← Standing Committee on City Finance and Services March 11, 2026
Hi, Councillor Bligh. It's the clerk in the chamber. Can you hear us okay?
Yes, I can hear you.
Okay, great. We can hear you as well. Thanks.
All right, good morning, everyone. We have a quorum now, so let's get this meeting started. Okay, good morning, and welcome to the Standing Committee on City Finance and Services meeting of Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The meeting is being held in person and by electronic means. Council members and the public may participate by either method. Any council members joining electronically are reminded to enable their video to confirm quorum. The meeting has been live-streamed on Citi's website and YouTube. The meeting progress will be updated regularly on X at Van City Clerk. In case of an emergency requiring evacuation, there are two Xs located beyond the glass doors and to the left. If the glass doors are obstructed, please use the four additional exits within the council chamber. Do not use the elevator. Use the stairs instead. If you require assistance, remain where you are and the security staff will get you to a safe location. A defibrillator is available at the end of the hallway outside of the council chamber. We acknowledge that we are on the unceded homelands of Musqueam, Squamish, and the TTsleil-Waututh people. We thank them for having care of this land and look forward to working with them in partnership as we continue to build this great city together. I will also recognize the immense contributions of the City of Vancouver team members who work hard every single day to help make our city an incredible place to live, work, and play. Clerk, may we have the roll call, please?
Councillor Zhou in the chair, Mayor Sim. Councillor Kirby Young is on a leave of absence from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Councillor Dominato.
Not here.
Councillor Bligh. Aye. Councillor Fry. Councillor Montague is on a leave of absence for personal reasons all day. Councillor Klassen.
Present.
Councillor Meiszner.
Present.
And you're on a leave of absence for civic business from 1 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Councillor Orr. Councillor Maloney. This meeting has quorum, Chair Joe.
Thanks, Leslie. So we have two proclamations to do this morning. The first proclamation is reading today is to recognize the celebration of Nowruz, which begins next week on March 20th. Our thoughts goes out to the many families and friends who make up Vancouver's Iranian community and the diaspora around the world and the people of Iran as they face an uncertain future. Nowruz promotes the values of peace, solidarity, and reconciliation. diversity, and friendship among people. It's a time of transformation and renewal, and a reminder that every new day is an opportunity for a refreshed start. Now, Ruth means the new day in Farsi, marks the arrival of spring equinox. Originating on the Iranian plateau, it has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years and is now observed by people in more than 15 countries, making the New Year in Iran and Afghanistan. It is also celebrated by people of many cultures, and the face is recognized on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In 2009, the Parliament of Canada passed legislation to officially add Nowruz to the national calendar, followed by the province of B.C., and in 2019, the city of Vancouver passed a motion to add Nowruz to the city's list of official celebrations and observances. At the exact moment of spring equinox, families gather around the haft-sin table, often accompanied by the haft-maiwa in anticipation of the new year. Haft-sin is an arrangement of seven symbolic items, while haft-maiwa is a fruit and nut composed representing growth and rejuvenation. Nauru is this holiday that brings people together across cultures and backgrounds while celebrating the renewal of nature, something that really resonates strongly in the city as Vancouver. Okay, I will now invite my fellow councillors to the front to read the proclamation by the mayor. Everyone?
Hello? Oh, there we go.
Not so much for you, for everyone watching online right now. So I'm not going to add too many more comments beyond what Councillor Zhou added so eloquently. But I do want to say on behalf of... City Council, all our elected officials, and everyone that chooses to work at the City of Vancouver, we understand what the Iranian community is going through right now. And our hearts and thoughts are with the Iranian community. There's a lot of family and friends. There's a lot of uncertainty right now. The Iranian community has had an incredibly deep and powerful sort of connection to Vancouver, obviously dating before 1979, but during 1979 and the events that happened in the Mideast since then, it's been a big part of our city. And we just want to say we love you and we're here in solidarity with you. And so with that, we're going to read a proclamation as a team. And I'll start off.
Councillor Maloney.
Whereas the arrival of spring symbolizes rebirth, renewal, and the promise of hope.
And whereas the spring equinox marks the beginning of Nowruz, time of joy and reflection.
