June 17, 2026 - Minutes

Date:

Thursday, June 17, 2026

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Carol Day, Chair
Councillor Michael Wolfe

Councillor Kash Heed
Councillor Alexa Loo

Also Present:

Councillor Andy Hobbs

Councillor Bill McNulty

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

AGENDA ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS

It was moved and seconded

That No. 6 Road Options for Improvement be added to the agenda as Item No. 5A.

CARRIED

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Public Works and Transportation Committee held on May 20, 2026, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

1.

BUSINESS RECYCLING RESOURCES PILOT PROGRAM REVIEW

(File Ref. No. 10-6370-01) (REDMS No. 837785)

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) whether the Province’s plan would be voluntary, as is the current City program, and (ii) the benefits of having one provincial framework for businesses with several locations in multiple cities.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that the Province’s study identified various regulatory and volunteer mechanisms, and the request is for the Province to enact mandatory regulations.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Option 2 as outlined in the report titled, “Business Recycling Resources Pilot Program Review”, dated May 29, 2026, from the General Manager, Engineering and Public Works, be approved; and

(2)

That a letter be sent from the Mayor to the Minister of Environment and Parks requesting that, using the findings from the 2025 Preventing Non-Residential Packaging Waste Engagement Report, the Province enact legislations for businesses and institutions to submit waste prevention plans, conduct audits, or implement specific waste actions.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued with respect to (i) the lack of consequences or strong deterrents for individuals who do not recycle, (ii) source separation requirements for businesses, (iii) existing sustainability policies for larger companies to make recycling easier, (iv) the timing of this request and potential administrative burden on businesses; and (v) opportunities for businesses to reduce costs and recover value through recycling.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) though there are no fines, recycling is required under bylaw requirements, and contamination is addressed through a phased approach that includes resident notification, notification tags on the carts, and withholding collection at the curb until materials are corrected,  (ii) there is currently no requirement for businesses to source separate; however, working with Metro Vancouver provides opportunities through hauler licenses that require source separation at the point of disposal, and disposal bans that include fines to businesses, and (iii) some businesses have begun collecting refundables through the program.

The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED, with Cllr. Heed opposed.

2.

NORTH DIKE UPGRADES FROM LYNAS LANE TO NO. 2 ROAD – Public Enagement Summary

(File Ref. No. 10-6000-01) (REDMS No. 835697)

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) resident concerns regarding noise and dust, (ii) whether results of the compression technology testing for Rice Mill Road could be applied here, (iii) clarification on project comparisons related to minimizing environmental impacts, and (v) concerns about the ongoing plan and flooding protection.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) the City would work with the contractor, once hired, to implement mitigation measures such as sound blankets, and would follow up with the resident, (ii) results from the seismic improvement resilience testing have not yet been received, so applications to other projects are not yet known,  (iii) the project would remain above the high-water marks, work on the north side will remain intact, and the environmental work would not be impacted, (iv) the spelling of dike differs in engineering and trail contexts, and Communications will be advised of the spelling issue in Richmond Talks, and (v) the dike and road will be raised to the same elevation around the island.

It was moved and seconded

That the Dike Master Plan Concept be identified in the report titled “North Dike Upgrades from Lynas Lane to No. 2 Road – Public Engagements Summary”, dated May 13, 2026, from the General Manager, Engineering and Public Works, be endorsed for detailed design and construction.

CARRIED

Mike Pace, a resident of Nova Crescent, expressed concerns regarding addressing the dike between Lynas Lane and No. 1 Road, potential flooding, emergency access, and the need for a plan for the rest of the dike between Lynas Lane and No. 1 Road. This will impact the 700 residents of Nova Crescent.

In response to queries, staff advised that the dike would be raised to consistent elevation and that the road will also be raised but the degree may be less due to the proximity of the houses, and that they would work with residents to avoid increased flooding risk. Staff were directed to follow up with the resident.

3.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) reserve Fund – 2025 Update

(File Ref. No. 10-6460-01) (REDMS No. 8409803)

It was moved and seconded

That the report titled “Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Reserve Fund – 2025 Update”, from the General Manager, Engineering and Public Works, dated May 19, 2026, be received for information.

CARRIED

4.

Garry Street Traffic Calming

(File Ref. No. 10-6500-01) (REDMS No. 839277)

It was moved and seconded

That Option 2 to implement two raised crosswalks on Garry Street as described in the report titled “Garry Street Traffic Calming”, dated
May 19, 2026, from the General Manager, Engineering and Public Works, be approved.

CARRIED

5.

