September 18, 2023 - Minutes

Date:

Monday, September 18, 2023

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Carol Day
Councillor Laura Gillanders (by teleconference)
Councillor Kash Heed
Councillor Andy Hobbs
Councillor Alexa Loo (by teleconference)
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Michael Wolfe

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on September 5, 2023, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

DELEGATION

1.

Walter Cadwallader and Mark Grattan, Volunteer members of Unit 284 Veterans Association, spoke on financial hardships endured by the association during the Covid-19 pandemic and requested that the 2022 property taxes be exempt or deferred until the association can repay it.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) financial assistance to businesses is prohibited under the Community Charter, (ii) the premises on which the non-profit is located is a commercial space, (iii) there is no deferral opportunity in place as the special legislation that was in place during Covid-19 is no longer in effect, and (iv) non-profits located on City property are exempt.

As a result of the discussion the following referral motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff work with the Unit 284 Veteran’s Association to explore options regarding assistance to pay their property taxes, with the condition that Unit 284 disclose to staff the Association’s financial and accounting books and records.

CARRIED

ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION

2.

2023 ZERO CARBON STEP CODE AND BC ENERGY STEP CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW BUILDINGS

(File Ref. No. 10-6125-07-02) (REDMS No. 7315264)

Staff provided an overview of the BC Energy Step Code and the Zero Carbon Step Code.  

In response to queries from Committee, staff noted that smaller buildings such as duplexes and single family homes are not required to be full electric at this time.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Building Regulation Bylaw 7230, Amendment Bylaw 10467, which amends Sections10.1.1 and 16.1 regarding updates to existing BC Energy Step Code and greenhouse gas intensity requirements for Part 9 residential buildings and Part 3 residential, hotel, commercial retail and office buildings, be introduced and given first reading;

(2)

That an owner would be permitted to submit a Building Permit application in compliance with prior requirements if:

(a)

A Development Permit was issued by Council prior to adoption of Amendment Bylaw No. 10467; or,

(b)

An in-stream Development Permit application in accordance with existing Zoning Bylaw provisions is issued by Council within one year of the adoption of Amendment Bylaw No. 10467, and an acceptable Building Permit application has also been submitted to the City within this timeframe.

CARRIED

3.

BC UTILITIES COMMISSION - REGULATORY EFFICIENCY INITIATIVE INTERVENER REQUEST

(File Ref. No. 10-6000-00) (REDMS No. 7374506)

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That authorization and approval be given for the City of Richmond to seek Intervener status and exercise full participatory rights, including making submissions, filing evidence, asking questions, and responding in the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) Regulatory Efficiency Initiative.

(2)

That the City of Richmond, as the sole shareholder of Lulu Island Energy Company Ltd. (LIEC), endorse the decision of LIEC's Board of Directors to seek Intervener status and exercise full participatory rights, including making submissions, filing evidence, asking questions, and responding in the BCUC Regulatory Efficiency Initiative.

(3)

That a Letter be sent to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and to local Members of the Legislative Assembly, expressing the City's concerns that:

(i)

the BCUC's Regulatory Efficiency Initiative is inadequate in its scale and scope to address the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation's mandate to "Work with the BC Utilities Commission to identify an appropriate role for the Commission in supporting B.C. 's clean energy transition, in alignment with our province's climate goals to achieve net zero by 2050 and affordability objectives", as detailed in the report; and,

(ii)

the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation appoint an Independent Task Force to review and advise on how BCUC can deliver on the Minister's mandate.

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:28 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 Monday, September 18, 2023.

_________________________________

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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Sarah Goddard
Legislative Services Associate