{"videoId":"eb3df9ee-c0e7-4fc2-9f07-a8ec428beef8","source":"assemblyai","segments":[{"t":3,"text":"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to your Council Chamber. I'm Councillor Judy Brownhoff. I'm acting mayor for June and I'll be chairing this meeting. So with that I'm going to open up June 22.","speaker":"A"},{"t":15,"text":"Committee of the whole meeting is called to order and what we always do is we have our territorial and diversity statements read. So I'm going to call on Councillor Hart Harper to do that tonight. Councillor Harper.","speaker":"A"},{"t":29,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Braunhoff.","speaker":"B"},{"t":30,"text":"It is appropriate that we begin by acknowledging the District of Sanich lies within the territories of the Lekwungen peoples represented by the Songhees and the Squamous nations and the Wisanich peoples represented by the Sartlip, Poquichan, Siout Sicom and Malahat nations.","speaker":"B"},{"t":48,"text":"We are committed to celebrating the rich diversity of people in our community. We are guided by the principle that embracing diversity enriches the lives of all people.","speaker":"B"},{"t":59,"text":"We all share the responsibility for creating an equitable and inclusive community and for addressing discrimination in all forms. Thank you, Madam Chair.","speaker":"B"},{"t":69,"text":"Thank you. Public input has always been an important item on our Council meeting agendas and welcome in person. Saanich encourages public input via email or written submission in person or by video on Ms.","speaker":"A"},{"t":84,"text":"Teams.","speaker":"C"},{"t":85,"text":"For those wishing to address counsel via Ms. Teams, the link is available at www. saanich. ca. agendas. The Deputy Corporate Officer will provide further details on providing input prior to the public input portion on the agenda.","speaker":"A"},{"t":102,"text":"This meeting is being live webcast and by participating in this webcast you are consenting to being recorded. Personal information, including your image and personal opinions may be collected and disclosed as part of Council proceedings on the video.","speaker":"A"},{"t":120,"text":"The recording will be available on district's website for future access. When presenting to council, please do not provide any third party information. For example, talk of others as you may be disclosing other people's personal information without their consent.","speaker":"A"},{"t":138,"text":"We require respectful dialogue at this meeting. If your behavior language is disruptive or harmful, we reserve the right to stop your input and remove you from the meeting.","speaker":"A"},{"t":151,"text":"We also ask that you consider others when listening and reacting to any comments this evening. Whether you may support or oppose a particular item, we want everyone to feel comfortable and welcome to participate and share their views.","speaker":"A"},{"t":169,"text":"Thank you for making this space for thoughtful constructive discussion. I will now request the Deputy Corporate Officer to please introduce the next agenda item. Please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":181,"text":"The first item on tonight's agenda is a delegation from the Victoria Women's Transition House Society and the purpose is to update on Harrison Place and future plans. The Representative is in attendance.","speaker":"D"},{"t":190,"text":"I just ask that they come forward and begin with their name and then we will set the the timer for you.","speaker":"D"},{"t":198,"text":"Welcome,","speaker":"A"},{"t":200,"text":"I'm Sandra Hudson. Thank you Councillor Brownhoff, Mayor Murdoch and members of council for allowing me to speak with this this evening. My name is Sandra Hudson and I'm the board chair of the Victoria Women's Transition House Society Board.","speaker":"E"},{"t":217,"text":"I'm here today with our executive director Bahar Donati and fellow board member Nikki Peterson. Although I am no longer, I was very proud. Saanich resident for over 20 years.","speaker":"E"},{"t":229,"text":"I volunteer with Victoria Women's Transition House because my life was changed by horrible tragedy in 2017 and I will do whatever I can to personally put an end to intimate partner violence in our community.","speaker":"E"},{"t":243,"text":"I know that all of Saanich was shocked earlier this year by the murder of Dr. Laura Gover, making us all more aware of the need for support in our community.","speaker":"E"},{"t":255,"text":"Our programs and services include an emergency transition house, Harrison Place here in saanich, which is second stage housing for women 45 to 65 and our new 50 unit building in the West Shore built by BC Housing and operated by us.","speaker":"E"},{"t":272,"text":"We also offer a wide range of programs and services including women's counseling, Peace, children's camps, 50 plus support programs, food security programs and our 24 hour crisis line.","speaker":"E"},{"t":284,"text":"I'm here to speak about the urgent need for affordable housing for women and families fleeing gender based violence and the role you can play in addressing it. The scale of this crisis is stark.","speaker":"E"},{"t":298,"text":"In British Columbia, as of the last study conducted in 2022, 27% of women leaving transition houses become homeless. Violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women. This is not an individual issue, it is a systemic one.","speaker":"E"},{"t":314,"text":"The barrier for many is simple. It's money. Nearly one in three single mothers spend more than half their income on housing. There is simply nothing left to secure safety, let alone rebuild a life.","speaker":"E"},{"t":328,"text":"Here in Victoria and greater Victoria, the situation is even more acute. With vacancy rates below 3. 5%, the rental market is extremely competitive and women leaving violence face enormous barriers to securing housing.","speaker":"E"},{"t":341,"text":"As a result, transition houses are backed up, waiting lists grow and women are forced into an impossible choice, return to an unsafe home or face homelessness. The evidence however, points to a clear path forward.","speaker":"E"},{"t":356,"text":"Second stage and long term housing models significantly improve outcomes. Women who access these supports are far more likely to secure and maintain permanent housing.","speaker":"E"},{"t":366,"text":"We also know that gender neutral approaches such as the housing first model fail to meet the needs of survivors. Trauma informed women centered housing is essential.","speaker":"E"},{"t":377,"text":"As I mentioned, here in Senich we operate Harrison Place 22 units of second stage programming specifically designed for senior women, one of the most vulnerable populations in our region. It is a very successful and much needed program.","speaker":"E"},{"t":393,"text":"But stays are limited to 18 months and our biggest challenge is finding permanent affordable housing for clients once that time is up. Harrison Place illustrates both what's possible and what's still missing. What we are proposing is not unprecedented.","speaker":"E"},{"t":409,"text":"Municipalities across B. C. already use tools like inclusionary zoning and density bonusing to require affordable housing and new developments. The province prioritizes women fleeing violence and housing access.","speaker":"E"},{"t":420,"text":"What's missing is bringing these approaches together and that's where we believe Saanich Council can act.","speaker":"E"},{"t":427,"text":"Today we are asking you to take a concrete, achievable step to designate at least 5% of all new residential developments approved in this district as affordable housing units for women and children fleeing violence and partner with organizations like ours to operate and support those units.","speaker":"E"},{"t":446,"text":"This is a practical, scalable solution. It integrates safety into the housing system, creates pathways out of violence and ensures that new development contributes to community well being.","speaker":"E"},{"t":457,"text":"Investing in this kind of housing is not just a response, it's prevention. It reduces strain on emergency services, supports long term stability and helps break the cycle of violence and of homelessness.","speaker":"E"},{"t":470,"text":"Without safe housing, there is no real safety. We are ready and happy to work with you. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me this evening.","speaker":"E"},{"t":482,"text":"And now Bahar and I are happy to answer any questions you have.","speaker":"E"},{"t":488,"text":"Thank you, Council. I'll just remind you questions only if you want to deal with requests it would have to be forwarded to a committee to deal with. So who do I have? Councillor Chambers.","speaker":"A"},{"t":502,"text":"Oh, sorry, sorry, yeah, I'm just looking there.","speaker":"A"},{"t":506,"text":"All red.","speaker":"F"},{"t":506,"text":"Thank you, Madam Chair.","speaker":"G"},{"t":507,"text":"Councillor Phelps Pondero.","speaker":"A"},{"t":509,"text":"Thank you Madam Chair. And thank you so much for your presentation, for everything you do in our community. Two quick questions for you.","speaker":"G"},{"t":514,"text":"I was wondering if you could elaborate a little bit more on what you were saying around housing first not necessarily meeting the needs of people fleeing intimate partner violence.","speaker":"G"},{"t":520,"text":"That's somewhat new to me and I'd love for a bit more of a deeper dive on that.","speaker":"G"},{"t":524,"text":"I'd like Bahar to answer that question, actually.","speaker":"E"},{"t":533,"text":"Hi, thank you for the question. That's because the housing first model are single, so most of the people that we serve are women and are mostly families with children.","speaker":"H"},{"t":542,"text":"So those models are not fit for their safety and their needs.","speaker":"H"},{"t":547,"text":"Thanks so much. Follow through. Madam Chair, is there ways of adapting that model or would you prefer the different model?","speaker":"G"},{"t":552,"text":"That sort of.","speaker":"I"},{"t":553,"text":"We prefer a different model because of the safety aspects.","speaker":"H"},{"t":555,"text":"That we'd like to have.","speaker":"J"},{"t":556,"text":"So.","speaker":"K"},{"t":557,"text":"And this is an open invite to all of you to see our West Shore facility. So we can actually demonstrate to you what that looks like in practice.","speaker":"H"},{"t":563,"text":"Thank you so much. And then additional question to you, Madam Chair. The province has recently cut its funding to the Community Housing Fund and I was wondering if that has impacted your work in any way.","speaker":"G"},{"t":572,"text":"Yeah, so actually for us it's the Women's Transition Housing Fund that we primarily go towards, but they've put a pause on all of those developments as well.","speaker":"H"},{"t":580,"text":"Well, so there was a new development that was slated for the Victoria region that is now on a pause indefinitely, so we don't know when that's going to resume.","speaker":"H"},{"t":589,"text":"Thanks so much. And one other follow up question, if I may, Madam Chair. The Women's Transition Fund has also been paused. Has there been advocacy done at this region on that issue or.","speaker":"G"},{"t":597,"text":"Yeah, absolutely.","speaker":"J"},{"t":598,"text":"From our end we are constantly talking to BC Housing. They're one of our biggest funders to try and get that back on board.","speaker":"H"},{"t":604,"text":"There's been no response from either them or Minister Boyle on what that's going to look like and I know BC Society of Transition Houses has been advocating as well for us.","speaker":"H"},{"t":612,"text":"Thank you so much, Councillor Chambers.","speaker":"A"},{"t":618,"text":"Thank you very much, Madam Chair. And thank you to your presentation. It's very important work in our community and it's imperative that this grows.","speaker":"J"},{"t":629,"text":"And I really like your approach of seeking a 40% in new developments being set aside for families escaping violence. Thank you. Just a question through the chair.","speaker":"J"},{"t":641,"text":"I happen to remember Councillor Bryce putting something forward about it was last term and it was about 30% of housing to go to such causes.","speaker":"J"},{"t":652,"text":"I know it's not appropriate to ask a question, but perhaps you could let us know what happened on that, on that issue.","speaker":"J"},{"t":662,"text":"I think that, I think that that 40% is a very worthy amount and I would like to see other members of council and I would be happy to support that.","speaker":"J"},{"t":676,"text":"Thank you so much.","speaker":"H"},{"t":677,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Bryce.","speaker":"A"},{"t":682,"text":"Thank you, Chair. And through you, thank you for your presentation, all the wonderful work that you do. I think the reference made by my colleague might have been for the rapid deployment of affordable housing.","speaker":"L"},{"t":696,"text":"And so that is, I'm sure, a program that you're familiar with. I would be interested in knowing.","speaker":"L"},{"t":703,"text":"Do you feel you've got a relationship with Saanich staff and planning so that if you had a particular project you have the contacts to make, does that currently exist?","speaker":"L"},{"t":715,"text":"I believe we do. I'm newer to the role, so I've only been here 10 months.","speaker":"H"},{"t":719,"text":"So for me, it's definitely newer, but I know our staff have worked really hard to build those relationships and we believe that, you know, if there was an opportunity that we have a relationship for us to be able to approach and have that.","speaker":"H"},{"t":730,"text":"I think the problem is that we don't have access to funding for us to be able to approach city and council with an actual plan or a site to be able to do it.","speaker":"H"},{"t":738,"text":"Which is why we're asking for the inclusionary zoning, because it helps alleviate some of that. It is already a development that's going to be slated in your community.","speaker":"H"},{"t":745,"text":"We're just asking for us to operate a percentage of it as affordable housing for our clients.","speaker":"H"},{"t":750,"text":"Thank you for that. And Deborah continued, good work. Thank you.","speaker":"L"},{"t":755,"text":"Are there any other questions? Councillor Harper,","speaker":"A"},{"t":761,"text":"thank you for the presentation.","speaker":"B"},{"t":762,"text":"I was recently at a meeting of another group that had a presentation from a different group, but was dealing with exactly the same issue, which is what prompts my question, to what degree do you find it that you really have to be educating people about this problem?","speaker":"B"},{"t":779,"text":"Because I was actually. I wasn't astonished by the presentation, but in this group that I was in, which was all women, most of them were amazed at the degree and depth of the problem.","speaker":"B"},{"t":790,"text":"And maybe it's our generation, I sort of thought maybe we got. But so what, to what degree do you do educate? Do you have to do educational things? And what. And how do you feel that that part's going?","speaker":"B"},{"t":804,"text":"Yeah, actually, community education is one of the biggest things that we do in this work.","speaker":"H"},{"t":809,"text":"It is constantly coming up that, oh, this doesn't affect me, or it's a certain type of woman that's affected by violence, or it's a certain group. Or sometimes I get asked, what type of demographic does this involve?","speaker":"H"},{"t":821,"text":"And it's everybody. It could be your neighbor, it could","speaker":"H"},{"t":824,"text":"be your teacher, it could be your","speaker":"B"},{"t":825,"text":"friend, it could be someone at the grocery store. Honestly, this is a pandemic that affects everyone and it's not segregated to a specific group. So we do a lot of work around community education.","speaker":"H"},{"t":835,"text":"Actually, we have staff that go out into community and specifically present on it for that very reason. And I think when tragedies like Dr.","speaker":"H"},{"t":843,"text":"Gover's death happen, we do get some spotlight and we get an opportunity to go into the press and talk about it. But when the headlines go away, so does the funding and the spotlight on it.","speaker":"H"},{"t":854,"text":"So it's something that we constantly have to work on.","speaker":"H"},{"t":858,"text":"Thank you for that, and I'm glad to hear you are focusing on that as well. Because clearly there still is a lot of not seeing it.","speaker":"B"},{"t":866,"text":"Thanks, Councillor Phelps Bondroff a second time.","speaker":"A"},{"t":872,"text":"Thank you, Madam Chair. Question through to either the mayor or staff. Is the Housing Affordability Standing Committee meeting between now and October?","speaker":"G"},{"t":882,"text":"Sure.","speaker":"L"},{"t":882,"text":"Committee. Mr. Mayor.","speaker":"A"},{"t":887,"text":"I actually would be looking to you,","speaker":"L"},{"t":889,"text":"Mr. Mayor, to know if there is a committee meeting scheduled.","speaker":"D"},{"t":897,"text":"Thank you, Chair Brown off. I don't believe there's one scheduled. I will have to confer with staff to see if there are other items for upcoming consideration, but at this point there's not one on the books.","speaker":"M"},{"t":909,"text":"Okay, thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah. The reason I was asking was whether it would be if we could refer this to the Housing Affordability Standing Committee.","speaker":"G"},{"t":915,"text":"Whether it was meeting the broader question of inclusionary housing with respect to transition housing and density bonusing is something I think that would be certainly worthy of considering, but I didn't want to send it to a committee that wasn't going to meet.","speaker":"G"},{"t":924,"text":"So I wasn't sure how you might recommend we proceed with that.","speaker":"G"},{"t":927,"text":"Madam Chair.","speaker":"M"},{"t":928,"text":"I'm sorry, I thought all our committees wrapped up in June, so I'm not sure who can respond to that. Deputy.","speaker":"A"},{"t":939,"text":"I think ultimately there's two referral options. One is to staff, the other is to committee. In the absence of committees meeting, I","speaker":"G"},{"t":946,"text":"think if council wishes to refer this","speaker":"N"},{"t":948,"text":"matter somewhere, an appropriate referral would be to staff. Staff could bring it forward to a committee at the appropriate time. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'd like to move that we refer this matter to staff.","speaker":"G"},{"t":957,"text":"I know staff is working on density bonusing in the next little while, and I think it would be worthy of consideration in their broader exploration of that issue.","speaker":"G"},{"t":964,"text":"Someone seconded. Seconded by Councillor devries.","speaker":"A"},{"t":969,"text":"Do you want to kind of already smuggle my comments in there, Madam Chair, but I think, as I mentioned, staff is currently in the process of reviewing and developing our density bonusing framework.","speaker":"G"},{"t":977,"text":"This could be a component thereof, and we've already sent a few items to them. As council recall one on clinics, we've referred other aspects around affordable housing, protection of important trees and other aspects.","speaker":"G"},{"t":986,"text":"So this could be another element that they consider as they are developing our density bonusing framework.","speaker":"G"},{"t":990,"text":"Okay, Councillor devries,","speaker":"A"},{"t":995,"text":"ditto. I think this is a good first start and it's probably already on your radar, but this may be something you want to engage with the Capital Regional District with.","speaker":"I"},{"t":1004,"text":"They're in the process of updating their housing affordability strategy for the region. This is something that could at least be considered through that. That process.","speaker":"I"},{"t":1011,"text":"So it won't be part of this referral, but something that we can take offline. Thank you.","speaker":"I"},{"t":1016,"text":"Thank you. Any other comments? Seeing none. Motions on the floor. All those in favor?","speaker":"A"},{"t":1023,"text":"Opposed?","speaker":"C"},{"t":1024,"text":"It carries unanimously. Thank you for your presentation. Ms. Froud.","speaker":"A"},{"t":1031,"text":"Please the next item on the agenda is public input and this is for the committee of the whole business items, the amalgamation question, 2020 general local election, the 2025 annual report and the 2026 climate plan.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1045,"text":"For those wishing to address council via Ms. Teams, the meeting link is located at Saanich CA agendas. This information is also displayed on the screen for convenience. For those participating through the Ms.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1057,"text":"Teams link, please leave your video display off and microphone muted except when addressing council. If you wish to speak, you must use the raise your hand function to join the speaking queue.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1069,"text":"Speakers will have up to three minutes each to address council. If you're representing a community association, please let us know and you'll have up to six minutes.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1079,"text":"When you come forward to speak, we just ask that you provide your name and if you're comfortable, your address, your neighborhood or even if you're a resident of Saanich. We are going to be starting with registered speakers first.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1093,"text":"So the first registered speaker is Lynn Baek if you'd like to come forward. And please just state your name again and again if you're comfortable, your address or neighborhood.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1105,"text":"Welcome.","speaker":"A"},{"t":1107,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1107,"text":"Yes, my name is Lynn Beek and I am a resident of Saanich just in the last couple of years and I'm a member of the Unitarian Universalist Community of Victoria, also here in Saanich and I'm also here as a representative of GVET Greater Victoria Acting Together we are a coalition of 18 community organizations and other allied groups working together for the improvement of life of people in Greater Victoria.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1139,"text":"I'm going to start by acknowledging the suffering right now of Lytton First Nation and the Village of Lytton as they go through another wildfire crisis.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1151,"text":"Because I am here to speak about your climate action plan and I want to acknowledge the work of council and staff.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1160,"text":"This type of initiative is critical as we seek to reduce both the impacts of climate change and also adapt to them.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1170,"text":"GVAD is currently focused on the need for to plan for buildings that keep people cool as well as to retrofit existing buildings to reduce their GHG output and I want to thank Councillors Harper and DeVry for participating.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1187,"text":"Last month in GVAT's Keep It Cool Climate Action Academy at Broadview, United and Saanich we had over 130 community members and their participation demonstrated the importance of for Saanich Council of Climate Action, particularly to keep people from overheating and to reduce the environmental footprint of our buildings.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1209,"text":"We asked that Saanich endorse a resolution at UBCM to get the provincial government to give municipalities the authority to regulate emissions from existing buildings.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1220,"text":"And that's already been passed by both the city of Victoria and the association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities. I don't know who your rep at UBCM is, but hopefully get their hand up.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1235,"text":"And secondly, we sought that Saanich pass a right to cool bylaw crafted and implemented to avoid any adverse unintended consequences, but to ensure that every resident is able to stay cool during this current heat crisis that we have.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1253,"text":"And I also want to mention that these cooling issues are already addressed in your climate work plan in section 4. 2.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1262,"text":"We all know that failing to plan is planning to fail and we have to set targets in order to try to achieve them. I know you haven't met all of your targets, but you are trying.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1279,"text":"We know there's a cost to this. We know it's a cost to implement your plan, but so is the cost of doing nothing.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1291,"text":"Thank you very much.","speaker":"A"},{"t":1292,"text":"Perfect timing.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1293,"text":"Yeah.","speaker":"K"},{"t":1296,"text":"The next registered speaker is James Ley, if you'd like to come forward. And please just state your name.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1305,"text":"Hi, I'm Jim Lee Le G H. I've been a Saanich resident since about 1990. I've been on the Saanich police board. I've been a recipient of the Saanich volunteer award.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1314,"text":"I can't remember the years I've been involved since back when Murray was mayor. I'm here with respect to the amalgamation issue. I do not want you to put on a non binding vote.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1324,"text":"That issue has been one that I've been involved in since 1995 when I started advocating, having moved to Greater Victoria, for the cities to amalgamate. And the last thing we need is another non binding vote.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1334,"text":"That will be a huge problem at this point in time. I have twice asked the province to how do we get an amalgamation? Because we are.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1342,"text":"This city is just an entity of the province and the province can do whatever they want.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1347,"text":"They have twice told me that they will do what the cities want and if the city's asked for it, they'll have a referendum.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1353,"text":"They clearly have pooched that and they're not doing that and that's entirely their fault and it's not our fault.