1 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:51,840 Welcome everyone to tonight's council meeting. Uh in this room we have 2 00:03:50,239 --> 00:03:55,040 different views, different ways of expression, different emotional 3 00:03:53,519 --> 00:03:59,120 intensities and different roads that lead to conclusions. May we combine 4 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:03,120 clarity of mind with kindness of heart. And may we be impartial without bending 5 00:04:00,879 --> 00:04:06,720 to strong personalities. May we sacrifice self-interest for the good of 6 00:04:04,879 --> 00:04:10,560 the whole. And may we do our work with the love and clarity of vision for the 7 00:04:08,239 --> 00:04:15,120 benefit of those that we represent. And I'd like to start by saying that we are 8 00:04:12,959 --> 00:04:21,440 on the unseated territory of the Quatzen people. And uh welcome our guest to our 9 00:04:19,519 --> 00:04:25,360 meeting this evening. And with that, we'll call the meeting to order. Uh 10 00:04:23,199 --> 00:04:29,440 introduction of late items. We have one late item, Miss McWilliam. 11 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:35,280 » Thank you, Mayor Staples. We have one late item to be included as uh number 12 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:41,759 9.3. It's the joint utilities board sewage treatment plan outfall relocation 13 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:46,400 project update and UBCM municipalities funding risk. 14 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:51,120 » Excellent. Thank you very much. So, approval of the agenda as amended to 15 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:55,440 include the late item is there remer. Any discussion? All those in favor? 16 00:04:53,600 --> 00:05:00,240 Motion carries and adoption of minutes from June 8th that the minutes of June 17 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:04,960 8th be adopted as circulated. Is there a move and a secondary? Any questions, 18 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:11,759 corrections? All those in favor? Motion carries. And now we will move on to 19 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:15,039 delegations. So we have uh Neil Puckish. Am I saying your name correctly, Neil? 20 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:18,240 » Close. >> Close. Close. Mayor, it's Pukish. 21 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:23,600 » Pukish. >> Okay. Um sorry for 22 00:05:20,639 --> 00:05:26,720 » for incorrectly. Uh welcome. 23 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:30,160 » Thank you. Uh good evening, mayor and council. I'm pleased to be here tonight 24 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:34,400 to along with Steven Sluida, who's on uh the television screen here from RC 25 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:40,160 Strategies to present the findings of the regional needs assessment uh review 26 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:43,759 for the recreation in the Kawajin Valley region. And before I pass it over to 27 00:05:41,759 --> 00:05:47,039 Stephen or Mr. Slooa, I just want to let you know that this is a pretty big 28 00:05:45,039 --> 00:05:50,639 document. I think it was about 191 pages. There's lots of information there 29 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:54,000 to digest. Um, but what we're doing right now is we're doing a bit of a road 30 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:58,400 show through the Cowin Valley. Uh, this is our last stop with the municipality 31 00:05:55,600 --> 00:06:02,160 of Duncan, uh, to give the, you know, give the information to you and as well 32 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:07,280 to seek feedback. So, we've been to the CBRD board. We've gone to municipality 33 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:11,840 of North Kawichin, uh, town of Lady Smith, uh, Lake Cowin, and now here's 34 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:14,400 our final stop. So, at this time, we're gathering a lot of feedback, and we're 35 00:06:13,199 --> 00:06:18,240 going to use that feedback to help inform future decisions for what the 36 00:06:16,479 --> 00:06:23,600 region needs in terms of recreation facilities. uh 10, 15, 20 years into the 37 00:06:21,199 --> 00:06:26,720 into the future. The good thing is is that right now things are in really good 38 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:30,880 shape. Our facilities are well prescribed and there's a big emphasis 39 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:33,759 right now on asset management. You may have heard about this uh over the last 40 00:06:32,639 --> 00:06:37,360 several years, but this is something that we're focusing on. But I'm going to 41 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:40,560 hand it over to uh Mr. Sluda and he's going to walk you through the process 42 00:06:38,479 --> 00:06:42,880 that we went through and I'm uh here to uh answer any questions that you may 43 00:06:41,919 --> 00:06:46,000 have afterwards. >> Wonderful. Thank you very much and 44 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:49,440 thanks for saving the best to last. We always appreciate that. And uh over to 45 00:06:48,479 --> 00:06:52,319 you. >> Great. Thanks uh thanks Neil and and 46 00:06:51,199 --> 00:06:54,160 members of council. Can you hear me? Okay. Just want to do a quick sound 47 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:57,199 check there. >> Absolutely. Yeah. 48 00:06:55,360 --> 00:07:01,160 » See some nods. Great. I'm just going to share my screen here. 49 00:07:01,199 --> 00:07:07,680 And um if someone can give me a thumbs up just to confirm you can see my my 50 00:07:05,599 --> 00:07:12,160 screen there, that'd be awesome. >> Great. Okay. Wonderful. Thank you. Um 51 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:16,639 yeah. Well, good evening and uh and really have really excited to have the 52 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:20,319 opportunity here to to share a bit of a summary or synopsis of the recreation 53 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:23,919 needs assessment that our team undertook. So, as Neil mentioned, uh my 54 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:29,039 name is Steve Sluda. I'm a partner at RC Strategies and our firm was um retained 55 00:07:27,039 --> 00:07:33,360 undertake the work on behalf of the CVRD and and all the respective partners. Um 56 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:37,280 in terms of the the presentation itself, really there's kind of three components 57 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:40,160 here. Uh first, just touching on the process we went through to develop the 58 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:45,120 needs assessment. what were some of those key inputs? How did we ultimately 59 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:48,800 land where we landed? U secondly, we'll share at a very high level and Neil 60 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:52,319 referred to the length of the document. There's a lot of detail there, so we 61 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:55,919 can't get in kind of to the the real weeds on it, but we'll share a bit of a 62 00:07:54,080 --> 00:08:00,000 synopsis of some of the recommended infrastructure strategies or or 63 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:03,520 recommendations. And then, um last but certainly not least, uh answer any 64 00:08:01,759 --> 00:08:07,680 questions or or comments that you might have. 65 00:08:05,759 --> 00:08:11,599 Um so, the study purpose really was kind of three-fold. um first being and where 66 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:15,360 we spend a lot of our time probably about six months was assessing what 67 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:19,360 we've I guess we call the current state of regional recreation uh in the couch 68 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:22,879 valley. So that would be looking at things like trends what are the the 69 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:27,440 changes that have occurred over the last 5 to 10 years. Obviously a lot has 70 00:08:25,039 --> 00:08:31,759 happened um that impacts recreation and related activities within the course of 71 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:36,240 a decade. Excuse me. Um trying to understand what some of those gaps and 72 00:08:33,279 --> 00:08:40,560 high priority needs are. Ultimately, um the work was was undertaken and intended 73 00:08:38,560 --> 00:08:45,680 to update the the last regional recreation strategic plan which was uh 74 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:50,959 developed in 2019 and that included a number of five-year priorities. So 75 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:55,279 obviously those priorities have um have have kind of passed uh given that we're 76 00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:59,839 in 2026. So this work was necessary necessary to revisit and update some of 77 00:08:57,680 --> 00:09:04,480 those priorities and and recommended focus areas. And then really at the end 78 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:09,600 of the day, um the document is there to be a resource for certainly the CVRD 79 00:09:06,959 --> 00:09:14,080 board, but others as a kind of a point of reference to inform decision-m. 80 00:09:12,399 --> 00:09:18,000 Um it's highlighted in the bottom on the slide there, and I just wanted to make 81 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:21,600 sure that that this was clear. The needs assessment was looking at regional 82 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:26,640 recreation. So looking at the the regionally significant facilities, kind 83 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:31,360 of the regional lens uh was put on recreation. This work was not intended 84 00:09:29,519 --> 00:09:35,360 to, you know, tell the respective municipalities what their local 85 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:40,080 non-regional priorities should be. So, we recognize that all the different uh 86 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:43,440 jurisdictions, municipalities have uh their own kind of planning documents and 87 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:46,480 and that was not within the scope of our work. We're really focused on the 88 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:50,800 regionally significant facilities. So, just wanted to make sure that was clear. 89 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:54,480 Uh graphic on the screen on the right there really just shows the process we 90 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:58,480 went through to undertake the needs assessment. And so as I mentioned spend 91 00:09:56,000 --> 00:10:01,920 about 6 months doing a fairly deep dive into the current state of things and and 92 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:06,640 what some of those kind of emergent gaps and needs are through research and 93 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:09,680 engagement. Uh then later uh in 2025 and early into this year kind of made sense 94 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:14,480 of all that information that we gathered and that led to the the needs assessment 95 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:18,720 draft and uh a final draft which uh we're we're presenting here uh to all 96 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:22,640 the different uh entities in the region on the left there. Um that just really 97 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:26,880 recaps that kind of bubble graphic there just recaps the uh the different inputs. 98 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:30,880 So we had a number of different engagement opportunities. So we 99 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:35,120 collected feedback from over a thousand residents through uh a statistically 100 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:40,079 representative resident survey and some other inperson engagement opportunities. 101 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:44,079 We engaged with 49 distinct community organizations and groups. So 102 00:10:41,839 --> 00:10:48,320 representing a wide array of recreation, culture and other related interests 103 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:52,240 across the region. We did some analysis of facility utilization to try to 104 00:10:50,079 --> 00:10:56,160 understand which of facilities are at capacity, underutilized and and so 105 00:10:54,560 --> 00:11:00,640 forth. Looked at population and demographics. Looked at kind of broader 106 00:10:58,399 --> 00:11:04,399 provincial, regional, national trends. Uh undertook some spatial analysis and 107 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:07,680 mapping to understand maybe where some of those g those spatial or geographic 108 00:11:06,399 --> 00:11:11,839 gaps are. And then looked at benchmarking with some comparator 109 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:15,519 regions as well. So that leads us into uh kind of the 110 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:18,720 second part of the presentation here which is a summary of the 111 00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:23,200 recommendations and priorities. And what we wanted to ensure that we did is um 112 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:27,440 come up with these priorities and these recommendations in a really transparent 113 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:31,600 datadriven way. So we used a three-step prioritization framework as the graphic 114 00:11:30,079 --> 00:11:36,000 illustrates. So the first step in that framework was to come up with a series 115 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:40,160 of criteria uh and then weight those criteria. So um figuring out what some 116 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:44,160 of those things we can score different potential amenities and projects 117 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:49,120 against. So um those criteria, waiting them and then actually scoring in step 118 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:53,839 two all those different uh amenity types that could represent potential 119 00:11:50,959 --> 00:11:58,399 priorities projects focus areas for for capital infrastructure investment. And 120 00:11:55,920 --> 00:12:01,760 then step three um we use that to then apply uh some practical considerations 121 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:07,040 to come up with those strategies themselves. So sequencing resource 122 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:10,800 requirements, land and and so on. So, uh, on the following slides here, we've 123 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:14,399 put the the priorities and and the strategies into a few different buckets. 124 00:12:12,560 --> 00:12:17,279 Um, but I just wanted to touch on kind of the way that we got to those 125 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:22,000 different priorities that we'll talk about on the following slides here. 126 00:12:20,399 --> 00:12:25,760 So, uh, as mentioned, there's kind of three slides here that represent three 127 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:30,000 buckets of, uh, of infrastructure strategies, priorities, recommendations. 128 00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:34,480 Um, Neil touched on this in in his opening remarks there. Um, sort of under 129 00:12:32,399 --> 00:12:38,399 the strategies aimed at sustaining aging infrastructure. Um certainly majority of 130 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:41,760 the facilities have have been wellmaintained and you know through good 131 00:12:40,079 --> 00:12:45,200 asset management practices and I'm talking about the regionally significant 132 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:48,959 facilities for sure. Um but we're suggesting in the regional recreation 133 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:53,440 needs assessment that that needs to be an overarching priority moving forward. 134 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:57,120 So certainly there's demand and and desire for a lot of new types of 135 00:12:55,360 --> 00:13:01,120 facilities, new better as there always is, but really important to kind of lock 136 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:04,399 down and ensure asset management protects um the the wealth, the hundreds 137 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:07,040 of millions of dollars uh in infrastructure that already exists. So 138 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:10,720 that's kind of an overarching recommendation there. In terms of 139 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:15,040 specific focus areas for that reinvestment, certainly the existing 140 00:13:12,639 --> 00:13:19,360 arenas that exist across the region, um the two existing aquatics facilities, 141 00:13:17,279 --> 00:13:22,720 the two pools, community programming spaces, and there's a variety of those, 142 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:26,959 the sports plex, and then the Kouchin performing arts center. So, those real 143 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:30,000 key uh infrastructure spaces need to make sure that they're sustained again 144 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:33,760 through good asset management practices to to sustain those service levels and 145 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:39,920 ensure they're available for residents to enjoy moving forward. 146 00:13:36,639 --> 00:13:44,560 Um the the next bucket of uh strategies here are looking at some of those bigger 147 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:48,320 longer term potential investments or what we've turned kind of termed kind of 148 00:13:46,399 --> 00:13:52,800 the next generation of regional facilities. So uh a few that we just 149 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:59,199 wanted to touch on here. The first being looking at arenas or or ice arena ice. 150 00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:03,120 Um so the the strategy uh here uh that is recommended in the needs assessment 151 00:14:00,639 --> 00:14:08,399 is to look at working towards one to two new ice sheets by 2040. So about a 152 00:14:06,079 --> 00:14:12,000 15-year kind of outlook and ideally doing that as part of a multi-heet 153 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:16,800 facility. So there's there's kind of economies of scale. Um and also just 154 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:21,040 programmatic benefits by having multi- sheet arena facilities. They can share 155 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:24,880 mechanical systems. They can support tournaments better. So we haven't 156 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:29,120 exactly said where or how this should occur. Um but we've kind of opened the 157 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:33,199 door for some further uh review of how that could occur. Is it adding a second 158 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:37,920 sheet onto an existing facility? Is it looking at eventually um scaling down 159 00:14:36,079 --> 00:14:41,839 operations at an existing facility when it's at end of life and building a new 160 00:14:39,839 --> 00:14:46,079 double arena? Um so those approaches would need to be further refined through 161 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:49,839 through subsequent work, but ultimately looking over the long term to have a 162 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:54,399 multi- sheet facility um that delivers one to two new sheets of ice incremental 163 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:58,399 to what already exists. Um second bullet there. Um so we've suggested doing some 164 00:14:56,480 --> 00:15:02,240 concept planning and cost validation for a third regional indoor aquatics 165 00:15:00,079 --> 00:15:06,079 facility to serve the south. Obviously, a lot of uh growth is occurring in the 166 00:15:04,079 --> 00:15:10,560 south part of the regional district. Um so, not suggesting that that gets built 167 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:14,560 and and or approved and built uh in the near future, but just doing a bit of an 168 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:18,320 update to uh some of the previous planning that's been done in terms of 169 00:15:15,839 --> 00:15:21,600 what that type of facility could be. Is it a small pool? Is it a medium pool? 170 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:26,240 What's the cost to both build and operate that? So, that's a strategy 171 00:15:23,519 --> 00:15:30,560 recommended around aquatics. Um third point there um looking at options for a 172 00:15:28,399 --> 00:15:34,320 smaller scale performing arts venue um to complement the the current one. Um 173 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:38,399 the current facility is obviously a great facility but it's quite large and 174 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:42,240 it's not really well suited to u providing kind of basic community 175 00:15:40,079 --> 00:15:45,920 program space uh or performing arts space for some of those smaller 176 00:15:43,519 --> 00:15:50,720 functions dance groups community theater and so on. So we've identified um as a 177 00:15:48,639 --> 00:15:55,759 strategy to look at options um for that space and that space being a priority. 