March 2, 2026 - Minutes

Date:

Monday, March 2, 2026

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Carol Day
Councillor Laura Gillanders
Councillor Kash Heed
Councillor Andy Hobbs
Councillor Alexa Loo
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Michael Wolfe

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:56 p.m.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee held on February 2, 2026, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISION

1.

Annual Procurement Report

(File Ref. No. 02-0745-01) (REDMS No. 8270212)

Discussion ensued with respect to contracts awarded in 2025, including #6 Corporate Leadership Training, #47 Construction Management Consultant Services – Major Projects, #51 Steveston Park Washroom and Electrical Distribution Centre, and #56 Gilbert Road Multi-Use Pathway between Granville Avenue and Elmbridge Way.

Staff advised that they will provide Council with a memorandum clarifying what the discussed awards of contracts entail.

In response to queries from Committee, staff noted that (i) the Steveston Park washroom is included in the Steveston Community Centre overall budget, (ii) the Gilbert multi-use pathway is largely funded by the federal government, (iii) Corporate Leadership training delivers internal programs at all levels of the organization, reducing the need to send employees to external conferences, and (iv) the City is not Provincial Services Tax (PST) exempt, staff are currently assessing what the impact of PST will be on the procured services.

It was moved and seconded

That the report titled “2025 Annual Procurement Report”, dated February 10, 2026, from the Director, Finance, be received for information.

CARRIED

2.

DCC and ACC Public Consultation Update and Referral Response

(File Ref. No. 03-0900-01) (REDMS No. 8301543)

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) in the absence of the density bonusing tool after June 30, 2026, staff suggest that the proposed Amenity Cost Charges (ACC) bylaw be established by July 1, 2026, to enable the City to use ACC as an alternate development-financing tool to collect from all new developments throughout the City to fund growth-related amenities, (ii) the City engaged in two months of public consultation which included three in-person public engagement sessions where the development industry were invited to attend and provide feedback, it also included public participation through email, (iii) the ACC rates apply to the whole city, and (v) Regional Development Cost Charges (DCC) include the Metro Vancouver DCC as well as the TransLink DCC.  In 2025, Metro Vancouver adopted a bylaw introducing a three-year phase-in, with DCC increasing by an average of 50% per year.

Councillor Wolfe left the meeting (5:08 p.m.) and returned to the meeting
(5:11 p.m.).

Staff were directed to provide a memorandum with a breakdown comparing various sizes of development types and the Development Cost Charges (DCC) they will be charged.

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) proposed DCC and ACC rates being charged on dwelling units versus square footage, (ii) the inability to use the density bonusing tool as a source of funding for important City amenities, (iii) incentivizing developers now that density bonusing will no longer be a viable  tool, (iv) uncertainty in the development market, (v) possibility of freezing DCC rates and reviewing the ACC Bylaw at a later date, (vi) DCC and ACC amounts charged on various development types, (vii) the use of ACC being an important development-financing tool for the City, and (viii) burden of City growth on tax payers.

In response to further queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) pausing the DCC rate increase could result in a larger future rate hike, the development industry prefers smaller, gradual increases over a one time spike, (ii) any in- steam applications will be grandfathered with the current rates for 12 months, and (iii) the current balance of uncommitted DCC as of December 31, 2025 is approximately $180 million and committed approximately $60 million.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Amendment DCC Imposition Bylaw with an effective date of January 1, 2027, as recommended under Option C of the report titled “DCC and ACC Public Consultation Update and Referral Response”, dated February 6, 2026, from the Director, Finance, be endorsed as the basis for staff to prepare the Amendment DCC Imposition Bylaw; and

(2)

That the ACC Imposition Bylaw with an effective date of July 1, 2026, as recommended in the report titled “DCC and ACC Public Consultation Update and Referral Response”, dated February 6, 2026, from the Director, Finance, be endorsed as the basis to prepare the necessary ACC Bylaws.

DEFEATED

OPPOSED: Cllrs. Day

Gillanders

Heed

Hobbs

McNulty

Loo

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Option A, Freeze DCC Rates until March 2027, from the report titled “DCC and ACC Public Consultation Update and Referral Response”, dated February 6, 2026, from the Director, Finance, be endorsed;

(2)

That the Amendment DCC Bylaw be brought forward to the Inspectors of Municipalities for approval and to Council for adoption in order to capture the new Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) development category in the Amendment DCC Bylaw; and

(3)

That staff be directed to bring back options for Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) rates.

Discussion ensued with respect to freezing the DCC rate for a year and staff returning with options for increases.

Staff advised that they will bring back to Council options for SSMUH DCC rates for approval.

CARRIED

Opposed: Mayor Brodie

Cllr. Wolfe

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that if the ACC is delayed for a year it can still be applied after a year.

Discussion ensued with respect to light industrial, commercial and institutional uses as they pertain to ACC rates, and gaining a better understanding of what has been already been built and is being built which will assist in understanding what ACC values will look like.

It was moved and seconded

That the Amenity Cost Charges (ACC) discussion be referred to staff to provide more information and options on ACC rates and classifications.

CARRIED

Opposed: Cllr. Wolfe

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:55 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Monday, March 2, 2026.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Raman Grewal
Legislative Services Associate