Transcript: Council (to follow COTW) - 2026/06/25

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the daytime Council meeting of Victoria City Council. Today is Thursday, June 25th. And we are a full component as Councillor Heming is joining us online today. Today we have for our consideration one set of minutes. Reports from two committees of the whole, two bylaws for preliminary readings and adoption, and one item of new business. Plus, excuse me, a couple of closed items. But of course, before we begin, we always like to take a moment to reflect and acknowledge and ground ourselves in remembering that we do our work here today. Primarily because of the generations of stewardship of the two nations on whose territories are City sits in its entirety.

The Songhees Nation and the Cosubsam Nation. The LeCongan people have made an ongoing and long - standing commitment through their many generations to ensure that these lands and the waters that surround them are kept whole as much as possible and that they are here for the benefit of all those who have the privilege of living in the city and in the nearby surroundings, and who continued to have that privilege and generosity and able being able to pursue their pursuits here. We continue to acknowledge the fact that the nations, the two nations are generous in their time, their wisdom, and their continued willingness to work with us to work through the challenges that face all of us, but also to work very much on the opportunities that we both encounter and create as we try to respect the past and face the issues of the day.

Well, of course, thinking ahead to the many, many generations that will follow. We have a very rich relationship with the two nations, something in which we are both proud and humbled. And we know that we have to continue to nurture those relationships in order to ensure that they are able to be full and strong when we have disagreements and that they are easy humane and fun when we are working well together. To do all of that, of course, requires time and trust and nurturing. And all of those things we prize and recommit ourselves to do and support and encounter as much as we can for as long as we can. With that, we like to say thank you and to offer a tiny bit of respect by just using a simple phrase in the language of the LeQuangan people, and that is to say hi to Casien, or I should casse Yemniquilia. Just to say thank you and to express our gratitude and our respect

and honour for all of those people in our community who take the time to choose to do something that is going to better one other person's life. I trick CM Nicolea. I have no remarks to add today to our otherwise full agenda, and I'm not aware of any late items that need to be added to today. And so that moves us on to discussion of our published agenda. And so first I would look for a motion to approve the agenda as published. Thanks, Councillor Coleman, Secretary of By Council Kim. Any discussion of the published agenda. Not seeing any, and I will occasionally look more closely at my iPad so that Councillor Hammond can participate. Seeing no discussion of the published agenda, always in favor. Anyway, posed. That is unanimous. There are three items proposed for the consent agenda, and I will just remind folk that here at Council, items are proposed for the consent agenda if they have been unanimous at committee, or sometimes and

or they are preliminary readings. So bylaws. So proposed today are items F1, the minutes from the evening Council meeting held May 14, 2026. Item G1AC, the Council Member Motion with regard to 28 Bastion Square, and item H1, the amendment bylaw for development cost charges bylaw. Anyone like to remove any of those things. Councillor Cardino. You would like to remove H1, okay? H1 is the amendment by allow for development cost charges. With that, that leaves two items F1 and G1AC. Someone like to move those, please. Thanks, Councillor Kim, is moving Councillor Loat in his second day. All those in favor. They want to pose. Consent agenda is approved. That would move us on to items under F, F1. These would be the minutes of the evening council meeting held May 14th, but of course we just put those on the consent agenda. And as I've noticed noted previously, because we were at Council, when something is adopted or approved at Council, that is its final consideration,

and it will not need to return, and it is considered finally adopted or approved. That takes us on to items G on G1A. There are a couple of items there that require consideration another time, because they were not unanimous. So we'll go through those. G1AA, this is the recommendation for altitude cannabis at 1010 Cook Street. And someone like to move that, please. Thanks, Councillor Kim, second to my Councillor Loughton, any discussion, Councillor Kim Morlowton. Nope, any other discussion. Seeing none, all those in favor. Of Councillor Dell, Councillor Kim, Counsel Cardona, Councillor Loughton, myself, Councillor Coleman, Councillor Thompson, in opposition. Councillor Hammond and Councillor Gardner. With two in opposition, that is adopted. And that takes us on to item G1ab. This is the Council Member Motion with regard to a Community Garden Pilot Project on the Underutilized Johnson Street Parquet Rooftop. Someone like to move that, please. Thanks, Hunter Thompson, Section of the Council Gardner. Yes, good. Any comments from Thompson or Gardner. Nope, Colour? Yeah.

Thank you very much. I supported in the end only because I asked for real costs, that includes opportunity costs. And since then, of course, it has become more of a political issue. Uh, since others have suggested that they should be having the parking, et cetera. So, there has been a lot of public feedback, and so this is just a question for the public, so don't have to answer all as many emails. And can we have some idea when to expect to hear back from staff? I'm not looking for an exact date, nothing like that, guys. Just a month or two months, or how long will this take for a report back? Ms. Thompson, do you have any idea how long it will take for us to get a report back on that request for round finances? Through you, mayoral tow. We are just starting the staff conversations while assuming this passes today. So we will need some time to work through, um, all of the

different aspects. There are many considerations when it comes to this. So I can't give you an exact date, nor would I would hesitate to even speculate as to when we will be able to come back. Yeah, I know, I don't want a special date at all. Are you going to be looking at three months or eight months. Ms. Thompson? Um, through you, Mayor, I believe it's probably closer to the three months as opposed to the eight months, but yeah. Okay, thank you very much. Thank you for that. Any other comments on G1AB. Not seeing any of all those in favor. Councillor Dell. Councillor Kim, CouncilCAR, don't account Sir Lothan, myself. Councillor Gardner, and Councillor Thompson, and Councillor Hemmand, in opposition Councillor Coleman. Noting one in opposition, that is now adopted. G1AC, the Council Member Motion with regard to 28 Bastion Square was carried unanimously at Committee, and so that was just endorsed again through the consent agenda. So we need not consider that at this

time. The then goes on to G1B. This is the report from our Committee with the whole meeting earlier today. There was one item that was explained to be time ten sensitive rather. That was G1BA, the zoning bylaw modernization phase two bylaw. I did ask the question earlier about why that was required today for same day consideration, and that was explained. I do have just one other question before it goes for a motion Mr. Johnston. Uh, we did make some amendments to this earlier with regard to the exclusion of GBHA properties. Did that have any impact on same day consideration, or are we just assuming that we're considering the amended version of this. Thank you, Mayor.