178 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:59,240 Um and then lastly, you know, as or if some of these majunities 179 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:04,720 to meet other needs that we've identified through the recreation needs 180 00:16:02,639 --> 00:16:08,560 assessment. So a few of those space needs that we've flagged as being 181 00:16:06,639 --> 00:16:13,120 warranting further consideration is gymnasiums, indoor walking tracks, and 182 00:16:10,639 --> 00:16:17,680 fitness spaces. So, you know, as new arenas or a new pool uh gets considered 183 00:16:15,759 --> 00:16:21,199 and potentially developed, looking at opportunities to kind of tack on or tag 184 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:24,959 on some of these other amenities that are part of the last bullet there on the 185 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:30,079 screen. And then the last bucket here um is just 186 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:35,040 some additional strategies um more focused on kind of trends monitoring and 187 00:16:32,639 --> 00:16:39,839 further validating needs moving forward. So the previous slides kind of uh 188 00:16:37,279 --> 00:16:43,040 identify strategies around um needs that have been kind of validated or amenities 189 00:16:41,519 --> 00:16:46,720 that are are sort of validated as priorities moving forward. There's a few 190 00:16:44,959 --> 00:16:50,959 other facility types that require a little bit more exploration. Um the 191 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:55,440 first bullet there refers to looking at pickle ball um and undertaking either a 192 00:16:53,519 --> 00:17:00,000 feasibility study or developing a regional pickle ball strategy to explore 193 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:04,240 kind of a major regionally serving pickle ball site. So something that 194 00:17:01,839 --> 00:17:08,160 could um kind of fulfill that need across the region and you know through 195 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:12,799 that planning work identify you know is pickle ball even something that we want 196 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:16,720 to include in the regional cadre of of regionally significant facilities or is 197 00:17:14,559 --> 00:17:20,559 it best left to the individual communities to provide. Um so that that 198 00:17:19,039 --> 00:17:24,240 planning work would kind of answer that question and also sort of cost out or 199 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:28,960 potentially validate the broader need for kind of that major you know 12 16 30 200 00:17:27,120 --> 00:17:33,840 court size facility that could be kind of a a tournament draw for the region. 201 00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:37,760 Um the second point there um Couchin Sportslex. So there's a number of 202 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:41,039 investments that we've suggested warrant some further consideration. Um, one 203 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:45,600 would be potentially covering the existing sports blocks there to get more 204 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:49,600 full season use out of that and and potentially meet some of the needs for 205 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:53,760 for dry floor space. Uh, and then also looking at improvements to the the 206 00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:57,760 natural surface infield um that is uh inside the track. So the track needs to 207 00:17:55,760 --> 00:18:01,360 certainly be replaced, but there's opportunity to to squeeze a little bit 208 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:05,600 more usage out of that natural surface field as well um through some potential 209 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:10,640 improvements. Things like improving the surface, drainage, um lighting it 210 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:14,480 potentially as well. So um these are ultimately a few things that require a 211 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:18,799 bit more review, a bit more exploration. And then lastly again highlighted in red 212 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:22,960 to kind of bring some emphasis to it overall uh just improving data 213 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:26,559 collection man data collection and management approaches across the region. 214 00:18:24,799 --> 00:18:30,720 So when this work's done again in whenever that is 5 or 10 years there's 215 00:18:28,799 --> 00:18:34,320 even more data to draw from um particularly with things around 216 00:18:31,919 --> 00:18:37,679 spontaneous or casual use um things that are a little bit harder to track. So 217 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:42,080 always a chance to have more data to make more informed decisions. So, we 218 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:45,039 just wanted to highlight that as well and appreciate the time and and 219 00:18:43,679 --> 00:18:48,640 listening through that and and happy to take any uh comments or questions that 220 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:52,480 you might have. >> Excellent. Thank you so much for that. 221 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:56,799 Are there any questions from council or comments? 222 00:18:54,240 --> 00:19:02,320 No, I see no hand raised. Thank you for answering all of our questions about 223 00:18:59,039 --> 00:19:08,720 what the future might need. I Yeah, the two ice sheets. Is there would those be 224 00:19:05,360 --> 00:19:14,240 in South Couch? I you mentioned that not necessarily, but would does that kind of 225 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:17,840 lean towards making the most sense? >> Yeah, through the mayor. Yeah, great 226 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:22,000 question. Um, we we haven't specified exact location or the delivery approach 227 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:26,640 for those. We we but we kind of looked at it with a regional a regional lens 228 00:19:25,039 --> 00:19:29,919 there as well. So, that would be something that would need to be further 229 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:33,039 reviewed in terms of kind of where and how um we just kind of looked at it 230 00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:37,919 broadly as as the need for that many sheets across the the Kawichin Valley. 231 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:41,120 Excellent. Thanks. And I appreciate the pickle ball conversation. I know that 232 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:44,240 that brings out more people to council meetings than almost anything else. So, 233 00:19:43,360 --> 00:19:46,320 » no doubt. Yeah. >> Yeah. Thanks very much. All right. I 234 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,559 see. >> Thank you. 235 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:52,480 » Thank Thanks very much for your report and for the work that you're doing and 236 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:55,720 there's no questions. So, we will move right along. 237 00:19:57,039 --> 00:20:05,679 And we are over to you, Mr. Diverti. >> Thank you, Mayor Staples. 238 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:10,000 Uh just an update. Uh the Coronation Avenue bike lanes still just a few 239 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:13,039 deficiencies left to be addressed. The pedestrian activated crossing lights 240 00:20:11,679 --> 00:20:17,760 have been installed at Coronation and Era and there is now also a pedestrian 241 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:22,240 crosswalk ahead sign up at the top of the Coronation Hill. The Canon Avenue 242 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:27,600 complete streets progress uh complete streets project sorry is progressing and 243 00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:31,360 the speed reader board has been installed on street to address some of 244 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:35,600 the concerns around uh speeding through that detour. RCMP have also been up to 245 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:40,640 Alley Street where they have issued another number of fines and RCMP tell us 246 00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:44,559 that they'll they'll be attending again periodically throughout the construction 247 00:20:42,159 --> 00:20:49,520 detour to try to keep those speeds down. We do have the potential to add some 248 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:53,840 other traffic calming measures as well. The couchway traffic signals a good 249 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:57,440 update there. The new timing signals by Ray have been approved by the traffic 250 00:20:55,520 --> 00:21:01,760 engineer and in the coming weeks we'll be implementing those. The lights will 251 00:20:59,120 --> 00:21:05,679 then finally after many many years utilize the actual traffic loops and and 252 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:09,520 decrease time allocated to a particular leg if that of the intersection when 253 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:14,640 that traffic is actually light for that leg. So uh no longer would you see say a 254 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:18,000 25-second uh green light when there's only two cars going through. So that 255 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:22,400 should improve traffic through through there and we'll obviously watch as we've 256 00:21:20,559 --> 00:21:26,240 not had we've had a few hiccups as we've tried to implement this in the past. So 257 00:21:24,159 --> 00:21:32,400 hopefully this one goes w without hiccups. 258 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:36,720 update on the 261 263 Third Street project. As council is aware, you 259 00:21:34,799 --> 00:21:41,600 approved a rear parcel line setback variance on June 8th. So that's uh and 260 00:21:39,360 --> 00:21:46,159 that's as because the applicant has revived their revised their proposal now 261 00:21:43,679 --> 00:21:50,960 seeking approval for a five-story 17 unit uh residential building which was 262 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:54,720 intended to be a strata. And so as a result of that, they no longer require a 263 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:58,400 zoning by amendment. So the next step for them is to uh revise their 264 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:03,200 development permit application drawings and resubmit those to city staff for 265 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:09,200 review and consideration of approval. And lastly, the 2026 property tax 266 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:14,000 deadlines uh approaching very quickly. That deadline is coming up on June 2nd. 267 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:18,320 So we need to get everyone to get their property tax notices uh paid up and as 268 00:22:16,559 --> 00:22:22,559 well uh if you have a home or grant need to get that uh signed off on for the 269 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:28,799 province as well. Any questions, please contact city hall at 7466126 or just 270 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:32,960 email taxes duncan.ca. Thanks. 271 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:38,679 » Why thank you. Are there any questions for Mr. Dvert about his report? 272 00:22:34,799 --> 00:22:38,679 Councelor Newington, go ahead. 273 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:48,080 » 50 Coronation. I had an opportunity to drive past that 274 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:52,400 location and with the unit that is planned to go in there. Is there going 275 00:22:49,919 --> 00:22:58,000 to be enough parking for that? Like it's kind of a keyhole. 276 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:01,919 » Yeah, at this point we don't have a lot of details on the conceptual drawings, 277 00:22:59,919 --> 00:23:05,480 but uh I believe an underground parkade was was intended. 278 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:11,679 » Thank you. Any other questions for Mr. Dvertai? 279 00:23:08,799 --> 00:23:18,159 Seeing none, uh, that council receive the June 2 or 20 22nd 2026 report of the 280 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:22,159 chief administrative officer for information only. There's a mover and a 281 00:23:20,159 --> 00:23:26,480 seconder. All those in favor? Motion carries. Thank you very much for your 282 00:23:23,679 --> 00:23:32,120 report tonight. We'll move to invite Miss Hodins up for the accessibility 283 00:23:29,120 --> 00:23:32,120 plan. 284 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:44,159 Thank you, Mayor Staples. So, this report presents the 2026 accessibility 285 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:47,679 plan. Uh, under the Accessible BC Act, the city is required to review and 286 00:23:45,679 --> 00:23:52,000 update its plan at least once every three years, and the city adopted its 287 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:55,760 first accessibility plan in July of 2023. 288 00:23:53,679 --> 00:24:00,240 Um, the city's accessibility advisory committee reviewed progress on the 2023 289 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:04,880 plan last year and made additional recommendations at that time to improve 290 00:24:02,159 --> 00:24:09,520 accessibility of city services. A draft of this 2026 plan was presented to the 291 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:13,360 committee on May 4th of this year which in included those recommendations and at 292 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:16,559 that time the committee made some further recommendations which have now 293 00:24:14,799 --> 00:24:21,760 been incorporated into the plan before you. Um so and one of the key items that 294 00:24:20,159 --> 00:24:26,960 the committee raised um at the last meeting was to include our accessibility 295 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:30,080 for businesses brochure in the uh business license notices annually. So 296 00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:34,320 that's something that's been incorporated that's new from the last 297 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:37,840 plan. So, this plan reports on accessibility improvements over the past 298 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:42,799 three years and sets a list of actions to work on until the next review period 299 00:24:39,679 --> 00:24:45,520 in 2029. Thank you. >> Excellent. Thank you very much. Are 300 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:49,520 there questions for Miss Hodins about the plan at all? Comments? Council, 301 00:24:48,559 --> 00:24:52,720 anyone, would you like to say anything about it? 302 00:24:50,799 --> 00:24:57,520 » Well, I just wanted to thank Miss Hodins. She's worked very diligently 303 00:24:54,799 --> 00:25:02,640 with the committee on this. And the other thing is that we are going to do 304 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:09,360 be doing a walkabout through the city to identify any issues that um the city can 305 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:13,520 manage and bring up to date. So um we're probably going to do that in July, I 306 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:18,320 would think. And but once again, thank you so much for all your help. 307 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:21,600 Thank you. Will you invite council to that as well? Will you invite council to 308 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:25,279 the >> Absolutely. 309 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:28,799 » Wonderful. Excellent. Thank you. Uh so that council adopt the 2026 310 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:33,520 accessibility plan as reviewed and amended by the accessibility advisory 311 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:38,559 committee on May 4th, 2026. A mover and a seconder for that motion. Any further 312 00:25:35,919 --> 00:25:41,520 discussion? All those in favor? Motion carries. And again, yes. Thank you very 313 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:46,159 much for all your work on that, Miss Hogins. And we're going to move over to 314 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:51,520 the temporary use permit application for 610 Trunk Road, otherwise known as the 315 00:25:48,559 --> 00:25:55,559 village. And we are going to welcome Mr. Young up to the microphone. 316 00:26:05,679 --> 00:26:13,080 Thank you, Mayor Staples. This is a temporary use permit application for 610 317 00:26:09,679 --> 00:26:13,080 Trunk Road. 318 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:22,400 The purpose of the temporary use permit is is to authorize the village 319 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:26,320 supportive housing project um that exists on the site now to continue for 320 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:32,799 an additional three-year term from December 31st of this year to December 321 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:40,760 31st of 2029. And the village uh supports up to 40 unsheltered people and 322 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:40,760 up to 40 modular sleeping units. 323 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:49,360 In terms of a a brief history, so the temporary use permit was first 324 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:54,240 authorized uh by council in December of 2021 uh 325 00:26:52,240 --> 00:27:00,000 with the uses beginning in in January 2022. The site has been in operation 326 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:04,720 since that time. Uh the current temporary use permit expires at the end 327 00:27:02,799 --> 00:27:09,919 of this year. Uh the proposed uh new TUP would which 328 00:27:07,919 --> 00:27:14,640 would be the fourth temporary use permit for the site would authorize the uses 329 00:27:11,679 --> 00:27:20,720 for an additional three-year term. Uh the couch and housing association was 330 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:24,880 the original applicant for for the village site uh with Lookout Housing and 331 00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:30,320 Health Society as the operator and Lookout is still the operator of the 332 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:35,919 site today. Um, one thing that's changed is that uh rather than CHA or Lookout 333 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:42,400 being the applicant under previous TUPs, BC Housing is now the applicant for the 334 00:27:38,559 --> 00:27:46,880 new TUP and the the extension is proposed to be funded under the homeless 335 00:27:44,159 --> 00:27:51,559 encampment action response temporary housing or hearth program 336 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:57,120 uh with Lookout continuing as the operator. 337 00:27:55,440 --> 00:28:01,840 The site is zoned high density residential. That's the brown color. Uh 338 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:07,360 the pink areas are the highway corridor commercial zoning to the west. And then 339 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:13,760 uh to the east is medium density residential zoning. The air photo on the 340 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:17,600 right you can see the the pods. Uh this is a relatively recent air photo. So you 341 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:25,600 can see the the site isn't currently in operation. It's outlined in yellow. 342 00:28:21,679 --> 00:28:31,200 few site photos from from Trunk Road back towards the site. It's uh 343 00:28:27,679 --> 00:28:40,360 surrounded by a security or or safety fence with a a netting material. 