February 11, 2025 - Minutes

Date:

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Alexa Loo, Chair
Councillor Andy Hobbs
Councillor Laura Gillanders
Councillor Kash Heed
Councillor Bill McNulty

Also Present:

Councillor Chak Au

Councillor Carol Day

Councillor Michael Wolfe

Call to Order:

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

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Committee held on January 14, 2025, be adopted.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

March 11, 2025, (tentative date) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room.

AGENDA ADDITION

It was moved and seconded

That a presentation from Constable Frank Tarape, Richmond RCMP be added to the Community Safety Agenda as Item No. 1A.

CARRIED

DELEGATIONS

1.

With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, (copy on file, City Clerk’s Office), Krista Kienapfel, Canadian Lifeboat Institution Volunteer, provided an overview of the Canadian Lifeboat Institution and requested a partnership opportunity with the City of Richmond.

Committee requested a staff memorandum outlining all the various organizations that have presented to Community Safety Committee in the last 5 years and opportunities to collaborate with them.

1A..

Constable Frank Tarape, Richmond's Road Safety Unit, RCMP, with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (copy on file, City Clerk’s Office) highlighted various road safety enforcement programs. 

Councillor Day left the meeting (4:25 p.m.) and did not return.

LAW AND COMMUNITY SAFETY DIVISION

2.

Community Bylaws Activity Report – December 2024 and Year in Review

(File Ref. No. 12-8060-01) (REDMS No. 7938431)

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) there has been an increase in people obtaining licences, and coming into compliance for short term rentals, (ii) the reduction in calls for service for property use has allowed for additional time to target larger non-compliant operations in the City,
(iii) there is a more unsheltered population in the city core where there are more services and higher population, (iv) there is an even distribution around the periphery likely caused by less frequent active patrols on provincially owned lands and a heat map can be provided, (v) proactive patrol results are reflected in tickets and violations issued and overall revenue generated, and (vi) a list of repeat unsightly premises violations can be provided. 

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report titled “Community Bylaws Activity Report – December 2024 and Year in Review”, dated January 15, 2025, from the Director, Community Bylaws & Licencing, be received for information.

CARRIED

3.

Richmond Fire-Rescue Monthly Activity Report – December 2024 and Year in Review

(File Ref. No. 09-5140-01) (REDMS No. 7920874)

In reply to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) Richmond Fire-Rescue (RFR) staff have exceptionally high training and there are no concerns with their ability to handle the types of calls they are dispatched to, and (ii) there are no obvious trends regarding opioid overdoses.

Discussion took place on trends related to opioid overdoses, and as a result of the discussion, the following referral motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff follow up with Vancouver Coastal Health and obtain the metrics for opioid overdoses in 2024 to examine any trends, and report back.

CARRIED

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report titled “Richmond Fire-Rescue Monthly Activity Report – December 2024 and Year In Review”, dated January 13, 2025, from the Fire Chief, be received for information.

CARRIED

4.

FIRE CHIEF BRIEFING
(Verbal Report)

Staff advised that due to upcoming retirements a recruitment process will begin this week.

5.

RCMP Monthly Activity Report – December 2024 and Year in Review

(File Ref. No. 09-5000-01) (REDMS No. 7893240)

Committee requested figures for a 5-year average for the whole year for long term analysis. 

It was moved and seconded

That the report titled “RCMP Monthly Activity Report – December 2024 and Year in Review”, dated January 15, 2025, from the Officer in Charge, be received for information.

CARRIED

6.

RCMP/OIC BRIEFING
(Verbal Report)

None.

7.

MANAGER’S REPORT

None.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:01 p.m.).

CARRIED

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, 2025.

_________________________________

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Councillor Alexa Loo
Chair

Sarah Goddard
Legislative Services Associate