July 4, 2023 - Minutes
|
General Purposes Committee
|
Date: |
Tuesday, July 4, 2023 |
|
Place: |
Council Chambers |
|
Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
|
|
Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. |
|
|
|
MINUTES |
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on June 19, 2023, be adopted as circulated. |
|
|
|
CARRIED |
|
|
|
DELEGATION |
|
|
1. |
Yannick Simovich, Board Chair, Tourism Richmond, and Nancy Small, CEO, Tourism Richmond, with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (Copy of File, City Clerk’s Office) provided an update on the tourism industry in Richmond, and Tourism Richmond’s plans and initiatives. The following was highlighted: |
|
|
|
|
§ |
as anticipated, the tourism industry rebounded following the COVID pandemic, with Richmond having an outstanding second half in 2022; |
|
|
|
§ |
Many of the challenges reported previously with supply chain, labour, inflation, air travel and more, are in a better place than a year ago; |
|
|
|
§ |
the Steveston Spot Prawn and Seafood Festival event, initiated in 2022, is a great example of the Richmond Tourism mandate to support the industry, restaurants and adding to the vibrancy of Steveston; |
|
|
|
§ |
the Richmond night market continues to be one of the most popular destinations April through October, which also saw one of the Amazing Race Canada challenges take place last year, resulting in national coverage and identifying Richmond as a tourist destination; and |
|
|
|
§ |
in addition to social media and other promotional initiatives, billboard advertising is underway targeting markets in Washington, Alberta, Ontario and the rest of BC. |
|
|
|
In response to queries from the Committee, the delegation noted: |
|
|
|
|
§ |
the life of the destination marketer has changed as a result of the data available through subscribed research, identifying the number of visitors to Richmond, where they are from, etc., providing opportunities for targeting advertising; and |
|
|
|
§ |
With respect to the vacancy/occupancy rate, this year has been fantastic, with Richmond outperforming Vancouver occupancy however, following statistics from the US, the tourism industry anticipates a minor recession within the next 6-8 months. |
|
|
|
CAO’S OFFICE |
|
|
2. |
2023 UBCM COMMUNITY EXCELLENCE AWARDS PROGRAM (File Ref. No. 01-0005-01) (REDMS No. 7244893) |
|
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
|
That the City of Richmond’s submissions to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Community Excellence Awards program be endorsed, including: |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Excellence in Governance: Flood Protection Public Engagement Campaign; |
|
|
|
(2) |
Excellence in Service Delivery: MyBusiness Online Business Licence System; and |
|
|
|
(3) |
Excellence in Asset Management: Ageing Infrastructure Analysis. |
|
|
|
CARRIED |
|
|
|
|
ADJOURNMENT |
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
That the meeting adjourn (4:23 p.m.). |
|
|
|
CARRIED |
|
|
Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. |
|
_________________________________ |
_________________________________ |
|
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie |
Lorraine Anderson |