Council Meeting
March 10, 2026 · 10:30 am
Summary
- East Hastings rezoning (CD-1, three sites): Council debated and ultimately referred back a major proposal for 924 rental and social housing units across three East Hastings sites. Key concerns: extraordinary height (up to 40 storeys) far exceeding the 12-storey plan maximum, no rapid transit nearby (33-minute walk to SkyTrain), only 32 shelter-rate units out of 924 total, no childcare or community amenity contributions, and an already under-resourced neighbourhood. The referral motion was amended to specifically require staff to revisit heights, densities, building forms, and deeper affordability in consultation with the applicant.
- 2026 Community Services and Social Grants: Council approved the main grants package. A separate amendment to add a $30,000 grant to Free the Fern Stewardship Society (for stewardship of Champlain Heights Trail Network, in line with a unanimous October 2025 council motion) was narrowly carried, but the severed grant vote failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority. Staff were directed to explore other funding streams for the society.
- 2026 Property Tax Development Potential Relief and Land Assessment Averaging: Routine continuation of the relief program approved. Councillors raised questions about declining eligibility numbers, pass-through to tenants, and the program's five-year time limit approaching.
- Outstanding Council Motions Update: Council reviewed a staff report reprioritizing 181 outstanding motions. An amendment to keep truckside guards, Cornwall Avenue safety upgrades, Granville Bridge suicide prevention fencing, and faith-based affordable housing motions on the active work plan (Appendix A) was defeated. The main report, which moves those items to a lower-priority appendix, was carried with some opposition.
- Car Free Days 2026 grant: An urgent motion approved a one-time $30,000 grant to support Car Free Days festivals on Main Street and Commercial Drive, after the society faced a funding shortfall. Motion amended to clarify the grant is in addition to existing FestShare in-kind support and requires an event delivery plan before funds are released.
- Eid al-Fitr Proclamation: March 20, 2026 proclaimed as Eid al-Fitr in the City of Vancouver.
- Business Licence Hearing Panel change and other new business: A change to the business licence hearing panel composition approved unanimously. Several notices of motion filed for the April 1 Standing Committee meeting covering topics including summer heat supports, supportive housing, festival funding, a city comptroller bylaw, FIFA human rights monitoring, and a tax policy motion.
Minutes approved
- Adopt Public Hearing Minutes Feb 3 and 10
- Adopt Public Hearing Minutes Feb 10
- Adopt AGC Minutes Feb 12
- Adopt Public Hearing Minutes Feb 12 and 26
- Adopt Nomination Subcommittee Minutes Feb 17
- Adopt Public Hearing Minutes Feb 24
- Adopt Public Hearing Minutes Feb 26
Motions
CD-1 Rezoning Three East Hastings Sites Main Motion
1030-1070 East Hastings Street; 1115-1129 East Hastings Street & 360 Glen Drive; 1168-1182 East Hastings Street Referred Details
- Proposed CD-1 rezoning of three East Hastings sites (1030-1070, 1115-1125 East Hastings; 360 Glen Drive; 1168-1182 East Hastings) for 924 units of purpose-built rental and social housing, including a standalone 157-unit BC Housing social housing building.
- Applicant described the project as transformative for Strathcona, citing personal connection to the neighbourhood and a completed land transfer to BC Housing for $1.
- Staff noted the current plan allows only 12 storeys; the proposal reaches approximately 40 storeys, well beyond transit-oriented area precedents.
- Key councillor concerns: no rapid transit (33-minute walk to SkyTrain), only 32 shelter-rate units, no childcare or community amenity contributions, neighbourhood already identified as high-need and under-resourced (Raycam Community Centre, Admiral Seymour Elementary in poor condition), and cycling infrastructure cited in the application memo does not currently exist.
- Staff acknowledged the east-side economics make standard 20% below-market rental difficult to achieve; BC Housing's involvement was made possible by the applicant's $1 land transfer.
- Main motion referred back to staff rather than voted on directly.
Referral – East Hastings Rezoning Back to Staff
1030-1070 East Hastings Street; 1115-1129 East Hastings Street & 360 Glen Drive; 1168-1182 East Hastings Street Carried Details
- Referral of the East Hastings rezoning back to staff to study options related to parking availability, childcare provision, local amenities, heights, densities, building forms, and deeper affordability, with the applicant to be included in discussions.
- Councillor Maloney was the sole vote against, expressing concern that further modifications could render the project unviable and that the area's central location and proximity to employment justified approval.