And whereas throughout thousands of years, Nowruz has endured as a symbol of resilience and forever peruse, victorious, representing the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and joy over sorrow.
And whereas the half-sin table, complemented with half-sin mother, embodies the spirit of life, growth, and rejuvenation.
And whereas in times of profound turmoil and injustice, marked by the tragic killing of tens of thousands of people during the recent protests across Iran, and amid the ongoing struggle of the Iranian people for dignity, human rights, and fundamental freedoms, the values of Nowruz, peace, solidarity, renewal, and reconciliation shine as a beacon of hope for humanity.
And whereas Nowruz reminds us of our shared responsibility to stand in solidarity with those facing injustice and oppression, including women, people in countries whose rights and freedoms are being restricted, and all communities around the world enduring war, conflict, and displacement as we hold fast to the promise of a new day grounded in justice, compassion, and human dignity.
Now, I, Ken Sim, the Mayor of the City of Vancouver, on behalf of all of our elected officials and everyone who chooses to work at the City of Vancouver, every single day do hereby very humbly proclaim March the 20th, 2026, as the day of Nowruz in the City of Vancouver.
So if we can please welcome Amir Bajakian to say a few words on behalf of the Iranian community. Mr. Bajakian is the founder and president of Green Cedar Consulting. He's an outreach consultant, community activist, and aviation specialist. Amir is passionate about engaging new Canadians in community and political affairs and believes that fundamental human rights and participation in the democratic process should never be taken for granted.
Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Sim. Thank you, councillors. It's been quite a ride. We passed the motion in 2019 and Councillor Fry was there in that very last item of business at that night. And throughout the years, we got through COVID and Councillor Fry and Councillor Meiszner were always there, even though the council was not in session. So we were a little conflicted to have the celebration this year because of all the things that were going on. But we ultimately decided to go through with it because this is actually a spirit of noise. Over thousands of years, we never canceled it. There were times that it was banned, but we still never canceled it. And even like we talked about Iran, but in Afghanistan. It is banned by Taliban, but it's still celebrated. Because Nowruz is a symbol of resilience. No matter how much injustice and tyranny is going on, spring still arrives and hope is still there. Nowruz builds bridges at a time of war, at a time of injustice, at a time of division. And it brings people together from various cultures and backgrounds. goes starting from the Fargana Valley all the way to Albania, from Zanzibar all the way to Bukhara, from the ruins of Persepolis all the way to Balch and Bamiyan. We celebrate it, even though our hearts are heavy, we still stand by. And in Noruz is a time to remember those who are not with us at the half-seen table. And unfortunately, there are many, many, many to remember. So if that's... I would like to conclude, I would like to thank you, thank the staff at the City of Vancouver, particularly Mariam and Ellen, who put this celebration together and the beautiful half-scene table. Thank you all. And I would like to invite my dear friend, Mr. Abdurrahim Parwani, to come and say a few words, if possible.
Hello, everybody. Despite the very hard time that people of Afghanistan and Iran are going through at this moment, we celebrate Nowruz. Because Nowruz is a celebration of a new day, a rebirth of nature. It brings happiness, it brings inspiration, it brings hope. And we do celebrate it, regardless of what we are going through. Afghan people have been doing it, celebrating it, for the last 50 years under the fire of war and everything. And now people of Iran is going through that. So we celebrate it because it's Nowruz inspiring us to struggle for peace, for stability, for democracy. And we will do that because Nowruz is an inspiration. I would like to thank you very much, Mr. Mayor and City Hall of Vancouver, for celebrating Nowruz for many, many years. And I've been attending this, and it's really appreciated by our community. And I wish people of Iran and Afghanistan both to have what they desire, peace, stability, development, and democracy. Thank you very much again. Thank you very much, and I appreciate it.
We'd love to take a picture if you guys want to come up.
I'll read my script first. Okay, yeah. Okay, thanks, everyone. So we have the second proclamation, which is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discriminalization.