344 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:40,360 This is the entry way to the site. 345 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:54,679 Uh this is from the sidewalk along Trunk Road looking um east towards the site. 346 00:28:56,399 --> 00:29:02,720 This is the the parking lot on the commercial properties behind the 347 00:29:00,399 --> 00:29:09,840 village. And just another another image. So the 348 00:29:04,799 --> 00:29:14,080 the grass area are properties um um single family residential properties 349 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:18,120 zoned highway quarter commercial that frontal to Dobson road. 350 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:28,320 Uh the proposal is to revitalize the site uh under a new three-year term 351 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:33,600 which includes renovating and replacing some of the existing units. 352 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:39,440 um potentially adding an indoor amenity space for the residents, 353 00:29:36,159 --> 00:29:47,600 a new fenced perimeter. So, uh my understanding is is um the uh metal 354 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:53,440 safety fence with that fabric material would be replaced with a more durable uh 355 00:29:50,720 --> 00:30:00,080 fence around the perimeter of the site as well as additional lighting and 356 00:29:55,760 --> 00:30:04,159 cameras for site security. Um, of note, the previous TUPS included 357 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:10,399 a commitment for broader neighborhood walks by lookout staff and peer-to-peer 358 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:14,480 outreach. Um, unfortunately, uh, the Hearth program does not fund 359 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:20,000 neighborhood security or security offsite. 360 00:30:17,279 --> 00:30:23,279 the the temporary use permit and we'll talk about that a little bit more on the 361 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:27,679 next slide, but the temporary use permit includes the letter of intent, a letter 362 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:32,799 of commitment which which includes um a number of commitments by BC Housing U 363 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:36,520 but again unfortunately does not include um neighborhood security 364 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:47,039 as part of the application. Uh staff referred the application to the RCMP. 365 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:51,039 Um, and I just wanted to to read a brief summary. This is my summary of of the 366 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:56,080 information that was provided by the RCMP in response to this application. 367 00:30:53,840 --> 00:31:01,039 Uh, so since its opening in 2022, the RCMP has seen an increase in call 368 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:05,840 volumes within a oneb block vicinity of 610 Trunk Road beginning in 2024 and 369 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:09,200 2025. With the primary issues in the area 370 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:14,320 being unwanted persons, mental health calls, bylaw issues, assaults, and 371 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:18,640 missing persons. 610 Shrunk Road, the subject property is the primary call 372 00:31:16,159 --> 00:31:23,840 generator in the area, but the number of calls at the site has generally remained 373 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:31,720 stable since 2022, since the site's opening, 374 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:31,720 except for a spike for call uh in 2025. 375 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:42,960 Um so based on the feedback from uh from the RCMP and uh you know based 376 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:47,039 on our observation that the increase in calls for service seems to coincide with 377 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:51,120 a reduced presence in the broader neighborhood staff feel that those 378 00:31:48,559 --> 00:31:56,840 neighborhood and peer-to-peer walks um are an important part of the success of 379 00:31:53,679 --> 00:31:56,840 the village. 380 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:05,360 Um as the long-term plans for the property have not yet been determined. 381 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:09,919 um staff are supportive of the new TUP subject to adding neighborhood security 382 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:13,600 checks as an as as a condition of the TUP. 383 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:18,480 Now, the staff recommendation is that council amend the temporary use permit 384 00:32:16,559 --> 00:32:21,840 for 610 trunk road by adding the following condition. The site operator 385 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:26,640 must conduct neighborhood security checks within a 60 meter radius of the 386 00:32:24,559 --> 00:32:31,039 land with the nature and frequency of the security checks to be determined in 387 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:36,240 consultation with the city's bylaw compliance department and approved by 388 00:32:33,919 --> 00:32:42,679 the city's chief administrative officer and that council issue the temp permit 389 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:42,679 as amended. 390 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:52,559 » Thank you. Are there questions for Mr. Young at this time? Council 391 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:59,039 Newington, >> is there somebody here from Lookout that 392 00:32:54,799 --> 00:33:01,600 is going to speak to this? Okay. And um what about BC Housing? 393 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:09,279 » BC. >> Your BC housing. 394 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:14,240 » Okay. Yeah. It's just um I feel that um I and probably a lot of the neighbors 395 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:19,760 need some sort of guarantee um that the patrols are going to be 396 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:25,120 done. this I mean this was one of the things that we said right from the very 397 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:31,120 beginning that needed to be done in the area and it was done and it improved the 398 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:34,240 area. Um there was garbage cleaned up. I had people that lived in the area coming 399 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:39,039 to me and saying it's never been as clean as what it is since they moved in. 400 00:33:36,559 --> 00:33:45,760 So it's wonderful. Um but it seems to have fallen kind of downward in the last 401 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:50,320 little while. And before I can support this, I would like to have some 402 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:57,279 guarantees from both BC Housing and from Lookout that these patrols are going to 403 00:33:53,120 --> 00:34:02,240 be done regularly daily in the evening when people are trying to settle in. 404 00:33:59,679 --> 00:34:07,760 Thank you. >> Anyone else from council? 405 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:12,320 Seeing no other questions, did you have something? Councelor Duncan, go ahead. 406 00:34:09,839 --> 00:34:17,440 » Thank you. uh your worship. Um I live within about 200 meters of the facility. 407 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:23,520 Um quite often when I'm driving by, if I see people there, I contact our CEO. Um 408 00:34:21,679 --> 00:34:27,679 if I drive by a couple of times and they're still there after half an hour 409 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:33,440 or so, then I get concerned. I'm living in the area. I recognize that in 410 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:38,079 probably 90% of the cases, these people don't live in the village and it's about 411 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:44,320 moving them on. uh we you know we've set up a a facility there so that we can 412 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:49,440 provide shelter for unhoused people uh you know it's time for the I think for 413 00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:54,399 the police to start doing something more and I think that uh you know as 414 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:58,160 councelor Newington said at the beginning it was great I actually had 415 00:34:55,839 --> 00:35:01,920 people come up to me and apologize uh after you know arguing with us here in 416 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:07,520 the meetings about giving the initial first permit so uh but I have noticed as 417 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:13,920 someone that lives very close by that there seems to be more people hanging 418 00:35:09,119 --> 00:35:21,359 around. So that I think requires uh uh more frequent uh patrols. 419 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:28,480 » Thank you. Anyone else? All right. Pardon me. 420 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:32,960 Okay. Um so the next up >> Oh, sorry. I did not see that cow or 421 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:35,280 sorry, Mr. Young. Go ahead. >> Thank you, Mayor Staples. I should have 422 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:38,720 mentioned this before, so I'm happy to answer any questions the council has on 423 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:42,400 the technical aspects of the TU, but BC Housing and Lookout are here and may 424 00:35:40,240 --> 00:35:46,800 wish to to speak to their proposal as well. 425 00:35:43,599 --> 00:35:54,000 » Excellent. Thank you. So, next up I have um Naomi Brunmeer, is that correct? And 426 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:59,280 Jennifer Fox, both from BC Housing. And then following that is um uh Shane 427 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:02,400 Williams from Lookout. So, we'll have an opportunity to ask questions of BC 428 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:06,320 Housing first, though. So, welcome. >> H welcome. Uh, thank you so much for 429 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:09,920 having me. I'm uh somewhat new to the role of regional director for Vancouver 430 00:36:08,079 --> 00:36:13,680 Island and I've uh really enjoyed working collaboratively with your staff 431 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:19,920 uh and getting to know your community. Uh and uh I want to congratulate you on 432 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:24,240 your trailblazing with the village. Uh I can tell you the envy of many other 433 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:27,680 communities around the tiny village concept and uh I just wanted to 434 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:33,839 congratulate you on taking that brave initiative and that step. What the 435 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:39,119 temporary use permit extension is is um offering is a renewal of the entire 436 00:36:36,079 --> 00:36:44,079 asset. So you may know that um BC housing uh only provided operating 437 00:36:41,119 --> 00:36:48,720 funding to the first phase of the um the village. Uh the units were already 438 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:53,920 created and donated by the cow and housing association. 439 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:59,119 um they've uh maybe uh had some wear and tear over the last uh several years and 440 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:03,839 uh when we did a site tour, we felt that it was time for us to renew um the 441 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:08,880 village and so our proposal is actually to renew um the entire village. Uh we 442 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:13,040 wanted to keep it open to say renovate or or renew. Uh but based on our 443 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:17,760 findings, we feel that um it's just best for us to start with a clean slate and 444 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:21,760 to actually uh renew each of the 34 units knowing we have that expansion 445 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:26,160 room under the temporary use permit up to 40 uh which could be an ongoing 446 00:37:23,839 --> 00:37:29,920 conversation. And so we wanted to make sure um that BC Housing was the 447 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:33,839 applicant to the temporary use permit. We wanted to have a relationship 448 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:37,599 directly um with the city of Duncan as opposed to through our operator. And so 449 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:42,880 that's why there's been a shift. Uh, and that's also um the content of the letter 450 00:37:40,079 --> 00:37:47,280 of commitment that um Kyle spoke to is is talking about our intentions. So, 451 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:50,320 we're the funer and we have expectations of our operator. And so, that's how we 452 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:55,040 structured it this time is to make sure that we have a government-togovernment 453 00:37:51,760 --> 00:38:01,359 relationship. So, we've um started the process of the procurement for the 454 00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:05,760 modulars to update the site. Um there is approval in hand for funding both from a 455 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:10,240 capital and operating side. And so that's why we need this necessary step 456 00:38:07,599 --> 00:38:15,760 to do that that investment is to extend that temporary use permit as it was 457 00:38:12,720 --> 00:38:20,960 stated by Kyle uh PRC. So that's the BC housing landowning arm. We own the site 458 00:38:18,240 --> 00:38:24,240 uh and we currently um don't have have uh a concrete plan for what that 459 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:28,240 redevelopment looks like and we feel that this model has been successful in 460 00:38:26,079 --> 00:38:33,359 this community and that we wanted to continue to um house folks in this this 461 00:38:31,839 --> 00:38:39,280 model and in this manner at this location. Uh we have since um opened the 462 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:46,160 uh White Road supportive housing facility uh also operated uh by the same 463 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:51,200 team and uh have been seeing moveins and tenanting uh increase uh in the last few 464 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:54,240 weeks and are intending to definitely create a positive flow from the village 465 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:59,119 for those people who would like to move on. So trying to create a broad range of 466 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:02,640 housing options in your community. Um I'm also joined by so I'm on the 467 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:07,920 development side. um I do the building and the construction and I pass the keys 468 00:39:04,720 --> 00:39:11,200 over to my lovely colleague um Jen Fox who's the regional operations manager. 469 00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:14,640 So I'm going to pass it to her to speak more about the operating model and what 470 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:18,160 we can and can't make commitments around around the hearth funding. Um and then I 471 00:39:16,720 --> 00:39:22,560 know that Shane is here as well. He's the CEO of Lookout um who can speak um 472 00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:26,400 from an operations perspective as the on the ground folks and of course you 473 00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:29,839 probably know better than I do um your local team here from Lookout. Lee and 474 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:33,599 Elliot. >> Thank you. And I I do believe the White 475 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:35,359 Road site is not operated by a lookout. It's operated 476 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:37,280 » connective. >> Yeah, connective. That's okay. 477 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:41,440 » Thank you for the correction. Hi everybody. I am still the regional 478 00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:45,040 director of Vancouver Island region uh for BC Housing, not the regional office 479 00:39:43,119 --> 00:39:49,040 manager, but thanks Naomi. Uh thank you everybody for the opportunity to be here 480 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:53,599 tonight and have this conversation about uh T renewal for the village. Uh we're 481 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:57,520 joined by Shane Williams, who's the CEO of Lookout, who will provide uh more 482 00:39:55,839 --> 00:40:01,280 information and context with respect to the boots on the ground work that's 483 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:07,440 happening. But I just wanted to touch on the uh draft letter of commitment. It's 484 00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:12,640 state's intentions by BC Housing to work with the city to partner to continue to 485 00:40:09,359 --> 00:40:15,680 operate the village. Uh the province is providing the funding through the 486 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:20,480 homeless encampment action response temporary housing fund. And that funding 487 00:40:18,079 --> 00:40:24,720 allows for a certain staffing level. It allows for the meals and it allows for 488 00:40:22,240 --> 00:40:29,359 other services to be provided. It does not provide funding for neighborhood 489 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:34,720 security. So that's not part of the program. However, Lookout operates a 490 00:40:32,079 --> 00:40:39,280 peer program where they partner with their tenants who are interested in 491 00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:43,680 doing volunteer work for an honorarium to have that site cleanup for a 492 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:47,599 neighborhood um being a good neighbor. And so I'll turn that over to you, 493 00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:53,599 Shane. >> Thank you. Uh welcome Mr. Williams. 