Approve 2026-27 BIA Budgets
- Council approved a total of $20,359,547 in grants to Vancouver's 22 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) for the 2026–27 fiscal year, a 4% increase over the previous year.
- Each BIA's budget was approved by its own membership at an Annual General Meeting in summer 2025 before being submitted to the City for review.
- Funds are collected through a special tax levy on commercial (Class 6) and light industrial (Class 5) property owners within each BIA's boundaries, with the first payment advanced in April and recovered through the July property tax.
- Planned spending priorities include district promotion and placemaking (roughly one-quarter of total funding, up 27% year-over-year), community safety (about one-fifth), and governance and administration (nearly one-third).
- The largest individual allocations go to Downtown Vancouver BIA ($6.82M), West End/Davie Village BIA ($1.12M), and Yaletown BIA ($1.2M); smaller BIAs such as Point Grey Village ($192K) and Dunbar Village ($186K) receive more modest amounts.
- The City's Business and Economy Office is working with BIA leadership to standardize budget reporting formats, aiming to improve transparency, reduce administrative burden, and better communicate BIA impacts to members and the public.
Approve 2026 Graffiti Abatement Grants
- Council approved up to $510,000 in Graffiti Abatement Grants to be distributed among Vancouver's 22 BIAs in 2026, a $10,000 increase from the $500,000 granted in each of the four prior years.
- Over the past three years, BIAs have used these grants to remove more than 21,800 instances of graffiti from private properties, averaging roughly 7,200 removals per year across business districts.
- The grants supplement graffiti removal already funded through BIA annual budgets and complement the City's own abatement program, which removes an average of approximately 161,000 graffiti per year from public assets.
- Each BIA tailors its use of the grant to local needs, with approaches ranging from targeted area removals and mural restoration to preventative mural creation as a deterrent; BIAs in the Downtown Eastside allocate a proportionally higher share of their budgets to graffiti removal than those elsewhere.
- To access the grant, BIAs must report on how they used the previous year's funds and sign a 2026 grant agreement; funds may only be used for direct graffiti abatement costs, including mural maintenance.
- The City also supports graffiti reduction through complementary programs such as free paint from Dulux locations, Community Paint Out funding, and free graffiti wipes distributed to BIAs and Community Policing Centres.
Vancouver Charter BIA Renewal Amendment
- Approved a proposed Vancouver Charter amendment related to Business Improvement Area renewal on consent.
FCM, UBCM, LMLGA Membership Fees
- Council approved payment of annual membership fees totalling approximately $246,613 to three municipal associations: the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) at $168,670.40, the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) at an estimated $69,943.18, and the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA) at an estimated $8,000.
- FCM has represented Canadian municipal governments nationally since 1901 and advocates on federal policy and programs on behalf of nearly 2,000 member municipalities; Vancouver's fee is calculated on a per-capita basis using the 2021 census population of 662,248.
- UBCM has represented BC local governments since 1905, and LMLGA is the province's largest area association, serving approximately 33 local governments in partnership with UBCM.
- Year-over-year fee increases are modest: FCM up 3.4%, UBCM up 0.3%, and LMLGA up 4%; the UBCM and LMLGA invoices are estimates pending final billing.
- LMLGA is exploring a new membership fee model to be voted on at its April 2026 AGM; if the new model results in a significantly higher fee for Vancouver, staff will return to Council for additional approval before payment.
- All funding comes from the approved 2026 Corporate Relations Operating Budget; under the Vancouver Charter, this type of grant to municipal associations requires a two-thirds majority vote of all Council members.
2026 Community Services and Social Grants – Amendment Champlain Heights
Carried Details
- Amendment to the 2026 Community Services and Social Grants report to add a $30,000 grant to Free the Fern Stewardship Society for stewardship of the Champlain Heights Trail Network.
- Grounded in a unanimous October 2025 council motion directing staff to support Free the Fern's work; grant staff were unaware of that motion at the time of their review.
- Opponents argued it was poor governance to override a competitive adjudicated grant process mid-stream and that the intended use of funds was unclear.
- Supporters noted the society had removed 240 cubic metres of invasive species, planted 4,000 native plants, and engaged 1,700 volunteers, all on city land.
- Amendment carried (not unanimously) but the severed grant vote subsequently failed to reach the required two-thirds majority; staff directed to find alternative funding streams.