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1359,"text":"But to go and now have a non binding referendum or non binding question puts a whole bunch of effort with Respect.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1365,"text":"Unless the city's going to pay to get advocacy out there for pro and con with respect to it, don't do it because I don't have enough time and effort.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1374,"text":"There's people, people who have been involved in this issue have died and have retired since we started dealing with this in 1995 when I started pushing this thing.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1382,"text":"So at this point to now say now you're going to put all this effort because you should go advocate.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1387,"text":"Because the one result that could occur here is that the vote of the city, because nobody's really putting a lot of effort into this, is to say no, because we don't want the problems of Victoria.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1398,"text":"And I can go at length as to why that's the wrong thing, but at the end of the day, that's all that can. Well, they said no, so we're not going to worry about it if they say yes.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1409,"text":"Okay, well, we're still at the same point we are today. Please, please do not vote to have a non binding question yet again. We've already done it. The city has done that.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1418,"text":"If the province wants to get more information, let the province get more information. I would love to have a binding referendum. I can't force that. You can't force that because the province needs to do that.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1429,"text":"But what you can do is say, well, we're not going to waste our time and our citizens time and my time and your time trying to talk about this when it's not going to be binding.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1439,"text":"Because that is a huge problem. Because obviously if it's a negative vote, then that's going to kill it after all the effort I've been putting into this thing for decades. And if it's a positive vote, great.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1450,"text":"But it's not going to be any point because at the end of the day we're still going to end up having to pay money to go get more information because.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1459,"text":"Because apparently the $750,000 that you guys contributed to, I contributed to, we all contributed to, wasn't enough. So in the end of the day, all I'm asking you to do is to say province, this is your problem.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1470,"text":"You should have done what we asked you to do. You didn't. If you say there's needs to be more time, we can't force you. But please don't go and have a non binding question.","speaker":"O"},{"t":1479,"text":"There is no point to that right now. And I would ask that you not do that. And I can go over a whole bunch of reasons as to why amalgamation is the right thing, but my time's","speaker":"O"},{"t":1490,"text":"up Your time's up.","speaker":"A"},{"t":1491,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"F"},{"t":1493,"text":"The next speaker is Katherine Whitworth, if you'd like to come forward.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1499,"text":"Is she online?","speaker":"A"},{"t":1505,"text":"Good evening, Mayor and council. Katherine Whitworth, Vermont Avenue. I'm speaking on agenda item C1, amalgamation question 2026, general local. My preference is either alternative number two or number three. However, to be democratic, alternative number one is reasonable.","speaker":"C"},{"t":1524,"text":"I say reasonable because the Minister has not authorized a binding referendum due to the proposed question not clearly stating that additional work and information on cost and government has not been included.","speaker":"C"},{"t":1540,"text":"Because this is a non binding question, it gives a false sense of security and the voters are basically in the","speaker":"C"},{"t":1551,"text":"dark","speaker":"K"},{"t":1555,"text":"regarding the additional hundreds of thousands of dollars each municipality will be required to contribute to complete this work. Should the majority response be a yes. And we have no idea on how we will pay for this.","speaker":"C"},{"t":1574,"text":"With respect to the Assembly's recommendation itself, they stated having considered the cost, benefits and disadvantages to the best of our abilities.","speaker":"C"},{"t":1585,"text":"However, the financial and asset information within the MNP technical report had many inconsistencies and errors, so I do not feel confident a proper analysis was done.","speaker":"C"},{"t":1598,"text":"With respect to the minority reports, seven were included, however there were eight descending votes. The minority reports highlight many important issues that were not addressed either by a presentation or the MMP technical report. That is troubling.","speaker":"C"},{"t":1617,"text":"In closing, Council, I hope you take into account the severity of Minister Boyle's comments and that you reconsider your previous stance on not providing the voters with an unbiased one page information bulletin like that was done in 2018.","speaker":"C"},{"t":1637,"text":"Regardless, come October 17th, I shall be voting no to the amalgamation question. Thank you.","speaker":"C"},{"t":1645,"text":"Thank you, Ms. Ferrell.","speaker":"A"},{"t":1649,"text":"The next speaker is James Anderson, if you'd like to come forward.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1668,"text":"Hypertension makes me a little dizzy.","speaker":"P"},{"t":1671,"text":"Thank you for coming.","speaker":"A"},{"t":1673,"text":"James Anderson, 40 year resident of Saanich, longtime civic advocate. I'm here in despair, disappointment, confusion, anger and sadness. The cause of municipal reform has been before us for more than a decade.","speaker":"P"},{"t":1692,"text":"And on numerous occasions the resident voters of not only Saanich, but other municipalities have expressed considerable concern of the need for municipal reform and supported it. And once again, after a decade, we are now back to square one.","speaker":"P"},{"t":1716,"text":"You have now, in March of 23 of 2022, you collectively with the province basically agreed on a study process and eventually money were secured.","speaker":"P"},{"t":1731,"text":"You hired contractors to go about doing a job, but you seem to have now changed the course or you have reneged on the commitments that were expressed in that letter.","speaker":"P"},{"t":1750,"text":"Now, some will argue that the CA process and the MNP report were done, were adequate. And the CA process should consider move forward to a referendum. Yet three days ago.","speaker":"P"},{"t":1768,"text":"Three days ago we received public notice that things had changed. We learned that the mayor had met","speaker":"P"},{"t":1779,"text":"with the province, point of order called. So.","speaker":"A"},{"t":1782,"text":"Yep.","speaker":"E"},{"t":1784,"text":"If Mr. Anderson could please lower his voice. It's hard on me. Thank you.","speaker":"J"},{"t":1789,"text":"Could you please lower your tone? Thank you.","speaker":"A"},{"t":1793,"text":"And we have now learned on very short notice, including weekend just before the summer break, that the whole process is now up. What the hell happened? 17 months ago you got the MNP report.","speaker":"P"},{"t":1808,"text":"A year ago you got the CA report. If there were deficiencies, why didn't somebody identify them? Why were there concerns? Why now only just less than three months away from a fall election? Are we now reconsidering this question?","speaker":"P"},{"t":1825,"text":"I just don't understand what the delay was. You had all the material. If it wasn't adequate, you contracted with those people. Sorry, yes. You contracted with the contractors.","speaker":"P"},{"t":1838,"text":"If they didn't do a good job, tell them and have it done. Why did we wait till the end of the process?","speaker":"P"},{"t":1848,"text":"And almost a year and a half after you got the information, have you now suddenly decided, and the minister has suddenly decided that it was inadequate. Was everybody asleep?","speaker":"P"},{"t":1861,"text":"And I think as the previous speaker spoke to you, it's an exercise in futility to now have a referendum this fall. And so consequently, please, no referendum this fall.","speaker":"P"},{"t":1874,"text":"Thank you, Ms. Froud. Next speaker.","speaker":"A"},{"t":1879,"text":"The next speaker is Sam Holland, who is participating online. Sam, if you'd like to go ahead and just please restate your name for the record.","speaker":"D"},{"t":1888,"text":"Yes.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":1888,"text":"Sam Holland. That's spelled just like the province in the Netherlands.","speaker":"R"},{"t":1895,"text":"Welcome.","speaker":"S"},{"t":1896,"text":"Thank you. Thank you very much. And thank you Council for the opportunity to speak tonight. I'm speaking today as the chair of Better Transit yyj. We're a volunteer group organizing for more and better transit in the capital region.","speaker":"R"},{"t":1911,"text":"We're speaking tonight on, I think it's C3 in the agenda, the climate strategy, which we're really excited to see coming forward. As transit advocates and climate conscious citizens. There's a lot to like in the new plan.","speaker":"R"},{"t":1925,"text":"In particular, we appreciate the focus on financial and climate costs of personal vehicles and we also want to make sure to praise strategy T3, which are the five key goals in the plan for improving transit. Overall.","speaker":"R"},{"t":1939,"text":"We support the plan and we commend Saanich staff for their careful work on developing it and we hope that the plan will continue Sanich's position as a climate leader. We do see a limitation in the climate strategy.","speaker":"R"},{"t":1954,"text":"The scale of the changes required to move significant numbers of people towards using transit we don't think are really outlined especially compared to the active transportation sections.","speaker":"R"},{"t":1964,"text":"And put simply, the changes described for transit which are improving bus stops and installing a few queue jumps concretely are important but inadequate to meet mode shift goals in our view.","speaker":"R"},{"t":1976,"text":"So Saanich's most delayed transit corridors which are Lansdowne, Mackenzie, Interurban and Wilkinson need dedicated space for transit on the road. Sometimes that will mean reallocating space from parking and vehicle travel to transit.","speaker":"R"},{"t":1989,"text":"Sometimes that will mean widening roads for transit priority.","speaker":"R"},{"t":1992,"text":"We hope that the upcoming bus speed and reliability study from BC Transit will fully illustrate for council and staff the degree and scale of change that is required across the municipality.","speaker":"R"},{"t":2004,"text":"In short, we do support the adoption of the plan and we urge council to be bigger and bolder on transit.","speaker":"R"},{"t":2012,"text":"That said, we once again congratulate staff on the whole what is on the whole a very good plan and urge council to approve it. If we could change just one thing about the plan, we'd add three words.","speaker":"R"},{"t":2027,"text":"Two words really. We'd ask council to add the words bus lanes to the last sentence of T3. 2 and the final text would read e. g. signal priority, bus lanes and queue jumps.","speaker":"R"},{"t":2040,"text":"Thank you very much for your time.","speaker":"R"},{"t":2042,"text":"Thank you very much Ms. Froud.","speaker":"A"},{"t":2045,"text":"Next one the next speaker is Ted Sheldon if you'd like to come forward and please begin with your name.","speaker":"D"},{"t":2051,"text":"Oh my God. Welcome.","speaker":"A"},{"t":2060,"text":"Thank you very much. Good evening. My name is Ted Sheldon. I was counting the years after somebody referenced 40 years.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2069,"text":"I guess I'm only 37 in the district of Saanich and I've certainly my family have certainly enjoyed our many years here and the progressive council and staff that that we have on hand.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2083,"text":"So thanks for the opportunity to share some very broad and supportive comments on Saanich's proposed 2026 climate plan. The science of climate change is clear and the cost of climate impacts are growing.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2096,"text":"In 2021 the cost of the combined heat dome wildfires in the atmospheric river in BC was estimated to cost between 10 and $17 billion or 3 to 5% of BC's GDP.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2109,"text":"A large majority of Canadians believe climate change is happening, that governments should act and that we would rather be a renewable energy powerhouse than a fossil fuel one.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2121,"text":"Even so, Canada continues to lag behind the other G7 nations on climate action due in part to shorter term, other shorter term priorities and continuing fossil fuel activity in the province and the country and related disinformation.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2137,"text":"The District of Saanich has established a well earned reputation of one of BC's climate action champions thanks to progressive councils, engaged and empowering staff, and supportive residents and businesses. Saanich's 2020 climate plan is a wonderful example.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2152,"text":"It won awards from the Canadian Institute of Planners, the Planning Institute of B. C. and the B. C. community Energy of Association.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2161,"text":"Saanich's new proposed 2026 climate plan and its six focus areas continue to maintain the direction and momentum of many of the actions of the earlier plan in order to get close to net zero by 2050.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2177,"text":"Strategies and actions identified in the plan highlight the importance of continuing to work towards building compact, complete communities, maximizing opportunities for energy efficiency and renewable energy, reducing waste while promoting a circular economy, protecting the natural environment and continuing an aggressive corporate operations strategy.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2195,"text":"The interdependencies have been built between the 2026 climate plan and many of Sanich's other planning processes and these strengthen the likelihood that the District will meet its climate action and other goals.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2208,"text":"The plan also highlights many of the co benefits to climate action that come from these interrelationships. Of course, Saanich requires stakeholders both inside and outside the district to row in the same direction.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2222,"text":"If our targets can be achieved, the District will rely on both consistent and supportive policy direction and renewed funding support from the federal and provincial governments, collaboration from other local governments in the region, partnerships with BC Hydro, first nations and research centers, and inspiring action from both residents and businesses alike.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2244,"text":"I do indeed Recommend Approving the 2026 climate plan.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":2247,"text":"Thank you, Ms. Froud.","speaker":"A"},{"t":2250,"text":"The next speaker is Trevor Hancock. If you'd like to I believe you're participating via teams. If you want to unmute your mic and restate your name for the record.","speaker":"D"},{"t":2263,"text":"Thank you and good evening Mayor and Council. It's Trevor Hancock. I reside in the Gorge Tilikum neighborhood and thank you for entertaining this presentation remotely.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2274,"text":"I also took the liberty of I'm speaking in support of the Climate Action Plan. I should say it's an important part of making saniture One Planet Community something that I know you're committed to.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2287,"text":"I took the liberty of emailing you a copy of my column last week in the Hill Times in Ottawa, the headline of which was what Part of Climate Emergency do the Feds Not Get?","speaker":"S"},{"t":2301,"text":"So it's important to understand that seven years ago now, the federal government, the Parliament in fact, on June 18, so almost exactly seven years ago, declared that we had a climate emergency.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2314,"text":"The current federal government doesn't seem to take that seriously. But as Ted Sheldon just mentioned and others no doubt will, there's no doubt whatsoever that we face a potentially existential crisis if we continue as we are.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2329,"text":"Specifically, in May of this year, the Pan European Commission on Climate and Health, which have been convened by the European Regional director of the World Health Organization, recommended that because this is a catastrophic threat to human health security and social stability, and that is a quote, the WHO should formally declare climate change as a public health emergency of international concern.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2354,"text":"And I think many of you will know I am a public health physician and so I bring to this issue of climate change my concerns about the health of the population.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2367,"text":"So I want to commend you for the work you've done thus far.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2372,"text":"And I want to commend you at a time when the federal and provincial governments seem to be foolishly backing away from their commitments on climate change to encourage you to strongly continue on your path. I applaud the plan.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2388,"text":"I applaud the fact that you've almost achieved your goal for a 50% reduction by 2030. And I applaud the 10 principles on which the this is based. I wish our federal and provincial governments were as principled.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2403,"text":"Given the existential nature of this crisis, I'm more than happy to see my tax dollars going to support this kind of work.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2412,"text":"It's exactly the kind of work that municipalities and in fact governments at all levels should be doing across the country. So thank you for your work. Thank you for carrying on with this work.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2426,"text":"It's important to the health of the population, not just of Saanich and but of bc, of Canada and indeed the people of the world.","speaker":"S"},{"t":2437,"text":"Thank you very much, Ms. Froude.","speaker":"A"},{"t":2441,"text":"That concludes the registered speakers. If there's anybody else who wishes to address council within chambers, we'd just ask you to come forward. If there is anybody online, please use your raise your hand feature.","speaker":"D"},{"t":2452,"text":"And now, just looking towards chambers. If there's anybody who wishes to address","speaker":"D"},{"t":2456,"text":"council, please come forward.","speaker":"A"},{"t":2466,"text":"Check one. Good evening, Chair and council. My name is Trevor Berry. I recently joined Amalgamation. Yes. And then became its president for three reasons.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2475,"text":"One, because only after taking in all of the findings of the Victoria Saanich Citizens Assembly, I was persuaded Amalgamation needs to happen. The sooner the better. And according to the VSCA recommendations.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2486,"text":"Number two, because I had some bad experiences running in politics in 22 and I wanted a way to serve my community this summer that wasn't as a council candidate.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2497,"text":"And number three, I worry dearly about voter polarization this year and I wanted to be part of something else.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2504,"text":"Something intelligent, unattached to personality that inspires the same level of voters voter turnout that this community enjoyed in 2014 and 2018 during the first two amalgamation ballot questions.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2514,"text":"This was in the hope that a referendum this fall would bring everyday folks out to the vote, not just the dedicated voices on the margins. October 17, 2026 is supposed to be a very exciting and important local election.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2528,"text":"Not about the EDPA or housing targets or bike lanes, not about dogs or square squirrels or lizards, rather about improving the 95%. The other aspects of municipal administration, regional coordination and service delivery.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2540,"text":"It is supposed to be the final definitive moment when two legal bodies can be joined together in matrimony by mutual consent of willing partners.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2548,"text":"The voices of the people of their shared community coming together to decide how they will be governed.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2555,"text":"But we will not reach those 2018 heights of over 40% turnout if yet another non binding vote, in this case a useless non binding plebiscite, is put out instead of the promised referendum.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2566,"text":"I will take a leap of faith and assume that nobody in this room made any moves to dissuade the province from providing ministerial orders for not fulfilling their commitment to the VSEA process and recommendations for not speaking up sooner if they had concerns about financial details, concerns, I might add, that are not shared by the advising experts.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2587,"text":"I will give that benefit of the doubt. But in order to be legitimate, the next ballot has to be binding. So if you are unwilling. I lost my spot.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2598,"text":"If you are unwilling to go back to the province and demand that they get their house in order, then the only alternative that I see in front of you for you to choose from is not number one, its number delay another four years.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2614,"text":"Let us go fight the province for being lazy. And you, if you're unwilling to do so.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2620,"text":"Otherwise you are complicit in desecrating the trust of the voters and disrespecting the 3/4 million dollars and thousands of hours of community service spent by everyday citizens in this shared community.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2631,"text":"Political pressure on the provincial government to pull up their big kid socks and make decisions could turn this all around rounds and in time to avoid breaking the faith.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2641,"text":"But the next question on a ballot needs to be a binding referendum in order for it to be legitimate. Thank you for your time.","speaker":"T"},{"t":2650,"text":"Thank you. I don't see anyone online. Is there anyone else in the audience that like to speak? Thanks. Could you.","speaker":"A"},{"t":2665,"text":"Three minutes.","speaker":"L"},{"t":2666,"text":"Done for the day?","speaker":"U"},{"t":2666,"text":"Yeah.","speaker":"F"},{"t":2679,"text":"Welcome.","speaker":"A"},{"t":2680,"text":"Hello, Mayor and Councillors. I'm Doug Pelton and I live in the Shelburne Valley. I want to talk about the 2025 Annual Report on page 115 in the Statistical section. Yes, I read it all the way through.","speaker":"V"},{"t":2701,"text":"It shows the past five years of expenses. The expenses in Saanich went from 216 million to 299 million. Sorry, sorry about that.","speaker":"V"},{"t":2715,"text":"While the population went from 124,000 to 639 to 126,011, the annual expenses incentives went up 35% while the population increased 1. 1%. The annual report does not include or does include the debt per capita.","speaker":"V"},{"t":2735,"text":"Over the past five years it has gone from $384 a year to $836 a year, a whopping increase of 118%. We are in a technical recession.","speaker":"V"},{"t":2750,"text":"Many residents are struggling to pay the rapid increase in property taxes and fees. Saanich must control both municipal debt and expenses.","speaker":"V"},{"t":2763,"text":"To control property taxes and fees, Senich must try to keep the annual growth of expenses per capita at or below the rate of inflation so we don't bankrupt our residents.","speaker":"V"},{"t":2781,"text":"Could you please consider directing staff to add expenses per capita in the statistical section under miscellaneous information in the 2025 Annual Report and future annual reports. And please limit expenses per capita growth to the rate of inflation.","speaker":"V"},{"t":2803,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"V"},{"t":2804,"text":"Thank you. I still don't see anyone online to speak. Is there anyone else in the audience who'd like to speak to us? Welcome.","speaker":"A"},{"t":2830,"text":"Good evening. Natasha Izard saanich resident item C3 2026 climate plan 100% renewable and resilient Saanich. The title of this plan is fake news. It is grossly misleading.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2840,"text":"The only possible way to have a 100% renewable Saanich is for a different council in the future. Think about it. Saanich is nowhere near achieving its own climate targets as we see year after year.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2852,"text":"What matters is not what happens with some distant Future Council in 2050. What matters is the present as revealed by Freedom of information.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2860,"text":"Saanich councillors over the last three years have cost Saanich taxpayers close to $100,000 in off island travel conference expenses. This included numerous jet flights, including cross country flights, as well as helijet flights back and forth to Vancouver.