Minler Road Traffic Calming Update and Pedestrian Facility Options

(File Ref. No. 10-6460-01) (REDMS No. 8416996)

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) the location of the asphalt walkway and parking impacts, (ii) the  contingency funding and whether the design would return to Committee, (iii) need for a visual concept, (iv) interim solutions to address current concerns, (v) whether funding from the Capital Reserve Revolving Fund could be used for design and review, (vi) utilizing possible funding sources, including Council Contingency, Council Initiatives, minor capital, and surplus, and (vii) construction timelines an options to expedite the project.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) 30km/h speed limit signs are in the process of being installed, (ii) walkway location and parking impacts would be refined through the detailed design process; (iii) the contingency estimate was preliminary and further site investigation was required, and if approved for the 2027 budget cycle, design, scoping, and costing will be developed through that process; (iv) the west side appeared to have more set back and was on the school side, while the east side has limited space, (v) advancing funding for design work would require amending the Consolidated Five-Year Capital Plan and identifying a suitable funding source, (vi) staff can provide a memorandum with funding options ,and (vii) the project is unlikely to meet the 2026 construction season and is therefore proposed for the 2027 budget, with Committee members requesting further details on the walkway design and potential parking impacts before proceeding.

A resident of the Minler Road neighbourhood, on behalf of other residents of Minler Road, thanked Committee for considering a pedestrian facility and queried whether the cost would be borne by the City rather than residents. The importance of the sidewalk for residents, pedestrians, and Blundell Elementary School was noted, and the residents did not have a preferred side, provided the option selected was safe and cost-effective. The Chair confirmed the costs would be covered through the capital budget, at no cost to the residents.

A motion was suggested to move forward with design and conceptual work in the current year and to direct staff to identify appropriate funding sources. Staff advised that Council could consider resolutions to advance either the full $1.8 million project or the $100,000 design portion, with updated construction costs to be brought forward once design was complete. Discussion then ensued with respect to whether surplus funding was available to advance the full project, including design and contingency.

It was moved and seconded

That a capital project for the Minler Road walkway improvements in the amount of $1.8 million funded from the Capital Reserve (Revolving Fund) be approved and that the Consolidated 5 Year Financial Plan (2025-2029) be amended accordingly.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued with respect to (i) whether advancing the project outside the broader capital planning process would create a precedent; (ii) the unique circumstances of Milner Road including its historic nature, traffic conditions, flooding considerations; and (iii) surplus funding is being considered, not a tax increase.

The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED with Cllr. Loo opposed.

5A.

No. 6 Road Options for Improvement

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) examining the possible traffic calming measures on No. 6 Road, (ii) acknowledgement that overgrown grass that limits pedestrian use of the narrow roadway was addressed, (iii) consulting residents for their support, (iv) bringing findings back to Committee, including traffic speeds, collision data, and related safety considerations and how long that would take, and (v) concern with winter plows and possible issues with snow removal.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised (i) traffic calming measures could be explored at No. 6 Road, although policy limits implementation without public agreement and Council direction, (ii) typically, letters are sent to residents requesting support, however Committee can provide other direction, (iii) the process involves gathering metrics such as speeding, accidents, and reporting back to Committee, and given that public engagement was not usually undertaken in summer, results would be available in October 2026, and (iv) staff have noted this concern and will follow up.

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

It was moved and seconded

That staff examine possible traffic calming measures on No. 6 Road, and report back.

CARRIED

2.

MANAGER’S REPORT

(i)

Gilbert Road Sewer Project

Staff advised that Metro Vancouver had recently completed repair work on the Gilbert Road sewer near Woodwards Road following a sinkhole. The failure occurred in the existing sewer, and approximately 20 inches of pipe were repaired using ground stabilization and repair plates. Paving work was anticipated within the next week, with traffic controls remaining in place until regular operations resumed. Staff noted that Metro Vancouver conducts routine maintenance and that this was a Metro Vancouver project.

(ii)

Traffic Issues due to Construction

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) traffic delays related to construction near No. 2 Road and Westminster Highway; (ii) the cumulative effect of multiple projects; and (iii) whether significant disruptions should be communicated through traffic radio stations.

Staff advised that four active construction sites were in the area, including planned works, development-related works at Elmbridge Way and Alderbridge Way, and a BC Hydro project on Westminster Highway. Staff further advised that project coordination was ongoing, signal timing had been adjusted to improve traffic flow, construction updates were posted online and shared with the Richmond News, and radio notifications were generally used only for significant traffic disruptions.

Discussion further ensued with respect to development of a policy for using news radio stations to advise motorists of significant traffic issues. In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) notifications to news agencies had occurred, and (ii) signal timing had been adjusted to reduce traffic backups related to the BC Hydro project.

(iii)

George Massey Tunnel Construction

Discussion ensued on the impacts of changes in construction management with respect to the George Massey Tunnel. In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) the project had shifted to a traditional procurement process, and (ii) that staff had learned of the changes through public news sources.

(iv)

Stage 3 Water Restrictions

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) Stage 3 water restrictions; (ii) water-use data collection; and (iii) the likelihood that restrictions would not move to Stage 4, as the issue was related to the Stanley Park interceptor and Metro Vancouver’s capacity to provide water.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn at 5:11 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 Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Carol Day
Chair

Christine McLenan
Recording Secretary