494 00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:57,599 » Thank you your worship and thank you to my BC Housing colleagues for the intro 495 00:40:55,520 --> 00:41:01,680 and uh and setting the stage. Uh and thank you m council for uh hearing us 496 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:07,680 out on this and considering uh the temporary use permit extension. Um just 497 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:11,040 a couple of things. Um uh you know first and foremost uh the province 498 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:15,280 reinvestment in this project really speaks to the success and the fragility 499 00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:20,640 of the people at the at the site that are getting good ongoing support um from 500 00:41:18,319 --> 00:41:26,160 our local team and the staff that we employ uh to to do this service on a 501 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:30,480 day-to-day basis. It's true um that uh in the last year we have had some 502 00:41:27,839 --> 00:41:36,960 difficulty uh with the perimeter walks um largely to do with a union grievance 503 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:41,760 um that um uh uh that was uh brought forth by one of our staff members um who 504 00:41:39,520 --> 00:41:45,680 were was participating in the walks on a regular basis and noted that it was 505 00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:51,359 outside of their current job um job description. uh and uh having people 506 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:57,440 doing the checks uh that the way the way that they were um was actually uh taking 507 00:41:54,720 --> 00:42:01,040 away supports from the site um uh and taking them off site. So that was 508 00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:06,000 causing some duress and some some some challenge for some of the staff uh at 509 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:10,640 the at the job site itself. I can say quite a bit about uh this application uh 510 00:42:08,240 --> 00:42:16,640 but from the BC housing perspective uh the renewal of the units uh the indoor 511 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:21,839 amenity um fencing lighting cameras all speak to security all speak to uh staff 512 00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:28,400 capability and function uh will which will go much higher as a result of of 513 00:42:24,640 --> 00:42:33,040 these um um um really great supports. um the peer program that Jen was talking 514 00:42:30,720 --> 00:42:38,640 about. Um there is a lot of interest um and and you know we're looking at trying 515 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:44,640 to expand that to uh to um um bring the neighborhood um um back to a spot where 516 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:49,200 they be clear support. Uh you know much of the ongoing operational challenges at 517 00:42:47,119 --> 00:42:53,440 the site are a little bit outside of the scope of what Lookout can do um um you 518 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:58,079 know through the village operations alone. um you know you've seen uh uh a 519 00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:02,560 little bit of a different approach to civic uh camps um and and and 520 00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:06,319 interventions on those camps which is displaced people I think in the 521 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:11,760 community uh a little bit differently than before. Uh and uh you've also seen 522 00:43:09,839 --> 00:43:16,720 um an a different approach um from Kouchin tribes on the indigenous uh 523 00:43:14,319 --> 00:43:20,800 folks that may be struggling on reserve uh and them no longer being on reserve 524 00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:24,960 has actually put a lot of lot more pressure I think on all of the 525 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:30,319 operations of the various uh um nonprofits in in the community. Um and 526 00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:35,280 we're hopeful that you know White Road um as it's tened it up um and other 527 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:41,119 amenities and and and future BC housing projects and potentially um you know the 528 00:43:38,079 --> 00:43:48,240 uh uh uh uh this project reaching its its 40 um um uh uh occupancy and um uh 529 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:51,760 and a renewal of the of the temporary use permit. We are we are we are 530 00:43:50,319 --> 00:43:57,359 anticipating that we're going to see some some some um um uh return to the 531 00:43:55,280 --> 00:44:01,760 the trust that the organization and and that the tenants of the village had 532 00:43:58,880 --> 00:44:08,079 earned from the from the greater uh community uh uh area. 533 00:44:05,359 --> 00:44:13,760 Um I appreciate the council I think was councelor to Tom that talked a little 534 00:44:10,160 --> 00:44:18,960 bit about the police role in um um uh the congregation in front of the 535 00:44:15,599 --> 00:44:25,119 village. Um it is really hard for um uh you know a staff member uh that has very 536 00:44:21,839 --> 00:44:28,960 little leverage um very little um uh control over somebody saying I'm not 537 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:33,359 moving and you can't make me move and there's nothing that you can do about 538 00:44:30,240 --> 00:44:38,160 that. Um there's really not a lot more our team or that can be expected of our 539 00:44:36,079 --> 00:44:42,240 team. Um calls have increased at the site because 540 00:44:40,319 --> 00:44:47,760 we we're calling for help and people aren't moving along when prompted. Uh 541 00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:52,160 and so that can cause um you know this notion that it's there's more unsafety 542 00:44:50,000 --> 00:44:57,200 in the community um when really we're just trying to um live up to uh the 543 00:44:55,280 --> 00:45:03,119 expectation of the community which is to try to bring down the congregation of 544 00:44:59,359 --> 00:45:08,240 people outside the site. Um so so that I think has put a little bit more um maybe 545 00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:14,079 duress on our on our policing partners um as does uh the missing persons. And 546 00:45:11,359 --> 00:45:19,680 so you noted in in the report from staff that the missing person's uh data uh um 547 00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:24,480 was was noted as as as part of the police calls. Um that that's something 548 00:45:21,839 --> 00:45:30,240 that our team would regularly report a missing person's uh if if they haven't 549 00:45:27,280 --> 00:45:36,640 if if if a tenant of the village hadn't been at um um their uh uh pod in the 550 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:41,680 last 24 hours um we get concerned about them. uh they are vulnerable um in some 551 00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:45,200 cases live al alternative lifestyles. It's important that we're flagging that 552 00:45:43,599 --> 00:45:49,520 this person is missing and that we need to reconnect with them. So we will use 553 00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:53,359 our local police so that you know the police who often know some of the folks 554 00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:58,000 that that live at the village. Um we'll keep an eye out for them uh and that we 555 00:45:55,839 --> 00:46:03,520 together can make sure that that individual safe in our community. Uh 556 00:46:00,400 --> 00:46:08,319 again, this this can lead to inflated um um data from from local RCMP and other 557 00:46:06,240 --> 00:46:12,880 policing across the province, and we've noted this in our other other projects. 558 00:46:11,440 --> 00:46:19,200 Uh and just something that I think council needs to be um uh mindful of or 559 00:46:16,079 --> 00:46:24,880 at least understand uh um before um you know uh uh casting a vote in in the TUP. 560 00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:29,440 Um I think I've addressed uh questions so far, but I'm open to anything else 561 00:46:27,040 --> 00:46:34,800 people might have. Thank you. Are there questions right now 562 00:46:31,599 --> 00:46:37,760 for either Mr. Williams or Fox? Councelor Caps, go ahead. 563 00:46:36,560 --> 00:46:40,960 » Thank you very much and thank you for coming tonight. I'm really pleased to 564 00:46:38,960 --> 00:46:44,960 hear about this like really tangible investment like really it sounds like 565 00:46:43,520 --> 00:46:48,640 really understanding and appreciating how important this is. And so so to have 566 00:46:47,040 --> 00:46:52,319 that investment in the renewal is is really exciting. I' I've been a huge 567 00:46:50,480 --> 00:46:55,440 supporter of this project from the very beginning. And so it's yeah, I'm just 568 00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:58,800 I'm grateful that you're here tonight. Um, I'm just cur I just had a a couple 569 00:46:57,680 --> 00:47:02,720 of questions and I'm not sure exactly who it would be for, but in I'm just 570 00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:06,800 reading through the letter here and when it says um ensuring the housing operator 571 00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:10,240 conducts perimeter checks between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. to support community 572 00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:14,400 safety, monitoring, and cleanliness in their surrounding neighborhood, what 573 00:47:11,920 --> 00:47:18,800 exactly would you say does a perimeter check involve? And where does it take 574 00:47:16,880 --> 00:47:22,319 place? Is it on the property only? Is it just outside? How far? And then I have a 575 00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:27,599 couple other follow-ups after. Thank you. 576 00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:33,280 through the chair. Um what we are able to offer is uh in partnership with 577 00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:38,480 Lookout, we are exploring additional FTE resources. So Shane spoke to some of the 578 00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:42,960 um limitations through the collective agreement and so looking at having 579 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:48,000 another position that is responsible for providing leadership for the pre peer uh 580 00:47:45,839 --> 00:47:51,839 peer organization that comes to do those patrols. There's also the opportunity 581 00:47:50,079 --> 00:47:57,040 that we've been in discussion about with connective as well as with uh Squamo 582 00:47:54,800 --> 00:48:00,880 operations about some kind of larger peer group that could be doing this 583 00:47:58,640 --> 00:48:06,800 together. In terms of what we can expect from the perimeter checks is is really 584 00:48:03,599 --> 00:48:10,000 about a few things. First, it's making sure that we're not handing out 585 00:48:08,079 --> 00:48:14,000 resources to people who don't live at the village. So, discouing discouraging 586 00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:18,240 people from coming. It's looking at a guest policy to prevent foot traffic 587 00:48:16,800 --> 00:48:22,319 from coming in and out of the current village. We're also looking at 588 00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:27,200 repositioning the front gate area. So that's that um staffed booth would move 589 00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:31,280 forward where the entrance is. We'd have the new fence and more importantly, we 590 00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:35,359 would be working together with Lookout to have more honorarium funding to be 591 00:48:33,280 --> 00:48:39,839 able to provide through that volunteer work to discourage people from 592 00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:44,160 congregating. And so to Shane's point, Lookout doesn't have the ability to 593 00:48:41,359 --> 00:48:47,280 enforce uh make people leave the sidewalk that is technically city 594 00:48:45,920 --> 00:48:51,920 property. However, there's an opportunity to share resources. Hey, you 595 00:48:50,000 --> 00:48:55,040 can find something over here. You could maybe get a sandwich over here or 596 00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:59,520 something like that to redirect people to other resources within community and 597 00:48:57,040 --> 00:49:03,319 discourage that congregating. Those are just a few things. 598 00:49:03,680 --> 00:49:11,119 » Thank you. Thanks. I really appreciate that. And I do really um I appreciate 599 00:49:07,440 --> 00:49:14,960 the emphasis as well on the the the peer-to-peer interaction. I think these 600 00:49:13,440 --> 00:49:20,480 relationships are are really important. I think helping people connect with 601 00:49:18,000 --> 00:49:26,079 residents and and and so I I I really appreciate that aspect of it. I'm 602 00:49:22,880 --> 00:49:29,359 curious whether any other similar projects or any projects through 603 00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:33,680 this funding or similar funding through BC housing. Have any in other 604 00:49:31,520 --> 00:49:38,800 communities found any ways to in addition to these fantastic, you know, 605 00:49:35,760 --> 00:49:43,119 peer-to-peer initiatives? Um, have there been any other, you know, creative 606 00:49:40,559 --> 00:49:47,599 solutions to get around this? There's no funding for, 607 00:49:46,160 --> 00:49:50,480 you know, security. There's no funding for for things in the neighborhood. I 608 00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:53,680 understand in in certain cases, absolutely. there's union restrictions, 609 00:49:52,079 --> 00:49:57,839 but have there been for any other projects, have there been any other 610 00:49:55,440 --> 00:50:02,640 creative ways that that has been able to be addressed? Because I think I'm I'm 611 00:50:01,599 --> 00:50:05,200 hearing from my colleagues that that's something that's quite important is to 612 00:50:03,839 --> 00:50:09,200 just get a commitment at this stage in the TUP. And I understand why, you know, 613 00:50:07,359 --> 00:50:12,720 for a number of reasons, not just for the residents in the neighborhood, but 614 00:50:10,800 --> 00:50:16,559 also maintaining that positive relationship in the community. I I I 615 00:50:14,960 --> 00:50:20,160 really worry sometimes when you know over the past few years seeing instances 616 00:50:18,319 --> 00:50:25,440 of violence against unhoused people the the sort of discrimination and and you 617 00:50:22,800 --> 00:50:30,880 know I think having a a positive relationship and a and a positive idea 618 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:33,920 of uh of the of the area of the facility is really important and for the safety 619 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:37,280 as well because what yeah again like what we're talking about is it's not 620 00:50:35,599 --> 00:50:41,680 you're not able as as staff working on the site at the facility to control 621 00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:46,000 people who are outside but nearby due to the nature right so how Can we look 622 00:50:44,240 --> 00:50:49,839 outside of that immediate staff who's there trying to provide those really 623 00:50:47,280 --> 00:50:53,599 critical services to people that can look out for the safety as well of the 624 00:50:51,599 --> 00:50:56,400 the residents that are there as well as the overall well-being of the immediate 625 00:50:55,040 --> 00:50:59,760 neighborhood. Anyway, sorry, long-winded way to say, have there been any 626 00:50:57,920 --> 00:51:03,280 instances in other communities where BC housing operators have been able to find 627 00:51:01,760 --> 00:51:06,760 ways to fund something similar to what we're asking for? 628 00:51:07,599 --> 00:51:14,319 » Thank you for the question through the chair. um we have seen great 629 00:51:11,359 --> 00:51:18,559 partnerships happen and so in some cases directly with uh operator NBC housing we 630 00:51:16,960 --> 00:51:22,480 look to get creative and so the example that I would share is what I was I I 631 00:51:20,559 --> 00:51:27,040 said previously which is we have the opportunity to provide some additional 632 00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:33,359 funding to look out to have additional FTE resources to be able to oversee this 633 00:51:30,480 --> 00:51:37,680 type of program um not fully full-time but part of that role could include this 634 00:51:35,599 --> 00:51:41,119 type of work and also providing an increase so they can do that honorarian 635 00:51:39,200 --> 00:51:45,520 And the other piece I would say and Shane can speak more more to this, but 636 00:51:43,680 --> 00:51:49,760 there is the homelessness response leadership table in Kawachin right now. 637 00:51:48,000 --> 00:51:53,680 And so we do have the opportunity through that table to have conversations 638 00:51:51,920 --> 00:51:59,040 as partners about how we do this together. And so what that could look 639 00:51:55,119 --> 00:52:02,480 like is partnering with um Couchin Housing Association or with outreach 640 00:52:00,640 --> 00:52:06,800 partners or with BC Housing's own encampment response team to be able to 641 00:52:04,800 --> 00:52:11,680 partner on how we address specific issues. So, it's one thing for Lookout 642 00:52:09,680 --> 00:52:17,040 uh not to be providing resources to people who aren't living at the site and 643 00:52:14,079 --> 00:52:20,640 to encourage people with a handout or information to be able to go seek 644 00:52:18,559 --> 00:52:24,640 services elsewhere, but really about partners coming together in community. 645 00:52:22,400 --> 00:52:28,720 We've seen that work where outreaches together and different service providers 646 00:52:26,880 --> 00:52:33,599 and talking about the resources we collectively have in a community and how 647 00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:37,760 we can deploy or allocate those where the emerging need is. And so, that's 648 00:52:35,359 --> 00:52:41,760 what we've seen work as well. And I believe that the for the first few 649 00:52:39,520 --> 00:52:46,160 years that the village operated that is what was done. We were sort of a 650 00:52:43,760 --> 00:52:51,520 template for that in the region. Is that am I correct um Shane on that? That's 651 00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:55,040 that was something that we did but then funding started to shift and change 652 00:52:53,440 --> 00:52:59,520 around and now what we're asking what I'm hearing is that we're moving back to 653 00:52:57,280 --> 00:53:04,400 reimplementing that model in a in a more robust way with staff hours that you're 654 00:53:01,760 --> 00:53:08,640 talking about to go towards that. So it is something that we did do as as part 655 00:53:06,960 --> 00:53:12,960 of the beginning of this for a number of years. So am I hearing that correctly? 656 00:53:11,280 --> 00:53:17,520 » Absolutely. Mayor Staples, you are hearing that correctly. We would love to 657 00:53:15,200 --> 00:53:22,640 um bring it back to that. You will remember that the table had applied um 658 00:53:20,319 --> 00:53:27,040 um for peer funding um through other other means. Um and so we had some 659 00:53:24,960 --> 00:53:31,920 one-off grants that were that were augmenting peer service for a long time 660 00:53:29,520 --> 00:53:35,119 and certainly we've missed that. Um um the other thing I think that's so 661 00:53:33,359 --> 00:53:38,800 important to note is as there are different approaches to uh the 662 00:53:36,880 --> 00:53:43,440 homelessness within the region and that people are are are kind of um uh 663 00:53:41,599 --> 00:53:48,880 disrupted in maybe how they would have camped rough before or stayed on on 664 00:53:45,839 --> 00:53:52,960 couch and land. Um folks folks are they're figuring out a 665 00:53:51,280 --> 00:53:57,440 new pattern. Uh, and it's really important that we um uh continue to work 666 00:53:55,200 --> 00:54:03,200 alongside our tenants and residents who feel somewhat sometimes a little guilty 667 00:53:59,599 --> 00:54:07,440 for for having um um a pod uh and and and and living within the village when 668 00:54:05,359 --> 00:54:12,800 some of their friends are still very rough on the streets. Uh and so they um 669 00:54:10,400 --> 00:54:16,480 um will sometimes um you know try to support their friends on the streets by 670 00:54:15,040 --> 00:54:21,040 bringing them you know some of the sandwiches from the site. Um um and and 671 00:54:19,200 --> 00:54:25,520 we have to educate and and make sure that they understand that if you do this 672 00:54:23,040 --> 00:54:29,599 more will come uh and the impact on the community is hard and and it's um um you 673 00:54:28,079 --> 00:54:35,200 know people don't always put their refuge in in the buckets and and and 674 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:39,280 that kind of thing. And so um you know reminding the tenants and educating the 675 00:54:37,200 --> 00:54:43,280 tenants and letting them know here here are the decisions we'd like you guys to 676 00:54:41,040 --> 00:54:49,680 make and here's why. Um it does take a while sometimes to change some of those 677 00:54:45,520 --> 00:54:53,520 some of those behaviors. Sure. Can I just say something to that? I I 678 00:54:52,160 --> 00:54:58,880 think too that that's one of the things with the village that we have managed to 679 00:54:55,359 --> 00:55:03,200 do as a community as well uh is to recognize that you know there is going 680 00:55:01,359 --> 00:55:06,800 there are times where we have to relook at things and we have to reimagine 681 00:55:04,720 --> 00:55:10,720 things and we have to the ch everything is changing around us and it sounds like 682 00:55:09,040 --> 00:55:16,400 we're you know back on that road again and and so um I I believe that when we 683 00:55:14,800 --> 00:55:22,160 do presentations about this one of the things that we talk about all the time 684 00:55:18,480 --> 00:55:26,960 is the the ability to you know to not do things well and but address those needs 685 00:55:25,040 --> 00:55:31,040 and address those changes so that we know everything isn't always going to 686 00:55:28,559 --> 00:55:33,839 run smoothly. As you know, Shane has pointed out the community has changed. 687 00:55:32,480 --> 00:55:39,119 We've seen that. I've seen that everywhere. And so, uh, but it it is 688 00:55:37,520 --> 00:55:41,920 important for us to pick that up and, you know, make sure that we're 689 00:55:40,160 --> 00:55:46,960 addressing that. And that is what I'm hearing uh being spoken today and being 690 00:55:45,200 --> 00:55:50,640 shared today. And I for one am, you know, really grateful to hear that 691 00:55:48,640 --> 00:55:56,480 because it is, as we've said throughout this whole process to to all of you at 692 00:55:53,040 --> 00:56:01,920 BC Housing, um to the to the province, that's such a core component of making 693 00:55:58,400 --> 00:56:05,280 this successful. And so I just wanted to add that while we were on topic and I'm 694 00:56:03,599 --> 00:56:08,640 going to pass it back to um councelor Caps. 695 00:56:06,880 --> 00:56:11,359 » Absolutely. Thank you so much. So just looking at the amendment that's been 696 00:56:09,839 --> 00:56:14,559 proposed here, just I'll just read it out. It just says that the site operator 697 00:56:13,119 --> 00:56:17,839 must conduct neighborhood security checks within a 60 meter radius of the 698 00:56:16,319 --> 00:56:21,040 land with the nature and frequency of the security checks to be determined in 699 00:56:19,520 --> 00:56:24,480 consultation with the city's bylaw compliance department and approved by 700 00:56:22,480 --> 00:56:28,240 the city's chief administrative officer. And I'm not sure if perhaps this is a a 701 00:56:26,240 --> 00:56:31,119 question for Miss McMilliam or Mr. But just does it sound as though based 702 00:56:29,760 --> 00:56:34,559 on the discussion that we've just been having about um some of the possible 703 00:56:33,119 --> 00:56:38,640 ideas or the ways that that could look. Does it sound as though 704 00:56:36,880 --> 00:56:43,040 it doesn't sound to me as though this amendment would prohibit these 705 00:56:41,599 --> 00:56:46,960 discussions? It sound actually like we're quite on a similar page in terms 706 00:56:45,040 --> 00:56:49,280 of what we're looking for. Um does it sound as though those types of 707 00:56:48,079 --> 00:56:53,839 discussions and things that are being had would be that's what we're trying to 708 00:56:52,160 --> 00:56:57,960 be able to have with with having this amendment if that makes sense? 