Our second proclamation today is to honor and recognize the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the day that commemorates the tragic events of March 21, 1960, when police killed 69 anti-apartheid protesters in Sharpeville, South Africa. This day reminds us of the ongoing struggle against racial discrimination sorry, discrimination and the importance of standing together, not only today, but every day, to advocate for justice, dignity, and respect for all. The City of Vancouver is actively working to dismantle the racial discrimination through the policy change and community engagement to better serve many racialized people who live and work in our city. This work includes continuing towards the goal of becoming a city of reconciliation through the UNDRIP strategy and be repairing the relationship with Musqueam, Squamish, and the TTsleil-Waututh Nation, as well as the urban indigenous communities who have historically experienced and continue to experience discrimination in Vancouver. As we recognize International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, we encourage individuals, business, community organizations, and associations to take a public stand against racism and continue to do so every single day. Together, let us work together a future free from racial discrimination and where every person has the opportunity to thrive without fear and prejudice.
I will now invite my fellow counselors up to the front to read the proclamation with the mayor together.
Keep doing it.
Thank you. Officer of the Mayor's City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Proclamation International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Whereas the General Assembly of the United Nations designated March 21st as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to mark the day when 69 anti-apartheid protesters were killed by police in Sharpeville, South Africa on March 21st, 1960.
And whereas the impacts of racism, including anti-Indigenous, anti-Black and anti-Asian racism, continue through current legislative acts and everyday interpersonal encounters.
And whereas racism and violence are systemic, structural and interpersonal, and addressing this requires questioning, challenging and changing at every societal level.
And whereas the city also recognized that racism is accelerated by the discrimination on the basis of intersecting identities such as those grounded in ancestry, the place of origin, language, religion, family status, economic status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression and age.
And whereas racism and racial hate in all of their manifestations, including microaggressions, online hate speech, racial profiling, and active racialized violence, continue to be deeply harmful to communities, and denial or defensiveness impedes the progress we seek to make towards the health and well-being at all communities.
And whereas the City of Vancouver acknowledges the harmful impact of racism, and is committed to addressing and responding to racism in all its forms by developing and implementing an anti-racism framework and action plan.
And whereas the city is working towards its goal of becoming a city of reconciliation, including through the UNDRIP strategy, and repairing relationships with Musqueam, Squamish, and TTsleil-Waututh Nations and urban Indigenous communities, we have historically experienced and continue to experience discrimination in the city and who, because of that discrimination, have not been able to fully participate and benefit.
And whereas eliminating racism and racial discrimination requires taking action to mitigate the effects of ongoing colonization and structural racism, so that a person's intersecting racial identity has no adverse impacts on their experience of safety, inclusion, and belonging in Vancouver. Now, therefore, I, Ken Sim, the Mayor of the City of Vancouver, on behalf of all of our elected officials and everyone who chooses to work at the City of Vancouver every single day, do hereby proclaim March the 21st, 2026, as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in the City of Vancouver.
Thank you.
All right. Thanks, everyone, for the two very important proclamation this morning. Okay, so this is the plan for the day. We're going to break at noon for lunch, return at 3 p.m. to continue to deal with the remainder of the agenda. If needed, we're going to recess at 5 p.m. for a dinner break and reconvene at 6 p.m. to complete the agenda. Okay, so the committee members will now consider the matters adopted on consent. We have report two on the consent agenda for the committee's consideration. We will hold report one to hear from the speakers.
Okay. Does any member want to hold...
items two for debate or questions to the team members.
Okay, yeah, so number two held by Councillor Maloney.
Okay, so we do not have any consent agenda today. Okay, perfect. Okay, so we have a report, the first report.
Housing, homelessness services, 2026 grants, renter service grants. Before we begin this agenda item, if anyone believes they have a conflict of interest, now is the time to declare it. Does anyone have a conflict of interest to disclose?
Okay, seeing none, the item does not have a presentation. We have one speaker.
I think the script is not right. Okay, we will now hear from the speakers for this report.
Do the speakers first.
Give us one second. We'll sort out the procedure question.
Leslie, I'll just do the question anyway.
Okay. I'll do the question. Okay. So committee members, you have up to five minutes to ask questions of team members. Are there any questions? Okay. Seeing none, we will now hear from the ready speaker for this report. Public speakers should stay whether they are in support or in opposition of the recommendations and may only speak once. I will also ask speakers if they are residents of Vancouver if it is not noted on the speakers list. Our first public speaker is Jenny Simpson on the phone.