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2873,"text":"Clearly including saanich. And a 100% renewable in the same sentence is nothing but hot air. What Saanich needs is honesty and reality, not flashy misleading titles that read as mere exercises in public relations.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2885,"text":"Where in the plan, for example, is a phase out of gas landscaping equipment?","speaker":"N"},{"t":2890,"text":"How do you achieve 100% renewable while continuing to utilize gas landscaping equipment both for the district and by not phasing out such use across the district? You can't. So why not simply be honest in this regard?","speaker":"N"},{"t":2903,"text":"Look in the mirror. The Council has no plan to make Saanich 100% renewable. The council itself is nowhere near 100% renewable. No such plan to make Saanich 100% renewable exists and it does not exist in this plan.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2916,"text":"So why the title 100% renewable and resilient Saanich? It's just not true. Saanich is paying an outside organization, the South Island Prosperity Partnership, an organization which was set up to be industry led, about $200,000 a year.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2929,"text":"And Saanich has paid it far beyond a million dollars over the last decade.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2933,"text":"One of its members includes the Pacific Northwest Economic Region pnwer, among whose own members include many of the names of big oil, including ExxonMobil, the American Petroleum Institute, Enbridge Tech, Shell, BP, Synovus, Fortis, BC Imperial, Koch Industries and the Canadian association of Petroleum Producers.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2949,"text":"One of the PNWER's sponsors is none other than the Oil Sands Alliance. This plan speaks much about meaningful consultation with the indigenous.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2957,"text":"Yet last week Saanich refused to grant the Songhees Nation's request for meaningful consultation prior to the adoption of the Quadrant Mackenzie plan, which the Songhees noted was going to severely damage the ecology of the area.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2969,"text":"Instead, the overwhelming majority of the council voted to adopt the plan anyway. Bill 44 and the BCNDP's forced housing targets on traditional Indigenous lands is devastating the ecology of Saanich.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2980,"text":"And yet this council could not even bring itself to write to the province to have Bill 44 and the housing targets draconian housing targets removed.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2989,"text":"Meanwhile, last week the province and the federal government just handed over the development industry in B. C.","speaker":"N"},{"t":2995,"text":"a multi billion dollar bailout because the development industry didn't want their much beloved housing crisis to lead to actual market affordability for condos. So please end this charade because that is all this is charade.","speaker":"N"},{"t":3007,"text":"And please save Saanich from amalgamation. Thank you.","speaker":"N"},{"t":3010,"text":"Thank you. Welcome. Hi Nancy De Castry, Sandich resident. I will be very short this time. So in 2018 I did vote to have a study done to look at amalgamation between Victoria and Saanich.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3031,"text":"But if you ask me that question now on the 2026 ballot, I'd vote no. So what I'm wondering is, rather than spending the Money with option 2 prior","speaker":"A"},{"t":3048,"text":"to the 2030 election, why don't we take Sanich's temperature in 2026 and see","speaker":"E"},{"t":3054,"text":"how the municipality feels about amalgamation now? Because eight years is a long time and a lot of things have happened","speaker":"A"},{"t":3062,"text":"over that eight years, so it might be a good question to ask. And then if the if it is","speaker":"E"},{"t":3069,"text":"yes, then spend the money for option two.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3072,"text":"And if it's no, then we know where we stand. Or we know where Sandish stands.","speaker":"E"},{"t":3078,"text":"Thank you very much. Thank you. Is there anyone else in the audience who'd like to to speak to us on any of the items on the agenda? Oh, Ms. Froud, there's someone online.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3095,"text":"The individual is Mr. Hancock, who has already spoken.","speaker":"D"},{"t":3098,"text":"Oh, okay. Is there anyone. This is the second time anyone in the audience wishes to speak to us on any item on the agenda.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3108,"text":"And the third time, anyone in the audience wishing to speak to us on any item in the agenda. Ms. Froud? I don't see any.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3121,"text":"The next item on the agenda is the amalgamation question. 2026 general local election. This is a report from the Director of Legislative and Protective Services and the Corporate Officer.","speaker":"D"},{"t":3131,"text":"The purpose is to authorize staff to place a non binding public opinion question regarding amalgamation on the ballot for the 2026 general local election.","speaker":"D"},{"t":3141,"text":"Thank you, Mayor Murdoch.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3145,"text":"Thank you, Chair Brownhoff. I'm going to start out with the motion as recommended so that we can frame the discussion and then have a debate about it.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3153,"text":"So I move that it be recommended that council authorize staff to place a non binding public opinion question on the ballot for the 2026 general local election as outlined in the memo from yours truly.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3166,"text":"Did you wish to speak to it?","speaker":"A"},{"t":3167,"text":"I would.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":3168,"text":"Thank you. Well, I'll be the first to say it. The response came as quite a surprise.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3174,"text":"You'll note that this council gave direction to ask the Minister to grant a binding referendum so that that could go out as part of the upcoming general election.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3185,"text":"And we were quite surprised to find that the Minister was not supported.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3190,"text":"Supportive.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":3191,"text":"You'll see in the memo that Mayor Aalto and I had a couple of meetings with the Minister to clarify the rationale and understand whether it was possible for us to convince her that it was worth having a binding referendum.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3205,"text":"We were not successful in doing that, but we were presented with an option to have a non binding referendum which, as the the Minister has put in her letter, would be an opportunity to provide a temperature check to the residents of Saanich.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3220,"text":"Let me be clear, this was not my preferred option.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3224,"text":"However, I do believe it's important for us and for a future council to know after eight years since the last time we asked voters for their direction on this question, whether or not they are supportive of the two communities becoming one.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3239,"text":"And if so, there will be more work that will have to take place, particularly with respect to a financial analysis to satisfy the concerns that the minister raised as well as ongoing discussions with First Nations.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3252,"text":"If the answer is no, then it resolves any further activity. And I think that that allows the municipality, both municipalities, to get on with the important work that local governments are responsible for.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3264,"text":"But in my view, I do not accept the argument that it's frivolous or superfluous to have a non binding referendum.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3271,"text":"In fact, I think we owe it to the voters to have an opportunity to have their say on this issue. We've never asked them directly whether or not this is something they support.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3283,"text":"We've asked them if they support a citizens assembly and prior to that we asked them if they supported a governance review.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3290,"text":"This will be the first time we've asked the direct question whether or not Sanichin Victoria should become one community.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3297,"text":"And if the answer is yes, the future council will have its marching orders and the question the outstanding issues can be resolved so that we can move forward.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3308,"text":"If the answer is no, then we have our answer and we can pursue other important work. So Council, I have a recommended question that I'll present to you as part of the subsequent motion and discussion.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3320,"text":"But in my view, a non binding referendum, though not our preference, is still something that will be respected, the outcome of which will be respected by a future council and the work will continue if that's what voters desire.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3334,"text":"And I encourage you to support taking the temperature of the electorate on whether or not this is in fact something they'd like us to continue to spend time, energy, effort and their money on pursuing.","speaker":"M"},{"t":3349,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Chambers.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3352,"text":"Thank you very much, Madam Chair, through the Chair. Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. I'm happy to second that motion.","speaker":"J"},{"t":3361,"text":"And I was very happy to hear that you and Mayor Aalto had taken this to Minister Boyle and had inquired beyond what may have not been obvious to council or the public. So I'm very happy to hear that.","speaker":"J"},{"t":3378,"text":"Just, you know, we've learned a lot this term about the relationship between the province and the municipality. And you know that we are the province is the parent of the municipality.","speaker":"J"},{"t":3392,"text":"And you know, that's been really hard on me this term as I've. I guess I've been quite a rebellious teenager against the parent. And I've opposed Bill 44 and all lots of things in this regard.","speaker":"J"},{"t":3407,"text":"I've been waiting for a moment to actually look up to the provincial government and Minister Boyle's words here.","speaker":"J"},{"t":3415,"text":"They are very, they're very honourable, they're honorable to our first nations and to our financial situation in British Columbia, which is, as you know, it's Been the downloading of the provinces has been extensive for us this term and we as council have been working hard to lower taxes and we've been working hard as a council to do the right things under the relationship with the parent and the child.","speaker":"J"},{"t":3446,"text":"So Mr. Mayor, you know I respect you and your decisions and I know you have a long standing record of understanding beyond what is available to me sometimes. So I do thank this direction that you've put forward today.","speaker":"J"},{"t":3463,"text":"Thank you. And I do believe we do need to take the temperature about this topic. Again, my temperature has been taken, but it's the public that we represent.","speaker":"J"},{"t":3475,"text":"So if you want to know about my temperature, you could talk to me about that. Off record record.","speaker":"J"},{"t":3485,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Chambers, Councillor Phelps Bonderoff, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3489,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":3490,"text":"Madam Chair. Some questions through you to staff or the mayor, depending on the type of question here. I think the first one might be going to. I'm not sure to whom it's best directed. Do we have an idea?","speaker":"G"},{"t":3500,"text":"In the letter from the minister there's indication that there's additional consultation with first nations and we're there looking for more information on financial implications, transition considerations and service impacts.","speaker":"G"},{"t":3507,"text":"Do we have an indication as to the timeline that these would take to develop?","speaker":"G"},{"t":3512,"text":"Who should I put this to?","speaker":"A"},{"t":3514,"text":"I'll put that one to staff.","speaker":"G"},{"t":3517,"text":"Ms. Baines, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3519,"text":"Through you, Chair Brown, off to Councillor Phelps Bondroff. Timeline wise. So just for clarity, I think Councillor Phelps Bondorf, you had asked a question earlier regarding how long the province would take to gather this data.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3532,"text":"I wanted to confirm that the province has not indicated that they would be taking doing the analysis of the data. They would be looking at the two municipalities to further investigate transitional costs, financial data and service impacts, etc.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3547,"text":"How long this would take, I'm not sure at this time. We would have to do some analysis and then we would most likely be coming back for council's consideration.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3558,"text":"Looking at how we would present this data, what would council's preference be, what the financial implications would be. So from that side of it, that's the response for there. Regarding first nations consultation times.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3570,"text":"I don't know if you just asked that. I'm just going by the questions that you had proposed. This is a duty of the province to consult with First Nations.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3581,"text":"This would not have any impacts on the municipalities timelines, but the provincial timelines and again I'm not able to comment on their consultation consultation processes that are subject to their jurisdiction. Thank you.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3594,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3595,"text":"Thank you so much. A follow up question then. This might be to the Mayor but this would be to staff as well.","speaker":"G"},{"t":3600,"text":"Did we get any indication of the province that they would be willing to provide additional funding to support said analysis in Spain's?","speaker":"G"},{"t":3606,"text":"Through Madam Chair to Councillor Phelps Bondrough. No, the province has not indicated any further funding. I will say just to receive the 250 originally. That took approximately a year.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3622,"text":"Thank you very much.","speaker":"G"},{"t":3624,"text":"And then a final question, this one may be hard to answer, but is it actually possible to calculate the financial costs of amalgamation within any reasonable bar of error or error within the reasonable error bars?","speaker":"G"},{"t":3635,"text":"Yes, Baines, through you, Madam Chair, to Councillor Phelps Bondoraff. This was part of the request made to the Citizens assembly to be able to provide the cost, benefits and disadvantages regarding amalgamation between Victoria and Saanich.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3649,"text":"It was part of their terms of reference. It was a conversation that staff had had at multiple occasions with the assembly and the consultants of the assembly.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3660,"text":"Unfortunately, they were not able to deliver the depth of financial analysis required for the province. So I don't. I don't know what if that analysis.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3669,"text":"I think there would be a certain amount of resources required for that level of analysis required.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3676,"text":"Thank you and sorry. Apologies. A couple more follow ups to you, Madam Chair. Just understand it would be at least possible to provide the data that would satisfy the province, hypothetically speaking.","speaker":"G"},{"t":3686,"text":"And this might be to the mayor based on his conversations with the minister.","speaker":"G"},{"t":3691,"text":"Sure. Ms. Baines.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3692,"text":"Through you, Madam Chair, to Councillor Phelps Bondroff. I think we would be looking at what.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3698,"text":"What information that the minister would require to support a binding referendum that you know from previous conversations would maybe have looked like, what an implementation plan is, what the true cost of amalgamating services would be. If you. I.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3715,"text":"I'm not exactly sure what the. What the province would be looking at,","speaker":"K"},{"t":3720,"text":"but we would be looking.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3722,"text":"Gauging them to seek more clarity and information as to what would be required in order to support a binding referendum.","speaker":"K"},{"t":3730,"text":"Thank you very much. And this question is. We'll have to come back to it.","speaker":"G"},{"t":3734,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Harper. Please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3737,"text":"Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you, Mr. Mayor, for your explanations. I do appreciate that. And I have to say, when I saw this, I was also in a state of.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3747,"text":"Of shock.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":3748,"text":"I recall in 2014 that over 80% of Sandwich residents voted for us to study this issue. And in 2018, even when there was money attached to it, over 55% of them said, yes, we still should go ahead.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3761,"text":"And so when, and I'm not unsympathetic to the notion that, you know, we could have a referendum on a referendum, but My concern, because that's really what we're talking about here.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3771,"text":"But it wouldn't be balanced because one result gives you you ongoing activity and one vote gives you not ongoing activity.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3778,"text":"And as well, the nature of the information that would be able to be provided through this process I don't think would be particularly, would be particularly balanced.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3787,"text":"So in the context of the questions that were asked, I would just point out that recently, well, not recently in living memory on the island, in the last decade or so, North Cowichan and Duncan went through the same process.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3801,"text":"And in fact, at the end of the day, that did not move forward. It did move forward, however, to a binding referendum.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3808,"text":"And in fact the materials that were provided through that process are substantially the same as what came through the process of the Citizens assembly here.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3817,"text":"So I am really struggling to understand what's really going on with the province because quite frankly, I do not accept the explanations that are being publicly made. And the government had lots of time to deal with this.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3830,"text":"This is not like it just landed on their desk and they had to come up with this. If there was going to be a problem, it should have been made public and dealt with long ago.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3842,"text":"So in some ways I see the potential of characterizing this in a very negative way in terms of the province's behavior and why, while the province is","speaker":"B"},{"t":3851,"text":"not","speaker":"F"},{"t":3853,"text":"saying it's willing to pay for anything, if I was going to vote for anything, it would be hold off till 20, 30, get all of our ducks in a row.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3863,"text":"And quite frankly, if there are any costs that come across at this point, given what past practices were that were acceptable, I do think the province should pay and I think we should be rather in their face about this.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3875,"text":"To me, this almost comes down to. This is probably not the right terminology. I know there's such a thing as jury nullification.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3882,"text":"I was going to call it voter nullification, but I think at the end of the day everyone, it will get more people out if there's a binding referendum vote.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3891,"text":"So part of the concern is not only to find out what the temperature is, but to make sure that all the people who actually take an interest in this come out because they know it's actually meaningful.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3903,"text":"So I do want to say thank you to the mayor for the work that he did and I can appreciate how frustrating it must have been.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3911,"text":"And I do want to say that I think the question is a good one, but we're not talking about the question right now. But on balance, I cannot support a non binding referendum at this point in time.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3923,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"B"},{"t":3925,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Bryce, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":3929,"text":"Thank you. Chair. I'll repeat the theme about how disappointed and quite frankly surprised I was with the province's announcement. And I think it disrespects our public. I think it disrespects this council.","speaker":"L"},{"t":3944,"text":"Having said that we are where we are, we have to make a decision. And I came with a position. I heard the speakers and was tempted to change my position.","speaker":"L"},{"t":3958,"text":"But I feel I have an obligation to give the Saanich public an opportunity to respond to this question.","speaker":"L"},{"t":3967,"text":"As wimpy as binding arbitration question is, regardless of the results of that non binding question, I would leave it to the future council to determine the extent, if at all, to which funds would be expended for future study on this issue.","speaker":"L"},{"t":3987,"text":"My support for this motion does not offer my support for any expectation of funding, but will leave that to the council elected this fall. Thank you.","speaker":"L"},{"t":4000,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Devries, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4004,"text":"Thank you. I'm gonna echo a lot of the dissatisfaction with the fact that that we're not able to consider a binding question in the coming election on amalgamation. I think that's unfortunate.","speaker":"I"},{"t":4018,"text":"Duncan and North Gouchen had a chance to consider a binding referendum question on this topic.","speaker":"I"},{"t":4025,"text":"And we have already experienced the unfortunate delay that COVID 19 caused for this process that led to the citizens assembly getting established far later than originally anticipated because of the restraints and constrictions that there was on in person assembly.","speaker":"I"},{"t":4042,"text":"And so to push this out even further to 2030 I think would be untenable. That's a 12 year gap between questions on the ballot.","speaker":"I"},{"t":4053,"text":"I think there's therefore merit in having this as a non binding question at this time on the ballot. And I acknowledge that that's not going to be desired by everyone.","speaker":"I"},{"t":4066,"text":"But at the same time it allows us to check the temperature. It also in my view would.","speaker":"I"},{"t":4074,"text":"If there is a clear direction in the direction of yes in this case, I think it would be incumbent on the coming councils to push the province to. It's now in their court from there.","speaker":"I"},{"t":4089,"text":"That being said, I don't know how Spanish residents will vote. I myself would want a lot more information, as has been mentioned by the minister.","speaker":"I"},{"t":4100,"text":"And while I'm frustrated that this was not flagged in advance, that the process was not corrected previously and we're now put in a very tough position on whether or not we go forward with a non binding question, on balance I will support that non binding question going forward to the public.","speaker":"I"},{"t":4124,"text":"Thank you. Any first time speakers before I go to second time? Okay. Seeing none. Councillor Phelps thank you, Madam Chair.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4135,"text":"A question on process three to staff first. I emailed over an alternate motion to Ms. Froud and Mr. Reams. I was wondering on process, what's the best.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4141,"text":"If one wanted to advance that motion, what would be the best process to amend the existing motion on the floor or to defeat it and replace it with a different motion?","speaker":"G"},{"t":4155,"text":"It would be the chair's decision whether this would be an appropriate amendment to the main motion.","speaker":"D"},{"t":4163,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4164,"text":"In that case I might speak for a few seconds then introduce a potential amendment and we'll go from there. Thank you for the response to the question as well from staff.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4173,"text":"So yeah, I'll share my colleagues frustration about the province's very poor handling of the situation and I think that. Well, I'll just repeat that and you can insert three and a half minutes of speech complaining about that.