709 00:57:01,200 --> 00:57:07,760 Thank you through Mayor Staples to councelor Caps. We had a similar 710 00:57:05,680 --> 00:57:12,079 discussion at a staff level about what exactly the um the language around 711 00:57:10,160 --> 00:57:18,480 perimeter checks that was included in the letter of commitment meant. And our 712 00:57:14,400 --> 00:57:22,079 our concern is that um exactly as you raised, our hope was that the there 713 00:57:20,480 --> 00:57:26,400 would be a commitment made to ensuring that the congregation that has from time 714 00:57:24,160 --> 00:57:30,319 to time occurred adjacent to the site would be addressed even if it was just 715 00:57:28,319 --> 00:57:36,160 past the perimeter of the of the location. So the 60 meters would bring 716 00:57:33,280 --> 00:57:40,319 us around the site where we have been from time to time encountering some 717 00:57:37,920 --> 00:57:46,400 issues and the hope there is that a conversation could occur and people 718 00:57:42,880 --> 00:57:49,839 could be encouraged to to relocate and if that's not successful of course 719 00:57:47,920 --> 00:57:55,520 there's a willingness and an interest in providing support and hoping to see the 720 00:57:52,640 --> 00:57:59,359 site continue to succeed. So, um, yeah, I think what has been included as an 721 00:57:58,079 --> 00:58:05,119 amendment to the temporary use permit aligns well with what's being discussed 722 00:58:01,040 --> 00:58:08,799 around a peer patrol um or arrangement and whether that's specific only to this 723 00:58:07,599 --> 00:58:13,920 site or whether that's something that could be carried out for all of the the 724 00:58:12,400 --> 00:58:17,920 support sites that are in the community that would that would also align. I 725 00:58:15,599 --> 00:58:22,559 think >> have another question another followup 726 00:58:20,480 --> 00:58:25,520 » sort of line. So, thank you but but go ahead council caps. Um, thank you so 727 00:58:24,480 --> 00:58:30,880 much through the chair to Miss McWilliam. So, yeah, in my mind, this 728 00:58:27,680 --> 00:58:34,960 this amendment uh is not overly prescriptive. I think that what it is 729 00:58:32,720 --> 00:58:38,880 asking for is very reasonable and and not misaligned with the discussion we've 730 00:58:36,640 --> 00:58:43,920 been having tonight. Um, and I think I I really do I really want to support this 731 00:58:41,200 --> 00:58:47,839 um this renewal, this this application. I really want to support it. Um, and I 732 00:58:46,160 --> 00:58:53,680 think supporting it as amendment as as amended here, the staff recommendation 733 00:58:50,000 --> 00:58:56,000 allows uh staff and BC housing and the operator and everyone to work together 734 00:58:54,880 --> 00:58:59,520 to come up with something that's going to work well for the residents of the 735 00:58:57,520 --> 00:59:03,760 village, the the neighborhood, and uh the broader community and all the 736 00:59:00,880 --> 00:59:06,079 organization. So, I yeah, I plan to uh vote in favor of this, but I'll let 737 00:59:04,960 --> 00:59:09,880 everyone else speak before I start moving things over here. 738 00:59:10,720 --> 00:59:14,520 Uh, councelor Duncan. 739 00:59:15,119 --> 00:59:20,359 We'll go to councelor Newington was first I believe. 740 00:59:20,400 --> 00:59:29,920 » I just have a question about um when you're going to be move um putting in 741 00:59:25,920 --> 00:59:33,920 new pods. So you're doing it on like four or five pods at a time. Is that 742 00:59:31,760 --> 00:59:39,119 what you're doing? Okay. I just didn't want to have all those people without 743 00:59:36,880 --> 00:59:42,319 their home. We're definitely going to be taking 744 00:59:40,480 --> 00:59:45,839 advantage of some of the tenanting to White Road to be able to create a little 745 00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:51,040 bit of vacancy and then move through the pods as we Yeah, absolutely. We don't 746 00:59:48,160 --> 00:59:56,559 want to accomplish that that either. >> Thank you, Council McKinley. 747 00:59:54,799 --> 01:00:01,440 » Regarding the fencing and the security and the lightings, so if you're putting 748 00:59:59,440 --> 01:00:06,400 in a new fence, is it going to be a gated community now or is it going to be 749 01:00:04,400 --> 01:00:11,680 open? because you said you're moving the office forward to closer to the street 750 01:00:09,119 --> 01:00:18,000 side. So I just question that way and the security would be cameras on all 751 01:00:14,640 --> 01:00:21,599 corners. Correct. >> Uh thank you for the question. So we are 752 01:00:19,920 --> 01:00:25,520 still working through with the operator to make sure that what we're proposing 753 01:00:23,440 --> 01:00:29,359 doesn't limit the ongoing operations of the site. So that is one of the 754 01:00:26,880 --> 01:00:33,599 questions around the gate um having it open for staff vehicles to come in etc. 755 01:00:31,599 --> 01:00:37,359 So we are still working on that. We're currently um sourcing for another 756 01:00:35,280 --> 01:00:41,599 project a gate that has the ability to roll. Uh so certainly um going to have 757 01:00:39,920 --> 01:00:44,480 that conversation with Lookout and the placement of the cameras is going to be 758 01:00:42,960 --> 01:00:48,720 based on where we move the pods in the amenity space. So absolutely the point 759 01:00:46,960 --> 01:00:53,440 of putting in cameras would be able to have maximum visibility as well as 760 01:00:50,480 --> 01:00:57,680 lighting. So we're also going to um I think move the position of the fence. I 761 01:00:55,760 --> 01:01:02,559 think there was a request to to move it slightly. So we have the opportunity to 762 01:00:59,520 --> 01:01:05,760 do that. that was brought up by uh by uh city of Duncan staff and I believe 763 01:01:04,079 --> 01:01:09,040 Lookout also supports the movement of the fence. So there's going to be a 764 01:01:07,119 --> 01:01:12,720 couple of tweaks in that sense too and plus some of the fencing interior to try 765 01:01:11,359 --> 01:01:16,240 to create a little bit of a sense of community sort of separate the groups of 766 01:01:14,640 --> 01:01:19,680 pods together. So lots of different combination of things um that we're 767 01:01:18,240 --> 01:01:24,319 happy to continue to work with your staff on as we establish them. 768 01:01:22,640 --> 01:01:30,640 » Excellent. Thank you. Is there any other questions? No. Councelor Duncan, 769 01:01:27,359 --> 01:01:34,559 » thank you your worship. Um, so if I understand correctly and I heard you 770 01:01:32,160 --> 01:01:40,799 correctly, there is some money for an FTE that would work with the peers. Is 771 01:01:38,000 --> 01:01:45,119 that correct? >> BC Housing and Lookout are having a 772 01:01:42,559 --> 01:01:49,920 conversation about what additional FTE hours can be added to the site to be 773 01:01:47,520 --> 01:01:55,280 able to provide that support. >> Yeah. 774 01:01:50,559 --> 01:02:00,079 » Okay. And uh um one more. So what is the process? Because right next door to the 775 01:01:57,599 --> 01:02:05,680 village was the old youth center and when I drive by I usually see three or 776 01:02:02,960 --> 01:02:10,880 four people laying on the ground uh doing drugs. uh what is your your 777 01:02:08,559 --> 01:02:14,960 procedure if when you go if you happen to run go out at the time do you tell 778 01:02:12,960 --> 01:02:19,119 them move on or do you say we're going to phone the police or we're going to 779 01:02:16,319 --> 01:02:25,520 phone the bylaws or you know uh the other thing I was wondering is is there 780 01:02:20,960 --> 01:02:30,000 some way for um lookout to assume what I I think you get permission from a 781 01:02:27,040 --> 01:02:35,200 property owner to move people along we similar to what we did at the ENN 782 01:02:33,119 --> 01:02:38,319 so is there some way that you guys could say you know work with the property 783 01:02:36,880 --> 01:02:44,640 owner that's complaining that people are out there all the time to get 784 01:02:41,119 --> 01:02:49,839 enforcement faster >> through the chair. So, Lookout's being 785 01:02:47,680 --> 01:02:55,440 contracted by BC Housing to operate the village. And so in terms of moving 786 01:02:52,319 --> 01:02:58,720 people along who are sheltering or gathering in front of a private business 787 01:02:57,119 --> 01:03:02,480 or another building, that's not what we're contracting Lookout to do. But we 788 01:03:01,119 --> 01:03:06,720 are interested in having a community conversation together with service 789 01:03:04,319 --> 01:03:11,040 providers about what we can do together to provide support. I just I just want 790 01:03:08,880 --> 01:03:15,760 to respectfully manage expectations for what Lookout will be able to do and 791 01:03:13,119 --> 01:03:19,200 where we need to put some um boundaries in terms of the expectation that they'll 792 01:03:17,599 --> 01:03:24,240 be doing all the things related to homelessness in Duncan. Really, if we're 793 01:03:21,760 --> 01:03:27,760 seeing people who are gathering outside the area of the village where it's 794 01:03:25,920 --> 01:03:31,039 located because maybe they're trying to come and talk to their friends or they 795 01:03:29,680 --> 01:03:34,640 were here last time and their friend gave them their lunch. But it's really 796 01:03:32,960 --> 01:03:37,839 about lookout referring people to other resources that are available in 797 01:03:36,000 --> 01:03:42,880 community and just discouraging people from gathering in large groups. So I'm 798 01:03:40,640 --> 01:03:46,480 just Yeah, it would really be about that conversation with community and service 799 01:03:44,480 --> 01:03:49,680 providers and outreach partners on how we're looking after people who are 800 01:03:47,839 --> 01:03:51,839 actually living outside. >> Yeah, 801 01:03:51,440 --> 01:03:57,119 » thank you. >> Yeah, if I may add to that. Um uh yes. 802 01:03:54,160 --> 01:04:01,280 So if they are tenant um uh uh councelor Tom if they're if they're if they're 803 01:03:58,880 --> 01:04:04,640 tenants of the village uh and we can identify that they're tenants of the 804 01:04:02,720 --> 01:04:08,160 village then it gets into a larger educational piece a conversation. Hey 805 01:04:06,799 --> 01:04:12,079 listen how do you think the neighbors feel about that? How do you think the um 806 01:04:10,240 --> 01:04:16,319 you know the the the businesses next to us um uh you know do do you think that 807 01:04:14,079 --> 01:04:20,880 that's a good positive kind of community element? Um and and and you know we 808 01:04:19,119 --> 01:04:25,119 these conversations sink in for the tenants and we've got you know lots of 809 01:04:22,880 --> 01:04:28,720 leverage and lots of ability to educate and help people that are living at the 810 01:04:27,359 --> 01:04:33,359 site. That's you know and that's our focus and that's exactly what BC Housing 811 01:04:30,799 --> 01:04:38,559 wants us to be doing. Um you know we've had conversations with with the the the 812 01:04:36,079 --> 01:04:42,240 um neighbor directly beside us. Uh one of the big reasons why people were 813 01:04:40,079 --> 01:04:46,400 congregating was the shade of the trees um and and people wanting to be around 814 01:04:44,000 --> 01:04:50,480 those trees. Um, and we had talked about, you know, expanding the fence to 815 01:04:48,160 --> 01:04:55,440 go around those trees. Um, and and that that neighborhood didn't want that to 816 01:04:52,000 --> 01:05:00,720 happen. Um, um, you know, we've tried to be a bit more proactive. There seems to 817 01:04:57,520 --> 01:05:07,760 be some hesitancy there to um, uh, look at, you know, a larger uh, uh, solution 818 01:05:04,559 --> 01:05:11,680 to some of those ongoing issues. Um um but you know what I think we normally 819 01:05:09,520 --> 01:05:15,359 see through our through our through our checks uh through our perimeter checks 820 01:05:13,680 --> 01:05:19,200 are people that that that we're not familiar with or that we have some 821 01:05:17,039 --> 01:05:23,760 rapport with. Uh and our approach would look like this. Hey, how you doing 822 01:05:20,640 --> 01:05:27,119 today? Um yeah, you know, this is private property. Uh you know, you're 823 01:05:25,440 --> 01:05:31,119 not supposed to be here. Um you know, can you pack it up and you know, can you 824 01:05:28,799 --> 01:05:34,960 head head on down to um you know, uh warmland? You know, the local shelter is 825 01:05:33,200 --> 01:05:39,280 just down this way. Sometimes people don't know. So you want to give them uh 826 01:05:36,720 --> 01:05:44,079 resources. I think what what Jen's um what BC Housing is uh uh um suggesting 827 01:05:41,920 --> 01:05:48,079 is that we you know um um work with other providers and have you know some 828 01:05:46,319 --> 01:05:52,400 resources that we can hand to somebody to help them on their journey um to to 829 01:05:50,559 --> 01:05:56,640 wellness whatever that looks like but it can't be where you're currently at. Um 830 01:05:54,400 --> 01:06:00,720 and then that can be met with okay yeah no problem I'll be gone and they're gone 831 01:05:58,319 --> 01:06:05,280 in 2 minutes. or can be met with uh some hostility and some you know we don't 832 01:06:02,960 --> 01:06:09,760 have to listen to you and you know some harsh words in which which case our 833 01:06:07,520 --> 01:06:14,960 staff would typically back off and make a phone call to um um um you know our 834 01:06:12,640 --> 01:06:19,599 our our policing partners if it was folks in danger um you know maybe uh 835 01:06:17,520 --> 01:06:23,760 ambulance if somebody was overdosing and and you know we had given an oxen and 836 01:06:21,599 --> 01:06:29,280 they're up again um you know because he did say that they were using drugs um uh 837 01:06:26,079 --> 01:06:34,480 or maybe bylaws um if you know that they're uh um if if they have capability 838 01:06:32,000 --> 01:06:39,039 to help us in that moment. So um there'd be you know we go run through the list 839 01:06:36,880 --> 01:06:43,200 of of folks that maybe be able to help but um uh uh you know and that's met 840 01:06:41,280 --> 01:06:47,119 with you know some success and sometimes it takes a while for you know our our 841 01:06:45,359 --> 01:06:51,280 policing partners are busy on other things and so not they don't always get 842 01:06:49,440 --> 01:06:56,000 there. So you might see those same people hanging there a half an hour or 843 01:06:53,440 --> 01:07:00,039 45 minutes later. Um, and that's usually around a local capacity. 844 01:07:00,640 --> 01:07:08,079 » Yes, I am definitely supportive. I just see this as let's nip this in the bud, 845 01:07:05,440 --> 01:07:11,799 as they say, before it gets to be uh Lewis Street issue. 846 01:07:12,559 --> 01:07:15,559 » Uh, 847 01:07:15,839 --> 01:07:23,359 Stacy, I just lost my mind. 848 01:07:19,359 --> 01:07:29,520 » Thanks. Um, yeah, I appreciate, uh, everything that's being presented. Um, 849 01:07:26,400 --> 01:07:35,680 and I'm kind of in a unique position, um, having worked front lines for many 850 01:07:32,160 --> 01:07:43,680 years. Um, and you know, I often think back to when I first started out in the 851 01:07:37,599 --> 01:07:47,520 in my work and um, you know, you're like a heart, you know, advocating for your 852 01:07:45,920 --> 01:07:53,119 clients are homeless and you want the, you know, and all those things and I see 853 01:07:49,520 --> 01:07:58,960 it every day in my work. um where I think staff just sometimes 854 01:07:57,039 --> 01:08:03,520 either they're they just don't have the training or it's not leadership doesn't 855 01:08:01,119 --> 01:08:11,119 bring that forward where like they don't understand their whole focus is on their 856 01:08:07,119 --> 01:08:15,119 clients and um they don't always understand 857 01:08:12,640 --> 01:08:20,880 the whole concept of like making sure that the neighborhood 858 01:08:17,839 --> 01:08:25,920 is happy in order to have this site. and how that helps people that live there. 859 01:08:22,400 --> 01:08:28,960 And so I think sometimes there's um sometimes 860 01:08:27,679 --> 01:08:33,120 I know there's a lot of that conversation also with the clients that 861 01:08:30,560 --> 01:08:36,480 live at the village and um you know a lot of them take ownership for for that 862 01:08:35,040 --> 01:08:40,960 place and I know we used to always hear stories about them helping out neighbors 863 01:08:38,719 --> 01:08:46,319 and taking you know lots of things great stories have come out of there. Um, 864 01:08:42,799 --> 01:08:50,000 yeah. I think just on top of and I get that you're you're going to come up 865 01:08:48,640 --> 01:08:53,759 against people that don't want to move and all those things, but I think 866 01:08:51,120 --> 01:09:01,920 sometimes it just comes down to if the staff have a really good understanding 867 01:08:56,960 --> 01:09:06,560 at all the le levels of staff around um, you know, what kind of what we're asking 868 01:09:03,520 --> 01:09:10,719 for and what why it's important because you don't you don't unless you're in 869 01:09:08,719 --> 01:09:13,920 this work or in your you know, land work, you don't always know those 870 01:09:11,679 --> 01:09:18,319 pieces. and you're just like hardcore wanting to help your clients and and so 871 01:09:15,679 --> 01:09:23,440 that piece gets forgotten or they don't know about it. So it's always like oh by 872 01:09:21,359 --> 01:09:28,640 the city or RCMP like they're the bad guys but really they're just like a we 873 01:09:26,880 --> 01:09:32,480 have a kind of a difficult seat too where we're trying to we want to support 874 01:09:30,640 --> 01:09:36,799 this because we know it's doing a great thing for the people that are living 875 01:09:34,319 --> 01:09:41,679 there and at the same time we're also responsibility responsible to the rest 876 01:09:38,880 --> 01:09:44,239 of the community and so we have to in some kind of balance. Of course, we 877 01:09:43,040 --> 01:09:47,120 can't say there's never going to be anyone outside the gate waiting for 878 01:09:45,759 --> 01:09:51,199 somebody or whatever, right? It's going to happen time to time, but it's just 879 01:09:49,520 --> 01:09:56,800 overall, I think if the staff have a better understanding 880 01:09:53,040 --> 01:10:03,719 of those pieces and like why that's important. Um, then I think that that 881 01:10:00,080 --> 01:10:03,719 would go a long way. 882 01:10:04,080 --> 01:10:15,040 » Thank you. Anyone else? No. Okay. 883 01:10:10,239 --> 01:10:18,800 Thank you uh everyone for um for your presentation. Is there anything else 884 01:10:16,480 --> 01:10:24,080 that any of the presenters would like to say at this point in time? 885 01:10:21,440 --> 01:10:27,920 No. Okay. And so now if there's anyone here who believes that their interest 886 01:10:25,440 --> 01:10:31,840 may be affected, um this is the opportunity for you to come up to the 887 01:10:29,600 --> 01:10:37,560 microphone. Do I have to do it three times? 888 01:10:34,560 --> 01:10:37,560 Three. 