I think just to be clear, we wanted to ensure that all of, so the emotion that was in front of Committee of the Whole had the same day ratification noted above the exclusion of the Ogden Point property. But it was our assumption that Council wanted to consider all of those motions today for same day ratification. So as long as the full list gets ratified today, then we'll proceed with that direction. Very good. That's what I hoped you would say, so that's clear. Alright, would someone like to move that, please? Councillor Coleman's moving. Council came a second. Council Coleman, any comments, Council Kim, any comments? Any other comments. Not seeing anyone else, all those in favor.

I think that is unanimous. Yes, it is. Is unanimous, thank you very much for that. That takes us on to bylaws, the first of which is the amendment bylaw for development cost charges. Uh, that was on the consent agenda because it is preliminary readings. It's here before us for first, second, and third reading. Would someone like to move for a second and third reading, please? Councillor Coleman is moving, Councillor Cordon is seconding Councillor Coleman, any comments? Constacart on any comments. Yeah, just very briefly, and I'm sorry to pull this from consent, but I just want to do my diligence here. It's been all over the news that the federal proposed bailout of condos that's been a big, it's got a lot of attention, but somewhat buried in that news was some pretty intense language from the federal government around DCCs, and they are pushing back on local governments and trying to reduce DCCs. And in particular, in quote unquote, priority communities, I'm just looking at

some of the news here out of Vancouver. I just want to double check with staff here. Are we potentially running a foul of the federal government? Are we considered one of those priority communities? Are we getting pressure from the federal government to do something about DCCs? Is there any risk for the city to approve this new bylaw. If I might offer a preliminary comment, uh, I believe I'm advised by our member of Parliament that that list has not yet been completely made public. And so that would be an answer to be confirmed. But the second part of the question, certainly I'll turn it to staff.

Through you mayoral, the information that we have had previously. Identified that the CRD was part of the list as the regional government, uh, but that the city's DCCs were not, at least previously not aligned with any of the federal government programs. And we did have that confirmation when it comes to the BILD Canada Strong, for example. Okay, so then if I've understood the correct, the risk for us to approve this bylaw today. Through you, Mayor, the not based on anything that we know at this time, no. Okay, thanks. Great, thank you very much for that. Any other questions or comments? Not seeing any, okay, it's been moving second in, all those in favor. Anyone opposed.

That is unanimous. Thank you, Councillor Hammond, for indicating. Uh, net takes us to H2. This is the delegation bylaw amendment bylaw being moved for adoption. Um, someone like to move adoption, please. Thanks, Councillor Cardon, a second by Councillor Kim Count - Contradonna. Any questions, comments, Councillor Kim, nothing. Anybody else. Not seeing anyone else, all those in favor. And I want to pose. Councillor Gardner is opposed. Noting one in opposition, that Byla is adopted. It takes us on to our one item of new business, and that is item I1. This is the 2025 City's Annual report. The motion here is to receive. So I'm going to ask for somebody to move. And second, the motion, and then I'm going to open it before for questions. Food by Councillor Kim, seconded by Councillor Thompson. Councillor Kim, any questions or comments? Not yet. Councillor Thompson, questions, comments? None.

Questions or comments from anyone else on the annual report? This is for 2025, remember. So it's not the current year. Not seeing any questions or comments. All those in favor. Oh, sorry, Consert Gardner? How do you say, thank you for pointing together? And it fit in a nice little spot, and it's something that I find because there was so much in it that it'll be useful just when people ask questions to be able to show them part of it. So thank you very much for putting that report together the way you did. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. Not seeing any other questions or comments, all those in favor receipt. And you want to pose. That is unanimous. That takes us on to a couple of closed items. And so I'm going to first turn to Mr. Kingsley and ask him to remind us and the public as to the sections of the Community Charter that either require or enable council to consider a matter enclosed.

Certainly, Mayor, the reasons proposed to close the meeting today are under Section 91, Sea of the Community Charter regarding labour relations are their employee relations. Section 91e regarding the acquisition, disposition, or expropriation of landoor improvements. Section 91F regarding law enforcement matter. Section 91i regarding the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor client privilege. And the Section 92b regarding the consideration of information received and held in confidence relating to negotiations between the municipality and another level of government. Thank you very much for all of that. And for those reasons, may I have a motion to move into closed. Council Coleman, segment by Councillor Kim. All those in favor, and you want to posed. And as unanimous, and just for the information of the public, we do not have an evening meeting this evening. And so, yes, you will see us next. Next week at 9 o'clock on July 2nd. And as a reminder, the day before that, on July 1st, there will be a range

of fun activities in the inner harbour and on the Rolands of the Legislature at ShipPoint. Beginning, I believe at 4 o'clock in the afternoon on July 1st, 4. 30. And so that is, of course, free to the public, and we encourage everyone to come down and join us in celebrating Canada Day. With that, we'll just take a few minutes to have staff turn us into closed, and we'll proceed along when they're ready.