October 1, 2024 - Minutes
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General Purposes Committee
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Date: |
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 |
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Place: |
Anderson Room |
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Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
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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 September 16, 2024, be adopted as circulated. |
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CARRIED |
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COMMUNITY SAFETY DIVISION |
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1. |
Metro West Inter-Municipal Business Licence Bylaws (File Ref. No. 12-8060-02-01) (REDMS No. 7737244) |
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It was moved and seconded |
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(1) |
That Inter-Municipal Business Licence Agreement Bylaw No. 10584 be introduced and given first, second and third readings; and |
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(2) |
That Inter-Municipal Business Licence Bylaw No. 10583 be introduced and given first, second and third readings. |
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CARRIED |
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PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION |
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2. |
(File Ref. No. 01-0157-30-RGST1) (REDMS No. 7788990) |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That comments from the City of Richmond be provided to the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board as outlined in the staff report titled “Response to Metro Vancouver's Referral: Land Use Designation Amendment to the Metro 2050 Regional Growth Strategy Proposed by the City of Surrey for the Property Located at 7880 128 Street”, dated September 9, 2024, from the Director, Policy Planning. |
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CARRIED |
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CAO’S OFFICE |
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3. |
UBCM – Community Works Agreement – Canada Community Building Fund (File Ref. No. 01-0130-01) (REDMS No. 7763249) |
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It was moved and seconded |
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(1) |
That the City enter into a funding agreement with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), as described in the report titled “UBCM – Community Works Agreement – Canada Community Building Fund,” dated September 9, 2024, from the Director, Intergovernmental Relations and Corporate and Strategic Planning; and |
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(2) |
That the Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager, Finance and Corporate Services be authorized on behalf of the City to execute the above noted agreement with UBCM. |
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The question on the motion was not called as a brief discussion ensued with respect to funding allocations of the Canada Community-Building Fund – Community Works Fund. Staff noted a different per capita funding allocation is applied for local governments within Metro Vancouver (5%) than those municipalities outside of Metro Vancouver (75%). |
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The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED. |
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4. |
Council Strategic Plan 2022-2026 Mid-Term Highlights (File Ref. No. 01-0005-01) (REDMS No. 7730292) |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That: |
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(1) |
The report titled “Council Strategic Plan 2022-2026 Mid-Term Highlights,” dated August 21, 2024 from the Director, Intergovernmental Relations and Corporate and Strategic Planning, be received for information; and |
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(2) |
Attachments 1 and 2 of the report be made available for viewing and download on the City of Richmond website.
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The question on the motion was not called as a brief discussion ensued with respect to the various initiatives and awards highlighted. Staff noted the document encompasses the period November 2022 through June 2024. |
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The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED. |
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ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION |
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5. |
(File Ref. No. 10-6125-01) (REDMS No. 7763319) |
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Staff provided a brief PowerPoint presentation as an overview of the report, noting the three Step Code options and Provincial timelines related to the City’s current approach (attached to and forming part of these minutes as Schedule 1). Direction from the Committee regarding the preferred option was sought. |
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In response to queries from Committee, staff noted (i) the City has an extensive program in place that will carry forward until further direction, (ii) based on the recent presentation from BC Hydro, it was noted they have the capacity to achieve the targets in the future, (iii) it is a risk at this time that if the Province does change course (e.g., upcoming election), the City would have to update the current direction, (iv) staff implemented a number of community services and outreach programs and remain committed to supporting the building community, (v) additional builder costs from BC Hydro depend on a variety of factors including whether or not BC Hydro has infrastructure at the site(s), (iv) it is understood there is a portion of energy that is imported from BC Hydro for when current infrastructure areas cannot withstand (e.g., summer), and (v) there are approximately five municipalities in Metro Vancouver that are very close to the City’s Step Code approach currently. |
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Roberto Pecora, Director, ZEIC (Zero Emissions Innovation Centre), spoke in support and the overall economic benefit of the City maintaining the current Richmond Zero Carbon Energy Step Code timeline, suggesting the local building industry is already successfully adopting to that timeline. |
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Stephanie Sy, Richmond resident, spoke to the rising gas prices for homes and expensive costs for retrofitting, and urged the City to stay on course by maintaining the current Richmond Zero Carbon Energy Step Code timeline and not throw away years of progress to date. |
