Council backed changes to Victoria’s tenant-protection rules, including higher moving-cost payments and more compensation for longer tenancies; a contentious amendment also increased payments for some tenants with shorter tenancies, over objections that it had not been fully analysed. A proposed plan to create a city homelessness list was reshaped into a request for an update on the delayed provincial HIFIS data system, with a report due September 3. Council also unanimously supported letters on fugitive returns and an emergency response to medetomidine, a sedative appearing in the drug supply. It approved the recommended permissive tax exemptions, which keep exemptions below the city’s 1.6% cap on its tax levy.
Generated from the recording's captions and the agenda (minutes not yet published by the council).
What was discussed
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F.1 Review of Tenant Protection Bylaw Compensation Requirements
Staff said Victoria’s tenant-protection bylaw already offers displaced renters financial compensation, moving help, relocation assistance and a chance to return to a new building at 20% below market rent. Staff recommended more compensation for tenancies of 20 years or longer and higher fixed moving-cost payments, but advised against increasing the right-to-return offer because it could make projects less viable. Council amended the proposed compensation tiers to add increases for tenants with shorter tenancies as well, breaking some of the longer-tenure bands into five-year steps. The amended recommendations were then supported; staff were also asked to bring back further research on moving costs and prorated compensation.
Agreement
Council members supported improving compensation for renters displaced by redevelopment, especially long-term tenants.
There was broad support for increasing the fixed moving-cost payments and keeping the bylaw’s other tenant supports.
Members agreed that redevelopment feasibility is difficult to assess and that the bylaw should continue to be monitored.
Disagreement
Councillor Hammond proposed higher compensation across additional tenure bands. Councillors Caradonna and Thompson argued against adopting the change without further analysis, warning it could add risk to already marginal housing projects; the amendment passed over their opposition.
Councillors differed on whether to use staff’s more limited, targeted changes or extend compensation increases to renters with shorter tenancies.
Staff reviewed six applications from non-profit organizations: four were recommended for approval and two for rejection. Staff also recommended two City of Victoria exemptions. The recommended exemptions would bring the total to 1.32% of the city’s tax levy, below the 1.6% cap. Staff said one rejected application did not fit any category in the city’s exemption policy and had not previously received an exemption. Council supported the recommendations unanimously.
Agreement
Council supported applying the existing policy categories to the applications.
Members agreed the recommended exemptions remained within the city’s 1.6% cap.
G.1 Council Member Motion: Advocacy to the Provincial government on continued operating subsidies for M’akola Housing
This motion was included in the consent agenda, which Council approved unanimously. It asks the Mayor to write to the provincial government in support of continued operating subsidies for M’akola’s affordable-housing properties. The chair later noted that the item would return for final consideration at the Council meeting.
Agreement
The motion remained on the consent agenda and was approved as part of that agenda.
G.2 Council Member Motion: Advocacy to improve return of fugitives wanted on warrants
Councillor Thompson said police had identified 80 people in Victoria during the first six months of 2026 who had warrants elsewhere; 31 met the criteria for possible return, but none had been returned. The motion asks the Mayor to write to federal and provincial governments seeking changes to improve the Fugitive Return Program. Councillor Kim raised concern that people fleeing abuse could be caught up in such a system. The movers agreed the letter should call for safeguards against further victimization. Council supported the motion unanimously.
Agreement
Members supported asking the governments with authority over the program to examine how to make it work better.
The letter should recognize the risk of further harming people who are fleeing abuse.
G.3 Council Member Motion: Formalizing a Fair Wages Policy
This motion was included in the consent agenda, which Council approved unanimously. It asks staff to review fair-wage policies in other municipalities and report back with a recommendation based on relevant factors. The chair later noted that the item would return for final consideration at the Council meeting.
Agreement
The motion remained on the consent agenda and was approved as part of that agenda.
G.4 Council Member Motion: Establishing a By Name List for the City of Victoria
The original proposal sought a real-time list of people experiencing homelessness, built with partners and used to match people with housing and supports. Members and staff raised questions about privacy, consent, who could access the information, and whether a city list would duplicate or conflict with the provincial HIFIS system. After the motion was revised, Council instead asked staff to work with BC Housing and the Capital Regional District to report on HIFIS’s progress, why implementation is delayed and what could speed it up. Staff are to give a verbal update at the September 3 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Agreement
Members agreed that better coordinated information could help connect people with housing and services.
Members agreed that privacy, access and coordination with the provincial system need to be addressed.
The final version focused on obtaining an update about HIFIS rather than directing the City to create a separate list.
Disagreement
Councillor Loughton stressed the urgency of starting work on a by-name list; other members and staff sought clarification and analysis of whether the City could safely do so alongside HIFIS.
Members raised concerns about whether a list could protect anonymity, maintain trust with outreach clients and prevent access by law enforcement.
G.5 Council Member Motion: Emergency Response to the Medetomidine Crisis
Added to the agenda as a late item, the motion asks the Mayor to seek an emergency street-level response from provincial health leaders and Island Health. Councillor Loughton described medetomidine as a sedative in the toxic drug supply that naloxone does not reverse, leaving people sedated for hours after an overdose and putting them at risk of heat injury, assault and other harm. Council added a call for evidence-based health-care methods, replacing a narrower reference to prescribed safer supply. Members also discussed the need for supports around any service locations and agreed the letter should focus on medetomidine rather than broaden the request to other drugs. The motion was supported unanimously.
Agreement
Members agreed the drug-supply crisis is harming people who use drugs, first responders, service workers and surrounding communities.
Members supported urgent advocacy to the provincial government and health authorities.
The final wording calls for evidence-based health-care methods without naming a specific treatment as the required solution.
Disagreement
Councillors differed over whether the letter should specifically call for prescribed safer supply; the wording was broadened to evidence-based health-care methods.
Councillors considered whether to include other emerging drugs in the request; the mover said the motion should stay focused on medetomidine.
Decisions
Victoria has not published the minutes for this meeting yet. Councils post minutes only after a later meeting adopts them, usually two to six weeks afterwards. We check weekly. We last checked Fri, Oct 2, 2026. Votes and decisions are taken only from the official minutes, so this section fills in once Victoria publishes them. Anything above about motions comes from the recording and is preliminary.