February 23, 2023 Council Highlights

Date
Type(s)
Council Highlights

2022 Climate Leadership Plan Progress Report Update
Council received the 2022 Climate Leadership Plan (CLP) Progress Report for information and voted to:

  • Support the application of a grant including overall grant management through the UBCM’s Community Emergency Preparedness Fund for Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation to enhance the resilience of the city and reduce risks from future climate related disasters.
  • Authorize the City of Victoria to enter into future shared cost agreements with any of the Grant Funders identified in this report for grants awarded to the City for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation.
  • Direct staff to update the current International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) partnership agreement, which houses the western Canada ICLEI representatives in the City, to extend the agreement for another 2-year period.

Learn more about the Climate Leadership Plan

Council Member Motion: Enabling the Revival of the Crystal Pool Replacement Project Process and Preparation for a Public Referendum
Council directed staff to report back on the implications and procedures for the following:

  • Reviving the process of planning and budgeting for a new recreation and aquatic centre
  • Organizing a public referendum for the voters of Victoria at the earliest possible time to include two questions:
    • A binding question: The public’s willingness to borrow the capital funds requisite to build a new recreation and aquatic centre
    • Non-binding public input: The location and features of a new recreation and aquatic centre
  • Identifying between two and four sites for the recreation and aquatic centre, to be listed as options on the referendum, taking account of all the following:
    • that the locations be situated within or immediately adjacent to the North Park neighbourhood
    • that the options provide voters with a high-level understanding of potential or expected costs, features, and impacts
    • that staff apply a climate, equity, and accessibility lens to the project
    • that the options account for impacts on workers
    • that the options include community amenities and aquatic features, as outlined in the functional program previously presented to Council
  • Seeking and obtaining funding from partner governments to offset or minimize the capital costs of constructing a new recreation and aquatic centre

Council Member Motion: Additional Council Appointment to CRD RMTS Advisory Committee
Councillor Krista Loughton has been appointed to the CRD Royal and McPherson Theatres Service Advisory Committee until December 31, 2024.

2023-2027 Draft Financial Plan – Potential Changes
Council has directed staff to adjust the draft 2023 Financial Plan as follows:

  • Reduce the expenditure budget for Communications and Engagement by $82,000
  • Reduce the expenditure budget for Business and Community Relations by $220,000
  • Reduce the expenditure budget for Solid Waste by $100,000
  • Increase parking revenues through the following adjustments to parking rates effective May 1, 2023:
    • On-street – all zones increase by $0.50 per hour Monday to Saturday – revenue increase of $450,000
      • 90-minute time limit zone $3.50 per hour (currently $3 per hour)
      • 2 hour and 4 hour time limit zones $3.00 per hour (currently $2.50 per hour)
      • 3 hour time limit zones $2.50 per hour (currently $2 per hour)
      • 24 hour time limit zone $2.00 per hour (currently $1.50 per hour)
    • Extend paid on-street parking and parkade parking from 6pm to 7pm – revenue increase of at least $900,000 with any excess amount to be put into the local amenities reserve fund
    • Parkades – increase hourly rate by $0.50 – revenue increase of $900,000
      • Centennial, Johnson and View - $2.50 per hour, daily maximum of $15 (currently $2 per hour, daily maximum of $14)
      • Broughton - $2.50 per hour, daily maximum of $12.50 (currently $2 per hour, daily maximum $12)
      • Yates - $2.50 per hour, daily maximum of $17.50 (currently $2 per hour, daily maximum $16)
  • Direct staff to pause the Dogs in Parks review in the amount of $400,000
  • Direct staff to allocate $50,000 to Our Place Society for extending their operating hours and $50,000 for their storage program from surplus
  • Direct staff to extend the Pandora Caretakers program until December 31st, 2023 at the cost of up to $80,000 from an application to the provincial government, or if unsuccessful, then from surplus and/or contingency
  • Direct staff to temporarily delay work on the Beacon Hill Park - Circulation and Accessibility Study in the amount of $450,000
  • Direct staff to prepare the necessary financial and legal agreements to provide the Safety Initiative Reimbursement Agreement with an additional $65,000, to be taken from the contingency budget, that can be utilized any time prior to December 31, 2024.