Jenny?
Speaker 1 is not on the line.
Okay. Thank you. So this is the end of our speakers list. Thank you, everyone. So will someone like to move on motion? Moved by Councillor Meissner, seconded by Councillor Clausen. Committee members, is there any discussion?
Okay. Seeing none, we're going to go to the vote. So clerk, please take us to the voting screen. And committee members, please register your vote on the voting panel.
Chairs, Councillor Kirby, can I get a vote assist in favor, please?
Yeah, thanks, Councillor Kirby.
Okay. All right, so the report passed unanimously.
That completes Report 1 on the agenda.
We're going to go to the report number 2, which is Chinatown Strategic Priority Grants. Before we begin this agenda item, if anyone believes they have a conflict of interest, now is the time to declare it. Does anyone have a conflict of interest to disclose? This item does not have a team member presentation. Councillor Maloney, you held this item. You have five minutes to ask questions to team members.
Yeah, please go ahead.
Thanks very much. I just want to ask a couple of questions about the Chinatown Stewards program because it's a great program and I was impressed to see that there have been over 2,800 community interactions. But it says the average response time for a steward to attend after a call is 11 minutes. But we heard, council did a tour of a business recently and we heard that it was taking an hour and a half to, this merchant was having trouble with their storefront being blocked. And so that was a problem. I'd be interested in knowing what your perspective is on that.
Yeah. Hi, Belcha, Associate Director, Strategy and Project Support. The stewards typically work on four-hour shifts throughout the day, seven days a week, and so they're often in different parts of the neighbourhood, just depending on where they're roaming. The 11 minutes are the stats that we've received, but what we can also do is follow up. with Embers as well and flagged this, we do meet with each of the partners regularly each month as a part of the working group, and so we can certainly bring this forward as a way of revisiting response times for businesses and whether there's any areas that we can improve on.
Yeah, and I mean, so it's about 20 to 25 people, which costs about $177,000, which is incredibly cost-effective, compared to how expensive it is to have employed police officers. Is there any plan to expand this program or demand for expanding this program?
Yeah, at this time we've only spoken with Embers about kind of the Chinatown boundaries, but we do know that Embers has expressed an interest. in expansion to other areas. We know that this program is kind of one of their highest demand programs. There are lots of people who would like to be employed, I think, through the program. And we've seen really good progress through the Chinatown program. But the Uplifting Chinatown Action Plan is a council-directed initiative. And so right now, the focus is primarily restricted to Chinatown.
And I really like the business model of Embers being a charity, like a non-profit employment agency. Are there any other enterprises like Embers that have the same business model?
I can certainly come back with a bit more information through Uplifting. We do know that the Chinatown BIA also works with Mission Possible on some of their graffiti removal and abatement. So I do think there are some other options, but we can certainly get that information to you.
And do you think, I heard that there could be more publicity and awareness of the program, especially amongst store merchants. Are there any plans for... More effective communication, maybe through the BIA?
Yeah, so we can certainly, the BIA is part of the monthly working group. And so this is something we can bring to them in the meeting. We do know that we have had good uptake from the businesses and we rely on the BIA to work primarily with all the businesses and property owners in the area. And so... We can, again, bring that up at the working group. And we also know that the BIA does have plans this year to continue their outreach through both the Safe Walk program and the expansion of it and to undertake some more collaboration with different business partners as well to help address and support some of the FIFA demands that we know will come up in the neighborhood. And then they also do some various outreach around graffiti. So, yes, in short.
I mean, I'm sure everyone would be interested in knowing what we can do as a council and a city to support the effectiveness and expansion of this excellent program.
For sure.
Counselor Fry. Yeah, thanks. And this is really more just a general question since we have you here. And the report talks in the context about graffiti abatement and I think community supports. It also mentions placemaking. And I'm just wondering if you could speak to how some of this grant and this work is leveraging the idea of placemaking in Chinatown and what that looks like.