889 01:10:46,640 --> 01:10:51,199 There's different procedures for different things. So, I just wanted to 890 01:10:49,360 --> 01:10:54,960 make sure. Okay. So, I'm not seeing anyone else um come up to the 891 01:10:52,719 --> 01:11:00,239 microphone. And I just would like to just make a comment about this before I 892 01:10:57,520 --> 01:11:05,440 read out this very lengthy motion. Um, but 893 01:11:02,640 --> 01:11:09,360 I know that the people that are here recognize the the value of the village 894 01:11:07,679 --> 01:11:16,320 and what it brings to the people who are there and also to our community and how 895 01:11:12,560 --> 01:11:20,320 it's changed. And I also really want to um thank you all for all of the work 896 01:11:18,159 --> 01:11:23,840 that you've done and for all of the hurdles that you've all overcome through 897 01:11:21,920 --> 01:11:29,120 this process. We've had some pretty intense conversations over the last how 898 01:11:26,800 --> 01:11:33,520 many years has it been now? Five years. uh at multiple times in multiple stages 899 01:11:31,280 --> 01:11:38,400 of this. Some of them have not gone well. Um but I believe that they've all 900 01:11:36,640 --> 01:11:43,679 they've but we've gotten through all of those and this has not been easy. It's 901 01:11:41,760 --> 01:11:48,880 breaking ground on something that's different and and and I really just want 902 01:11:47,199 --> 01:11:52,320 to thank everyone for going through that because it's not easy. These 903 01:11:50,080 --> 01:11:58,560 conversations are not easy to our staff as well. you. Our staff has done an 904 01:11:54,960 --> 01:12:06,320 incredible job um at addressing this and going above and beyond uh to to ensure 905 01:12:02,800 --> 01:12:10,080 you know to ensure that we're we're even though things can be struggle sometimes 906 01:12:08,400 --> 01:12:14,080 that we're trying to figure out a way to to have solutions instead of just saying 907 01:12:12,400 --> 01:12:18,000 you know what forget it we're not doing this. There's so many times along the 908 01:12:15,679 --> 01:12:23,920 line that that could have happened and we persevered and people figured out 909 01:12:21,280 --> 01:12:29,199 ways of having different conversations and figured out ways of different ways 910 01:12:25,920 --> 01:12:33,920 of advocating and um and our council has brought multiple motions to UBCM around 911 01:12:31,280 --> 01:12:40,560 this and I've been very proud to be a spokesperson on behalf of this all 912 01:12:35,600 --> 01:12:44,320 across the country and uh and and it's those and and one of the things that I 913 01:12:42,480 --> 01:12:48,080 always go back to is that this is not something that is simple. It is has to 914 01:12:46,000 --> 01:12:52,239 be, you know, there there's always going to be things that we have to overcome 915 01:12:49,440 --> 01:12:55,920 and deal with. And it's how we do that. And we don't always do that, you know, 916 01:12:54,320 --> 01:13:00,800 we do that to the best of our ability at the time, but we definitely um continue 917 01:12:59,120 --> 01:13:08,080 to move forward with this. And so I'm just grateful for everyone and to our 918 01:13:03,679 --> 01:13:12,080 council who continues as well um to and to our community members that support 919 01:13:09,600 --> 01:13:16,239 this. Right. But council, you've been huge advocates and leaders in this and 920 01:13:14,080 --> 01:13:19,840 and that people talk to me about that all the time too when I'm presenting in 921 01:13:17,840 --> 01:13:24,480 different communities because it is not easy in these seats to make decisions 922 01:13:21,520 --> 01:13:29,760 that are super unpopular sometimes and come at a real cost in lots of in lots 923 01:13:27,600 --> 01:13:36,560 of different ways in our lives. But I'm just proud of us for car carrying on 924 01:13:31,679 --> 01:13:41,760 this path and um and continuing to to be willing to stand in this. And so just 925 01:13:39,120 --> 01:13:46,239 thanks to everyone for everything we've done up to this point. 926 01:13:44,159 --> 01:13:51,040 And now I will read out this very long motion. Actually, it's not that long. 927 01:13:48,640 --> 01:13:54,040 I'm being dramatic. It's been a long week. 928 01:13:54,320 --> 01:14:03,360 I know. I think this is my 17th day in a row. So 929 01:13:59,360 --> 01:14:08,480 it's uh always just one one uh run-on week for me lately. So that council 930 01:14:05,600 --> 01:14:14,320 amend temporary use permit number TUP 2026 for 610 trunk road by adding the 931 01:14:11,600 --> 01:14:17,520 following condition. Uh 10. The site operator must conduct neighborhood 932 01:14:15,679 --> 01:14:22,000 security checks within 60 meter radius of land with the nature and frequency of 933 01:14:19,840 --> 01:14:25,040 the security checks to be determined in consultation with the city's bylaw 934 01:14:23,520 --> 01:14:29,760 compliance department and approved by the city's chief administrative officer. 935 01:14:27,199 --> 01:14:34,239 And that trunk that no and that council issue temporary use permit number TUP 936 01:14:32,400 --> 01:14:38,239 2026014610 Trunk Road as amended to facilitate the 937 01:14:36,400 --> 01:14:42,400 temporary accommodation of up to 40 unsheltered people in up to 40 modular 938 01:14:40,800 --> 01:14:48,960 sleeping units for a three-year term beginning December 31st, 2026 and ending 939 01:14:45,360 --> 01:14:52,880 December 31st, 2029. Do I have a mover and a second for this motion? Is there 940 01:14:50,880 --> 01:14:57,280 any further discussion on this motion? Seeing no hands, all those in favor? 941 01:14:55,280 --> 01:15:01,360 Anyone opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you all again so much 942 01:15:00,080 --> 01:15:05,840 for all the work that you do in our community and all the work you've done 943 01:15:03,040 --> 01:15:12,600 um on this. We'll just give everyone a moment 944 01:15:08,239 --> 01:15:12,600 before we carry on to our agenda. 945 01:15:16,800 --> 01:15:24,159 Thanks Shane. Oh, he's gone. That was too fast. Okay, so Miss Crosman for the 946 01:15:21,920 --> 01:15:31,120 annual report. Thank you, Mayor Staples. So you have in 947 01:15:27,120 --> 01:15:35,840 front of you the 2025 annual report. All the departments at the city have a hand 948 01:15:33,440 --> 01:15:41,520 in creating this report for the previous year. It's legislated by the community 949 01:15:38,560 --> 01:15:48,960 charter that it be received by council before June 30th of each year. And um we 950 01:15:46,880 --> 01:15:58,360 can go through it page by page if you'd like. I'm just 951 01:15:52,960 --> 01:15:58,360 kidding. There's 138 pages. 952 01:15:59,040 --> 01:16:05,040 » Happy to take any questions if there are any. 953 01:16:03,360 --> 01:16:09,159 » Thank you. Are there any questions for Miss Crossman about the report? 954 01:16:09,199 --> 01:16:14,800 There's no request for her to read out every page. No. You have a question now? 955 01:16:14,480 --> 01:16:17,679 » Yeah. >> Okay. Go. 956 01:16:15,600 --> 01:16:24,199 » Didn't we win an award for this report or did we want we won an award for your 957 01:16:20,080 --> 01:16:24,199 financial work this year, right? 958 01:16:24,719 --> 01:16:33,520 Guys, we have won awards for the previous 14 years in a row. We haven't 959 01:16:31,280 --> 01:16:39,640 won an award for this one yet because it hasn't been submitted, but I'm confident 960 01:16:36,080 --> 01:16:39,640 that we will. 961 01:16:41,920 --> 01:16:48,000 Oh, sorry. It's over to me, isn't it? That was it. All right. I was expecting 962 01:16:46,239 --> 01:16:52,560 more than that. Okay. Okay. The council received the 2025 annual report is 963 01:16:50,000 --> 01:16:56,880 attached uh from the director of finance. 964 01:16:54,080 --> 01:17:00,640 All those in favor? Motion carries. And statement of financial information. That 965 01:16:58,640 --> 01:17:05,520 must be you again, Miss Craftman. >> Yes. Thank you, Mayor Staples. So, this 966 01:17:02,960 --> 01:17:09,520 again is a legislative requirement that the city prepares a statement of 967 01:17:07,440 --> 01:17:15,040 financial information uh must be completed by June the 30th. 968 01:17:12,320 --> 01:17:20,800 So this um records a schedule of debts of which we 969 01:17:17,440 --> 01:17:24,880 have none. Schedule of remuneration and expenses for elected officials and for 970 01:17:23,360 --> 01:17:31,040 employees. A schedule of severance agreements and 971 01:17:28,000 --> 01:17:37,760 suppliers of goods and services of which we've paid over $25,000. 972 01:17:34,400 --> 01:17:44,520 And then the approval and the financial statements. So, this is just on for uh 973 01:17:40,880 --> 01:17:44,520 approval by council. 974 01:17:46,239 --> 01:17:54,400 Any questions for Miss Crossman? I see no hands. So, the council approved 975 01:17:52,640 --> 01:17:58,800 the 2025 statement of financial information as attached to the June 976 01:17:56,080 --> 01:18:03,440 22nd, 2026 report by the director of finance. Move in a second. All those in 977 01:18:01,199 --> 01:18:07,679 favor? Motion carries. And we'll move now to the December field booking fee 978 01:18:05,920 --> 01:18:13,120 reduction for the Couch and Valley Football Association. 979 01:18:09,760 --> 01:18:17,719 And that one is over to Miss Mc William. Miss Crossman, you're off the hook for a 980 01:18:14,719 --> 01:18:17,719 moment. 981 01:18:19,440 --> 01:18:26,159 Thank you, Mayor Staples. We have received a request from the Cavan Valley 982 01:18:23,360 --> 01:18:32,560 Football Association for a reduction on their invoice from December of last 983 01:18:28,719 --> 01:18:36,719 year. Um there was a a mistake made around the field booking and they did 984 01:18:34,080 --> 01:18:42,400 inadvertently did not cancel cancel their December field usage times. Uh 985 01:18:40,080 --> 01:18:48,719 they fully recognized that the process was just there was a learning curve 986 01:18:44,800 --> 01:18:53,199 involved and they just needed um they were unfortunately did not communicate 987 01:18:51,120 --> 01:18:56,880 with us on on their end around the cancellation. 988 01:18:54,800 --> 01:19:00,960 Um, we given that it was December, it it is 989 01:18:59,280 --> 01:19:04,800 very unlikely that there were other user groups that were intending to use it, we 990 01:19:02,719 --> 01:19:08,000 didn't leave the field lights on. Um, they've 991 01:19:06,400 --> 01:19:12,800 made sure that they've made a commitment to following the process going forward. 992 01:19:10,000 --> 01:19:16,719 So, over to you for consideration. All right. Are there any questions about 993 01:19:14,159 --> 01:19:20,560 this one? So, the council reduced the Couch and Valley Football Association's 994 01:19:18,400 --> 01:19:25,920 December 2025 field booking fees from $1,1949 995 01:19:22,640 --> 01:19:30,000 to $989. Recognizing that the booked field time was not used. Is there a 996 01:19:27,760 --> 01:19:35,199 mover and a seconder? Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion carries. 997 01:19:32,640 --> 01:19:41,600 Strategic plan actions. And that is over to Mr. Dvertai. 998 01:19:39,120 --> 01:19:45,840 Thank you, Mayor Stipples. Um, so a bit of an update. I won't go through the 999 01:19:43,360 --> 01:19:51,040 entire uh entirety of the update report, but uh just for for reminder that the 1000 01:19:48,800 --> 01:19:56,159 items or the actions that are complete have been listed in black. items that 1001 01:19:53,360 --> 01:20:01,600 are on track or or largely now complete are less than in green and actions that 1002 01:19:58,960 --> 01:20:05,679 are somewhat behind uh are on the scheduleled as uh as orange. So maybe 1003 01:20:04,239 --> 01:20:10,080 I'll just highlight a couple of there's actually been a number of uh items over 1004 01:20:08,159 --> 01:20:13,520 the last uh 6 to 12 months that have progressed quite quite significantly. 1005 01:20:11,679 --> 01:20:17,440 Not the least of which uh more recently is the initiation of the boundary 1006 01:20:15,760 --> 01:20:22,480 realignment study that's been on council strap plan for well over 10 years now. 1007 01:20:20,000 --> 01:20:26,880 Uh some good progress on the heritage program now approved. The Canada Avenue 1008 01:20:25,280 --> 01:20:33,440 complete streets project is now well underway. The Cornation uh Queens bike 1009 01:20:30,159 --> 01:20:39,199 lanes are are now um largely complete and we made some good good progress very 1010 01:20:36,400 --> 01:20:43,280 recently on the items such as the Transcatter Highway landscaping plan. 1011 01:20:41,280 --> 01:20:46,560 Unfortunately, that won't be in a position to construct those until those 1012 01:20:45,120 --> 01:20:51,040 improvements until the fall, but it's just definitely um moving moving along 1013 01:20:49,040 --> 01:20:55,280 in and some good progress in a lot of projects in the last um in the last 1014 01:20:53,280 --> 01:20:57,760 while. So, happy to answer any questions. 1015 01:20:56,560 --> 01:21:02,000 » All right. Are there any questions for Mr. Dvertai at this time? I don't see 1016 01:21:00,400 --> 01:21:07,440 any hands up. You're getting off easy tonight. The council received the June 1017 01:21:04,880 --> 01:21:13,120 uh 2020 Why do I keep saying that? the June 22nd, 2026 strategic plan action 1018 01:21:11,440 --> 01:21:18,080 status update report for information only. Mover and a second. All those in 1019 01:21:16,480 --> 01:21:21,920 favor, everyone put their hands up all at once. All right. Thank you very much. 1020 01:21:20,080 --> 01:21:27,280 And now back to you, Miss Crossman, for the climate action report for 2025. 1021 01:21:25,520 --> 01:21:33,600 Thank you, Mayor Staples. As you can see, I've been doing a lot of reporting 1022 01:21:29,040 --> 01:21:39,600 work for the previous year. This most uh recent report is concerning the city's 1023 01:21:36,560 --> 01:21:45,920 emissions and the commitment to being carbon neutral. And so I've um listed 1024 01:21:43,199 --> 01:21:50,800 out here the emissions that we've done from our direct services as well as the 1025 01:21:48,320 --> 01:21:56,480 emissions from contractors that we've hired to do infrastructure projects in 1026 01:21:53,040 --> 01:22:02,880 the city and calculated that we would need to purchase 300 offsets in order to 1027 01:21:59,600 --> 01:22:09,840 be carbon neutral. slightly higher than some previous years. Couple reasons for 1028 01:22:05,760 --> 01:22:15,120 that. Um the the first one is that the province has changed the calculation of 1029 01:22:12,960 --> 01:22:21,120 how much emissions uh the use of hydro is worth. Um I don't 1030 01:22:18,960 --> 01:22:28,159 know a lot about how they calculated but it has somewhat to do with um water use 1031 01:22:24,960 --> 01:22:34,400 and the needing to get hydro from outside of the country. Um so this is a 1032 01:22:31,360 --> 01:22:39,840 a year that they've calculated that hydro is worth more emissions. So that 1033 01:22:37,040 --> 01:22:46,400 has brought our totals what would have been under the old calculations we would 1034 01:22:42,239 --> 01:22:52,239 have had 156 emissions we this year we have 193 and that's mostly because of 1035 01:22:49,120 --> 01:22:57,840 that change. Uh and then we our contracted services have also increased 1036 01:22:54,560 --> 01:23:03,760 and that's just attributable to the uh capital projects that we did last year. 1037 01:23:00,480 --> 01:23:09,360 We had some big ones. Um so we're looking for direction from council to 1038 01:23:06,320 --> 01:23:17,360 purchase 300 carbon credits at an approximate cost of 9,450. 1039 01:23:13,520 --> 01:23:25,920 and staff are again recommending the um Great Bear car forest carbon project as 1040 01:23:20,800 --> 01:23:30,880 the project that is closest to home. >> All right. Is there any questions? 1041 01:23:28,560 --> 01:23:38,159 Councelor Newington, go ahead. >> Um I do have one question. So the people 1042 01:23:33,440 --> 01:23:44,719 that we have contracted with the city um do is there some sort of restriction for 1043 01:23:41,120 --> 01:23:50,719 how much do they buy carbon credits as well or do we have that in in our policy 1044 01:23:48,159 --> 01:23:55,199 of hiring somebody? Uh, no, we don't have that in our 1045 01:23:52,400 --> 01:24:01,440 policy, but we just we have in our um when we hire them, we state that they 1046 01:23:58,400 --> 01:24:05,920 will need to submit to us a calculation of how many liters of fuel they used, 1047 01:24:03,600 --> 01:24:13,920 both diesel and gas, while doing the project. And then the city then counts 1048 01:24:09,679 --> 01:24:19,880 those as our emissions. But we don't um state that they have to be carbon 1049 01:24:16,480 --> 01:24:19,880 neutral themselves. 1050 01:24:21,280 --> 01:24:29,840 Fantastic. No other hands. So, the council received report climate action 1051 01:24:25,920 --> 01:24:33,440 plan report 2025 dated June 22nd, 2026 for information only and the council 1052 01:24:31,760 --> 01:24:37,440 direct staff to purchase 300 carbon credits at an approximate total cost of 1053 01:24:35,679 --> 01:24:42,080 9,450 to be funded from local government 1054 01:24:38,880 --> 01:24:46,639 climate action program reserve. Mover and a seconder. Any more discussion? All 1055 01:24:44,480 --> 01:24:51,520 those in favor? Motion carries. Thank you very much for that. and we're going 1056 01:24:48,880 --> 01:24:56,480 to move on to new business. Um, so we have the elect respect pledge. I'm not 1057 01:24:54,480 --> 01:25:01,040 sure if everyone's had a chance to read that, but at the uh annual Vancouver 1058 01:24:59,679 --> 01:25:06,239 Island and Coastal Communities Conference, they had a table there. Um, 1059 01:25:03,679 --> 01:25:13,760 it was the Mayor Wells that brought uh brought the group there and essentially 1060 01:25:10,239 --> 01:25:18,239 as abuse is uh at a bit of an all-time high for elected officials. And actually 1061 01:25:15,760 --> 01:25:21,120 at the recent um conference that councelor Duncan and councelor Capsner 1062 01:25:19,679 --> 01:25:26,400 were at for the federal municipalities conference, there was a number of 1063 01:25:22,800 --> 01:25:31,440 sessions on um how challenging that is getting across Canada 1064 01:25:28,719 --> 01:25:38,000 and harassment and abuse are undermining uh they're undermining conversation uh 1065 01:25:34,480 --> 01:25:44,080 and also democracy. Okay. And so we have a resolution around electrospect 1066 01:25:40,960 --> 01:25:50,960 to try to start to shift the discourse back to you know we can we can we need 1067 01:25:48,080 --> 01:25:58,000 to do this work in different ways and uh we need to do it in respectful ways. And 1068 01:25:53,920 --> 01:26:01,600 so the resolution I'll read out uh is whereas democracy is healthy when 1069 01:26:00,000 --> 01:26:05,120 everyone is able to participate fully and safely and contribute to the 1070 01:26:03,040 --> 01:26:08,800 well-being of their community and whereas we are witnessing the 1071 01:26:06,400 --> 01:26:12,239 dissolution of democratic democratic discourse and respectful debate across 1072 01:26:10,800 --> 01:26:17,760 all levels of governments and in neighboring jurisdictions and whereas 1073 01:26:14,320 --> 01:26:21,120 Ontario's mun municipally elected officials are dealing with so this would 1074 01:26:19,280 --> 01:26:25,360 be British columbombians I guess in this case elected officials are dealing with 1075 01:26:23,360 --> 01:26:28,960 uh increasingly hostile, unsafe work environments and facing threats and 1076 01:26:26,719 --> 01:26:33,840 harassment. And whereas social media platforms have exacerbated disrespectful 1077 01:26:31,840 --> 01:26:38,400 dialogue, negative commentary, and toxic engagement, which de disincentivizes 1078 01:26:36,639 --> 01:26:41,920 individuals, especially women and candidates from diverse backgrounds, 1079 01:26:39,760 --> 01:26:46,239 from running for office. And whereas better decisions are made when democracy 1080 01:26:43,679 --> 01:26:50,960 is respectful and constructive and the voices of diverse genders, identities, 1081 01:26:48,239 --> 01:26:54,800 ethnicities, races, sexual orientation, ages, and abilities are heard and 1082 01:26:53,040 --> 01:27:00,000 represented around municipal council tables. And whereas the Association of 1083 01:26:58,800 --> 01:27:02,159 Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities, is that the one that we 1084 01:27:01,040 --> 01:27:08,880 would be doing it under or would it be UBCM? 1085 01:27:04,560 --> 01:27:11,880 We're not. Okay. AVIC. Okay. um 1086 01:27:12,560 --> 01:27:18,159 sorry uh has identified concerning trends with fewer people voting in local 1087 01:27:16,719 --> 01:27:23,199 elections and running for municipal office and whereas in 2024 female 1088 01:27:21,120 --> 01:27:27,440 elected representatives from across Hamilton formed a group called her um 1089 01:27:25,920 --> 01:27:31,360 it's a Hton elected representatives which pledged to speak out against 1090 01:27:28,960 --> 01:27:34,320 harassment and negatively negativity in politics and called on elected officials 1091 01:27:32,880 --> 01:27:38,560 to uphold the highest standards of conduct and whereas her has launched a 1092 01:27:36,880 --> 01:27:41,840 campaign called elect respect act to promote the importance of healthy 1093 01:27:39,920 --> 01:27:45,280 democracy and safe, inclusive, respectful work environments for all 1094 01:27:43,360 --> 01:27:48,880 elected officials that encourages individuals to participate in the 1095 01:27:46,639 --> 01:27:53,199 political process. And whereas on June 5th, 2025, the Canadian Association of 1096 01:27:51,440 --> 01:27:58,560 Feminist Parliamentarians launched a nonpartisan par parliamentary civility 1097 01:27:55,600 --> 01:28:02,080 pledge to encourage all parliamentarians to commit to end workplace harassment 1098 01:28:00,400 --> 01:28:06,960 and increase civility on Parliament Hill, modeled after the pledge developed 1099 01:28:04,080 --> 01:28:10,159 in Halton by representatives of her. Now therefore be it resolved that the city 1100 01:28:08,639 --> 01:28:13,760 of Duncan Council supports the elect respect pledge and commits to treat 1101 01:28:11,760 --> 01:28:18,159 others with respect in all spaces public, private, and online. Reject and 1102 01:28:16,400 --> 01:28:22,639 call out harassment, abuse, and personal attacks. Focus on debate. Focus debate 1103 01:28:20,800 --> 01:28:27,360 on ideas and policies, not personal attacks. Help build supportive culture 1104 01:28:25,760 --> 01:28:31,600 where people of all backgrounds feel safe to run and hold office. call on 1105 01:28:29,760 --> 01:28:36,080 relevant authorities to ensure the protection of elected officials who face 1106 01:28:33,360 --> 01:28:39,760 abuse or threats and model integrity and respect by holding one another to the 1107 01:28:37,520 --> 01:28:43,040 highest standards of conduct. And that the city of Duncan Council calls on 1108 01:28:41,360 --> 01:28:46,800 elected officials, organizations, and committee members to support the 1109 01:28:44,560 --> 01:28:52,080 Electres Respect campaign and sign the online pledge at www.electrespect.ca 1110 01:28:50,239 --> 01:28:56,159 CA and that this resolution, a copy of this 1111 01:28:54,000 --> 01:29:01,840 resolution be sent to the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities, 1112 01:28:59,199 --> 01:29:05,800 uh, the Federation of, uh, BC or sorry, the Federation of Canadian 1113 01:29:02,800 --> 01:29:05,800 Municipalities. 