June 2, 2025 - Minutes
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General Purposes Committee
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Date: |
Monday, June 2, 2025 |
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Place: |
Anderson Room |
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Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair Councillor Carol Day
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Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:01 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 General Purposes Committee held on May 20, 2025, be adopted as circulated. |
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CARRIED |
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PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION |
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1. |
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Funding Cuts (File Ref. No. 07-3300-01) (REDMS No. 8056346) |
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In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) funding reductions have been in effect since April 1, 2025, and (ii) refugees currently staying at Richmond House are occupying spaces funded through the shelter program. |
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Committee requested additional information regarding the organizations impacted by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) funding cuts, specifically including: the amount of funding affected, the number of individuals served by each organization, and the demographic profile of those individuals. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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(1) |
That a letter be prepared for the Mayor’s signature addressed to federal government officials including: the Prime Minister of Canada; Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; and Richmond’s Members of Parliament to advocate for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to reinstate funding for settlement programs in Richmond in response to the ongoing needs of newcomers, immigrants and refugees, as outlined in the staff report titled “Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Funding Cuts”, dated May 21, 2025, from the Director, Community Social Development; and |
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(2) |
That the proposed resolution, titled “Reinstatement of Federal Funding for Settlement Programs” (Attachment 1), that calls for the Government of British Columbia to advocate to the federal government to reinstate funding for settlement programs in BC and develop a sustainable funding model for the continuation of these programs, be endorsed and submitted to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) for consideration during its 2025 UBCM Convention. |
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CARRIED |
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FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISION |
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2. |
Referral Response – Release of Closed Council Information |
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Discussion took place on the following topics: (i) the potential for more detailed minutes, (ii) the disclosure of voting records, (iii) the publication of closed meeting minutes on the City’s website, (iv) the legal rationale behind current practices, (v) the importance of transparency, (vi) the redaction of confidential information and associated labour intensiveness, and (vii) the concern that discussions may be limited due to fear of disclosure. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the proposed amendments to Council Policy 1019 "Routine Release of Closed Resolutions and Reports" as outlined in the staff report titled "Referral Response - Release of Closed Council Information", dated May 20, 2025, from the Director, City Clerk's Office be approved. |
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The question on the motion was not called, as further discussion took place regarding (i) the appropriate timeframe for retroactive disclosure, and (ii) the inclusion of the voting record. |
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As a result, the following amendment motion was introduced: |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the voting record be made public at the time a closed report is disclosed, and that this requirement be applied retroactively to January 1, 2024. |
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CARRIED |
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Councillor Chak Au entered the meeting (4:37 p.m.). |
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Further discussion took place on (i) capturing the essence of discussions held in closed meetings, and (ii) determining the appropriate timeframe for retroactively applying this practice, and as a result, an additional amendment motion was introduced: |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the essence of Council’s discussion be summarized in a closed meeting and disclosed at the time the closed report is made public, without attributing specific statements to individual members of Council, and be applied retroactively to January 1, 2025. |
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The question on the amendment motion was not called, as staff advised that, if the closed meeting minutes are requested during civil litigation, the City would be required to produce them, and recording excessive detail could have negative legal implications. |
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The question on the amendment motion was then called it was CARRIED with Cllr. Loo opposed. |
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The question on the main motion, as amended, which reads as follows: |
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(1) |
That the proposed amendments to Council Policy 1019 "Routine Release of Closed Resolutions and Reports" as outlined in the staff report titled "Referral Response - Release of Closed Council Information", dated May 20, 2025, from the Director, City Clerk's Office be approved; |
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(2) |
That the voting record be made public at the time a closed report is disclosed, and that this requirement be applied retroactively to January 1, 2024; and |
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(3) |
That the essence of Council’s discussion be summarized in a closed meeting and disclosed at the time the closed report is made public, without attributing specific statements to individual members of Council and be applied retroactively to January 1, 2025. |
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was then called and it was CARRIED with Cllr. Loo opposed. |
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COUNCILLOR KASH HEED |
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3. |
(File Ref. No.) (REDMS No.) |
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Discussion ensued regarding: (i) the responsibility of Council members to determine whether they should recuse themselves from a vote, (ii) the permissibility of voting for oneself in a general local election, (iii) the potential to advocate for oneself and subsequently recuse from the vote, and (iv) the ethical precedent of not recusing oneself. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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(1) |
That the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) investigate the legal precedents surrounding the matter of Council members voting on issues with Personal Financial Interests; |
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(2) |
That the CAO consider seeking a review from an ethics or conflict commissioner to gain further guidance on appropriate actions for Council members in similar situations; and |
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(3) |
That the CAO report back to Council within three months. |
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CARRIED Opposed: Mayor Brodie Cllrs. Au Loo |
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PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION |
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4. |
Notification from Province of Selection for Housing Targets Assessment (File Ref. No. 08-4040-00) (REDMS No. 8066264) |
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Discussion took place regarding provincial intrusion into the City’s housing plan, and in response to a query from Committee, staff advised that a housing target order has not yet been issued. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the verbal report be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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ADJOURNMENT |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the meeting adjourn (5:26 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 General Purposes Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Monday, June 2, 2025. |
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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie |
Sarah Goddard |