Yeah, some of the challenges we have heard from the neighborhood around placemaking do have to do with just the daily public realm impact in the neighborhood. And the funding through Uplifting Chinatown just helps address and have some more visibility and foot traffic in the neighborhood as well and allows more activities to take place. The stewards also provide more immediate response for both businesses and also other organizations working in the neighborhood so that there are quicker response times should there be any issues that might need to be addressed, for example, at a public plaza so that activities can take place.
So this isn't necessarily the granting stream that would address more physical aspects of placemaking like wayfinding and... Like, placemaking. I mean, beautification, what have you.
Yeah, I think some of what this grant is focusing on really is around graffiti removal and abatement supports for different people in the neighborhood, including seniors, and then generally cleanliness as well, as a means of, I think, enabling placemaking. But kind of some of the other initiatives that you've mentioned around beautification or wayfinding aren't necessarily covered under this program at this time.
For sure, yes. Through other work that we're doing through the Chinatown Cultural District Framework that Council also approved. So we are continuing other work around infrastructure and public realm improvements, both with the Chinatown Advisory Committee and other stakeholders in the neighborhood who are doing work around infrastructure like the Chinatown Foundation and the BIA.
Thank you. Thank you.
Okay, thanks, Councillor. Thanks, Mel. No more other questions on the queue. Okay, would someone like to move a motion?
Moved by Councillor Fry, seconded by Councillor Maloney. Committee members, is there any discussion?
Okay, seeing no one else on the queue, so let's go to the vote. So please register your vote on the voting panel.
can I also have a vote of assist in favor for this one, please?
Yes, Councillor Kirby.
Councillor Orr? In favor, yeah. Councillor Orr, a vote of assist in favor, please. Mayor Sin?
Okay, perfect. So report number two passed unanimously. Thanks, everyone. Okay, that completes report two on the agenda. Now we're moving on to the council members' motion. The motion one is a one-time extraordinary grant for Granville Street activation during FIFA World Cup 2026. It is co-submitted by Councillor Meiszner and Mayor Sim. It is moved and introduced by Councillor Meiszner. Before we begin this agenda item, if anyone believes they have a conflict of interest, now is the time to declare it. Does anyone have a conflict of interest to disclose? Okay. Councillor Meiszner, you have two minutes to introduce your motion. Please go ahead.
There we go.
Thank you. Okay. This is, I think, an exciting morning for our city. As you heard last week, this summer, the city, in partnership with our our friends and partners at the Downtown Vancouver BIA, will be transforming Granville Street into a fun and vibrant pedestrian zone. So between June 11th and July 20th, when Vancouver's hosting the FIFA World Cup, the Granville Pedestrian Zone will welcome residents and visitors to a people-first street that supports local businesses and creates a dynamic and family-friendly destination. that will showcase Vancouver and enhance the tournament experience. So this will be five blocks of the Granville Street pedestrian zone, and it will feature additional public seating, expanded patios, merchandise vendors and food options, live music and cultural activations, and lots of placemaking and selfie spots for the selfie crowd. And I know our first speaker today is going to share some details on the different themes of each one of those blocks. So downtown Vancouver is going to lead the programming and activation and the placemaking to help the pedestrian zone come alive. And the city is going to work in partnership and provide additional public seating, community and business activations, and enhanced sanitation. This will be a free activation. It'll be five weeks long. And it's going to allow everyone in the city to participate in the excitement of hosting FIFA and the soccer tournament. and also support our downtown businesses on Granville Street. So the motion is calling for a $300,000 one-time grant to the downtown Vancouver BIA to be funded from the city's financial reserves. And that is intended to complement the BIA's significant financial contribution to making this happen. and help offset some costs around activation, placemaking, beautification, microcleaning, et cetera. So I hope council will support this and give Vancouverites a fun and free pedestrian zone this summer on Granville Street. Thank you.
Okay, thanks, Councillor Meissner. Mayor Hsing has seconded this motion. We will now hear from the registered speaker for this motion. Public speakers should state whether they are in support or in opposition of the recommendations and may only speak once. I will also ask speakers if they are residents of Vancouver, if it is not noted on the speaker's list. Our first registered speaker is Jane Taubelt. Hi, Jane.