1114 01:29:05,920 --> 01:29:16,960 Do I keep reading this? No. Okay, leave it at that. Okay, sorry, I'm reading the 1115 01:29:11,840 --> 01:29:23,040 their from their page. Uh so that is the resolution uh that uh if we sign on the 1116 01:29:21,199 --> 01:29:28,719 elect respect pledge that council will be adopting this evening. So is there 1117 01:29:25,840 --> 01:29:33,120 any discussion or comment about this? Councelor Newington and then councelor 1118 01:29:30,239 --> 01:29:39,679 caps and then councelor Dun. Yeah, I attended one of the um 1119 01:29:36,239 --> 01:29:47,600 well, I guess they were seminars at um FCM last year and um I was actually 1120 01:29:44,560 --> 01:29:53,280 appalled at the number of incidents across Canada of particularly female 1121 01:29:50,880 --> 01:29:59,840 elected officials that have been harassed and threatened and bullied. It 1122 01:29:57,440 --> 01:30:05,199 is just it's outstanding um how badly it is. So, I'm 100% behind 1123 01:30:03,280 --> 01:30:09,199 this. Absolutely. >> Thank you, Council Caps. 1124 01:30:07,760 --> 01:30:13,760 » Thank you. Yeah, it was really great to meet um Mayor Maryanne Me Ward from 1125 01:30:12,000 --> 01:30:18,239 Burlington who was sort of championing spokesperson of this that uh that the 1126 01:30:15,520 --> 01:30:21,760 mayor of Courtney brought to AVIC um and to talk to her about some of the 1127 01:30:19,440 --> 01:30:25,600 experiences that led to this the creation of this. And I'm so pleased 1128 01:30:23,520 --> 01:30:29,600 that it's starting to be adopted like I know I know Courtney has adopted it and 1129 01:30:28,000 --> 01:30:36,560 uh other communities are are beginning to as well. Um, at the FCM convention 1130 01:30:34,719 --> 01:30:41,840 recently, I went to a session not specifically on social media, but on the 1131 01:30:38,719 --> 01:30:47,600 ways that local government can be inaccessible uh, for women and a lot of 1132 01:30:45,360 --> 01:30:50,239 it came back to there there are lots of different things, right? It was really 1133 01:30:48,800 --> 01:30:54,480 an interesting session actually. But the parts of it that were relevant to this 1134 01:30:51,840 --> 01:30:58,000 were just the the vast number of elected women in the room speaking about the the 1135 01:30:56,639 --> 01:31:01,600 amount of harassment, the severity of the harassment that they've received 1136 01:30:59,600 --> 01:31:04,639 since being elected or that has prevented people they know from running 1137 01:31:02,960 --> 01:31:09,040 for office. I know that locally we've seen some really heinous instances of 1138 01:31:06,800 --> 01:31:12,400 this uh somewhat recently with members of our regional district, female members 1139 01:31:10,560 --> 01:31:16,960 of our regional district being absolutely bullied, harassed, um people 1140 01:31:15,040 --> 01:31:20,560 using really horrific threatening language and and slurs towards them 1141 01:31:18,639 --> 01:31:26,320 online primarily. And so I think it's really important that communities sign 1142 01:31:23,440 --> 01:31:30,320 on to pledges like this and stand up and take a stance and say that that's 1143 01:31:28,000 --> 01:31:34,000 completely unacceptable and uh and pledge to conduct ourselves in a 1144 01:31:32,480 --> 01:31:37,440 respectful manner and and call out people who aren't. So yeah, totally 1145 01:31:35,600 --> 01:31:41,600 support >> council Duncan. 1146 01:31:39,440 --> 01:31:49,360 Uh thank you, Madame Mayor. So more a process and procedure. um you know the a 1147 01:31:45,600 --> 01:31:53,840 lot of the whereases referred to Ontario will that be all corrected or you know 1148 01:31:51,920 --> 01:31:58,960 because I in the the therefore be resolved is fine. Uh but my pre my 1149 01:31:56,960 --> 01:32:01,920 question is process and procedure we just read out a bunch of stuff that 1150 01:32:00,320 --> 01:32:05,440 relates to Ontario. >> Yeah. Thank you uh councelor Duncan 1151 01:32:03,920 --> 01:32:09,199 through Mayor Staples. The electrespect.ca 1152 01:32:07,120 --> 01:32:13,840 website doesn't allow us to adapt the pledge. So it's more about signing on. 1153 01:32:11,440 --> 01:32:17,840 Unfortunately, the wording doesn't isn't entirely universal, but it the the 1154 01:32:16,159 --> 01:32:24,280 sentiment is there and so they're looking for signitories to the pledge as 1155 01:32:19,920 --> 01:32:24,280 it exists on their website. 1156 01:32:25,679 --> 01:32:33,760 Uh yeah and uh I think that you know as as over the years we've been going to 1157 01:32:32,400 --> 01:32:38,960 more every I don't think there is a conference for the last five or six 1158 01:32:35,520 --> 01:32:43,520 years that does not have increasingly um large sessions on and growing sessions 1159 01:32:41,600 --> 01:32:48,960 on this type of challenge that people are facing and it's also staff it's 1160 01:32:45,600 --> 01:32:53,040 directed at female staff often um and other staff members as well but uh 1161 01:32:51,120 --> 01:32:57,280 predominantly what what came up was around female staff members and in other 1162 01:32:54,960 --> 01:33:02,560 jurisdictions and I know in ours um both female and male um 1163 01:33:00,400 --> 01:33:07,520 in some of the uh references that councilor caps is making recently and it 1164 01:33:05,679 --> 01:33:11,199 is a it's it's a challenge people should not have to feel unsafe you know when 1165 01:33:09,679 --> 01:33:17,040 they go to work and they should not have to be uh subject to uh to the abuse that 1166 01:33:14,639 --> 01:33:21,520 is that is coming in it's you know it's if people don't like a decision that is 1167 01:33:19,840 --> 01:33:26,480 made or a decision that's on the table there are respectful ways to have that 1168 01:33:23,040 --> 01:33:30,880 discussion full stop. And so just to bring awareness to this is really 1169 01:33:28,480 --> 01:33:36,480 important. And it's getting into election season which is making it a lot 1170 01:33:33,760 --> 01:33:44,800 uh more aggressive and a lot worse. And we, you know, I know so many people who 1171 01:33:39,840 --> 01:33:48,400 uh would love to join into, you know, considering running in different 1172 01:33:46,080 --> 01:33:53,280 different areas. It just simply refuse to now because of how bad it is and 1173 01:33:50,480 --> 01:33:59,840 because of fear around that. And so, yeah, this is important for us to make a 1174 01:33:55,120 --> 01:34:05,360 standard and uh and it just is not there's so many better ways that we can 1175 01:34:02,320 --> 01:34:12,159 we can uh agree to have differences and work through 1176 01:34:07,760 --> 01:34:20,159 um to get to a better outcome. So on that note, uh all those in favor, 1177 01:34:17,040 --> 01:34:24,320 thank you very much and thank you for bringing for uh bringing this to us as 1178 01:34:22,400 --> 01:34:27,280 well. I know that we some of us what after we went to ABSC brought this 1179 01:34:26,000 --> 01:34:32,159 forward and thank you staff for following it up and and uh bringing it 1180 01:34:29,360 --> 01:34:36,080 here, Miss McMillian. Much appreciated. And so the next is that council 1181 01:34:33,760 --> 01:34:39,600 proclaimed September 2026 as childhood cancer awareness month in the city of 1182 01:34:37,600 --> 01:34:45,120 Duncan. Do I have a mover and a seconder for that? All those in favor? Motion 1183 01:34:42,400 --> 01:34:49,840 carries. Thank you. And we'll move into our uh late edition, the Joint Utilities 1184 01:34:47,920 --> 01:34:53,840 Board Sewage Treatment Plant Outfall Relocation Project Update and Union of 1185 01:34:51,920 --> 01:34:59,760 British Columbia Municipalities Funding Risk. I will pass the floor to Miss 1186 01:34:56,480 --> 01:35:08,080 McWilliam before I consider reading out this lengthy motion. Um over to you. 1187 01:35:06,159 --> 01:35:13,360 » And thank you, Mayor Staples. There was recently a joint utilities board meeting 1188 01:35:10,320 --> 01:35:17,679 that took place on June 1st. Uh at the meeting was called to consider a letter 1189 01:35:15,679 --> 01:35:21,600 that has been received from the union of BC municipalities. 1190 01:35:19,520 --> 01:35:28,880 They have previously made a commitment to funding $6 million towards the sewage 1191 01:35:25,600 --> 01:35:36,080 outfall relocation project. However, the timeline and increasing costs of this 1192 01:35:31,440 --> 01:35:41,360 project have uh caused them to ask that the project be rescoped. So, 1193 01:35:39,199 --> 01:35:46,960 they ask the joint utilities board to consider narrowing the scope of the 1194 01:35:43,679 --> 01:35:52,880 project within 60 days and provide an update to UBCM otherwise risk losing 1195 01:35:50,400 --> 01:35:58,639 that funding. Now through the course of the discussion at the at the job the 1196 01:35:57,199 --> 01:36:03,520 conversation took place around the potential of uh allocating that funding 1197 01:36:00,880 --> 01:36:08,800 towards a a pump station or a portion of the project. However, unfortunately the 1198 01:36:06,000 --> 01:36:14,000 cost shortfall is so great at this time that it it did not the joint utility 1199 01:36:11,360 --> 01:36:18,880 board did not deem that to be feasible. So you have before you a recommendation 1200 01:36:15,840 --> 01:36:26,000 coming from the board at that meeting uh suggesting that they advise UBCM that 1201 01:36:22,480 --> 01:36:30,480 the project will not be rescoped uh and that staff be directed to 1202 01:36:28,159 --> 01:36:35,440 continue to work to secure the balance of the funding hopefully from the new 1203 01:36:32,159 --> 01:36:40,000 building Canada fund and to seek funding through the new building oh sorry the 1204 01:36:37,840 --> 01:36:44,080 build community strong fund or any other applicable fund for the construction of 1205 01:36:41,520 --> 01:36:48,960 the project. And finally, draft a letter to the province of BC and Canada for 1206 01:36:47,119 --> 01:36:52,080 jointly to come from the mayor of North Kawich and the mayor of the city of 1207 01:36:50,159 --> 01:36:56,159 Duncan, the board chair of the cowin valley regional district and the chief 1208 01:36:53,760 --> 01:36:59,679 of cow and tribes to provide an update around the project funding requesting 1209 01:36:58,080 --> 01:37:05,360 support for funding to complete the design and construction of this project 1210 01:37:02,639 --> 01:37:11,920 to include some following points that should they be able to retain the new 1211 01:37:07,920 --> 01:37:15,040 build Canada fund, the project we will complete the acquisition of 1212 01:37:13,360 --> 01:37:18,880 approvals and design with the intent of requesting additional funding for the 1213 01:37:16,719 --> 01:37:26,800 construction of the project. But if unable to uh retain the NBCF funding, 1214 01:37:23,440 --> 01:37:32,040 then this the Joe utility board which is administered by North Kawin will stop 1215 01:37:28,719 --> 01:37:32,040 design process. 1216 01:37:34,159 --> 01:37:37,159 Questions? 1217 01:37:37,679 --> 01:37:46,719 » No questions. Oh, councelor Duncan. So would this be like number four? 1218 01:37:45,040 --> 01:37:50,639 » It's all four. So it's a bit of a long-winded one. It essentially saying 1219 01:37:48,560 --> 01:37:57,440 that it and it's >> not going to be achievable to to make 1220 01:37:53,679 --> 01:38:02,320 the timeline that UBCM is requiring of the joint utility board to be able to 1221 01:37:59,199 --> 01:38:06,000 rescope the project and that in order to continue to proceed with the design 1222 01:38:04,159 --> 01:38:11,040 work, it would require some additional funding through the new build Canada 1223 01:38:08,080 --> 01:38:16,960 fund. So, I just think that this is just too 1224 01:38:14,320 --> 01:38:22,080 much money. Uh, I'd have to say it's time to shelf this project. Is there 1225 01:38:19,199 --> 01:38:29,360 some way that we can continue to investigate any alternatives? Uh, you 1226 01:38:26,080 --> 01:38:34,159 know, as as the future comes down rather than this route that goes all the 1227 01:38:31,119 --> 01:38:39,440 way out to the middle of Coway. >> Um, thank you. Um, to councelor Duncan's 1228 01:38:38,159 --> 01:38:44,880 question. Maybe a few different things within the 1229 01:38:42,080 --> 01:38:50,239 the report here is that that so item one is just addressing that that aspect of 1230 01:38:48,400 --> 01:38:53,520 sort of abandoning that that $6 million because in order as as Paige mentioned 1231 01:38:51,920 --> 01:38:59,440 in order to get that you got to probably spend like 11 11 to 17 to secure that 1232 01:38:57,119 --> 01:39:03,840 one. So that's that's a pretty pretty costly ask and essentially the 1233 01:39:01,440 --> 01:39:07,920 discussion of the GB was to really hold off and ask for greater grant funds to 1234 01:39:06,320 --> 01:39:12,000 be able to do the whole thing as opposed to a portion of it that without the 1235 01:39:10,320 --> 01:39:17,679 outfall doesn't doesn't really do too much. Um the next one uh item two there 1236 01:39:15,360 --> 01:39:21,840 is around so there is six million there was two grants that were received or or 1237 01:39:20,080 --> 01:39:25,440 approved one was the six million through UBCM and then the other was 6 million 1238 01:39:23,600 --> 01:39:29,600 through this new build candidate fund they're just wanting conf confirmation 1239 01:39:27,600 --> 01:39:32,880 that they continue to use that just from the design perspective just use the six 1240 01:39:31,600 --> 01:39:36,719 million for design only and just get that as done as we can and then the 1241 01:39:34,880 --> 01:39:41,199 items three and four are really around and if and then continue to to try to 1242 01:39:39,920 --> 01:39:45,679 get other grants whether that's through this build community strong fund or just 1243 01:39:43,840 --> 01:39:50,320 directly in in uh approaching the province directly as to to find it from 1244 01:39:48,080 --> 01:39:54,320 whatever program they want to they want to come up come up with. um to the 1245 01:39:52,480 --> 01:39:58,400 question around can we just do something else that came out there was quite a bit 1246 01:39:55,760 --> 01:40:06,880 of discussion at the at the GB uh around that um and essentially there there's so 1247 01:40:02,560 --> 01:40:11,360 much volume in the in the winter months that it has to go somewhere like there 1248 01:40:09,280 --> 01:40:16,800 isn't you know any other use of it requires some sort of of marine outfall 1249 01:40:15,520 --> 01:40:19,360 currently it's into the river and then gets to the marine outfall there isn't 1250 01:40:18,159 --> 01:40:23,520 there's just too much volume through the winter months for it to be say for 1251 01:40:20,719 --> 01:40:26,719 example taken on farmers fields or or reused in any fashion. So there was a 1252 01:40:25,360 --> 01:40:30,719 bit of discussion as well around, oh well, could we reuse it? You know, some 1253 01:40:28,239 --> 01:40:34,320 places like in in Palm Desert, Palm Springs, they actually recycle their 1254 01:40:32,560 --> 01:40:37,600 water. Well, in order to do that, you're spending millions and millions of 1255 01:40:35,920 --> 01:40:42,080 dollars of creating the a purple pipe system where you're piping it back into 1256 01:40:39,199 --> 01:40:46,480 community. So also not maybe a great project, but also extremely expensive. 1257 01:40:44,320 --> 01:40:51,600 And in order to do that, you're probably talking treatment plants or or an extens 1258 01:40:49,520 --> 01:40:57,119 not just the distribution pipe but the actual treatment. And then none of those 1259 01:40:53,600 --> 01:41:00,719 as as Mr. Reeds often rec brings up during these discussions is none of 1260 01:40:58,560 --> 01:41:03,840 those addresses that sort of there's this um contaminants of emerging 1261 01:41:02,719 --> 01:41:08,800 concern. So whether that's pharmaceuticals or whatnot that enter 1262 01:41:05,679 --> 01:41:12,239 into the enter into our waist stream even the most advanced treatment plant 1263 01:41:10,400 --> 01:41:16,639 you can't foresee what might come next as as a something you may not be able to 1264 01:41:15,040 --> 01:41:21,040 treat. So you may may take it to a certain level. So that's why ultimately 1265 01:41:18,639 --> 01:41:27,280 the best location for it to go is when it's possible is into a unfortunately 1266 01:41:24,400 --> 01:41:31,360 into a very expensive marine outfall. So there was quite a bit of discussion and 1267 01:41:28,960 --> 01:41:34,960 um ultimately the JB did did recommend that that that we move forward in this 1268 01:41:32,960 --> 01:41:38,880 fashion because the project costs have ballooned 1269 01:41:36,880 --> 01:41:43,520 from what were originally in the 20,000 20 million range to 96 million now is 1270 01:41:42,159 --> 01:41:48,560 kind of where we're current and that and that's not even the most current. So it 1271 01:41:45,679 --> 01:41:52,719 could be even higher at this push any so that's a a big challenge. 1272 01:41:50,239 --> 01:41:54,880 » So 20 million to 96 million in how many years? 1273 01:41:53,440 --> 01:42:00,360 » Oh it's been a number of years we've been at it. I'd have to look 1274 01:41:56,159 --> 01:42:00,360 specifically to 1275 01:42:03,520 --> 01:42:09,920 Yeah, I'd have to I'd have to email that. I'd be um pick a pick a year 1276 01:42:07,520 --> 01:42:14,159 that's but it's it's been I mean essentially since almost since my entire 1277 01:42:12,480 --> 01:42:17,760 time we've been talking about moving the outfall uh from the river in the 1278 01:42:16,320 --> 01:42:22,239 conversations with couch and tribes and in the current lease agreement and so 1279 01:42:19,280 --> 01:42:27,600 we've been certainly making as is listed in the lease best efforts to do so but 1280 01:42:25,280 --> 01:42:31,760 the uh consult consultation process in order to have a marine outfall with a 1281 01:42:29,520 --> 01:42:36,719 number of first nations that are um interested in in in the marine outfall 1282 01:42:34,880 --> 01:42:40,600 was was pretty significant and it's it's still not complete entirely. 1283 01:42:41,679 --> 01:42:48,320 » Yes, council. >> So, does that affect our lease with the 1284 01:42:46,239 --> 01:42:54,960 couch and tribes as as you know using the river will if 1285 01:42:52,400 --> 01:43:01,600 we put a stop to this which obviously we have to um how does that affect moving 1286 01:42:59,040 --> 01:43:05,119 forward? >> Yeah, thanks for the question. the the 1287 01:43:03,360 --> 01:43:10,159 lease just talks about the city and North Couch and well the JB itself which 1288 01:43:07,600 --> 01:43:14,560 is an entity and of itself which uh we're all cauter in both CBRD and couch 1289 01:43:12,960 --> 01:43:18,880 and tribes all cost share in it but with the lease talks about making best 1290 01:43:16,239 --> 01:43:22,480 efforts and we're continue to do so we don't have enough funds to construct it 1291 01:43:20,639 --> 01:43:27,920 right now it's it's just that expensive of a project so um you know it would 1292 01:43:26,320 --> 01:43:30,880 depend on the discussions with couch and as to whether they feel like we're 1293 01:43:29,520 --> 01:43:34,520 making best efforts and discussions around that. So, 1294 01:43:34,880 --> 01:43:41,679 » any other questions, comments? Seeing none, I'm going to start to read this 1295 01:43:39,840 --> 01:43:45,119 out. The council directs staff to undertake the following in relation to 1296 01:43:43,440 --> 01:43:50,000 the joint utilities board sewage treatment plant outfall relocation 1297 01:43:47,600 --> 01:43:54,159 project. Advise the Union of British Columbia Municipalities that North Couch 1298 01:43:51,600 --> 01:44:00,639 and Duncan will not be rescoping the job SDP outfall relocation project in order 1299 01:43:56,800 --> 01:44:04,960 to retain the 6 million of UBCM funding. two, continue to work to secure the 1300 01:44:02,800 --> 01:44:10,320 balance of the new building Canada fund funding. If the NBCF funding is secured, 1301 01:44:08,239 --> 01:44:15,040 staff will complete the design. Or B, if the NBCF funding is not secured, staff 1302 01:44:13,360 --> 01:44:19,280 will come back to the job for recommended direction as to whether to 1303 01:44:16,880 --> 01:44:22,960 continue or not continue to the design. Three, seek new funding through the 1304 01:44:20,800 --> 01:44:27,520 build community strong fund or any other funding that may be applicable to fund 1305 01:44:24,960 --> 01:44:30,639 the construction of the project. A if staff are not successful in obtaining 1306 01:44:29,199 --> 01:44:34,719 additional funding for the construction of the project 1307 01:44:32,800 --> 01:44:38,560 then staff will come back to the JUB for recommendation direction related to the 1308 01:44:36,480 --> 01:44:43,520 construction phase of the project. Four, draft a letter to the province of BC and 1309 01:44:40,400 --> 01:44:46,480 Canada for from the mayor of North Couch and mayor of the city of Duncan, the 1310 01:44:44,880 --> 01:44:50,239 board chair of the Couch and Valley Regional District and the chief of couch 1311 01:44:48,000 --> 01:44:54,560 and tribes to send providing an update around the project funding and 1312 01:44:53,119 --> 01:44:57,679 requesting support for funding to complete the design and construction for 1313 01:44:56,080 --> 01:45:02,719 this project to include the following points. A, if we are able to retain the 1314 01:45:00,400 --> 01:45:06,719 NBCF funding, we will complete the acquisition of approvals and design with 1315 01:45:04,719 --> 01:45:11,440 the intent of requesting additional funding to construct the project. And B, 1316 01:45:08,960 --> 01:45:15,520 if we are unable to retain the NBCF funding, we will stop the design 1317 01:45:12,880 --> 01:45:21,840 process. Is there a mover and a seconder for that? Any further discussion? 