2026 Community Services Grants – Amendment U Lost on Separation
Defeated Details
- Proposed amendment to award a $30,000 grant specifically to Free the Fern Stewardship Society, severed for a separate two-thirds vote as required for all grants.
- Failed to reach the two-thirds threshold; opposed by Mayor Ken Sim, Councillors Kirby-Yung, Montague, and Klassen, with Councillors Meiszner and Maloney abstaining.
2026 Community Services Grants A–T Approved
Carried Details
- Council approved a broad package of community social service grants totalling approximately $3.57 million in operating grants and $446,000 in capital grants, distributed across 90 grants to non-profit organizations serving Vancouver residents.
- Major grant streams include Core Support Grants ($1.69M to 43 organizations), Neighbourhood House Grants ($1.23M to 11 houses), Childcare Operating Grants ($437K), Sustainable Food Systems Grants ($224K), and School Food Grants ($152K).
- Additional funding streams cover Indigenous Healing and Wellness, Extreme Heat Resilience, Community Climate Action, one-time project grants, and a two-year multi-year grant of $440,000 to RainCity Housing Society to operate the Kingsway Community Station.
- Capital grants support social space improvements and childcare space expansion, including School Aged Care Expansion grants and Small Capital Grants for non-city-owned childcare facilities.
- Staff also sought Council approval of revised criteria for the Social Responsibility Fund Granting Program, and delegated authority to the General Manager of Arts, Culture and Community Services to finalize and execute all grant agreements.
- These grants require a two-thirds affirmative vote of all Council members under Section 206(1) of the Vancouver Charter, as the recipient organizations are deemed to be contributing to the health and welfare of the City.
2026 Property Tax Relief and Averaging
Carried Details
- Council approved in principle two property tax relief programs for 2026: the Pilot Development Potential Relief Program (Pilot DPRP) for eligible Light Industry (Class 5) and Business and Other (Class 6) properties, and Targeted 5-Year Land Assessment Averaging for Class 1, 5, and 6 properties.
- The Pilot DPRP reduces the City's general purpose tax rate on a portion of assessed land value for commercial properties where land value makes up 95% or more of total assessed value — targeting independent businesses and neighbourhood retail along high streets — with the DPRP tax rate set at 50% of the blended Class 5/6 rate and relief capped at $6.5 million per property.
- Targeted Averaging smooths out sharp year-over-year assessment increases for properties rising more than 10% above the class average change, preventing sudden large tax burden shifts between individual properties without reducing the City's overall tax revenue.
- Neither program reduces total taxes collected; any relief granted to eligible properties is redistributed across remaining properties in the same tax class, resulting in an estimated rate premium of approximately 0.1% for Class 1 and 0.6% for the blended Class 5/6 rate.
- Fewer properties qualify for DPRP in 2026 compared to prior years due to current commercial real estate market conditions reducing the number of properties meeting provincial eligibility criteria.
- Staff were directed to bring forward the necessary by-laws to enact both programs, consistent with authority granted under Sections 374.4 and 374.6 of the Vancouver Charter.
Outstanding Motions Amendment – Transfer Items to Appendix A
Defeated Details
- Proposed amendment to move several motions from the lower-priority appendix (Appendix B) back to the active work plan (Appendix A), specifically truckside guards on city fleet vehicles, Cornwall Avenue safety upgrades, Granville Bridge suicide prevention fencing, and faith-based affordable housing policy work.
- Councillor Bligh argued these are life-safety priorities and moving them signals continued commitment to community advocates.
- Councillors Maloney and Fry expressed support, citing the deaths that prompted the original motions and the absence of clear cost justifications for deprioritizing life-safety measures.
- Councillor Montague and others argued staff had provided transparent, logical rationale; cherry-picking individual motions back would undermine the exercise and overload staff.
- Defeated; Mayor and majority voted against.
Outstanding Council Motions Update
Carried Details
- Adopted the staff-recommended Outstanding Council Motions update, reprioritizing work across 181 motions, moving some to a lower-priority appendix due to resource and funding constraints.
- Items deferred or reprioritized include truckside guards fleet retrofit ($5M estimated cost), means-prevention fencing on Granville Bridge (conceptual design ongoing, funding gap remains, consultant report expected Q2 2027), Cornwall Avenue safety improvements (folded into Vision Zero strategy due mid-2026), and stratification/laneway ownership options (delayed to 2027).
- Carried with Councillors Bligh, Orr, and Maloney opposed, Councillor Fry abstaining.