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4183,"text":"And I'm also very frustrated with the timelines involved. That's really quite not on, as it were.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4188,"text":"One of the concerns I have is, and you'll hear a very rare hockey analogy from me here, but it's kind of like you got a best of seven series where one team has to win four games and the other team only has to win two.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4201,"text":"And that doesn't seem to be to me, to me to be a very fair process. And I don't see much benefit in having a non binding question as you've asked it multiple times.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4210,"text":"And we could be getting more information that could better inform the decision. I was also a bit disappointed with the Citizens assembly report.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4217,"text":"I was kind of hoping for like 30 pages of appendices or probably 100 pages of appendices with more detailed financial analysis. And so personally I need more information to make a decision. So that's helpful.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4227,"text":"But at the same time it would have been nice to know this information two years out, not rather, you know, this close to the actual potential vote.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4235,"text":"So my preference and the motion I was going to test the council with, and I'll test you, Madam Chair, with it would be a motion to delay holding a binding referendum on the matter of the amalgamation of Victoria and Saanich until the province has A concluded consultations with first nations and B conducted a detailed analysis of the financial implications, transition considerations and service impacts and the province be asked to fund and lead these efforts.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4258,"text":"Thanks, Councillor Phil Spondroff, I do believe that this motion is contrary to the one that's on the floor right now.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4265,"text":"Excellent. In that case, my recommendation would be that we defeat the motion on the floor and have a broader consideration. I can see some benefit to asking the public, as a couple of my colleagues have mentioned.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4275,"text":"But I also see the idea of procedural fairness and you effectively have a yes, no question where one is a terminus and one is another step in a process.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4282,"text":"And I don't think that is a particularly good situation to have. And I also am cognizant of the recommendation of the Citizens assembly which was to put a binding question before residents.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4291,"text":"So my preference would be to do that directly, regardless of my views on amalgamation.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4294,"text":"I think on process it makes the most sense that we actually ask the public the question that our Citizens assembly recommended that we ask if the province is asking for more information, we gather that information, we squeeze the province for funds you pay to generate that information and we move on from there.","speaker":"G"},{"t":4310,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Plant, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4312,"text":"Thank you, Mr. Mayor.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4314,"text":"In your report you referenced the letter from Minister Boyle and I went and then read Minister Boyle's letter yet again tonight and in her letter it says the proposed question do you support Saanich and Victoria becoming one municipality?","speaker":"W"},{"t":4327,"text":"This is a quote may not clearly signal to the electorate that additional work and information on costs on governance will be required in order for the Minister to order a vote.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4337,"text":"So I guess my question is, is there any sense from the Minister that us putting this question forward could be voided even just asking the non binding. Are you aware of their stance on this?","speaker":"W"},{"t":4349,"text":"Mr. Mayor","speaker":"A"},{"t":4353,"text":"in conversation. Thank you Chair Brown, off through you to the question asker. Councillor Plant, the in conversation with the Minister.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4361,"text":"While it was desired to be clear about next steps as part of the question, there was also an acknowledgment that a non binding referendum does not have to be a part approved by the province.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4375,"text":"We could ask the voters if they wanted the sky to be red.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4380,"text":"Mayor Aalto and I did attempt to come to common language to present to each council and we felt that the most the simplest wording would be the best option to move forward.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4393,"text":"But we have heard in discussion with the Minister, not in official correspondence that they do not approve and do not need to approve a non binding referendum question.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4405,"text":"Thank you Mr. Mayor. That's good to know. I'm going to deal with facts and then what I would call subjective opinion. Fact, we spent $250,000 or thereabouts plus staff time.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4414,"text":"Fact, we've done everything the province asked us to do to get to this state. Fact, the province, like everyone else, saw the draft report on April 5th, 2025 and saw the final report on July 9th, 2025.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4426,"text":"I think it is a showing of disrespect and I think we deserve better that we had this information earlier than approximately late April.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4434,"text":"And so that is the statement that I think many of us have been kind of making, that we feel it could have been done better.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4442,"text":"So those facts though, then interface with what are subjective opinions and what is the right way forward.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4448,"text":"I do believe after 12 years, since 2014, when it was for me as a new candidate, the issue on the door, that this does merit going back to the public and asking them for their opinion.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4459,"text":"I do empathize with the position of my colleague that this in no way would commit us to future funds and in fact may be a signal that we don't.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4469,"text":"I do appreciate that there is perhaps not the same degree of interest as There was in 2012 for amalgamation, because in 2012 we were looking at the idea of what would it look like, could it be sub regional?","speaker":"W"},{"t":4481,"text":"And what we've landed on is just a simply Victoria Saanich question. Whereas in 2012 I think there was an aspiration that maybe it would be more than just that.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4491,"text":"So I personally do think that this is something the public should weigh in on. And I concur. If the public votes no, it is over for this generation of politicians.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4500,"text":"And if the public says yes, then we'll have to chat a way forward with the city of Victoria, if they also vote yes, assuming they pass the same resolution.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4510,"text":"But I do want to just end with a little bit of humour.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4514,"text":"I had a lot of hubris lately looking at our province to the east, asking them about a question about a question and thinking how silly it was that they were doing this.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4524,"text":"And yet here we are in Saanich being forced into a position, and I do think it is forced into a position of having to ask a question to gauge our public because the province hasn't accepted the results of the Citizens Assembly.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4538,"text":"So it's unfortunate we are where we are, but I think the public is always going to provide us the right guidance when they participate. Thank you, Chair.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4547,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Chambers, for the second time.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4551,"text":"Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Through the Chair, I just wanted to also say that with all of the","speaker":"J"},{"t":4561,"text":"recent","speaker":"A"},{"t":4563,"text":"precedents being set with the First Nations, I am glad that Minister Boyle is doing due diligence and not pulling us into a realm where we could be involved in litigation. And that is absolutely what we don't want.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4578,"text":"And this term I've been very conscious of situations when litigation is a potential and we do not want to step in that potential. Thank you.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4589,"text":"Thank you very much. I don't See any other speakers? I'll just say a few words. I'm not going to repeat everything my colleagues have said. How disappointed we are in the government and the response we got.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4605,"text":"But I do believe it's time for us to ask our residents this very simple question. And the next council.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4613,"text":"If the question passes, then it'll be up to the next council to find money, both from their own budget, but to approach the provincial government for funding sources as well.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4626,"text":"So I am going to support the motion on the floor. So with no other questions, can I call the question? All those in favor? All those opposed? One opposed. Councillor Harper. Oh, sorry. And Councillor Phillips. Bondoroff. Thank you.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4642,"text":"Motion carries, Mr. Mayor.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4645,"text":"Thank you, Chair. I'll move that it be recommended that council approve the non binding question cited on the ballot as do you support Sanich and Victoria becoming one municipality?","speaker":"M"},{"t":4655,"text":"Who second? Oh, Councillor Chambers.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4657,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"E"},{"t":4657,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"U"},{"t":4658,"text":"Thank you, Speaker.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4659,"text":"Yes, thank you. As I mentioned, in response to Councillor Plant's question, this was jointly developed between myself and Mayor Aalto.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4666,"text":"Mayor Aalto will present a very similar memo and proposed question to city of Victoria council at their meeting on Thursday. It's our hope that the two communities will.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4675,"text":"Two communities Councils will support similarly worded questions if they're not identical. I hope that there is close as possible. We will have the opportunity to go first and Victoria will know our question when they debate it on Thursday.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4687,"text":"The attempt here council was to be as simple and straightforward as possible.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4691,"text":"Mayor Aalto and I went back and forth about whether or not to further qualify it with any of the requirements that the Minister had set out or to include that it was recommended by the Citizens Assembly.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4703,"text":"We felt the simpler the better. So that it left no room for question about what we were actually asking the voters.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4710,"text":"So I'm hopeful this will find support from council to be the wording of the question that will be the non binding one that appears on the referendum. Pardon me. That appears on the ballot for the general election.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4723,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Chambers, as a seconder, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4727,"text":"Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I was a little surprised at how much I love this question. Really, I just love this question. It is, it is. I feel it is a fair question.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4739,"text":"It's.","speaker":"L"},{"t":4739,"text":"You know, it just allows every individual to have a moment to sit with it. And you know, it doesn't come with a pre, you know, a prelude or an after effect. You just.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4753,"text":"You can sit with it for a while. And again, I'm appreciative to the province for their legal. Honoring legal relations with the first Nation and also Their fiscal responsibility with regards to this. We.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4767,"text":"We know we've had a lot of things downloaded and so we don't want any more. So I thank the province very much at the moment. Thank you.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4779,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Plant, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4781,"text":"Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Pardon me, Madam Chair. I was thinking, Mr. Mayor, may the recommendation and bringing the report to us. Mr. Mayor, I'm wondering if.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4790,"text":"If you are comfortable sharing, do you envision the district having any role in providing additional education or information for the public in advance of this question about a question.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4807,"text":"Oh, Mayor Murdoch.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4810,"text":"Thank you. Chair Brown.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4811,"text":"Off.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4812,"text":"I'm just going to ask Director Baines if she can refresh my memory on the direction that council gave back in October last year in respect of our next steps.","speaker":"M"},{"t":4831,"text":"Through you, Mr. Mayor.","speaker":"K"},{"t":4832,"text":"At the September 2025 meeting, council did direct staff to work with the city of Victoria and report back to council, Council, if necessary, on whether there is any additional information needed to support the ballot question at this time.","speaker":"K"},{"t":4848,"text":"I will note the memo from Mayor Aalto.","speaker":"K"},{"t":4851,"text":"Her recommendation is that council confirm its position that other than providing a ballot question, the city will not provide any information to the public beyond what was already available has already been provided in the public domain by the Citizens Assembly.","speaker":"K"},{"t":4868,"text":"I just would caution any additional information provided by either of the municipalities to ensure that there is neutrality, there is no bias.","speaker":"K"},{"t":4877,"text":"So I would note that there's a fair amount of information that was provided to the Citizens assembly that is all available on their website, as well as the technical study and any and all presentation material that the assembly had to make its formal decision.","speaker":"K"},{"t":4896,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4897,"text":"Thanks.","speaker":"L"},{"t":4897,"text":"Mr. Mayor. I am in support of the question, but I do struggle a little bit with. As much as I said in my previous speaking times that I trust the public to give us the right answer.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4908,"text":"I trust the public to give us the right answer. But I also wonder if we do need to provide at least some sense of this is what.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4917,"text":"Why we're asking what we're asking and not asking what the Citizens assembly said. Because the last time that the public was engaged, it was on the Citizens Assembly. And so they're like, well, the Citizens assembly said do it.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4929,"text":"And here we are saying, well, let's just test the waters because the. Oh, okay.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4933,"text":"Point of order.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4934,"text":"Councillor Chambers, thank you very much. Through the Mayor. Haven't we called the question? I'm just a bit confused at the procedure.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4941,"text":"Haven't we just voted on motion one?","speaker":"A"},{"t":4944,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4944,"text":"Pardon me.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4945,"text":"Thank you very much.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4945,"text":"Pardon me.","speaker":"E"},{"t":4946,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"J"},{"t":4947,"text":"Councillor Plank, continue.","speaker":"A"},{"t":4949,"text":"Thank you. So the clarity that I wonder is just even Providing factual information that the public can see. This letter that the public needs to know. It was not Sanich's choice to have this question.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4960,"text":"Well, it is, but it wasn't our initial choice. So I'm just wondering. Yeah, staffs, I appreciate it.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4966,"text":"We don't want to be seeing as putting ourselves having a hand on the scale, but I do think if we don't do anything, people are just going to say, well, I guess if we do this, we're amalgamating.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4979,"text":"Whereas it's very clear if this goes to the public and the answer is yes in both jurisdiction, then there would be more work.","speaker":"W"},{"t":4987,"text":"So in the absence of that, I do feel that we're actually not setting ourselves up for the best outcome because then it will be potentially information that gets distributed by people maybe who have vested interests and not just providing factual.","speaker":"W"},{"t":5000,"text":"Here is the reason why you have this question.","speaker":"W"},{"t":5003,"text":"So I'm just going to put that out there that I have that concern that we need to at least maybe issue a press release or something tomorrow saying, here is what council decided.","speaker":"W"},{"t":5014,"text":"Here is the letter from the province. That may be a simple way of doing it. And doing it now, June before the election in October, will keep us far enough away from being accused of trying","speaker":"W"},{"t":5026,"text":"to influence Mayor Leonard. Mayor Leonard. Oh, my goodness. Yeah, it is.","speaker":"A"},{"t":5032,"text":"Mayor Murdoch, I don't mean to take up additional time. I just wondered if perhaps Director Baines could clarify what information will be presented as part of the ballot for 2026.","speaker":"M"},{"t":5045,"text":"Ms. Baines, through you, Mr. Mayor, to council, there's a couple of options. So we have the Citizens assembly webpage, which our website directs folks, to go to that webpage.","speaker":"K"},{"t":5058,"text":"What I would recommend is we would be able to put all of our staff reports on that website, any background information that was predating the assembly coming together. We could put the minister's letter there.","speaker":"K"},{"t":5072,"text":"We could put the two reports that have come to this council in advance.","speaker":"K"},{"t":5078,"text":"We would have all of that information, and staff will work with our communications department to put adequate messaging out that maintains that neutrality, ensuring that the information is available and accessible.","speaker":"K"},{"t":5095,"text":"Mayor Murdoch,","speaker":"A"},{"t":5099,"text":"thank you. I just wanted to. So I appreciate the response from Director Baines. I am quite supportive of that direction.","speaker":"M"},{"t":5105,"text":"I don't know if you wish to have that made explicit or if that's something as the Chief Elections Officer, you would go about doing without direction from council, and perhaps it may even be preferred that council not give explicit direction.","speaker":"M"},{"t":5118,"text":"Director Baines, thank you.","speaker":"A"},{"t":5120,"text":"Through your Madam Chair to council, I. I would definitely agree with that. I think we have enough information. We've heard the conversation.","speaker":"K"},{"t":5132,"text":"We will definitely ensure that the information is provided to our residents and our electors in how I have described the matter. Anything further than that, my preference would be for council to maintain neutrality and stay out of it.","speaker":"K"},{"t":5153,"text":"Yes.","speaker":"K"},{"t":5155,"text":"Councillor Plant, were you finished?","speaker":"A"},{"t":5158,"text":"I will just say I appreciate what has been offered by staff as what the course of action will be and I think that is an appropriate course of action.","speaker":"W"},{"t":5167,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Harper.","speaker":"A"},{"t":5171,"text":"Thank you. And thank you to Ms. Baines, especially the final remark. Yes.","speaker":"B"},{"t":5175,"text":"So despite the fact that I would have you know that I voted against motion number one, I do think, as I indicated previously, this is a good question in the sense that it's very clear, it's very direct and I do think that given that there will be the material that's already been provided to everyone out of the Citizens assembly, which has all, all of the presentations from every group that met with them, both pro and con, all of those things are there.","speaker":"B"},{"t":5205,"text":"I think that's probably the best that we can expect at this time.","speaker":"B"},{"t":5209,"text":"So I will be supporting the question itself because I do think, especially if we're going forward with the non binding referendum, we need to have a question that's as clear as possible. So thank you for that, Mr. Mayor.","speaker":"B"},{"t":5223,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Feldsponderoff, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":5227,"text":"Thank you. Madam Chair, just a couple questions and some quick remarks. Just a question through you to Ms. Baines to clarify in addition to I guess would be clear in the ballot, this is a non binding question","speaker":"G"},{"t":5240,"text":"through you, Madam Chair to Councillor Phelps Bondroff. We would state that this is a public opinion question on the ballot and","speaker":"K"},{"t":5247,"text":"a follow up question. Would the rules for electoral groups doing advocacy on either side of the issue apply equally if it's a non binding question versus a binding question through you,","speaker":"G"},{"t":5258,"text":"Madam Chair to Councillor Phelps. Wander off. The rules for elections are very clear.","speaker":"K"},{"t":5263,"text":"If somebody is registered, if an organization is registered, whether they're in support or they're opposed, they would be following the rules through Elections BC and the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act.","speaker":"K"},{"t":5275,"text":"Perfect.","speaker":"E"},{"t":5276,"text":"No, thank you so much.","speaker":"G"},{"t":5277,"text":"We did have a couple questions in the correspondence about opening the question up to a broader question of amalgamation beyond just Victorian Saanich and I know that that's something that's been bandied about in the past and is not on the table and I guess I just wanted to flag that that question was asked.","speaker":"G"},{"t":5290,"text":"I don't, didn't really see an appropriate place to ask that question from the residents. So maybe take that one offline. Email me if you want to follow up on that one? Yeah.","speaker":"G"},{"t":5297,"text":"So I think I want to thank the Mayor for developing a really clear question. I want to echo my colleague's comments. This is a very clear question.","speaker":"G"},{"t":5303,"text":"I think it's important to have a direct, clear question of these things. I respect. Remember the first or second Quebec referendum question? That was several paragraphs long and we won't talk about that one.","speaker":"G"},{"t":5311,"text":"I suppose now I'm dating myself here. But no, I think it's very good to have a clear question.","speaker":"G"},{"t":5316,"text":"And I mean, as my colleagues mentioned discussing the first motion, this will give us some direction to the next council, which I think is also important. And so. Yeah, that's good. And thank you, Mr.","speaker":"G"},{"t":5324,"text":"Mayor, for developing a really good, clear, concise question. I remember sitting in those CRD meetings when there was some bandying back and forth of other alternative questions many years ago in the audience.","speaker":"G"},{"t":5331,"text":"And I'm glad we have a very clear question here.","speaker":"G"},{"t":5334,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"R"},{"t":5335,"text":"I don't see any more lights on, so I'm going to call the question. All those in favor, Oppose. Non. Opposed. Unanimous. Thank you, Ms. Foud. The next item, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":5347,"text":"The next item on the agenda is the 2025 annual report. And this is a report from the Director of Corporate Services and the purpose is to present the report.","speaker":"D"},{"t":5357,"text":"It should be noted that Council has a slightly alternative recommendation on their green sheet and that is simply to receive the annual report for information and direct staff to publish the final version.","speaker":"D"},{"t":5369,"text":"Thank you, Staff, welcome.","speaker":"A"},{"t":5389,"text":"Good evening.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":5392,"text":"Good evening, Mayor and Council. I'm pleased to present you with the Highlights of the 2025 Signage Annual Report.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5401,"text":"The 2025 Signage Annual Report was prepared in accordance with the Community Charter and outlines Saanich's vision, mission, service and operations, objectives and measures established to determine progress on the council's 2023, 2027 strategic plan and the audited financial statements.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5418,"text":"Today's presentation will cover the selected highlights from the report which has been available for public inspection since June 1, 2026. To date, we have not received any feedback from the public on the draft.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5433,"text":"A couple of minor housekeeping changes were made in financial section on page 91, 92 and 106.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5441,"text":"In 2025, Sanit staff and departments were honored with 30 plus awards reflecting the exceptional dedication, innovation and service excellence demonstrated across the organization.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5451,"text":"This is a significant achievement and a strong testament to the talent, commitment and community impact of our teams.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5460,"text":"Receiving recognition at this scale in a single year is no small accomplishment and speaks to the breadth of excellence being delivered across multiple service areas throughout the","speaker":"X"},{"t":5472,"text":"District","speaker":"M"},{"t":5474,"text":"2025 was a pivotal year as we continued advancing on a number of initiatives outlined under 20232027 strategic plan.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5483,"text":"The following slides provide a brief overview of each theme, highlighting selected 2025 accomplishments, a few areas of focus as we look ahead to 2026 and selected indicators for Council's reference.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5497,"text":"Starting with our first theme, 2025 marked a significant milestone with a 47% reduction in our corporate greenhouse gas emissions since our 2027 baseline.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5507,"text":"Nearly half of the residential oil tanks in Saanich have now been successfully replaced with electric heat pumps representing a 45% DEC reduction since 2019.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5519,"text":"Updated baseline Tilikum Greenway infrastructure project delivered 14 rain gardens and over 1200 native shrubs and trees at Tilikum Elementary School.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5528,"text":"As part of the 2026 look ahead, the District Wide Dual Drainage Model Draft Flood Construction Level Bylaw update incorporating Colquitt's river flood hazard Mapping is planned to be completed.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5542,"text":"Corporate building and electrification upgrades will continue providing cooling, energy and emission savings for the next phase of our facilities. Finalize, approve and implement the updated Climate Plan and zero Waste Strategy.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5556,"text":"Building on that, I'll now Turn to our second theme in 2025, over 734,000 drop in patrons were welcomed at Savage Rec Centers participating in fitness and art activities, leisure and lap swimming and skating.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5572,"text":"Of the 40 recommendations from the 2019 Fire Service Review and the subsequent 2020 Fire Master Plan, 25 has been completed and 11 are action and underway. The emergency program hosted 44 public presentations to more than 1200 attendees.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5589,"text":"As part of the 2026 Look Ahead, we plan to complete a multi department firefighter recruitment within Oak Bay Fire Review.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5599,"text":"The current Community Amenity Contributions policy as part of the development of a new Amenity Cost Charge Bylaw and a Grand opening for the expanded Fire station number two in Royal Oak is expected in late 2026 and will include the unveiling of a newly commissioned sculpture.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5620,"text":"Moving Forward to housing in 2025, council awarded two capital and eight peer development grants from the Saanich Affordable Housing Reserve Fund to the non profit housing sector.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5632,"text":"The Housing Strategy The Priorities Plan 20262028 was endorsed by council outlining the district's three year priorities to improve housing outcomes.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5642,"text":"Updates to the OCP were brought forward in 2025 ensuring alignment with the 2024 housing needs report as part of the 2026 a two year review of key housing initiatives such as rapid deployment, small scale multi unit housing, permissive tax exemptions will be undertaken in 2026.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5663,"text":"Staff will also bring forward A revised draft QMPT Council Sanich Annual Housing progress report for 2025 will be presented to council in spring 2026 outlining housing market performance.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5676,"text":"Continuing to our theme four transportation in 2025 we completed the designs and finalized the agreement with BC Hydro for an additional eight DC fast chargers.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5688,"text":"In Saanich, we completed Shelbourne street phase two complete street project and Sanich also continued to offer top up incentives to EV ready plans and electrical infrastructure upgrades to support at home charging in existing multi family building.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5705,"text":"In 2026 we plan to implement phase four of the council speed limit establishment policy on corridors and streets with increased crash risk and trends.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5716,"text":"In 2026 we also support development of a world class multimodal sustainability transportation hub in the Uptown area. Prioritize walking and cycling investments in equity deserving areas and in locations where there is evidence of road safety issues.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5733,"text":"Shifting to economic development in 2025 we launched the business care program and reached about 1687 businesses via emails, calls, newsletters and one on one visits to track issues, concerns and goals.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5748,"text":"60 businesses partnered with signage for the second annual Savor Signich Flavor Trails Festival. Also, we promoted hotel investments and conducted an assessment of Sanich Filming and prepared for the upcoming Intelligent Community Initiative task force and roadmap.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5765,"text":"In 2026, we plan to conclude the Intelligent Community Initiative Task Force and ROADMAP and create an investment attraction toolkit. We update the filming bylaw based on the 2025 review to enhance filming and film promotion in Saanich.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5782,"text":"Also review and make recommendations from Destination Greater Victoria's Hotel Task Force concluding with our last theme. In 2025, we implemented the Infrastructure Replacement Funding Strategy.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5794,"text":"In the 20252029 financial plan, the District implemented an online public engagement platform hello Signage. We completed the review of various projects, payments methods available to residents and businesses starting May 1, 2026.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5808,"text":"All fees, charges and taxes can be paid by credit card.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5813,"text":"In 2026, plan to advance the electronic document and records management system Readiness and implementation in collaboration with IT Department, we embark on a water meter replacement multi year program across the District.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5828,"text":"Also, we procure a new enterprise Asset management software pending budget approval. Cost sharing grants are a vital source of funding for Saanich and other municipalities. In 2025, Saanich secured over $9.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5843,"text":"5 million in grant funding, representing a growth of 4. 5% over 2024. It is also important to note that grant funding may or may not increase year on year depending upon availability, funding specifications and project requirements.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5860,"text":"SANIT staff constantly monitor available grant opportunities and submit applications with projects that meet the grant criteria and requirements.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5868,"text":"Some of the programs and services supported by our grants are sustainability initiatives such as energy manager support, EV fleet strategy, reusable bowels, etc.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5879,"text":"Active transportation, housing Accelerator Fund, Employment Program, the Next Generation 911 program and many more grants like Children's Grant for Physical Activity, the Summer Jobs for Our Youth, Accessibility, Improvements to Facilities and others.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5894,"text":"For the full list of grants received in 2025, we would like to request you to please refer to page number 42 of our annual annual report.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5906,"text":"KPMG performed an audit of our financial statements which comprised of the Statement of financial position as at December 31, 2025, the statement of Operations and accumulated surplus for the year then ended, the statement of our cash flows and others.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5925,"text":"In KPMG's opinion, the company financial statements present fairly in all material respects its changes in net financial assets and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with the Canadian Public Sector Accounting standards.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5942,"text":"I would be happy now to note any questions you may have requesting any follow up from our departments and directors as needed.","speaker":"X"},{"t":5951,"text":"Thank you very much for the presentation. Are there any questions? Councillor Chambers,","speaker":"A"},{"t":5964,"text":"That's amazing. Thank you. Through the chair. 9. 5 million in grants. My gosh, that's amazing.","speaker":"J"},{"t":5970,"text":"Now I guess my question is, we all know that with care of funding the climate action funding last term, that when I was former chair of that committee, which now Councillor Brownhoff is chair of, there was talk about more funding cuts to our climate action plan.","speaker":"J"},{"t":5990,"text":"And I would hate to think that any of this good work could be interrupted by any of those provincial funding cuts. So can you please elaborate on that for me, please?","speaker":"J"},{"t":6010,"text":"Good evening.","speaker":"F"},{"t":6010,"text":"Rebecca Newloft, Manager of the Sustainability team through the Charter Council chambers. Yes, there is some concern about funding cuts specifically related to the local government climate Action program funding.","speaker":"U"},{"t":6022,"text":"That's approximately $370,000 per year that currently comes in from the province.","speaker":"U"},{"t":6028,"text":"Oh my. Thank you. Through the chair. Would it be beneficial for us to potentially make a motion to write. Ask Mr. Mayor to write to the province to keep that funding going through","speaker":"J"},{"t":6045,"text":"the chair to Council Chambers. Actually, Council has already seen this in April when we presented on the climate Action report card the annual report.","speaker":"U"},{"t":6054,"text":"And those letters have moved through to provincial ministers and have been copied to other local government elected officials and the crd.","speaker":"U"},{"t":6062,"text":"And there has been quite a significant amount of momentum since that time and it also included a UBCM resolution that's moving forward.","speaker":"U"},{"t":6071,"text":"Okay, thank you. Just did the province say that they would keep those Funds flowing or not yet.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6079,"text":"Through the chair to Councillor Chambers? We have not heard yet. However, there are a variety of discussions happening currently between different climate related organizations and the province.","speaker":"U"},{"t":6092,"text":"Okay, thank you, through the chair. Just one more point that I wanted to bring up and that was the KPMG financial statement, which I'm very proud of.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6102,"text":"And it's kind of like asking a question you know the answer to just to boost up staff.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6109,"text":"But can you please tell me how we scored in our audit in our financial statement so we can can let the residents know how great that work was and how.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6120,"text":"I really wanted to make sure that that was elevated because staff did such an incredible job. And we passed our audit","speaker":"J"},{"t":6132,"text":"through the chair.","speaker":"L"},{"t":6133,"text":"I think we'll defer that to Director Arsin, who's online today. Perfect.","speaker":"A"},{"t":6143,"text":"Through the chair to Council Chambers.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6144,"text":"Can you hear me?","speaker":"G"},{"t":6145,"text":"Yes, we can.","speaker":"A"},{"t":6148,"text":"Yes, thank you for bringing that up, Councillor Chambers. It was another clean audit and we're very thankful for everybody who participated in getting those statements ready.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6160,"text":"Thank you very much. This is what I like to hear. The awesome financing of staff. Thank you very much.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6167,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Plant, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":6169,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"N"},{"t":6170,"text":"Madam Chair. I'd like to move the recommendation that the 2025 annual report be received for information and staff be directed to publish that final version.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6178,"text":"Thank you. Do you want to speak to it?","speaker":"A"},{"t":6180,"text":"Yeah.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":6181,"text":"Two comments and then. Well, I'll start with two questions through you. Just for clarification. This motion sets in process a time period where the public will be able to see this document and then it'll come back to us.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6191,"text":"I believe in about a month or this is it. It's already been shared with with the public. I thought there was.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6199,"text":"Through the chair to Councillor Plant.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6202,"text":"It has already been shared with the","speaker":"A"},{"t":6203,"text":"public for a two week period and","speaker":"J"},{"t":6206,"text":"we've been open to feedback during that time.","speaker":"A"},{"t":6210,"text":"Always happy to acknowledge my lack of understanding. So I apologize for wasting everyone's time.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6214,"text":"I've had very little correspondence on the annual report, but I do want to ask a question that was brought up by a member of the public today as they referred to the expansion of expenses.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6225,"text":"And so I quickly sent a note to Mr. Arslin saying, would you be able to answer? So, through you, Chair Brown, off to Mr. Arslund. Are you comfortable giving us an understanding?","speaker":"W"},{"t":6235,"text":"Perhaps in layperson's terms or as sophisticated it needs to be? Why? As Mr. Well, as the resident said, there has been a 35% increase in expenses and the increase in debt.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6245,"text":"I think I know the latter one more than the first one, but I'd like to hear it from staff, please.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6251,"text":"Mr. Arsenault, please, through the chair to councillor Plant. Yes, the expenses, obviously we've gone through a period of high inflation. I know we always try to look at CPI as a direction.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6269,"text":"However, municipality price index is not the same as the consumer price index because we have all this construction material that we have to get both for replacement and also for maintenance. And yeah, inflation has been high.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6288,"text":"And correspondingly, as you had stated, the borrowing is for those larger projects which are mainly civic buildings and fire hall and then the SoC yet to come. But they do add. Sorry. And the library.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6307,"text":"And they do add a higher cost for borrowing.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6313,"text":"So I'm not trying to in any way not respect the concern that was expressed by the resident because I think it's always important to recognize debt and the impact.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6324,"text":"But the reference to the number essentially doubling is largely attributed to the capital projects that we've undertaken. The fire hall, the soc pre work and then the library.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6336,"text":"Is that an accurate understanding of why do we have so much more debt?","speaker":"W"},{"t":6343,"text":"Through the chair to council plant? Yes, it's mainly those civic projects which have a higher cost.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6349,"text":"And you know, obviously in the last few years the costs have gone even higher, not just for us, but for all municipalities in the region.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6360,"text":"I'm going to ask somewhat with my one minute left, Mr. Arslan or Mr.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6365,"text":"Reams, through you, chair, do you know of any municipality or regional district in British Columbia that saves money entirely for the capital expenditure of infrastructure before they build that infrastructure structure?","speaker":"W"},{"t":6378,"text":"Or is it more expected almost always that you will borrow because if you just continually save, you'll never have enough.","speaker":"W"},{"t":6388,"text":"Who's going to start","speaker":"A"},{"t":6391,"text":"through the chair to councillor Plant? We know of only one, and that is Burnaby.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6397,"text":"I believe they started long, long time ago putting money into their reserves and have grown their reserves and now they're taking away from their reserves to do a lot of projects to the point where they're going to start borrowing, but pretty much everybody else borrows.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6417,"text":"And a good combo would be some borrowing and some reserves like that. That would be ideal because you want the future public to also pay for that service as well as the current public.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6432,"text":"Thank you. You're finished. Your time's up. Councillor Phillips. Bonderoff, please. Oh, seconder.","speaker":"A"},{"t":6442,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"L"},{"t":6443,"text":"Sorry. Councillor Chambers.","speaker":"A"},{"t":6445,"text":"Thank you very much. Madam Wish. Madam Chair, I just wanted to say three things through the chair. I'm very excited about half of the heat pumps being replaced. That's very, very good news.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6461,"text":"I know it's not really the time to express complete joy when we're talking about numbers and taxes and stuff. But that makes me really happy. Secondly, this finance audit makes me very happy.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6477,"text":"We've all had a lot of concerns about the financing. We haven't agreed with everything, but council come together and we have really dotted our I's and crossed our T's and staff have just made it so easy for us.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6496,"text":"So I'm very excited and I hope staff gets recognition for this audit and wonderfulness. Secondly, to Mr. Arslund through the chair, I heard before that that 30% increase, increase that Mr.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6510,"text":"Pelton brought up, I heard at another time that 35% were the costs inflation associated with Bill 44 and the infrastructure deficiencies. Now is this a correct way to think about this cost? Mr. Arslund,","speaker":"J"},{"t":6531,"text":"through the chair to Councillor Chambers. The impact right now for us is obviously protective services, maintenance of our infrastructure and also the asset replacement.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6545,"text":"The Bill 44 is more of a future cost maybe for us as we develop the areas, make them, you know, single family into multi unit. It will require more infrastructure in the future.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6564,"text":"As far as now though, this is more of the current infrastructure replacement.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":6572,"text":"Okay, well, thank you very much. I don't want to bring up future costs, I hear at this meeting here tonight. So I won't do that. But I just wanted to say parting opinion.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6585,"text":"I am the kind of galaxy that believes in reserve fund and saving. I come from the Land Conservancy, this, I've come from different organizations and finance is a big thing, strategic planning. And so this is.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6600,"text":"I would have liked to move in the direction of saving and borrowing rather than just borrowing. Thank you.","speaker":"J"},{"t":6608,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Bryce, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":6613,"text":"Thank you, Chair. And I was just. I do support the motion. Just wanted to join with Councillor Chambers in acknowledging the financial year end. And typically our staff understates the work that has been accomplished.","speaker":"L"},{"t":6630,"text":"And I know both Councillor Chambers and I at the Finance Committee when we met with kpmg, were very proud to be told that the statement for 2025 would be clean and unqualified audit, which is the highest level of assurance an auditor can provide.","speaker":"L"},{"t":6651,"text":"So I think that is a piece of information that is worthy of the public awareness. Thank you.","speaker":"L"},{"t":6660,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Phelps. Bonderoff, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":6665,"text":"Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't have any questions. I just wanted to first of all commend staff for their hard work. And I think the five pages of listed awards really is a celebration of our amazing staff.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6675,"text":"Those are awards across multiple departments. There's some really big awards that focus on huge initiatives. There's some smaller awards that focus on individual action and that's just really impressive that there's like a five page block of awards.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6686,"text":"So thank you for that. And then also I'm looking at. My colleague mentioned this already. But the large list $9. 6 million of grants again is a testament to the hard work of our staff.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6696,"text":"Always looking for additional ways of helping do cool projects, important projects and necessary projects in our district. So that's really excellent.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6702,"text":"And I think, I mean we're all kind of weighing in on debt versus savings and I know that one of the ways that we and one of the reasons we do go into debt as a municipality is to amortize those expenses over multiple generations as an equity lens as well, not just from a practical lens.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6717,"text":"So I think that's, that's worth noting.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6719,"text":"Folks in Saanich will hopefully be using our new fire hall for decades to come and we want to make sure that that's, you know, accurately funded by residents into the future as well.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6729,"text":"I'm really glad to see the Intelligent Community initiative on that list. I'm on the library board and library is getting more and more excited about that, so that's great to see.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6737,"text":"A couple other things I wanted to highlight because first of all, it's a very attractive report. I read a lot of annual reports from municipalities as a researcher external to my job. Some of them are really bad.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6748,"text":"This one looks really nice, so it's readable, which I think is really important. I know that sounds kind of like a flat comment, but no, that's high praise.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6756,"text":"I won't throw any of our municipal colleagues under the bus from other jurisdictions, but there are some less than attractive reports out there.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6762,"text":"Also accommodation to our business development people looking at the number of business engagements going from 141 to 1600 in the course of two years. That's a lot of work.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6770,"text":"So very well done to and I think a couple other ones I noted number of ALR properties is staying steady which is great important for our food security.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6778,"text":"And ultimately I see a lot of highlighting of the amazing services that this district provides. And I know that the services that our district provide are vital to the well being of our residents.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6788,"text":"The 734,000 visits to our rec centers are now incredibly accessible given the Rakansen certification for some of our rec centers. So the services that we're providing are things that keep our residents happy.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6797,"text":"They keep our residents fed and safe. I think that's critical and this report reflects that really well. So thank you to our staff for putting that together.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6805,"text":"And for all the residents who also helped make our city and community a beautiful place as well.","speaker":"G"},{"t":6811,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Westover, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":6815,"text":"Thank you, Chair.","speaker":"F"},{"t":6816,"text":"My comments are going to be short.","speaker":"H"},{"t":6818,"text":"I just didn't want to have this night go on without thanking staff for","speaker":"U"},{"t":6821,"text":"all their hard work.","speaker":"F"},{"t":6823,"text":"I know audit time can be a tremendous, a lot of pressure and stressful. And I just wanted to comment that whenever I have a question prior to","speaker":"U"},{"t":6832,"text":"any of our meetings, the answers are always so quickly responded and satisfy whatever queries I've had of whether I'm asking for myself or someone else. So thanks to everyone for all your hard work.","speaker":"H"},{"t":6844,"text":"Thank you, Mayor Murdoch,","speaker":"A"},{"t":6848,"text":"thank you so much. Chair Brownhoff, thank you to our corporate services team for the overview presentation and for the excellent annual report. Thank you.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6858,"text":"This is really informative and helpful for us to get an understanding of everything that's going on within the district.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6865,"text":"And what I really appreciate about the report is while it is grouped into themes which align with our strategic plan and our strategic priorities, it really demonstrates the breadth of work that takes place within the district that goes well beyond any of the discussion that happens in this room.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6885,"text":"So much of what takes place within Saanich that's undertaken by our staff, crews and teams is really operational and it represents the bulk of what most residents experience when they have an interaction with the district of Saanich.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6900,"text":"Whether that's waste collection, whether that's visiting the rec center, whether that's visiting our finance department or if it's on the phone, or sending in an email about infrastructure or concern that they may have, and that they are consistently greeted with friendly, supportive people who can help them get what they're looking for.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6921,"text":"So I just want to commend staff for all of the great work in making this such a great community and to our corporate services team for pulling out so many great highlights for us to be able to illustrate that.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6937,"text":"One of the ones that I feel most proud of, that I wanted to highlight, was that 60% of all new homes approved via development permit were for non market affordable homes. That is a very, very significant accomplishment.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6952,"text":"And if you look at the number of DPs issued for non market affordable homes, it's well over 300 in comparison to years past where it was in the the dozens.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6964,"text":"That is a very significant accomplishment and one that I think reflects our priority for non market affordable housing, including rapid deployment of affordable housing and how truly successful that has been.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6977,"text":"Like others, I was really pleased to see the number of or the percentage of replacements for home heating oil with the Conversion to heat pumps. I think that's really terrific.","speaker":"M"},{"t":6989,"text":"And finally, I just wanted to draw attention to page 37. Most of our residents will experience some recreation service in this community. In fact, I think it's one.","speaker":"M"},{"t":7000,"text":"Parks and recreation are probably one of the services or among the services that just about everybody in Saanich takes advantage of. And if you have a look at the quick stats there, recreation registered program participants, excluding day camps.","speaker":"M"},{"t":7015,"text":"So that's not. Kids in summer camps have gone from 38,185 in 2022 to 68,533 in 2025. In three years the number doubled. So when people say that our rec centers are getting busier, they're not joking.","speaker":"M"},{"t":7030,"text":"We have not only exceeded the pre pandemic levels for participation at our rec centers, we have catapulted past it.","speaker":"M"},{"t":7037,"text":"It's incredibly, it is a high value service and one that I know is so appreciated by individuals, by families, by older adults, by just about everyone in our community and investments in those services, indoor and outdoor green spaces, natural areas and our recreation facilities.","speaker":"M"},{"t":7055,"text":"Investments in those core services and facilities is so vital to the quality of life that our residents enjoy, appreciate and expect.","speaker":"M"},{"t":7064,"text":"And so I want to commend the staff in recreation for the incredible work they're doing to manage and provide service to that many individuals and just draw attention to the critical need that's clearly looming for us to renew our investments in the services and incentives, infrastructure and facilities that will be required in order for people to continue to enjoy that really high quality experience.","speaker":"M"},{"t":7092,"text":"Thank you. Any other comments? I don't see any. I'll just make a few of my own. I really appreciated this annual report. I think it's very well done.","speaker":"A"},{"t":7103,"text":"It's got a lot of information that I think our residents will be interested in. Our engineering, our infrastructure. One thing that sticks with me and I'll continue to push for is only 8% of our land base is parks.","speaker":"A"},{"t":7118,"text":"So I do believe with density we need more park, park space as well. And obviously our rec centers are filling up as well. So there's lots of planning in the future for this municipality.","speaker":"A"},{"t":7131,"text":"But this annual report was very well presented and, and I thank you for that. So I'm going to call the question. All those in favor? Opposed? None opposed. Carries unanimously. Thank you very much.","speaker":"A"},{"t":7146,"text":"The next item on the agenda is the 2026 climate plan. 100% renewable and resilient. Saanich.","speaker":"D"},{"t":7152,"text":"This is a report from the Director of Corporate services and the purpose is to present the 2026 Climate Plan Council is also in receipt of a memo from the Sustainability and Climate Action Advisory Committee which recommended that Council endorse the plan.","speaker":"D"},{"t":7169,"text":"Please","speaker":"A"},{"t":7172,"text":"Good evening Chair Prounoff and Council I'm very happy to present the 2026 climate plan this evening and just before I start the presentation I just wanted to share that I may be set up here this evening as the Sustainability Team member, but this really is a collaboration across all departments in the organization and with many stakeholders in the community as well, and with much grateful thanks to public who participated in the process as well.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7201,"text":"The 2020 climate plan was developed around a five year time frame and most of the actions have been completed and now underway and much progress has been made in that time.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7212,"text":"We've almost met our 2025 corporate emissions target, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by almost 50% and we've made significant progress on our community wide targets with nearly 20% reduction in emissions from our 2007 baseline.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7226,"text":"The global and local context has also shifted substantially over the last five years with more extreme weather events and climate impacts, major technological advancements, updated climate data and analysis, but greater affordability and cost of living issues and considerable new policy and legislation.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7242,"text":"So the updated plan builds upon this and outlines a clear, practical and cost effective pathway over the next five years to help achieve our climate goals while maximising co benefits.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7253,"text":"It continues to focus on collaboration with other local governments, the crd, the provincial and federal governments and other partners.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7261,"text":"Council approved a Terms of Reference for the updated plan in November 2024 and then the 2026 climate plan was then developed throughout 2025 and early this year.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7271,"text":"It included engagement with First Nations Saanich staff, the public and stakeholders, including an emphasis on equity, deserving groups, updated emissions inventories and modelling of actions to achieve our targets, assessments of climate change hazards and impacts to municipal assets and the community based on local climate projections and lessons Learned from across 15 years of work and climate action and associated stakeholder and public engagement in Saanich as well as a consideration of recent Saanich plans, strategies, policies, legislation and programs.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7301,"text":"And just a reminder that climate projections for our region include hotter, drier summers, more frequent and intense heat waves, extreme rainfall events, wildfires, smoke and sea level rise and these impact our community in many ways.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7315,"text":"There are infrastructure repair costs, damage and loss of property, increased fuel costs which leads to increased food and material costs and a knock on effect to housing. We saw 600 deaths across B. C.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7328,"text":"during the 2021 Heat Dome and there are numerous studies showing the health impacts of extreme heat and wildfire smoke, we're seeing a loss of biodiversity, erosion and and contamination and droughts are impacting food production and climate change is increasing pests and diseases.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7344,"text":"Climate change is already costing Canadians billions of dollars and these impacts are projected to become more frequent, intense and costly over time. So there are considerable benefits of climate action.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7355,"text":"Research shows that proactive adaptation can cut climate related damage costs in half, increase affordability and and generate multiple financial benefits. Investing in renewable energy is shown to boost GDP and strengthen economic security and independence.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7368,"text":"EVs and heat pumps use much less energy than their fossil fuel counterparts, saving on operating costs and freeing energy for other purposes. Compact walkable communities support reduced transportation costs and are more cost effective for providing municipal services.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7383,"text":"Climate action helps to protect our ecosystem which in turn provide important services such as shade and stormwater management which would be incredibly costly to replace with hard infrastructure.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7393,"text":"And the health benefits are significant which again saves taxpayers money by reducing the burden on our healthcare system.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7400,"text":"The obvious examples being the cooling provided by electric heat pumps and heart health benefits from reduced air pollution and exercise using active transportation A considerable amount of engagement was undertaken with key stakeholders in the community to develop the 2020 climate plan and this has continued over the last five years on multiple climate actions and programs.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7422,"text":"The 2026 plan builds upon this and it focuses specifically on engagement with marginalised communities and service providers, first nations and then the general public.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7431,"text":"And throughout the engagement, participants expressed strong support for climate action by the District District and concern about climate change and climate hazards.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7439,"text":"The 2026 plan continues to be guided by 10 key principles which were developed as part of the 2020 plan, but they have been updated with feedback and shared knowledge to remain relevant today and act as a bridge for climate action between cultures, community and the land.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7457,"text":"It also continues to use the one Planet principles and embed climate equity. Now the goals remain unchanged from those in the 2020 climate plan. We're halfway between the 2020 plan and our 2030 targets.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7470,"text":"However, the 2020 plan included a goal to reduce our corporate emissions by 50% by 2025 and now that we've pretty much reached those, we have updated the plan to outline a new interim target of a 65% reduction in corporate emissions by 2030, with the 2040 corporate target remaining the same.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7489,"text":"The updated plan also recognizes that taking a fair share approach would mean that Saanich should achieve, in theory, a 58% reduction in our emissions by 2030. We are classing this as a stretch target.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7502,"text":"An energy and emissions modelling tool was used to evaluate the potential impacts of various actions towards meeting our targets.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7509,"text":"This continues to show that there is no silver bullet and that transportation transformative change is required in many areas, particularly in transportation and buildings. Vehicle electrification and the transition to all electric buildings have the greatest emission reduction potential.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7524,"text":"And whilst our population grows over time, the model also shows that overall energy use will actually decrease thanks to the greater efficiency of electric vehicles and heat pumps and transition over to active transportation and that's compared to using fossil fuels for transportation and building energy energy.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7542,"text":"The plan also includes a model pathway to reduce our consumption based emissions.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7546,"text":"These are the emissions from all the goods and services that Saanich consumes, regardless of where those goods and services are produced around the world, including those that are not counted in our territorial emissions inventory.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7560,"text":"And while our baseline consumption emissions are much higher than our territorial emissions, we have opportunities to reduce them significantly through actions that are identified in the plan.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7570,"text":"So the updated plan contains 23 strategies and 98 actions which is considerably less than the 2020 plan and they are across six focus areas based upon those that were in the 2020 plan.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7582,"text":"They include transportation and land use, buildings, food consumption and waste ecosystems, community well being and resilient infrastructure and leadership and district operations.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7591,"text":"Each focus area provides a vision tied with the climate goals, a summary of where we are today, outlines where we need to go, our role and the role of others and the strategies and actions necessary to get there.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7606,"text":"An important difference from the 2020 plan is the inclusion of dependencies in each focus area. Now since the plan was adopted, several plans and strategies have been approved by council that help to deliver our climate goals.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7620,"text":"For instance the updated ocp, our Active Transportation plan, the Urban Forest strategy, the biodiversity Conservation strategy, Zero Emissions fleet strategy and so on.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7628,"text":"And rather than duplicate actions in those plans and strategies, the updated climate plan identifies them as key dependencies that need to be implemented in parallel in order to achieve our climate goals.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7641,"text":"The 2026 plan also outlines that there is a clear role for others to play in meeting our climate goals, in particular a reliance upon key legislation, funding sources, support and action by the provincial and federal governments.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7655,"text":"Saanich cannot meet our community wide climate goals alone and as I previously outlined, climate change is already costing Canadians billions of dollars and climate impacts are projected to become more frequent, intense and costly over time.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7668,"text":"There are recent studies demonstrating that proactive adaptation can cut climate related damage costs in half, improve affordability and provide many financial benefits.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7677,"text":"And many climate actions also come with cost savings or have upfront capital costs but with a short payback period beyond which there is either positive income or we're having savings.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7688,"text":"So we've highlighted some of these in the council report in front of you this evening and some are also highlighted within our annual report cards and the updated climate plan.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7699,"text":"Over half of the 2026 climate plan actions can be undertaken without additional capital or one time resources. However, some actions do require additional upfront capital and operating funding.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7710,"text":"When these actions are developed, a comprehensive business case is undertaken to inform any resource requests presented to Council.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7717,"text":"Table 1 in the Council report and presented on the slide here, outline the ongoing cost estimates for plan implementation over the next five years.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7726,"text":"So the recommendation this evening is that council adopt the 2026 Climate Change Plan 100% renewable and resilient. Saanich and I'd be happy to take any questions.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7738,"text":"Thank you very much. I'll just ask you a couple of questions that came from the audience when they spoke and I know, I know it's probably included.","speaker":"A"},{"t":7748,"text":"So I know that we're actively looking at building cooling in older buildings. Can you just speak to that for a snippet? And have we signed on to the right to call bylaw?","speaker":"A"},{"t":7761,"text":"Thank you. Chair Brown off. Yes.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7763,"text":"There's been a recent adoption of or approval to bring bylaws forwards at the City of New Westminster and that's in relation to a right to cooling bylaw and it's specifically related to landlords with rental properties.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7776,"text":"And to reflect what's in the step code for new buildings in terms. Sorry, not step code, the B. C.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7783,"text":"building code for new buildings, which is to have one room that is able to keep the temperature at 26 degrees or below. They will be doing some engagement and then bringing back those bylaws for approval.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7795,"text":"And we're working with other local governments across B. C. to explore what that looks like and engage with them.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7802,"text":"We understand that there is a motion being brought forward or that has been brought forward by the City of Victoria that we're watching closely and there is an action in the climate plan that does speak to this.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7816,"text":"So we feel that should the plan be approved, there is certainly direction in that approval that gives staff the ability to move forwards on bringing such a program towards council.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7827,"text":"Thank you. The other question was around. It's always a question we get asked that our greenhouse gases were not meeting our commitment. Could you.","speaker":"A"},{"t":7836,"text":"You had presented to us once before that sometimes if you approve something, it takes at least two years for us. Could you just speak to that, please?","speaker":"A"},{"t":7847,"text":"Yeah, sure. Thank you. Councillor Brownhoff. Yeah. There's a reference and an image that's in the climate report card. This year and also in the updated climate plan, which is called the snowball effect.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7858,"text":"But what we're trying to describe by that is that many of the actions that are put into place or legislation, programs, bylaws that council adopt do take time to result in the GHG emissions associated with them.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7871,"text":"So it takes time for stack code adoption to move forward through design of buildings and then construction of those buildings before someone is actually living in them and then reducing those greenhouse gas emissions.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7883,"text":"Likewise with the ebike incentive program that's a little bit quicker. You roll through the program, then people move forward and purchase the bike and then they're slowly reducing those trips.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7894,"text":"So in terms of those actions that have been adopted in the last few years, we're still anticipating an increase in greenhouse gas reduction emissions reductions over the coming years based on those actions. So it's a cumulative impact.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7907,"text":"If we stopped all action and did nothing, we would continue to see some decline in our greenhouse gas emissions. And that's really the point of that image that's in the updated panel.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7918,"text":"And the last question I'd written down was around transit.","speaker":"A"},{"t":7922,"text":"And I'm pretty sure I don't need to ask this, but does your division work with transportation to ensure things like if we could do queue jumpers that would if you know, reduce greenhouse gas and move the buses through faster or the electricity buses through.","speaker":"A"},{"t":7938,"text":"Can you just speak to that you do work with our transportation division on.","speaker":"A"},{"t":7944,"text":"Yes, thank you Councillor Branoff. We work closely with the transportation team and BC Transit also there.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7951,"text":"We appreciated the comments that came through the Better Transit alliance in relation to not specifically identifying the wording around bus lanes given they are such a key strategy within the Rapid Bus Plan and NBC Transits plan.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7967,"text":"And certainly we speak to transit priority measures that do encompass bus lanes, but we didn't call it out specifically and that's probably a non intentional omission.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7978,"text":"But one of the actions that was referenced by a public member was in relation to District of Saanich implementation of the elements that we have a role to play in as it relates to a forthcoming BC Transit document.","speaker":"U"},{"t":7994,"text":"And that could include transit priority measures we imagine, which may include bus. Bus lanes.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8001,"text":"Perfect. Thanks very much Councillor Chambers, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":8006,"text":"Thank you very much Madam Chair for covering many of the questions from the public and questions that I had. There is a couple of points I wanted to make.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8021,"text":"So in the report it refers to first nations interests and I'm wondering if the word interest perhaps. Might be a different word than interest because they have more than interest.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8036,"text":"So maybe, maybe we could look at a better word for that. I'm really excited.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8044,"text":"Councillor Brownhoff did mention many of my questions, but two more so what I have always been concerned about when I hear the presentations and the narratives in this area, that it's very hard. So Saanich is exemplary.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8062,"text":"We are provincially renowned for our environmental practices and maintaining that and it's such an honor. However, without the support of the province and the federal government in us, achieving our climate targets is going to be difficult.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8081,"text":"And recently, as we've all heard, the federal government and the province are not necessarily on the same path. We are, it seems.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8093,"text":"And I'm wondering if there is any way that besides being a rock in a pond creating the ripple of good governance and what a municipal government is capable of, I'm wondering what moves the council can do to help beyond letter writing to make sure that the province and federal government stays connected to our climate plans.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8121,"text":"So that's one question. So what else can we do? And the next thing is I'm looking at quick fix cooldown.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8131,"text":"So thank you through the chair in the winter Saanich created emergency weather shelter for homelessness and stuff like that.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8141,"text":"This question is we can consider homelessness included in this question, but what I'm wondering is are we going to have cool down tents anywhere at our events at the July 1st picnic?","speaker":"J"},{"t":8158,"text":"Are we going to have one, let's say at the uptown or somewhere where people in cyclists can just go and attend and cool down in because things may get worse? That's all my questions.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8175,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"E"},{"t":8176,"text":"Through the chair to Councillor Chambers. Maybe I start with the last question first because it's fresh in my mind.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8183,"text":"In relation to cooling at events, we do work really closely with the emergency management program and also very closely with the events coordinator over in the community services part of the of that department.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8195,"text":"We have had discussions previously about needs in the communities, it relates to cooling centres and also discussed at festivals and events.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8202,"text":"Those discussions did talk about the benefits for instance of some of the splash parks that are available in different locations throughout our community.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8211,"text":"But I think that's something that we would be continuing to have discussions with many moving forwards in relation to what we can do to work more advocate better to the province and federal government in relation to our climate targets.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8225,"text":"Yes, we have a key role to play in relation to our community greenhouse gas emissions. However, we absolutely cannot do it alone and we are not going to achieve those targets.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8235,"text":"I wanted to be really clear in this room because there's a lot of comments in the community about not achieved Target those community targets that we are actually doing an incredible job in relation to those elements that we have control over which are specifically around our land use decisions, our buildings and our transportation.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8255,"text":"In relation to some of those other emissions. Some of them do require market transformation and technological changes.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8261,"text":"For instance, there are aviation emissions that are in included in there and there is also some work around industrial emissions that is going on at the federal and the provincial level that we are hoping we see changes over the next five years so that by the time we have a new climate plan in front of you, those look different and they are helping us to achieve those targets.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8285,"text":"We have actions in the plan around advocating strongly to the provincial government for continued support in the federal government.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8292,"text":"And one of the things that we, we do do in addition to advocacy is we often provide a proof of concept to demonstrate what it could look like to roll out a program across the entire province given the massive co benefits often affordability related that can be achieved through the types of programs that we implement as a first in Saanich.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8314,"text":"Thank you very much through the chair just sorry, I do have. So that is really compelling. Saanich is doing their fair share.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8324,"text":"We are, you know, our buildings, transportation, you know, so really to the public, if you want to get busy with a pen and paper, there's a few places that you might want to direct some letters to the province and the federal government to continue to support our local government here.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8345,"text":"And there was one more thing I was going to say, but maybe I will say it in my comments. Thank you very much.","speaker":"J"},{"t":8355,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Phillips. Bondroff, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":8359,"text":"Thank you Madam Chair. All my questions are through you of course. Thank you for an excellent report. I'll just restrict myself some short questions for the time being.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8366,"text":"The first question I had was how will the one FTE for the sustainability project manager be presented in the 2027 budget I. E.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8372,"text":"Will this be a priority that will be recommended for adoption or is this something that could be on the chopping block if cuts were made?","speaker":"G"},{"t":8379,"text":"Staff through the chair to Councillor Phelps Bondaroff.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8382,"text":"I would argue this probably very difficult to say at this stage until we get through the budgeting process with a new council on board to understand what budget priorities are and therefore what may be a priority.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8395,"text":"Whether this position is or whether it would be on the chopping block.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8401,"text":"Thank you so much through you, Madam Chair. The Climate Action reserve fund, the $220,000 for that, is that a one time expense or is that an annual top up?","speaker":"G"},{"t":8410,"text":"Thank you through the chair to Councillor Phelps Vonderoff. It would be an ongoing request.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8414,"text":"Perfect, thank you. 4.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8415,"text":"1 talks about the spatial access measure and that's a new measure for me and I don't know if it's a new measure for the rest of council and I was wondering if you could elaborate a little bit on that.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8426,"text":"I mean, I can understand, I can infer what it means from context, but is this something that we can expect to see moving forward and something we can evaluate in a sort of longitudinal kind of way?","speaker":"G"},{"t":8436,"text":"Yes, through the shared council, Phelps Ponderoff, we work closely with planning in relation to this proximity score and the use of it in our modeling and tying it in with the OCP and CVS and the land capacity analysis that was done and we certainly include it as a metric because we hope to continue to use it moving forwards.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8457,"text":"Perfect, thank you very much. T2. 3 is parking development, development of parking for new buildings. And then T1. Sorry, T2. 3 is bike parking in new buildings. And then T1. 3 is off street parking.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8469,"text":"And I was wondering if staff could elaborate a little bit on why we're drawing that distinction between the two different elements, whether or not the overall review of our parking parking bylaws, rather, is covering bike parking or if there's a reason why they've been separated out.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8485,"text":"Through the chair, Councillor Felspandroff, would you mind just reminding me which actions you just mentioned?","speaker":"U"},{"t":8490,"text":"T2. 3 was bike parking and then T1. 3 was off street parking and loading regulations. I don't have the page number, unfortunately.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8501,"text":"Bear with me two seconds.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8509,"text":"Oh, and there might be a numbering issue. I think there's two T2. 3, so it might be T2. 3B.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8522,"text":"Thank you. Through the chair to councillor Phelps Bonderoff. T2. 3 is in relation to existing buildings, so that is to implement a program to deliver increased bicycle parking in existing buildings versus the previous one, T1. 3, I think.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8541,"text":"Yeah.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8542,"text":"Thank you. Which includes the bike parking requirements for new development. So new versus existing buildings.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8552,"text":"That makes a lot of sense. Thank you for clarifying. In that same area, T3. 45 talks about supporting car shares and I was wondering if you could elaborate a little bit more on what that might look like.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8561,"text":"I know there's different ways to do this and do we have an idea as to what that would look like?","speaker":"G"},{"t":8566,"text":"Yes.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8567,"text":"Through the Cheshire Council, Phelps Vonderoff, to give you a live example, at the moment we are working with Carshare in the community to support them with the EV charging infrastructure on street, so that they may be able to employ Electric vehicles within their fleet.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8582,"text":"There's one across the street from my house. Fantastic. I can walk past that example on the way home. Just a few last questions and speeding along here, there was a question from the public about gas powered landscaping equipment.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8592,"text":"This is a question that's also near and dear to my heart. I know we've discussed our fleet electrification and I know that our equipment electrification is another category.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8599,"text":"I was wondering if staff could elaborate a little bit on how that fits in with our existing plan or whether it's attached to other plans as well.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8606,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"F"},{"t":8606,"text":"Through the chair to Councillor Phelps Bundrof. We do have an action in the leadership by example section which is specifically around moving towards zero emission equipment.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8617,"text":"While this is in the leadership section, so it's in relation to our corporate equipment.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8623,"text":"The idea behind that is that we do the investigations, the analysis, lead by example to then be able to inform community wide programs or whatever that may look like. Coming forward to council.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8636,"text":"Perfect. A few last quick questions, Madam Chair, and thank you very much. One of the notes, I was actually quite surprised to see this.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8643,"text":"It kind of jumped out at me was on page 35 there's the average annual vehicle cost per household.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8648,"text":"And folks around this table will have heard me use the $12,000 number that I've taken from Stats Canada 2024 and I was shocked to see that Sanich's is $28,344.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8656,"text":"And there's a little bit of pictographic description as to why that discrepancy exists.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8660,"text":"But I was wondering if staff could just elucidate a little bit on that because I found that number, first of all eye watering and second of all the discrepancy between the two different districts quite significant.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8669,"text":"And I just wonder if you could elaborate a little bit more on the sort of the comparative analysis between those two jurisdictions.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8676,"text":"Certainly. Thanks through the chair to Councillor Phelps Bondaroff.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8680,"text":"So we utilised information from the CRD Origin destination survey to understand what trips are taken by what types of vehicles within Saanich and then obviously the other communities which are Langford and Victoria.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8693,"text":"Then in terms of the cost for those vehicles, we did use a Canada wide average cost for Canadian car ownership estimate which includes operating costs such as fuel maintenance, parking, car insurance and vehicle payments.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8708,"text":"But it does not include depreciation and utilising that consistently across those three different communities. You get that comparison of Langford being 29,332 average vehicle cost per household, 28,344 for Saanich and then 11,865 for Victoria.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8723,"text":"And we compared that to what we were talking before about the proximity scores, which are how close you are to amenities in your community, which ties very closely with the 15 minute community idea that's in the official community plan as a kind of correlation between the impacts of that compact complete community approach.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8746,"text":"Appreciate the description. That was quite a surprising number to see in there. Last few questions here, Madam Chair. B2.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8751,"text":"4 mentions future weather files and I was wondering if staff could elaborate a little bit on just what those are. That there's a note. I know there's a footnote and I did dive into the footnotes.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8760,"text":"That's again a new term that I haven't seen in some of our past reports. And so if you get a quick description of that.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8767,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"F"},{"t":8767,"text":"Through the Cheshire Council, Phelps Bondoroff, through the B. C. building Code in development, historic weather files are generally used. So based on past weather files.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8776,"text":"So they now have the requirement for new development to ensure that one of those rooms within a building or within a unit is able to be cooled below 26 degrees.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8787,"text":"But it is using past or historic weather files, using future weather files like those that we get access to because we've got climate projections for our region.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8796,"text":"It means that that building is going to be in place for many years into the future where we are projecting to see much hotter summers.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8805,"text":"And that then ensures that those buildings are being built so that you can keep those rooms to below 26 degrees in future and offer cooling effectively for the community.","speaker":"U"},{"t":8816,"text":"Thank you so much for clarifying. As the report says, the buildings that we're going to be dealing with in 2050 are the buildings that we're building now. And so that's consistent with that.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8822,"text":"And I'm glad that we're considering future weather. Thank you. I've got comments to make when we get to that, Madam Chair, but I will pass along to my colleagues and thank Skin for staff for the great responses.","speaker":"G"},{"t":8830,"text":"Councillor Plant, Please, Madam Chair, would you","speaker":"A"},{"t":8833,"text":"accept the motion to move the recommendation?","speaker":"W"},{"t":8836,"text":"I would, because people can still ask questions.","speaker":"A"},{"t":8839,"text":"Given that we're in committee of the whole. I probably don't need to read it out because we'll read it out at council. Is that correct?","speaker":"W"},{"t":8845,"text":"That is correct.","speaker":"L"},{"t":8846,"text":"Move the recommendation.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8847,"text":"Second.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":8848,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"F"},{"t":8848,"text":"Seconded by Councillor Chambers. Would you like to speak to it?","speaker":"A"},{"t":8852,"text":"I would.","speaker":"Q"},{"t":8852,"text":"I want to thank staff for taking us on a path that started In, I think, November 2024 when we gave the terms of reference for this update to the 2020 plan.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8863,"text":"And I think I'LL forever have in my mind Councillor Taylor at the time saying we need to do more.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8870,"text":"And I always will respect that opinion of his and how he always provided that opinion and many of my colleagues here at this table would like to us to do more.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8881,"text":"I am supportive of the recommendation that staff have put forward to adopt this plan and that we are going to have to look at additional resources.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8890,"text":"I think the report is extensive and truthfully this is one of those times where I think where I'm just going to leave it beyond saying I support this plan is read the conclusion and I apologize because you probably wrote it with your team.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8906,"text":"But this is where I'm going to end my time. So I'll be quick.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8910,"text":"The 2026 climate plan sets a clear, practical, cost effective pathway to reach our climate goals, focusing on collaboration with other local governments, the crd, community organizations, institutions and businesses, in addition to the necessary action by provincial and federal governments.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8924,"text":"Perfect. The plan was built upon years of successful climate action at the district and extensive engagement with key stakeholders, youth, equity deserving groups and the public. With input from first nations.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8935,"text":"It includes 23 strategies and 99 actions across six focus areas to be delivered for the next five years. That is forward thinking and I'm behind that and I bless you.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8946,"text":"I do acknowledge that it will be the new council that determines if these additional pieces are going to be.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8953,"text":"But I think one of the things that I've always admired about Saanich, both before I was on council and since I have been on it, this council has set an example as stewards of the organization to say we will set the example for the public to follow.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8970,"text":"We don't ask the public to do things that we're not doing ourselves. And I think that really is important in a community that has many competing priorities that we are saying. This is one of the key ones.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8983,"text":"So thank you staff for this great new climate plan. And I know it's always hard for staff to do it unsolicited, so I'm going to say it.","speaker":"W"},{"t":8993,"text":"You should consider submitting this to organizations that adjudicate such plans for acknowledgement amongst your peers.","speaker":"W"},{"t":9000,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Chambers. As a seconder, you haven't pushed your.","speaker":"A"},{"t":9006,"text":"Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am very happy to receive this report. And I guess just to follow up on perhaps what one of my colleagues just said about. Oh, I just lost it. He was talking.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9023,"text":"Oh, I just lost it. Okay, I'm going to go back to another number that you brought up a few minutes ago, which I'm going to Ask about. And.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9035,"text":"And that was that you said that There was only 8% protected areas in Saanich Parks.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9042,"text":"Parks.","speaker":"C"},{"t":9042,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9043,"text":"All right.","speaker":"U"},{"t":9044,"text":"So that it doesn't count, like. Well, I guess it would count. King street and that kind of thing.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9051,"text":"Okay, well, I would definitely like to see that number for parks, 8% go up to 30% as in the country Ming Montreal global commitment that was made, about 30% protection of world's green spaces and whatnot.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9066,"text":"Oh, I remember what I was going to say now. Thank you.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9070,"text":"So we've talked about how exemplary Saanich staff is and recognizing Saanich staff, but I would also like to recognize the stewards of Saanich because the people in Zanich are extraordinary stewards.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9083,"text":"They've been standing up for their parks, their backyards, their green spaces, the trees. And it's been such an inspiration to me, especially in the face of, you know, certain.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9094,"text":"Not us necessarily, but the rollbacks, the pullbacks, the funding, the, you know, we made a commitment last term speaking about Councillor Taylor again, twice in one night.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9105,"text":"And I said, saw him the other day, you know, the declaration of a climate emergency, you know, that we can't put that on the back burner to the development that's been legislated on us.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9119,"text":"So I am absolutely proud of staff. And perhaps when I was elected, I perhaps had a different. It wasn't the Land Conservancy anymore, so.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9129,"text":"But what I understood now is that we have a very comprehensive biodiversity and environmental program. And it's not just about, you know, the environmental protection on private property.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9140,"text":"It's about buildings and it's about, you know, design, it's about this. And so it is a comprehensive program. It's not one thing.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9149,"text":"So I like that feeling because if we're falling short, it's kind of like an ecosystem of different departments that are working together.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9158,"text":"And we're not going to quit and we're not going to let up on the other levels of government, and we're going to keep on being a model and we're going to raise the bar and we're going to continue to ask them for money.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9175,"text":"And we've got some pretty spectacular grant writers here at Saanich. And better not say that too loud because it's the most important position in any land trust. Thank you.","speaker":"J"},{"t":9188,"text":"Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Devries, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":9193,"text":"Thanks.","speaker":"Y"},{"t":9194,"text":"Chair. I'm going to begin with a question.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9196,"text":"I just wanted to get a sense of what would be the timing on something like a Right to Cool bylaw and is there any preparatory work or analysis that may be going on in the near term here.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9211,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"F"},{"t":9211,"text":"Through the chair to Councillor Devries. We do have a project at the moment where we are implementing sensors through volunteers within apartment buildings across Saanich.","speaker":"U"},{"t":9221,"text":"I think we have 70 plus going out and collecting data across this summer that we feel is incredibly important information to get grounded data locally because there's not sufficient data Canada wide.","speaker":"U"},{"t":9234,"text":"There's nowhere near that level of detailed data.","speaker":"U"},{"t":9237,"text":"In parallel, working with other local governments, exploring what's happening through the new Westminster bylaws and obviously that information is available so we don't need to reinvent the wheel and recognising that there is a UBCM resolution coming forwards as well.","speaker":"U"},{"t":9252,"text":"So I think this is something we're actually acting on currently and so would be something if council were supportive of it and if the plan gets approved this evening that we're talking about this year into next year.","speaker":"U"},{"t":9267,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"A"},{"t":9268,"text":"And that leads into my next question. So it's possible with all these things considered that we could have a right to co bylaw for the summer of 2027.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9278,"text":"Potentially","speaker":"G"},{"t":9281,"text":"through the chair to Councillor Tifries. We could strive for that. And recognising there may be changes come October, but certainly as we'll be moving forwards.","speaker":"U"},{"t":9296,"text":"Thank you for that and I appreciate that. The motto of the team here at Saanich has been to not just to strive but to deliver in so many areas. And that's why I'll be supporting the climate plan.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9311,"text":"It's been an incredible piece of work that's been undertaken previously as well as building this new roadmap that's going to lead us forward over the next number of of years.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9322,"text":"Extensive work among staff, but also with the community that helped inform this plan. What stood out to me is that this plan is much more than just trying to reduce emissions.