Good morning. Good morning, Chair, Mayor and Council. My name is Jane Talbot. I'm the president and CEO of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association. And I thank you for the opportunity to speak in support of Councillor Meiszner's motion to invest in activating the Granville pedestrian zone during the FIFA World Cup this summer. Next summer, Vancouver will welcome the world. Hundreds of thousands of visitors will come to our city and our downtown. And Granville Street sits at the heart of that experience. How people engage with the street and shape their perspective of downtown Vancouver. is largely impacted by how Granville Street represents. It's important that the street is lively and welcoming. Downtown Van is committed to significant resources from our annual budget to activate Granville Street during the 39-day pedestrian zone, and the city's investment will help ensure we can deliver an experience worthy of a global event. Next slide, please.
So this will be more than a street closure. It will be a vibrant pedestrian destination across five blocks. It's a place where residents and visitors can gather, explore, and celebrate the energy of the tournament together. There will be five blocks that are activated. Each will have their own theme. We'll have a selfie central, an enchanted forest, game on, awesome art, and rainbow realness. Across the zone, we are planning expanded patios, additional seating, public art, interactive games, street beautification, market stalls, and live music. Next slide, please.
Lighting will also play an important role in transforming the Granville Entertainment District into a welcoming place where people will want to spend time day and night. These three pieces have been ordered, and they are under development now. Next slide, please. pedestrian zone will offer additional lighting such as the soccer ball next next slide please this will be part of enchanted forest and next slide please the the zone is completely free it's family-friendly it is open to everyone and it will be a place to to come together as a community and celebrate our city and really celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity final slide please
Importantly, it's an opportunity to support downtown businesses, especially those on and adjacent to Granville Street. Businesses along the corridor have faced several challenging years and are eager to welcome people back. The Granville Pedestrian Zone allows restaurants, retailers, and nightlife venues to participate in a once-in-a-generation global event while giving residents and visitors a new way to experience the street. This summer gives us a real opportunity to demonstrate what Granville Street can become when we focus attention and investment on the corridor. With the city's support, Downtown Van is ready to work with businesses and partners to deliver an experience that captures the spirit of the World Cup and showcases Granville Street at its very best. Thank you for your time. Thank you for caring about Granville Street.
Thank you, Jim. Okay, speaker number two is Talnia Webkin.
I am just here to speak against this motion. I find it extraordinary that we have another one-time extraordinary grant happening again this month in the past two months since the 2026 budget is passed adc has already taken four million dollars last week from our city reserves to build a police academy i'm not here to discuss the importance of these funds i'm here to discuss irresponsible governance FIFA discussions have been happening for years. This is not an unforeseen emergency situation that could not be avoided. This is a choice being made by ABC to ensure that their zero-means-zero budget will go through to protect ultra-wealth across the city at the expense of everyone else. With FIFA costs ballooning to $624 million, this is a gross slap in the face to workers. This additional $300,000 is just another sign of gross fiscal mismanagement. The majority of city councils are creating future fiscal issues that they likely won't be around to deal with. I am not a fan of sports washing. I'm not a fan of putting elites above the working class. But most of all, I'm upset at gross fiscal mismanagement. We need city councillors that are able to balance a budget during the time that budgets are to be balanced and not to go into city reserves like their own piggy bank. Thanks very much for listening.
Thank you. All right. So this is the end of our speakers list. Committee members, is there any discussion? Councillor Maloney first.
Thanks. I'd like to congratulate...
Sorry, councillor, so I need to move you to the main queue, please. Can you add yourself there? Sorry about that. That's councillor Maloney, Councillor Meiszner, councillor Fry.
Congratulations, Downtown Van BIA, for all your hard work, and this is, I think, going to be a really fun... amazing experience for visitors and Vancouverites alike and it's especially useful for the downtown residents who will be impacted by road closures and a little bit of inconvenience is something that is fun that they're within walking distance of. I'm sure it will be amazing for the business people as well. And I also want to thank the City of Vancouver staff and consultants that have been working on this. I'm really glad it's free, especially given that game tickets are unaffordable for almost all Vancouverites and it's a good supplement to the fan zone as well. I am disappointed that this was announced prior to this meeting where approval for the money is being sought. I am disappointed that this expenditure wasn't included in the budget that we so recently passed. I'm also really looking forward to us using this opportunity as an incredibly useful pilot for the long-term changes that are contemplated in the Granville Entertainment District, particularly the ones relating to diversion of public transit, which is going to potentially have a negative impact on... transit riders so this is a short trial where we can I think that we should be investing staff time in assessing what the impacts are for transit riders and other members of the community impacted by the changes and learn lessons that we can use both in implementing more more effectively our proposed bus lanes. You know, we're going to do this quickly and it shows that it can be done quickly. But really listen to transit riders and pedestrians and other people that are impacted by changes to minimise that when the long-term changes are made. So, again, thank you for your work and congratulations, and I will be voting in favour of this. I just wish I was voting in favour of this before last week's announcement. Thanks. Okay, thanks. Councillor Meiszner.
Thank you. I have an amendment. We had a discussion with the – or I had a discussion with the Deputy City Manager this morning. This is just – to add delegated authority. So it's just a simple amendment to add E and F. Okay.
I'll add you to the amendment queue. And we need a seconder for this amendment. Second by Councillor, by mayor Sim. Yeah. Okay.
Yeah. Please add yourself on the queue, please.
Thanks. Thanks to our speakers today and thanks in particular to Jane Talbot from Downtown Van for outlining and giving us a preview of some of the exciting activations that are going to be happening on Granville Street and for your ongoing stewardship and care for our downtown core. It's deeply appreciated. This idea around providing more support to Downtown Van to execute this has really come out of ongoing discussions that several councillors have been having with Downtown Van around the activation. And this funding, this eligible funding, additional funding, will be used to offset additional costs related to activation, placemaking, beautification, marketing, and microcleaning, and enhanced stewardship. As you can imagine, this is not a simple thing to do, to close down five blocks and program them for an event as large as FIFA when we're expecting hundreds of thousands of people in our city. And I'll just remind my councillors that I was... thrilled to support the emergency motion yesterday for a car-free day. And I also feel that this is very worthy of support as well. This is a way to ensure that Vancouverites who, you know, may not be able to get a ticket to FIFA, the tickets are very expensive, that they can still participate in the tournament and the excitement. It makes me think about 2010 and the Winter Olympics and all the activations and excitement there was in downtown Vancouver. So really hoping for council support on this really exciting placemaking initiative this summer. Thank you.
Thanks, Councillor Meiszner. Okay, seeing no one else on the queue, so we're going to go to the vote. We are voting on Councillor Meiszner's amendment. Councillor, please register your vote. Can I have a vote of support in favor, Councillor Kerbian? Yeah, noted. Okay, just, oh, even for the amendment. No, yeah, the simple majority, yeah. Yes, we are voting on the amendment, please. Everyone, please register a vote.
Councillor Karpian, for vote assisting in favor. Councillor Wu?
Okay.
Okay, so the amendment passed unanimously.
Moving back to the main queue, Councillor Meiszner.
Nothing further to add, but I hope Council will support this exciting activation.
Thanks very much. I have a lot to say to this, but I'm in an airport departure lounge, so I'll keep it very brief. I just have a point of information to you, Chair, to the mover of the motion. In exploring this activation and single source funding request, were there any conversations that you had with Gastown BIA or Hastings Crossing BIA as two examples of sort of adjacent to the stadium and also looking to, particularly Gastown, of course, with their Water Street closure and pilot. So that's my first point of information.
I haven't had any specific conversations with those two BIAs in relation to this activation, but I was very engaged on the Gastown pedestrian zone last year, regularly meeting with the BIAs, the BIA rather, to hear their learnings about what worked and what didn't. And we made many adjustments last summer, as you know, Councillor Bligh, to make that pedestrian zone in Gastown more successful. But I know our FIFA secretariat, the team working on the World Cup here at the city, are regularly engaging with both the Hastings Crossing BIA and the Gastown BIA. And I would imagine that many of the learnings would be incorporated into the Granville Street pedestrian zone.
