February 11, 2020 - Minutes
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Community Safety Committee
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Date: |
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 |
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Place: |
Anderson Room |
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Present: |
Councillor Bill McNulty, Chair |
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Also Present: |
Councillor Chak Au |
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Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. |
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MINUTES |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Committee held on January 14, 2020, be adopted. |
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CARRIED |
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COMMUNITY SAFETY DIVISION |
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1. |
Emergency Programs Quarterly Activity Report – Fourth Quarter 2019 |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the staff report titled “Emergency Programs Quarterly Activity Report – Fourth Quarter 2019”, dated January 14, 2020, from the General Manager, Community Safety, be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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2. |
Business Licences Quarterly Report - Fourth Quarter 2019 |
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In response to queries from Committee, staff noted that (i) the business licence section conducts targeted campaigns throughout the year on illegal taxis, massage parlours and bed and breakfasts, (ii) birth tourism updates can be provided under the categories of business licences or short-term rentals in future reports, (iii) the business services associated with birth tourism often have business licences, and (iv) the City has requested cooperation with Vancouver Coastal Health to report on non-resident births. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the staff report titled “Business Licences Quarterly Report - Fourth Quarter 2019”, dated January 15, 2020, from the General Manager Community Safety be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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3. |
Community Bylaws Monthly Activity Report – December 2019 |
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In response to queries from Committee, staff noted that (i) the staffing to handle the soil deposit proposals is sufficient, (ii) currently, there are 43 non‑compliant sites and of these, 3 are receiving active enforcement, 5 are in court procedures and 35 are removing the fill, (iii) at the time of the soil application it is advised to applicants to use fill from Richmond or Delta, (iv) the bylaw positions approved in December 2019 will be filled in the near future, (v) the lower number of ticket violations is due to weather conditions, staff illness and staff vacations, (vi) bylaw violations within school zones are issued tickets and not warnings, (vii) active construction sites are visited frequently by building approvals staff and the environmental sustainability group, and (viii) tenancy laws apply to the type of tenancy and not the length of time. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the staff report titled “Community Bylaws Monthly Activity Report – December 2019”, dated January 15, 2020, from the General Manager, Community Safety, be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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4. |
Richmond Fire-Rescue Monthly Activity Report – December 2019 |
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In response to queries from Committee, Fire Chief Tim Wilkinson, Richmond Fire-Rescue (RFR) noted that (i) the Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV) can reduce damage by removing smoke and can be a strategy of attack in fire‑fighting measures, (ii) smoke alarms in apartment buildings tend to be more sensitive due to the nature of the building and the number of inhabitants, and (iii) if apprehended, RFR uses a Juvenile Firesetters program to work with the youth, similar to restorative justice. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the staff report titled “Richmond Fire-Rescue Monthly Activity Report – December 2019”, dated January 8, 2020, from the General Manager, Community Safety, be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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5. |
FIRE CHIEF BRIEFING |
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Items for discussion: |
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(i) |
Erase Bullying |
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Fire Chief Wilkinson invited Council to visit the Fire Hall on Wednesday, February 26, 2020 to support anti-bullying. |
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(ii) |
Eating Together 2020 |
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Fire Chief Wilkinson invited Council to Eating Together on Sunday, February 23, 2020 organized through the Touchstone Family Association. |
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(iii) |
Richmond Fire-Rescue Hiring |
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Fire Chief Wilkinson noted that the next phase of increased staffing will start March 2020 and 12 fire-fighters will begin training. The next hiring process will begin spring 2021 and the engine company will go into service summer 2021. During the recruitment process, RFR charges for certain components of testing to ensure that applicants are well suited to the role. |
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6. |
RCMP Monthly Activity Report – December 2019 |
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Superintendent Will Ng, Richmond RCMP, spoke to the staff report and highlighted statistics from property crime, auto theft and assaults.
In response to queries from Committee, Superintendent Ng noted that (i) traffic road blocks are conducted nightly by regular RCMP Members and are very effective in removing impaired drivers and prohibited drivers from the road and also aids in street checks of gangsters from across the region, (ii) the Minister of Public Safety has declared a Provincial emergency and can invoke Municipal Police Unit Agreement Section 8.1 to second up to 10 per cent of the Members to support the Provincial government and Richmond RCMP will comply with the agreement, and (iii) the Crime Prevention newsletter is posted throughout the city at community centres and police offices. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the staff report titled “RCMP Monthly Activity Report – December 2019”, dated January 9, 2020, from the Officer in Charge, Richmond RCMP Detachment, be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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7. |
RCMP/OIC BRIEFING |
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Items for discussion: |
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(i) |
Cultural Outreach |
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RCMP attended the Holocaust Memorial on January 22, 2020 as well as the Interfaith Forum on February 6, 2020 was well received. |
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(ii) |
Pedestrian Crosswalk |
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RCMP has engaged with Transportation to provide signs at the pedestrian crosswalk located on Granville Street at the Minoru Centre of Active Living to indicate where the stop line is for the crosswalk. |
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(iii) |
Coronavirus Update |
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There have been two repatriation flights from Wuhan, China arriving at YVR with no medical emergencies, which have continued to Trenton, Ontario for the 14 day quarantine. All officers have received infectious disease and pandemic training and have personal protection equipment in the event any member is required to provide support to a coronavirus patient. |
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8. |
MANAGER’S REPORT |
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None. |
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ADJOURNMENT |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the meeting adjourn (4:35 p.m.). |
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CARRIED |
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Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. |
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_________________________________ |
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Councillor Bill McNulty |
Stephanie Walrond |