May 14, 2024 - Minutes

Date:

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

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

Also Present:

Councillor Michael Wolfe (by teleconference)

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 April 9, 2024, be adopted.

CARRIED

AGENDA ADDITIONS & DELETIONS

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That a presentation from Constable Tammy-Lyn Walker regarding the D.A.R.E. program be added to the agenda; and

(2)

That Police Amendment Act Discussion be added to the agenda as Item 6A.

CARRIED

PRESENTATION

With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (copy on file, City Clerk’s Office) Constable Tammy-Lyn Walker, RCMP, D.A.R.E. Coordinator, presented on the D.A.R.E. program highlighting that (i) the program started as a drug prevention initiative that has transformed into a comprehensive education program that addresses a range of behaviours, including peer pressure, self pressure, bullying and online safety as well as making healthy safe choices,  (ii) D.A.R.E. is the only proactive drug education program Richmond RCMP has for its youth section, (iii) the 10-week program is delivered to grades four to six and takes place one hour each week, (iv) at the end of the program each students receives a certificate and a t-shirt, and (v) the cost of the program materials is fully covered by D.A.R.E. BC.

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) D.A.R.E. presentations for school PAC members and parents of elementary and high school students, (ii) D.A.R.E. trained RCMP officers, and (iii) partnerships with secondary schools to provide proactive presentations on issues concerning youth.

COMMUNITY SAFETY DIVISION

1.

COMMUNITY BYLAWS MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORT – MARCH 2024

(File Ref. No. 12-8375-02) (REDMS No. 7648264)

Staff provided Committee updates advising that (i) two properties with large on-site storage containers are now compliant and two more are working towards compliance, (ii) parking related tickets were issued in the neighbourhood surrounding Spires Road, and (iii) Bylaws staff have issued signage related tickets to a business who had non-compliant signage.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) Provincial legislation is more restrictive than the City’s bylaws for short term rentals, (ii) usually the zoning bylaw has a grandfathering provision, but the Provincial government has waived that provision within the Community Charter as well as the Vancouver Charter, (iii) the Provincial government has created a new short-term rental data portal to support local governments with monitoring and enforcement of short-term rental, (iv) there has been no noticeable trend in dumping on ALR land, which is attributed to patrolling and pro active education by Bylaws staff, and (v) there were 38 park patrols conducted by SPCA animal controls officers, which resulted in 13 tickets, predominantly for dogs off leash.

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report titled “Community Bylaws Monthly Activity Report – March 2024”, dated April 19, 2024, from the Director, Community Bylaws & Business Licencing, be received for information.

CARRIED

2.

BUSINESS LICENCE ACTIVITY REPORT – FIRST QUARTER 2024

(File Ref. No. 12-8375-02) (REDMS No. 7648265)

In response to queries from Committee staff advised that a business licence must articulate the actual business being conducted.

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report titled “Business Licence Activity Report – First Quarter 2024”, dated April 19, 2024, from the Director, Community Bylaws & Licencing, be received for information.

CARRIED

3.

RICHMOND FIRE-RESCUE MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORT – MARCH 2024

(File Ref. No. 09-5140-01) (REDMS No. 7634927)

In response to queries from Committee, Fire Chief Jim Wishlove noted that
(i) all other overdose/poisoning incidents breakdown captures incidents such as alcohol poisoning, accidental or international prescription drug overdoses, and poisoning from household cleaning products, (ii) staff will report back to Committee on the actual breakdown of overdose/poisoning incidents,
and staff do not have information if any of the incidents were fatal,
(iii) overdose symptoms may not be obvious in some cases as a person overdosing can still be breathing, speaking and walking, (iv) administrating naloxone depends on a variety of factors and first responders make the evaluation to deploy on-scene, (v) Richmond Fire-Rescue routinely participates in table top exercises with large industrial organizations to be proactive and strength the ability of the City to collaborate and facilitate an effective response to an emergency.

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report titled “Richmond Fire-Rescue Monthly Activity Report – March 2024”, dated April 12, 2024, from the Fire Chief, be received for information.

4.

FIRE CHIEF BRIEFING
(Verbal Report)

None.

5.

RCMP MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORT – MARCH 2024

(File Ref. No. 09-5000-01) (REDMS No. 7630280)

In response to queries from Committee, Chief Supt. Chauhan noted that (i) a significant number of mental health calls can be linked to a few patients,
(ii) there have been a number of incidents where RCMP officers at the scene have determined they needed to use naloxone and have saved lives as a result, (iii) staff conducted an investigation resulting from organized retail theft where the amount of goods recovered was substantial, and (iv) since last year there has been a decrease of 56 percent in drug related offences.

It was moved and seconded

That the report titled “RCMP Monthly Activity Report – March 2024”, dated April 16, 2024, from the Officer in Charge, Richmond RCMP Detachment, be received for information.

CARRIED

6.

RCMP/OIC BRIEFING
(Verbal Report)

None.

6A.

POLICE AMENDMENT ACT DISCUSSION

Discussion ensued with respect to amendments introduced by the Provincial government authorizing Councils of Municipalities with more than a 5000 population, to appoint safety officers for specified periods and duties.  

Staff advised that they are closely monitoring these changes and reaching out to various Provincial bodies as well as UBCM to get more information.  Staff will provide more information to Council as it becomes available. 

7.

MANAGER’S REPORT

None.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:09 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, May 14, 2024.

_________________________________

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Councillor Alexa Loo
Chair

Raman Grewal
Legislative Services Associate