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Glenn Ewald, Vancity Credit Union, spoke to the importance of building codes and their connection to the overall affordability of homes as it relates to climate action, and urged the City to maintain the current timeline without delay or alteration. |
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Laurie Parkinson, Richmond resident, expressed support for the City to continue with the current Energy Step Code as planned, noting the overall financial, health and climate impact of delaying the timeline. |
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Sunil Singal, spoke on behalf of Stand Earth and its Richmond community leaders, in favour of the City maintaining leadership in its current Zero Carbon Energy Step Code timeline. |
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Dr. Janet Ray, Saanich Resident, spoke to the health consequences of natural gas and climate heating, and encouraged the City maintain its original commitment to the highest level of Energy Step Code. |
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Bruce Murdoch, professional home builder, spoke to his experience and the resulting affordability of building single family and small multi-family homes to a minimum Energy Step Code 4 and Zero Carbon Step Code. |
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Naomi Leung, Richmond resident, together with her UBC Sustainability Ambassadors team, spoke to greenhouse gas emissions and global climate responsibility. Ms. Leung encouraged the City invest in the future, be a climate leader and noted a preference of Option 1 of the proposed three options be selected if a change to the current Zero Carbon Energy Step Code timeline is determined. |
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Jackie Zhang, Richmond resident, spoke to pollution related health concerns and the need to protect the environment to ensure clean air for future generations. |
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Jacky Yee, Richmond resident, expressed concern for the environment and climate change, and encouraged the City continue to look after future generations through ongoing climate action initiatives. |
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In response to further questions from the Committee, staff noted (i) the proposed Option 1 would be a delay of approximately one year, (ii) staff are in constant negotiation with either the Building department or through the application process that encourage early response time to BC Hydro ahead of schedule (e.g., ahead of breaking ground), and (iii) Richmond provides more Step Code compliance options (three options) than any other Metro Vancouver municipality (one or two options). |
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It was requested that prior to the next Council meeting, staff provide a chart outlining the Step Code commitments made by each of the Metro Vancouver municipalities, and where they are currently in the timeline of those commitments. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That Option 2 (Continue with the City’s existing approach and delay next steps to match Provincial timelines, including extending the next two increments in Step Code requirements for single-detached houses and duplexes to 2027, 2030 and 2032), as outlined in the staff report, be selected as the City’s approach to the Step Code options and Provincial timelines. |
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The question on the motion was not called as further discussion ensued with respect to the timeline of the options for consideration. As a result of the discussion, the following referral motion was introduced: |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the report titled “Updated Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Step Code Compliance Options for New Single Detached and Duplex Homes”, dated September 19, 2024, from the Director, Climate and Environment, be referred back to staff to bring forward to the November 4, 2024 General Purposes Committee meeting, together with information on other municipalities and additional information from BC Hydro. |
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The question on the referral motion was not called as further discussion ensued. |
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The question on the referral motion was then called and it was CARRIED, with Mayor Brodie and Councillor Au opposed. |
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LAW & COMMUNITY SAFETY AND FINANCE & CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISIONS |
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6. |
(File Ref. No. 03-1000-13-025) (REDMS No. 7810539) |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the Chief Administrative Officer and the General Manager, Finance & Corporate Services be authorized to execute and deliver the Next Generation 9-1-1 Implementation and Operation Contract, between the City and Metro Vancouver Regional District, on substantially the terms described in the report titled “Next Generation 9-1-1”, from the General Manager, Law & Community Safety and the General Manager, Finance & Corporate Services, dated September 18, 2024. |
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The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued regarding the costs and implementation of the newer generation for 911 (“NG911”). |
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In response to queries from the Committee, staff noted (i) the CRTC has mandated this change to upgrade the City’s emergency services to NG911, (ii) NG911 will enhance the ability for calls to be dispatched to exact locations, (iii) Telus has been named the NG911 provider (E-COMM, etc. in the context of providing that service), (iv) there is no cost to the municipality for the data provided, however there will be staff time for the maintenance of ensuring the data is accurate, and (v) the cost associated for the implementation to Telus will be recovered by Telus through a charge to the direct consumer. |
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The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED. |
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ADJOURNMENT |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the meeting adjourn (6:01 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 Tuesday, October 1, 2024. |
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_________________________________ |
_________________________________ |
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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie |
Lorraine Anderson |