1318 01:45:18,719 --> 01:45:26,639 I absolutely hate that we're here after all of these years and all of this time. 1319 01:45:24,880 --> 01:45:32,000 I mean, I can't even imagine how many thousands of hours has been spent on 1320 01:45:29,280 --> 01:45:36,960 this. Um, yeah, and all of the other repercussions 1321 01:45:33,840 --> 01:45:43,280 of it. So, it is with great duress that I call the motion on this. All those in 1322 01:45:40,000 --> 01:45:48,159 favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you very much. And we'll move down 1323 01:45:46,480 --> 01:45:51,679 to reports. Are there any council members who wish to make a report this 1324 01:45:49,760 --> 01:45:58,239 evening? Councelor Caps. Anyone else? Councelor Duncan. Going once, going 1325 01:45:54,080 --> 01:46:02,880 twice. Councelor Caps, over to you. >> Thank you. Um, it's been too long. We've 1326 01:46:00,880 --> 01:46:07,840 had a meeting since the FCM, so I won't go I won't speak to that, I don't think. 1327 01:46:05,040 --> 01:46:11,920 But, uh, the most one of the most exciting things recently was getting to 1328 01:46:09,440 --> 01:46:16,239 take part in the amazing race cowin um, with our team for the city, Mayor 1329 01:46:13,760 --> 01:46:19,840 Staples and Mr. Deverai, Miss McMilliam. And it was a really cool experience. 19 1330 01:46:18,080 --> 01:46:22,880 different challenges uh, and 14 different teams, different organizations 1331 01:46:21,280 --> 01:46:26,639 and businesses. and we got to go all over the valley and do some really cool 1332 01:46:24,880 --> 01:46:31,520 activities and I learned about even a couple of places that I didn't know 1333 01:46:28,159 --> 01:46:36,320 existed before. Um, and we learned that uh I'm really bad at hula hooping and 1334 01:46:33,679 --> 01:46:41,280 Mr. Dvertai is even worse. Uh, but we're all really good at bowling. So, that was 1335 01:46:38,800 --> 01:46:44,159 really fun. Uh, fantastic. Really cool. I'm really grateful to everyone that 1336 01:46:42,400 --> 01:46:48,320 helped organize that and uh it was really really awesome to participate in 1337 01:46:45,920 --> 01:46:51,520 that. Uh, interestingly enough, on a lot of the clues we were given, it said for 1338 01:46:49,920 --> 01:46:54,400 this one you're heading back to Duncan. Uh but not a single one of the 1339 01:46:52,800 --> 01:46:58,480 challenges was actually within Duncan's borders. So hopefully next year we see 1340 01:46:56,320 --> 01:47:03,119 some Duncan businesses and organizations um taking parts. It was super fun. And 1341 01:47:00,560 --> 01:47:07,199 then yesterday along with uh again Miss McWilliam and Councelor Duncan and I 1342 01:47:05,679 --> 01:47:12,320 believe councelor Newington was there as well uh attended the Couch and Pride 1343 01:47:09,440 --> 01:47:18,480 Society parade and festival and it was super fun, really nice, high energy day. 1344 01:47:15,520 --> 01:47:21,440 Um, lots of uh lots of again like really cool community organizations and 1345 01:47:20,080 --> 01:47:24,639 businesses were out supporting and individuals and families. And I thought 1346 01:47:22,719 --> 01:47:27,840 it was really sweet because it was also uh as well as being indigenous people's 1347 01:47:26,159 --> 01:47:31,600 day, it was also Father's Day. And I saw a couple of really sweet t-shirts of uh 1348 01:47:29,840 --> 01:47:34,639 of some dads that were there. Things like free dad hugs and and things like 1349 01:47:33,360 --> 01:47:37,199 that, which is really nice. So, a lot of people brought their brought their dads 1350 01:47:35,760 --> 01:47:42,320 to Pride, which I think is very sweet and wholesome. Uh, and it was yeah, a 1351 01:47:39,280 --> 01:47:47,920 really nice family event downtown. And what else? I think that's about it. 1352 01:47:46,320 --> 01:47:50,480 Yeah, that's it for me. Thank you. >> Thanks, Councelor Caps. Councelor 1353 01:47:49,199 --> 01:47:53,119 Duncan, >> thank you. Yeah, I missed the last 1354 01:47:51,840 --> 01:48:00,320 meeting, but just a couple of points from the FCM. I went on a tour uh out to 1355 01:47:57,199 --> 01:48:04,800 the suburbs. Uh definitely a lot of construction going on around Edmonton. 1356 01:48:02,800 --> 01:48:09,520 Uh but I don't know if it's affordable housing. Uh people talk about affordable 1357 01:48:07,600 --> 01:48:14,239 housing. These are town houses and condos that are starting at $500,000. 1358 01:48:12,159 --> 01:48:18,159 So, I don't know too many people starting out that unless they've got 1359 01:48:16,159 --> 01:48:21,119 some help or win the lottery, they're going to be able to get too much 1360 01:48:19,360 --> 01:48:26,480 affordable housing for that price. But also on that note, the new NDP leader 1361 01:48:23,840 --> 01:48:31,199 Avi Lewis spoke and he spoke about affordable housing. uh one of the things 1362 01:48:28,480 --> 01:48:34,400 he said is that you know we actually the government actually has to start 1363 01:48:32,639 --> 01:48:39,920 building the houses instead of giving the money to developers so that they can 1364 01:48:36,719 --> 01:48:44,800 build condos like the 4600 that are sitting empty in Vancouver. Uh it's time 1365 01:48:43,040 --> 01:48:49,760 to actually have the government assume the role as the landlord, the builder, 1366 01:48:47,920 --> 01:48:53,840 and take care of the tenants. That's the only way we're going to get out of this 1367 01:48:50,960 --> 01:48:59,360 mess as far as I'm concerned. Um, I also attended it was like I guess you would 1368 01:48:55,920 --> 01:49:07,520 call it military week for me or I I was at the uh 744 aircadet squadron annual 1369 01:49:04,480 --> 01:49:13,520 re review uh and I was also at the cadetses annual review and I was also at 1370 01:49:10,400 --> 01:49:18,159 the army cadetses uh standard review. But it was interesting 1371 01:49:15,600 --> 01:49:23,840 because I was a CC cadet back in like 1970 or 71 and I actually found out from 1372 01:49:22,000 --> 01:49:28,400 going to these that I was part of the Fraser unit at the time. So because I 1373 01:49:26,400 --> 01:49:32,560 remember that and it was nice to run into a lot of these young kids and talk 1374 01:49:30,000 --> 01:49:38,560 to them uh about the advantages of taking taking up the education that the 1375 01:49:36,159 --> 01:49:43,280 armed forces offered. You know uh in the past one of my uh my ex-in-law he took 1376 01:49:41,360 --> 01:49:48,800 that and you get four years of free education. you give them three or four 1377 01:49:45,520 --> 01:49:53,600 years back and you know away you go. So certainly something there was as usual 1378 01:49:50,639 --> 01:50:00,679 there was two or three uh outstanding cadetses uh that won a lot of the awards 1379 01:49:56,320 --> 01:50:00,679 but it was great 1380 01:50:01,040 --> 01:50:07,360 on the pride parade we had I counted the booths it was 30 booths here so it was 1381 01:50:05,520 --> 01:50:12,800 the equivalent of having another Saturday market but there was tons of 1382 01:50:09,280 --> 01:50:16,960 people in town so >> that is so great to hear. I was really 1383 01:50:14,800 --> 01:50:23,360 sad to miss the pride parade yesterday. I was at work on Salt Spring on and off 1384 01:50:19,840 --> 01:50:27,920 all week uh for my day job and we were doing um something for indigenous 1385 01:50:25,520 --> 01:50:35,920 people's day around understanding the impacts of um colonization in Canada. 1386 01:50:31,679 --> 01:50:38,639 And so uh we were I was doing that and I could not make it back in time but it 1387 01:50:37,440 --> 01:50:43,119 was great to see the pictures. Thanks for sharing them. 1388 01:50:40,639 --> 01:50:49,440 And uh and one thing when after we were at FCM, I I went uh and drove the 1389 01:50:47,360 --> 01:50:54,880 prairies, which I've never done before, and I went from Edmonton to Winnipeg. 1390 01:50:52,320 --> 01:51:01,040 And uh one of the things that really surprised me, there was a number of 1391 01:50:57,119 --> 01:51:07,679 things. One was though we we hear so much and kind of going back to our um 1392 01:51:03,440 --> 01:51:13,760 earlier motion or um about respect. We hear so much negative discourse 1393 01:51:11,119 --> 01:51:18,639 and so I sometimes think that you know the world out there is more negative 1394 01:51:15,600 --> 01:51:23,040 than it actually is. And so when I was driving into these really tiny little 1395 01:51:20,719 --> 01:51:28,320 places, like it's my first time going between Edmonton and and uh I've never 1396 01:51:26,400 --> 01:51:33,679 been to Saskatchewan before, never been to Manitoba before, and there's these 1397 01:51:30,800 --> 01:51:39,840 tiny little towns, like tiny tiny tiny little towns that I didn't even know a t 1398 01:51:35,440 --> 01:51:43,760 a town could be that small. Um and and going into those towns and there was not 1399 01:51:41,599 --> 01:51:52,320 one town that I went in where I did not see a pride flag or a pride banner or a 1400 01:51:47,040 --> 01:51:57,040 pride sign. Not one town. And I would not because of the social 1401 01:51:54,560 --> 01:52:02,159 discourse that I am exposed to. I would not have thought that. And I apologize 1402 01:52:00,400 --> 01:52:06,480 to all of those provinces for my ignorance on that. Um, but I would not 1403 01:52:05,040 --> 01:52:12,719 have believed that based on the things that I hear. And so I felt uh every time 1404 01:52:11,119 --> 01:52:17,119 I would see one, I took a whole bunch of pictures of them because I was just like 1405 01:52:14,400 --> 01:52:22,000 there's, you know, yeah, there's this comedian on SNL and I won't say exactly 1406 01:52:19,840 --> 01:52:26,480 what he says, but because I can't here, but one of the 1407 01:52:24,480 --> 01:52:31,199 things that he talked about uh recently was someone asked him how as a comedian 1408 01:52:28,960 --> 01:52:36,239 did he not have a lot of rage about the world? and he's American and he well 1409 01:52:34,080 --> 01:52:39,920 says so that's obvious I guess but he said I do he said but I'm a comedian so 1410 01:52:38,080 --> 01:52:47,360 I get to share it that's part of what I get to do and uh and then he he said but 1411 01:52:45,520 --> 01:52:50,719 actually he said when you when you go into some of those pockets you know the 1412 01:52:49,280 --> 01:52:55,440 internet does a lot of good things I'm not I use it all the time I use social 1413 01:52:53,520 --> 01:53:00,320 media all the time there's a lot of ways that it connects people it does a lot of 1414 01:52:57,760 --> 01:53:05,840 good for the world it also has a lot it also has some negative little little 1415 01:53:02,639 --> 01:53:09,040 dark holes you can go down. And and he said he said you he said when you go 1416 01:53:07,679 --> 01:53:12,400 down those dark holes, he said it's like you're in you got to imagine like you're 1417 01:53:10,320 --> 01:53:15,520 in an asylum. It's just like that it pulls you into this hatred and and the 1418 01:53:14,320 --> 01:53:20,000 worst possible things that could happen in the world. He said but when I go 1419 01:53:17,280 --> 01:53:23,599 travel across the states on tour, he said that are those are not the people 1420 01:53:21,599 --> 01:53:27,920 that come and talk to me on the street. Those are not the people that is not 1421 01:53:24,960 --> 01:53:31,679 what I hear when I'm out in the world. And it was sort of during this time that 1422 01:53:29,920 --> 01:53:36,159 I was doing this traveling that I'd heard that and I thought about that 1423 01:53:33,679 --> 01:53:43,599 because you know we hear we were in Edmonton for what like five or six days 1424 01:53:39,440 --> 01:53:48,639 and there was some you know there was a lot of pride about being Canadian in 1425 01:53:45,199 --> 01:53:53,360 Edmonton in Alberta. There's a lot of and and that's not again a lot of what 1426 01:53:50,400 --> 01:53:58,880 we get to hear in in social media and some of those dark holes and and as I 1427 01:53:57,599 --> 01:54:04,000 was sort of traveling through other parts of the prairies too like I the 1428 01:54:01,440 --> 01:54:08,480 same thing was just so apparent to me that people are really um there was kind 1429 01:54:06,719 --> 01:54:11,760 of like a doubling down almost on this pride of being Canadian which maybe 1430 01:54:10,400 --> 01:54:14,719 that's there all the time. I don't know because I haven't been there before but 1431 01:54:13,599 --> 01:54:18,960 it was definitely something that I heard along the way. But then also this, you 1432 01:54:17,119 --> 01:54:23,280 know, this openness that mult like places like Winnipeg are like incredibly 1433 01:54:21,760 --> 01:54:28,000 multicultural. I didn't know that living here. That's 1434 01:54:25,440 --> 01:54:32,239 not what I hear. Right. And so it was just it's good to travel in our own 1435 01:54:29,920 --> 01:54:37,280 country as much as we can, but also it's just a good reminder that, you know, 1436 01:54:34,400 --> 01:54:42,159 there's it's easy for us to get taken taken away down to these places that, 1437 01:54:40,080 --> 01:54:48,320 you know, are not real to everyone. And there's this whole other uh huge world 1438 01:54:45,119 --> 01:54:52,719 and amazing people. Uh, everyone was so friendly and accommodating and I ended 1439 01:54:51,040 --> 01:54:57,520 up having some of the most amazing experiences on that on that um that 1440 01:54:54,880 --> 01:55:04,159 little side road trip and people were kind and generous and excited to share. 1441 01:55:01,520 --> 01:55:08,639 Uh, I rented a car in Edmonton, but for some reason it had BC plates and I 1442 01:55:05,760 --> 01:55:13,520 didn't know that for the first like five days and and everyone kept talking to me 1443 01:55:11,840 --> 01:55:18,400 about being from BC and I was like, do I just look like I'm from BC? And then I 1444 01:55:15,760 --> 01:55:24,000 realized that I had a BC place on my car. uh and and there's all this history 1445 01:55:21,840 --> 01:55:26,800 in these spaces and and at the conference that we were at, one of the 1446 01:55:25,360 --> 01:55:33,440 things that they kept talking about was sense of place and and all these places 1447 01:55:30,480 --> 01:55:38,080 in that I saw are places that you know were really vibrant and alive a long 1448 01:55:35,760 --> 01:55:42,400 time ago and are undergoing massive change and Edmonton like every city you 1449 01:55:40,560 --> 01:55:47,679 go into it's just building and building and building and building and and so I 1450 01:55:45,679 --> 01:55:51,440 think in the next 10 years there's going to be such a difference of the way that 1451 01:55:49,440 --> 01:55:55,760 communities look in Canada because there's so much money going into new new 1452 01:55:54,080 --> 01:56:00,719 builds and changing the way that the cities are. And so I really appreciate 1453 01:55:58,560 --> 01:56:04,800 that I got to kind of go and sit in those places where, you know, that sense 1454 01:56:02,639 --> 01:56:09,840 of place is still connected to a few decades ago. And and you can see it 1455 01:56:08,000 --> 01:56:13,040 starting to, you know, change and new businesses and new people coming into 1456 01:56:11,520 --> 01:56:17,440 these communities. And I don't know what it'll look like. Um, but I'm happy that 1457 01:56:15,280 --> 01:56:20,639 I got to see what it did look like and as it's going through this transition 1458 01:56:18,719 --> 01:56:26,800 because I think that's important. It's important for me to remember and uh and 1459 01:56:23,840 --> 01:56:30,960 not to go down those those dark tunnels and not to let them into the rest of the 1460 01:56:29,199 --> 01:56:38,639 world either. So that was part of my little journey 1461 01:56:32,880 --> 01:56:43,040 down there. Um and I also at FCM again had some excellent speakers. Uh 1462 01:56:40,960 --> 01:56:47,599 Avi Lewis from the NDP and Elizabeth May from the Green Party fantastic speakers. 1463 01:56:45,040 --> 01:56:53,280 Uh Minister Gregor Robertson uh also spoke. He did a session on housing which 1464 01:56:50,159 --> 01:56:57,280 was great and the uh chair Sagal and I from the regional district got to have a 1465 01:56:55,040 --> 01:57:00,480 one-on-one for 45 minutes with um the minister about the housing needs in our 1466 01:56:58,880 --> 01:57:04,560 area. They're investing a lot of money into infrastructure here. So it was a 1467 01:57:02,560 --> 01:57:08,159 really productive meeting about the needs of our region, not just the city, 1468 01:57:06,320 --> 01:57:12,719 but you know homelessness is a regional issue. It's not just our issue. And so 1469 01:57:10,320 --> 01:57:16,320 it was good to have that um to have those connections and looking forward to 1470 01:57:14,639 --> 01:57:23,679 some follow-ups on that. And uh and then also you know 1471 01:57:21,599 --> 01:57:29,040 last week or just a few days ago I think there was um the premier no the prime 1472 01:57:27,599 --> 01:57:34,560 minister was here with the premier and minister Bole and they did the uh some 1473 01:57:32,159 --> 01:57:39,280 announcements on looking at doing something with condos around creating 1474 01:57:37,360 --> 01:57:44,960 some sort of more affordable housing. So I'm curious to see about what that uh 1475 01:57:41,440 --> 01:57:49,040 what that brings. And I was also got to meet with Minister Ma at the hospital. 1476 01:57:47,119 --> 01:57:51,840 um she came to do a a site tour of the hospital again and we didn't get to go 1477 01:57:50,400 --> 01:57:55,360 on the tour but we did get to visit afterwards and also um speak to her 1478 01:57:54,239 --> 01:57:59,679 about some of the infrastructure needs that we have. So lots of great sort of 1479 01:57:57,840 --> 01:58:03,679 you know those short meetings that you're not anticipating and and great to 1480 01:58:01,440 --> 01:58:09,440 have that long with um the Minister of Housing federally. And then today I got 1481 01:58:06,800 --> 01:58:18,639 a a message last night uh for an invite to uh go to um an event with uh with 1482 01:58:15,440 --> 01:58:23,280 Diana Fox Carney uh which was really wonderful and I got to speak to her. I 1483 01:58:22,000 --> 01:58:27,440 tried not to talk to her too much about the things that we have because she's 1484 01:58:24,719 --> 01:58:30,880 not the, you know, she's not the um prime minister, but but also just 1485 01:58:29,520 --> 01:58:34,480 curious about some of the, you know, some of her thoughts and really good to 1486 01:58:32,239 --> 01:58:39,280 hear about some of her thoughts about uh, you know, what is happening and and 1487 01:58:37,040 --> 01:58:43,119 what it's like from her perspective and where Canada is at from the things that 1488 01:58:40,960 --> 01:58:47,199 she sees. So, it was really just always good to have those take those 1489 01:58:44,320 --> 01:58:52,560 opportunities when we can to do that. And uh because we're, you know, when you 1490 01:58:50,080 --> 01:58:56,960 again just on reflecting on my travels, we're we're huge. We're this massive 1491 01:58:54,960 --> 01:59:01,119 country, but we're also this really small country. And so, I think that 1492 01:58:59,760 --> 01:59:04,639 those connections are really important because they connect all of us. And some 1493 01:59:03,119 --> 01:59:10,159 of the best times we had were the coasters, the Newfoundlanders and the 1494 01:59:06,960 --> 01:59:15,599 Vancouver Island uh coming together to really yeah celebrate and and uh have a 1495 01:59:13,440 --> 01:59:20,560 lot of good laughs together. So it was good good to make those those that time. 1496 01:59:18,639 --> 01:59:24,800 So much appreciated to everyone for that. And uh with that we'll go into 1497 01:59:23,199 --> 01:59:29,440 question period. I'm sure there's thousands of questions people have right 1498 01:59:26,320 --> 01:59:32,679 now for us after this meeting. So now's your opportunity. 1499 01:59:32,960 --> 01:59:38,480 I'm hearing nothing. So we'll go into close that the meeting be closed to the 1500 01:59:36,960 --> 01:59:41,679 public under the following sections of the community charter to discuss matters 1501 01:59:40,080 --> 01:59:46,960 related to personal information. Section 91A personal information about an 1502 01:59:44,639 --> 01:59:50,080 identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for position as an 1503 01:59:48,320 --> 01:59:55,119 officer, employee or agent of m of a municipality or another position 1504 01:59:52,080 --> 01:59:59,119 appointed by the municipality. Is there a movement or second to do 1505 01:59:56,639 --> 02:00:02,800 that? Any further discussion? All those in favor? We'll take five minutes and 1506 02:00:00,960 --> 02:00:08,760 then we will come back and we will carry on. And thanks for all of you for being 1507 02:00:05,199 --> 02:00:08,760 with us this evening.