CHIP Grant ALT Commercial Housing Society
1710 East Pender Street; 1730 East Pender Street- Council approved a Community Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) capital grant of up to $12,268,000 ($64,000 per unit) to ALT Commercial Housing Society to support construction of a 191-unit social and co-op housing development at 1710 and 1730 East Pender Street in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood.
- The project is being developed by ALT Commercial Housing Society, an entity of the Aboriginal Land Trust Society, which was created to develop and hold real estate for the benefit of persons of Aboriginal and Indigenous ancestry, with a focus on low- and moderate-income earners.
- Of the 191 units, 89 (46%) will be rented at or below Housing Income Limits (HILs), including 12 units for persons on income assistance or disability allowance, with the remainder at 110% of CMHC median market rents — providing a broad range of affordability across studio, one-, two-, and three-/four-bedroom unit types.
- Total estimated development costs are approximately $156.9 million, with funding secured from CMHC's Affordable Housing Fund ($37.5M), the National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc. ($750K), applicant land equity ($13M), and a required mortgage of approximately $80.8M; the City CHIP grant bridges the gap to meet the City's Social Housing definition.
- A Housing Agreement securing minimum affordability for 60 years or the life of the building (whichever is greater) has already been registered on title, and a Development Permit was approved in August 2025 following a Council-approved rezoning in December 2023.
- The grant supports the City's Housing Vancouver Strategy target of 10,000 social, supportive, and non-profit co-op units by 2033, and advances the City's Reconciliation commitments by strengthening partnerships with Indigenous housing societies.
Granville Street Summer Patios Fee Waiver
- Approved amendments to the Street Vending By-law to support 2026 Granville Street summer patios fee waiver on consent.
Nomination Subcommittee Schedule 2026
- Approved the 2026 Nomination Subcommittee schedule on consent.
AGC Recommendations – Land Sales and Whistleblower
- Adopted Auditor General Committee recommendations on land sales and a whistleblower policy on consent.
Enact By-laws 1 to 21
Carried Details
- Enacted 21 bylaws arising from previous public hearings and council decisions; members who were absent for relevant public hearings confirmed review of proceedings before voting.
Car Free Days – Meiszner Amendment (A–C)
Carried Details
- Councillor Meiszner's amendment (strike and replace) to the original Car Free Days motion, clarifying the $30,000 grant is in addition to existing FestShare in-kind support and is contingent on receipt of an event delivery plan.
- Addressed concern that original language could be read to include already-covered city costs within the $30,000.
Car Free Days 2026 Grant – Final Motion
Carried Details
- Approved a one-time $30,000 grant to Car Free Days Society to support 2026 Car Free Days festivals on Main Street and Commercial Drive.
- Society faced a funding shortfall due to rising policing, sanitation, and traffic control costs while grant funding remained flat.
- In previous years the city provided $93,000 to $104,000 in FestShare in-kind support; this grant addresses a gap not covered by that program.
- Requires submission of an event delivery plan before funds are released; city staff noted existing FestShare allocations are unchanged.
Agenda documents (26)
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. CD-1 Rezoning: (i) 1030-1070 East Hastings Street, (ii) 1115-1129 East Hastings Street & 360 Glen Drive and (iii) 1168-1182 East Hastings Street
REPORTS
1. Approval of 2026-27 Business Improvement Area (BIA) Budgets
2. 2026 Graffiti Abatement Grants for Business Improvement Areas (BIAs)
3. Proposed Vancouver Charter Amendment - Business Improvement Area (BIA) Renewal
4. Annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), and Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA) Membership Fees for 2026 to 2027
5. 2026 Community Services and Other Social Grants and One Cultural Grant
6. 2026 Property Tax: Development Potential Relief and Land Assessment Averaging
7. Outstanding Council Motions Update
8. Community Housing Incentive Program Grant – ALT Commercial Housing Society Co-op Housing Project
9. Amendments to Street Vending By-law to Support 2026 Granville Street Summer Patios
10. Nomination Subcommittee Recommendations Transmittal Report
11. Auditor General Committee Recommendations Transmittal Report
BY-LAWS
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
Vote matrix
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ken Sim🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||||
| Rebecca Bligh🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||||||||
| Lisa Dominato🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Pete Fry🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | A | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Sarah Kirby-Yung🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| Mike Klassen🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Lucy Maloney🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | A | Y | Y | A | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Peter Meiszner🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | A | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Brian Montague🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Sean Orr🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Lenny Zhou🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |