F.1 611 Speed Avenue: Victoria Housing Reserve Fund Application – Midtown Affordable Housing Society
Staff reported that the applicant withdrew its request for a $677,000 City housing-reserve grant after it did not receive funding from Build Canada Homes, a condition for the City grant. The project is still seeking final occupancy, but staff said its owner will decide how to proceed; the planned co-op approach appears blocked without the federal funding. Councillors said an earlier condition requiring federal funding first protected the City. Staff noted that housing-reserve rules may need clearer criteria for non-profit co-op projects. Council received the update, and staff later confirmed that $4.2 million in the reserve is uncommitted.
Agreement- The City should not release the $677,000 without the required federal funding.
- The earlier funding condition helped protect public money.
- Staff identified a possible need to clarify housing-reserve guidelines for non-profit co-op proposals.
G.1.a.a Report Back on Strategies and Resources to Require Cooling (26 degree maximum) in Victoria’s Rental Buildings
This report was included in the consent agenda and was resolved without debate at this meeting. The transcript does not describe the specific cooling measures or the outcome of the report’s recommendations.
G.1.a.b Economic and Employment Land Solutions
Council reconsidered a July 23 committee report on hotel development and related policy options. The debate focused on a proposed hotel tax exemption, estimated in the discussion at about $84 million over 10 years. Staff clarified that the proposal was still being developed, would reduce only part of the City’s tax on increased property value from improvements, and would not exempt provincial, federal, regional or school taxes. Councillor Gardner objected to the scale and scope of the proposed incentive and argued for heritage consultation; Councillors Hammond and Coleman also opposed the main report, with Coleman citing the absence of a public hearing and possible effects on Old Town. Councillor Dell supported the package as a way to attract hotels and support downtown. The main report passed, with three councillors opposed. A proposed amendment requiring a heritage consultation group within this report was defeated 3–6. A separate motion arising afterward, calling for a heritage consultation group, passed unanimously.
Agreement- Council supported moving forward with the main economic and employment land report, although three councillors opposed it.
- Councillors agreed that heritage policy and the Old Town’s future need further attention; a separate heritage consultation motion passed unanimously.
Disagreement- Councillors Gardner, Hammond and Coleman opposed the main report; the majority supported it. The disagreement included the proposed hotel tax relief, its cost to City taxpayers, the lack of a public hearing, and possible effects on Old Town.
- Councillor Gardner’s amendment to require a heritage consultation group as part of this report was opposed by six councillors and supported by three. Some councillors said it belonged in broader future heritage planning rather than in the immediate hotel-policy work.
G.1.a.c Council Member Motion: Enforcement Against Derelict Buildings, Neglected Properties and Vacant Commercial Spaces
This committee motion was included in the consent agenda and treated as resolved without debate at Council. The transcript gives no detail about the enforcement measures in the motion.
G.1.b.a Review of Tenant Protection Bylaw Compensation Requirements
Council voted again on the committee’s review of compensation requirements under the Tenant Protection Bylaw. The item had been amended and discussed earlier that day; its specific changes were not repeated in this meeting. Council approved the report unanimously.
Agreement- Council unanimously approved the committee report.
G.1.b.b Permissive Tax Exemptions 2027-2028
Council approved the committee report on permissive tax exemptions for 2027–2028. The item had been unanimous at committee, and no further discussion was recorded.
Agreement- Council unanimously approved the committee report.
G.1.b.c Council Member Motion: Advocacy to the Provincial government on continued operating subsidies for M’akola Housing
Council approved the motion asking for provincial advocacy to continue operating subsidies for M’akola Housing. The transcript does not repeat the motion’s wording or describe the advocacy steps. The item passed unanimously.
Agreement- Council unanimously approved the motion.
G.1.b.d Council Member Motion: Advocacy to improve return of fugitives wanted on warrants
Council approved an amended committee motion advocating for improved return of fugitives wanted on warrants. The transcript does not give the amendment’s details. The motion passed unanimously at Council.
Agreement- Council unanimously approved the amended motion.
G.1.b.e Council Member Motion: Formalizing a Fair Wages Policy
Council approved the committee motion on formalizing a fair wages policy. No further discussion or details of the policy were recorded at this meeting.
Agreement- Council unanimously approved the motion.
G.1.b.f Council Member Motion: Establishing a By Name List for the City of Victoria
Council approved the committee motion to establish a By Name List for Victoria. The item had been amended multiple times earlier in the day; the transcript does not describe those changes. The final motion passed unanimously.
Agreement- Council unanimously approved the amended motion.
G.1.b.g Council Member Motion: Emergency Response to the Medetomidine Crisis
Council approved the committee motion on an emergency response to the medetomidine crisis. The transcript does not repeat its proposed actions. The motion passed unanimously.
Agreement- Council unanimously approved the motion.
H.1 Bylaw for 517, 533 and 537 Chatham Street and 530, 532 and 536 Herald Street: Rezoning Application No. 00907 and Development Permit with Variances Application No. 00299
The rezoning and development-permit item was approved through the consent agenda. The proposal would allow rental housing, a public pocket park or plaza, and two walkways linking Chatham and Herald streets. The chair said the matter would return to Council in September if further consideration is needed.
H.2 Bylaw for 2612, 2616, 2620 and 2628 Richmond Road: Housing Agreement
Council unanimously gave the housing-agreement bylaw its first three readings. A councillor asked how delegated approval of the related six-storey development permit worked. Staff said the permit was consistent with design guidelines and that delegation can save at least a couple of months by avoiding a Council report and meeting schedule. The housing agreement still had to come to Council by bylaw. Staff also confirmed the project meets family-housing requirements, including the required shares of two- and three-bedroom homes. Questions about parking and variances were set aside because they were not part of the housing agreement before Council.
Agreement- The housing agreement required Council approval by bylaw even though the related development permit had been delegated to staff.
- Council unanimously approved the three readings.
H.3 Amendment Bylaw for Modernized Industrial Zones
Council unanimously gave the modernized industrial-zones bylaw its first three readings and adopted it. The bylaw moves Urban Industrial Reserve lots into the 2018 zoning bylaw and establishes updated zones and rules for those lands. A councillor welcomed the change as support for industrial businesses and local jobs. Discussion also clarified that the Coast Guard’s Ogden Point lands were left in the old zoning bylaw, in line with Council’s direction, while the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority undertakes its planning process. A proposed correction to wording in a previously approved committee direction was ruled out of order for this bylaw vote; staff said Council could bring a separate motion later.
Agreement- Council unanimously approved and adopted the industrial-zones bylaw.
- Ogden Point remains under its previous zoning while the harbour planning process continues.
H.4 Bylaw for 1101 Yates Street: Rezoning Application No. 00904 and Development Permit with Variances Application No. 00301
Council unanimously adopted the zoning and housing-agreement bylaws for 1101 Yates Street and approved the development permit with variances. The application creates the site-specific R-120 zone for the property.
Agreement- Council unanimously approved the adoptions and development permit.
H.5 Bylaw for 2501-2699 Blanshard Street, 825/841 Hillside Avenue, 2500-2684 Dowler Place and 900 Kings Road: Housing Agreement
Council unanimously adopted the housing-agreement bylaw for the listed properties, identified during the meeting as the Evergreen properties. The agreement authorizes affordable rental housing on the sites.
Agreement- Council unanimously adopted the housing-agreement bylaw.