normal ways of honoring service.

Speaker E · And, and this in particular is coming from. Coming from Lillian's family. And I know Counselor Harder was very intuitive in knowing that this is something that would be a good fit as well. So thank you for taking the lead on this.

Speaker A · Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, I'll call the question. All those in favor post that Bassus. We're on to item number 6. 3. Notice motion from June 15, 2026. Community mailboxes and place making. Councillor Guyrie. Thank you.

Speaker E · Whereas Canada Post is standardizing mail delivery through the installation of community mailbox service in those neighborhoods in Lankford not currently served by these boxes with implementation to begin in 2027. And whereas the installation of these community mailboxes presents an opportunity to. For the city to participate through placemaking, creating connection points within the community, therefore being resolved, the city of Lankford Council directs staff to work with Canada Post to explore using community mailboxes as community hubs and integrating place making opportunities including notice board seating and other neighborhood specific initiatives.

Speaker A · I'll second that motivation.

Speaker E · Thank you. So I know Canada Post has been very open about this transition about needing to be fiscally autonomous and changing the way that they are serving Canadians and that this is one way that they can be more efficient with their service and it is impacting Lankford residents. So Those with the V9B and V9C postal codes are going to be impacted by this change of service. What this presents is an opportunity in order to potentially create neighborhood hubs where folks come to get their mail. So if you're coming to get your mail and there's also an opportunity for a notice board to see where the next garage sale is, to see, you know, maybe a family has lost a pet and they're sharing that information,

Speaker B · or

Speaker E · there's a youth that would like to babysit and has a little phone number tab, or there's a bench if you're wanting to walk and just sit and read your mail and perhaps say hello to a neighbor. And then the final part of this motion talks to other initiatives that come from the community that would be expanded through our upcoming place banking strategy, which has been funded through the budget. And so those initiatives, once we have that guidance about how to have that conversation with the community, you know, potentially we're, you know, is there a little free library? Is there a little free stick library for the puppies coming to get their mail as well? There's lots of ways that communities can take ownership over their spaces in their own communities and create those connection points.

Speaker E · I know we have, we have Facebook groups and ways that we talk with our neighbors online, which is great, but those aren't the face to face conversations that we seem to be missing. So this is a change, it's an opportunity to make this a really great celebration story. And if we are having these really early conversations with Canada Post, then we can make sure that there's enough space, these community mailboxes for these initiatives. So while we don't have like, it's not clearly defined exactly what it is, when we have enough space to go forward, then we can put a bench, we can put a notice board and we can have space for those initiatives where the neighborhood can help share what's important to them in the community and how they want to engage with each other.

Speaker E · I know, just try and like, if you want to come play checkers while you're Waiting for your mail. There's lots of different ways that you can create little special places in your neighborhood that are nice to visit while you come get your mail.

Speaker A · Thank you very much. Motivation.

Speaker C · Thank you. I think that covered a lot of ground. Thank you, Councillor Guyre, for bringing this forward and for champion championing placemaking as well during the budget to make sure that that initiative didn't get lost. I'm very supportive of this notice of motion. I think it's an opportune time to be exploring this given the news that's come out from Canada Post. And this is an area where it's interesting as door to door delivery has been contemplated over the years. One of the things that I've constantly heard as a potential consequence of losing door to door delivery is that human touch point that the mail carriers have, particularly with some of our more isolated or vulnerable residents that are living at home or elderly.

Speaker C · And so I love the idea of trying to transform these mailboxes in every neighborhood into those neighborhood hubs where you can meet a neighbor, you know, get connected with what's going on in the neighborhood. I think it's going to be wonderful to help create identities in our neighborhoods as well, because that's something else that I hear frequently from residents that they would like to pursue is just to. Yeah, help help Langford feel a little bit more unique and a little bit more special. So I'm excited to see where this goes and I'm hopeful that residents of Langford will want to take part in it and add their own special flair to the community mailbox. Thank you.

Speaker A · Thank you. Anyone else? Councilor Wagner?

Speaker B · Yeah, I was actually a little worried about losing some green space, potentially having a bunch of metal boxes where I was hoping maybe there'd be some guerrilla gardening or something. There's other place making initiatives that I was sort of thinking of looking forward to. So when I saw the announcement, I thought, oh, so I'm quite grateful that this is being turned into an opportunity. And it makes a lot of sense to have people have, you know, we have to make the best of the situation. And I hope that that will be an opportunity for public art. And already covered things like people's loneliness and quality of life. So these community spaces are really important and I'm glad to see this coming forward.

Speaker C · Thank you.

Speaker A · Thanks very much. Anyone else?

Speaker E · Thank you. I just wanted to add that this came forward as an idea from the Greater Victoria so that they've had a lot of leadership and this is ideated through that organization. So I've been working with them on how to bring it forward and take advantage of this momentum. But I just wanted to give credit to that community that's doing great work and the whole crd.

Speaker A · Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, I'll call the question. All those in favor? That passes. All right, before I go to in camera, I want to thank the three people who are online. I have a motion to go on camera, please. Thank you. I'll move that council close the meeting to the public pursuant to section 91k of the community charter, to consider negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality if they were held in public.

Speaker A · Second, all those in favor? That passes. Thank you, everyone. You guys have a nice cool evening.