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9335,"text":"It's also looking at how we protect our community from the growing costs and impacts of climate change, especially extreme weather, including improving affordability through various things like energy savings, smart investments that help reduce future costs for taxpayers, including things like investing in walkable neighborhoods, active transportation, transit and the likes.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9354,"text":"I think it's very important to emphasize that piece. We've seen a rollback of climate action in senior governments over affordability concerns.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9362,"text":"And the Saanich plan is rooted in the idea that affordability and climate action can go hand in hand. And I think, you know, that's something I deeply appreciate and something that I think every resident is expecting.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9377,"text":"I also appreciate that the plan is explicitly clear that this is not something that Saanich can do alone.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9384,"text":"And there does need to be both enabling pieces in terms of legislation from senior levels of government, like the province and the federal government, but also, you know, their investment in their work as well.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9398,"text":"It's not something that we're going to be able to accomplish as just Zanish or our fellow local governments and regional governments alike.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9406,"text":"I'll just end by saying that, you know, this plan really builds on the strong work that's been done, and that work has been driven by staff for some time now.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9418,"text":"And to see us nearing that curve to reaching our targets around net zero is significant.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9424,"text":"There's obviously a lot more work to do, but it's great to have a course beyond that that the next council and successive councils after that will need to be supporting. Thank you.","speaker":"I"},{"t":9437,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Harper, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":9440,"text":"Thank you, Madam Chair. And following up on my colleague's remarks, I too, am most appreciative of this, and I'm very pleased to hear about the right to cool time frames that we're probably looking at.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9452,"text":"And when I look at the guiding principles in the plan, I think that I just want to reinforce, because that's really a part of what this is about. The first one is to be bold.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9464,"text":"And so, for example, when we talk about stretch targets, and which I think in some sense, because of our stretch targets, to some degree, we were being, or the plan was being attacked for perhaps not being all that it could be, or maybe I think the reality is without stretch targets, you don't make progress at the same pace, you don't make it in the same way.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9487,"text":"And so it really is important to be really bold. And I'm reminded of Robert Browning's remarks about a man's reach should exceed his grasp or what seven's for. And that's really what a stretch target is.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9500,"text":"Reach out as far as you can, because if you don't, what are we trying to accomplish here?","speaker":"B"},{"t":9506,"text":"So I think aside from the right to cool by law, the other issue that I just wanted to sort of maybe comment and ask a tiny question about, you referred to the fact in terms of transportation, for example, that you're dealing with transit and different things.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9522,"text":"A number of us today were at a planning session for CRD's regional transportation plan.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9527,"text":"And so I just, I just, I guess, want confirmation that part of the groupings that you work with would include that plan as it comes along, because. Well, okay, I'll let you answer that part of the question.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9540,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"F"},{"t":9541,"text":"Through the chair to Councillor Harper. Yes, absolutely. Sorry I omitted that within the answer to the last question, transportation are the lead contact, but we work really closely with our transportation division.","speaker":"U"},{"t":9554,"text":"So absolutely that would be encompassed within the collaboration work that we do.","speaker":"U"},{"t":9559,"text":"No.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9559,"text":"And the reason that I ask it because it became really apparent to me through the course of that session that this is something that really does need to be regionally handled in a lot of ways or we create all sorts of unintended consequences.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9574,"text":"So I just wanted some confirmation, some confirmation on that.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9577,"text":"So I, as I say I'm looking, looking at the guiding principles and I'm thinking this is, I tend to try to be principle based to get us to action and I just think that they're great.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9588,"text":"So you start with be bold and you end with act globally. And I think they're bookended in absolutely the right way. So thank you for this report. Thank you for all the work that's happened over time.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9600,"text":"And I'm so pleased to see that it's demonstrable progress at this point on our corporate goals. And that's a really marvelous thing. So thank you.","speaker":"B"},{"t":9610,"text":"Thank you, Mayor Murdoch. Please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":9613,"text":"Thank you, Chair Brownhoff. I will just very briefly offer my support for the plan. I think that was probably not unexpected. I am very pleased to see this iteration of the climate plan taking shape.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9626,"text":"And my thanks to Ms.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9628,"text":"Newlove and the team for the incredible work it preparing these ambitious plans and for the work you've done with rights holders, stakeholders and with the public in socializing a lot of the initiatives that will be required in order for us to get to these, to achieve these targets, I just wanted to highlight some of the ones that I thought were particularly worth notable.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9651,"text":"Particularly as we know, transportation, land use and buildings, those are really the big sources, continue to be the big sources of our emissions.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9659,"text":"And while we've spent a lot of time talking about our land use planning and plans for how we're going to settle more folks in our community.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9668,"text":"We didn't spend a lot of time talking about why it was so relevant that we try and create more homes closer to the services, amenities, transportation infrastructure that people rely on so that they can get around without the need of an automobile.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9683,"text":"And the report lays bare just how significant the savings are in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and energy use when folks don't need an automobile in order to get to where they need to go and when those services are proximal.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9698,"text":"And so I just wanted to layer on some of the discussion we've had to make it clear that it's not only our land use planning framework but it's also our climate plan.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9709,"text":"One of the significant things that we can do is ensuring that people are close to the services that they need. I was particularly interested. Well, I'm interested in a lot of it. It's all excellent stuff.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9722,"text":"But particularly interested in the piece around advocating for significant investments in transportation, in transit. And what I wanted to highlight that I didn't know before I was a transit commissioner.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9733,"text":"I've had the pleasure of being a transit commissioner since the beginning of 2020, 23. And I always thought, you know, well, we'll just advocate to the transit commission to increase service.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9744,"text":"We'll add more buses, we'll add more drivers, we'll get more service on the road and more people can take BC Transit. And clearly there's a demand where the demand is higher than ever.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9756,"text":"But what I didn't know that I learned as a commissioner is that the legislation requires that the province match any service increase.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9764,"text":"And so while we have sufficient funds to significantly expand regional transit service at the local level, they're being held in a reserve until the province agrees to match those funds.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9775,"text":"So I just wanted to echo that in this chamber, and hopefully that is reinforced throughout this region, that we need to push for substantial provincial investment in transit service expansion at the local level.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9787,"text":"So the funds are there by the local taxpayers in order to save, support transit expansion. But what's missing is the matching dollars from the province.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9796,"text":"And if we expect more people to be able to get around by transit with a more frequent, comfortable and reliable service, we're going to need the province to be there along with us.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9808,"text":"And I hope that we'll continue to advocate for that investment. Seems to be the night to be calling on the province, doesn't it?","speaker":"M"},{"t":9816,"text":"Beyond that, I think there is so many incredible initiatives here that have already that are already underway and will be expanded or will be introduced as part of the next phase of Saanich's climate plan.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9828,"text":"And I am just so very proud of the incredible work that's happened over the course of, well, many decades, but particularly over the course of recent years as we've reduced our corporate emissions, as we've reduced our community emissions and the leadership that, that you, Ms.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9845,"text":"Newlove, and your team have exhibited. Exhibited that. I know you work with all of our departments in order to move forward.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9852,"text":"So I thank you and I thank our community for their ongoing commitment to reducing emissions and saving our energy use. Thanks so much.","speaker":"M"},{"t":9861,"text":"Thank you. Councillor Bryce, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":9864,"text":"Thank you, Chair. So many good comments have been made.","speaker":"L"},{"t":9869,"text":"One observation that I have, when we are reviewing this updated climate plan is oftentimes when we're in this field, environment climate, we are contacted by individuals who are very passionate about the topic.","speaker":"L"},{"t":9886,"text":"And invariably over the years I've noticed they have always kind of pointed out where we haven't quite met the mark.","speaker":"L"},{"t":9897,"text":"Tonight I will say both with the public input plus the correspondence that accompanied this agenda, many of the who's who in our community in this field took the time to comment, to endorse and approve this work.","speaker":"L"},{"t":9916,"text":"I take that as high praise. I can look at it and say I think it is an excellent piece of work.","speaker":"L"},{"t":9927,"text":"But when I see some of the input from individuals who have over the years pushed us to stretch for them to acknowledge that what has been achieved and what this plan produces or allows us to produce on a go forward basis, I take that as high praise and I think staff should be acknowledged for that.","speaker":"L"},{"t":9956,"text":"And I'm sure you too, through you Chair staff know who I'm speaking of, the individuals who in times past would have certainly pointed out where we didn't quite hit the mark.","speaker":"L"},{"t":9972,"text":"And one on one over this past agenda, they have all said good job. So thank you.","speaker":"L"},{"t":9984,"text":"Councillor Phelps Bonderhof, please.","speaker":"A"},{"t":9986,"text":"Thank you very much Madam Chair. I welcome my colleague's praise. First of all I met a comment. I like the structure, I like the new format. It's very easy to understand each section.","speaker":"G"},{"t":9995,"text":"You can take a deep dive into transit, leave the report, go to a six hour convention or seminar on transportation planning and then come back and read another section and you feel like you're just diving in.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10005,"text":"Not that that describes my afternoon. And I also very much like our guiding frameworks of being bold and being responsible to the future. I think that's something Saanish does a very good job of doing.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10015,"text":"And echoing my colleagues comments of this is a praiseworthy report. Then we should get you some more swag to go alongside of it. A couple of highlight reels just echoing some of the Mayor's comments.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10024,"text":"I very much appreciate the detailed inclusion of first nations comments teachings in particular on page 16. I think the reminder that reductions are not linear is always a good reminder because I stress out when I see the number.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10035,"text":"We're not quite there yet, but we know these things aren't linear.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10038,"text":"And then the Equity report was really important because we know that the impact of climate change is not felt equally by all and that the most vulnerable suffer while billionaires spend lavishly on weddings and dallying in far left or far right politics.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10049,"text":"And we also know that the investments that we make in active transportation infrastructure and providing people with a range of transportation choices improve their affordability. And I think that's really important.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10058,"text":"One of the lines I wrote time and time again while taking notes while reviewing the report was the co benefits.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10063,"text":"We're not just talking about saving the planet that we all depend on to live, which is a benefit in of itself and kind of existential, as one of our residents mentioned, but also we're improving affordability, connectivity and livability and well being.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10074,"text":"I think that's really important to note because it really is factual and so that's really useful to see.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10079,"text":"Skimming through some of my additional notes, again, one of my colleagues mentioned this, but working with others to succeed, we do know we need to do that and I did see a really strong advocacy emphasis and I know that we're starting to get to the point where we need other partners to come along and so that's really critical.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10095,"text":"I see a lot of advocacy work for us in the future and that's something I love sinking my teeth into, as I'm sure I don't need to remind my colleagues here.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10104,"text":"And some of the other things like the building content was great, B1. 4 for combating misinformation, super critical. In this day and age, we have a lot of misinformation that's undermining our public discourse and poisoning it.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10114,"text":"And it's critical that we stay on top of these things and inoculate people against that or stamp it out when we see it. And the right to mechanical cooling has been canvassed by my colleagues.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10123,"text":"So I will simply give that a double thumbs up. And I think those who are listening, our friends in GVAD in particular, should know that definitely there's enough emphasis around this table to focus down on that.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10133,"text":"And then and a lot of the focus on the circular economy was also really much appreciated.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10137,"text":"I had a line written down here, cleaner living through circular design and systems thinking, which is a throwback to some of perhaps some older rhetoric.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10144,"text":"But I think the really strong emphasis here is on connecting the dots for how as we fight climate change, we also provide a host of benefits to our community.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10152,"text":"Things like providing people with safe, affordable and convenient transportation options, homes that keep them safe in extreme weather events.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10157,"text":"And also, and we heard this from our residents and the correspondence and it's emphasized throughout the report, the cost of doing nothing is not acceptable.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10164,"text":"So I'm really glad that we have a plan that is doing something, and not just something, but a bold plan that's moving forward and will hopefully help us hit those really ambitious targets.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10173,"text":"And I love seeing a stretch goal that's fantastic and I really hope we can exceed that because as we know, there's significantly more work to be done.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10180,"text":"So thank you so much to staff and thanks to my colleagues for supporting this as well. And let's hit those targets and let's get going. Thank you.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10190,"text":"Thank you very much. I don't see any mics on for second speaker, so I'll just say a few words.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10198,"text":"First of all, I want to say that as I chair the Sustainability and Climate Action Committee, the committee members were so impressed with this report.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10208,"text":"In fact, our student rep, who is heading off to do his masters, came up to me specifically at the last meeting and said he learned a lot and he was so impressed at how far Sanich has come around the climate issue and how far we're going to go as we move forward.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10230,"text":"So I think that's really important that residents who sit around at least my committee were so impressed with the work of this document. I just want to raise a couple of things.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10244,"text":"For me, there's a recommendation in there to expand neighborhood level of climate resilience and I think that's really important.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10252,"text":"I think we as the municipality can lead in everything we do within our facilities, but we really need to be talking to our neighbors, creating opportunities within neighborhoods so that they can appreciate that if they do some simple things, it might save them some dollars as well.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10272,"text":"I know I have heat pumps and it has saved me some dollars with BC Hydro. So I just think that getting out into our neighborhoods will really be important to engage them.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10285,"text":"The other thing we heard a lot about at the committee was zero waste. And I'm not sure everyone recognizes how far we've been leading in Saanich.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10296,"text":"But if you look at the strawberry festival today and what things are used to put those strawberries and ice cream in that are reusable as opposed to going in the garbage or what used to happen.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10312,"text":"Our staff used to pick through the garbage and pull out the recyclable pieces. So we are leading by example within our what we do. And then there was one in here that I really think is important because it's.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10328,"text":"It's something we all know is going to happen. We're going to have more heat events, we're going to have more rain events.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10337,"text":"And one of the things to look at is increasing maintenance funding to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events. And I think that's really important.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10348,"text":"Discussions I've had with people, they say to Me, you know, the Garry oak tree is the most resilient for heat and drought, but other trees are not.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10359,"text":"So I think getting into that and again reaching out to neighbors, neighborhoods to see if they can work together on some programs.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10369,"text":"So I just want to say I really enjoyed this document, the upgrade, and I know that as we move forward we will reach different goals. And I've learned from staff about.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10382,"text":"I can't expect that we'll get to greenhouse gas emission reduction today as it will take some time with some things that we approve. It may not happen today. Look at the biomass at Commonwealth Place.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10397,"text":"That took a while to actually get us to reduction.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10401,"text":"So.","speaker":"K"},{"t":10401,"text":"Thank you. I'm going to call a question. All those in favor? Where?","speaker":"A"},{"t":10409,"text":"Oh,","speaker":"F"},{"t":10413,"text":"okay.","speaker":"K"},{"t":10413,"text":"I asked before I spoke.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10415,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"F"},{"t":10416,"text":"Councillor Phelps Fondler for the second time.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10420,"text":"Apologies, Madam Chair. I just realized there are two quick changes I wouldn't mind making. One of them is, if I may make it a quick amendment. The first one would be to amend the item that's labeled as T2.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10435,"text":"3 on page 42. The second one just to relabel it as T2. 4. And then the second one would be to append to the end of T3 two dedicated bus lanes.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10447,"text":"If I could, I need to ask staff about that. Staff, can you clarify whether this. These amendments are in order or should they be sent back to your division","speaker":"A"},{"t":10459,"text":"through the chair to Councillor Felt Sponderoff. I think I caught the last one, which was to add lanes after the term, for example signal priority bus lanes and queue jumps in T3. 2.","speaker":"U"},{"t":10471,"text":"That would certainly be in alignment with the intent of the action and with the intent of the strategy. Could you possibly repeat the previous one?","speaker":"U"},{"t":10480,"text":"Yes, I think it's just a typo. It's on page 42, one page up and it's just there are two T2. 3s and so I just want. I thought we'd fixed two small technical things.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10488,"text":"That was the only thing I noticed. By the way, in a very voluminous","speaker":"G"},{"t":10491,"text":"report, staff,","speaker":"A"},{"t":10495,"text":"and through the share to Council Phelps Bond, I understand that they could be housekeeping amendments.","speaker":"U"},{"t":10499,"text":"Yeah, if I make move those housekeeping amendments. Or do those need to be moved then or.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10504,"text":"No, they'll just do it.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10505,"text":"Okay, in that case, I'll flag those in my thanks, Madam Chair. And thanks to staff for that.","speaker":"G"},{"t":10509,"text":"Thank you, Councillor Chambers.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10511,"text":"Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'll be really, really, really quick. I just wanted to make a plug for deciduous trees because we were talking about the Garry oaks being drought tolerant and great for climate, logical plantings.","speaker":"J"},{"t":10525,"text":"But deciduous trees, they sequester more carbon and they are a very important part of pioneering and healing soils. And yes, they're very important too.","speaker":"J"},{"t":10533,"text":"So I didn't want to feel bad about that when I got home and sat by my tree.","speaker":"J"},{"t":10539,"text":"Thank you.","speaker":"K"},{"t":10540,"text":"Thank you. Now, are there any more second time speakers that haven't spoken? Seeing none. I'm going to call the question. All those in favor, opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. Now I think.","speaker":"A"},{"t":10560,"text":"Okay.","speaker":"K"},{"t":10561,"text":"All those in favor of adjournment, Opposed? None opposed. We're adjourned. So do you want to move or can we say stay there?","speaker":"A"},{"t":10570,"text":"Yes, we will need to still take a two to three minute break for AV purposes.","speaker":"D"},{"t":10576,"text":"For those watching at home, Council will convene in a special council meeting to ratify the decisions tonight and move final rating or consider moving final reading of two bylaws.","speaker":"D"}],"words":27835,"fetchedAt":"2026-10-03T05:07:23.573Z"}