Okay, great. Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off, Councillor. I just don't have a lot of time. And another point of information, I just wondered if you had engaged with them on this particular sort of BIA activation for a core area related to FIFA. My other question is a point of information through your chair to the city manager related to, I think it's $5 million that we have as a city to spend from, you know, as part of the FIFA... accounting, if you will. Can that money, can this single source be funded through that? I think it's $5 million, so I'll leave it with the City Manager to clarify any accuracies there.
Good question. Sandra Singh, Deputy City Manager. Councillor, I am not familiar, entirely familiar with all of the details of the allocation of $5 million, but I can report to back to council offline or have staff do so but I can confirm is that there is there is sufficient funding in the city's overall operating budget to to to fund this the activities in this motion
Okay, thank you. Yeah, I'm a bit disappointed that Emily, I fully support it. Congratulations to Downtown Van, of course. I agree, you know, while FIFA has really no parallels drawn in terms of what the Olympics was, it's a very, very different tournament. in many respects, the public viewing and the activation that brings in people who can enjoy the tournament without feeling like they're missing out on games, I think is important. And that did happen in the 2010 Olympics. But I just, I'm disappointed that this has not really gone as far as, you know, just kind of identifying. I think there's a lot more we should be doing as a city to make sure that these activations are spread out amongst many areas that really at the end of the day, people want to go to their tourism magnets and at the same time are desperate really for support from this council in terms of being able to... you know, have a really fulsome and robust sort of plan to help the small business sector in hospitality, food and beverage, and then all the adjacent shops where when we drive traffic to those areas. So I think there's one thing to activate and there's another thing to really feel like we've done a great job in supporting our local small businesses so that they can benefit from this tournament as well. So perhaps that's going to be a follow up to this. It's really what was identified in the motion I brought forward two weeks ago, and it still remains a massive gap. So I support Downtown Band. I support this funding. But, you know, what if $200,000 for Heathen Crossing and Gaff Town could really mean that they could, too, start to plan and activate for those areas? So those are just my comments. I'm going to support this today, but that's really where my mind goes. So I'll be thinking about... And I will just say very quickly that it would be very helpful to learn more about whatever funds the city has to support activation, beautification. It's identified. I've heard about it. I know that the city manager, Donny Van Dyke, has talked about it and mentioned it. So to the deputy city manager, if there's some looking into that and reporting back, that would be very helpful. So I'll leave it there. Thanks.
Yeah, I'll start by just saying I support the intention of this motion. I do take some issue with how this process unfolded. I think that, to Councillor Bligh's point, I think... This could have been a broader exploration that was covered. I mean, we all knew that FIFA was coming. We all knew that there was an interest to do broader activations and fan fests throughout the city of Vancouver, not just in the prescribed areas of the last mile and the fan fest. And I think that to Councillor Maloney's point, to find out about this through press release that we weren't really invited to didn't speak to the right process, certainly that we haven't yet approved it. And so last week there was a press release to talk about this activation, yet we're only just voting on it today. So that presupposes a lot, and I think that's... not the appropriate process. And I think, you know, more broadly, there are going to be other activation potentials that should have been really, frankly, this all should have been figured out in advance. But I do recognize that the situation demands an ad hoc response, and we definitely have this opportunity before us, and I do support this. I think to the speaker, Tanya Webking's points as well, there is a degree of sort of... financial mismanagement from how this council has approached the zero means zero budget and then turned around and keeps coming up with new fundings for new ad hoc considerations that sort of belies, I think, the spirit of which the zero means zero was introduced and the austerity that's been forced upon many other departments across our city and other stakeholders in our city. All that said, to depoliticize this for a moment, I think this is a fantastic activation. I really like what is being put forward. I think we are all collectively interested to see the revitalization and enhancement of Granville Street, and this is going to really deliver what I think has been lacking in the FIFA planning so far, which is really recognizing this as the center of town, the destination for many visitors and locals who are coming downtown, Want to enjoy the activation. I'm super looking forward to grabbing a selfie under a mushroom in the Enchanted Forest. I can tell you that much. But I do don't love the process that got us here, but I support the work, and I look forward to this activation on Granville Street. Thank you.
Thank you, Chair. I'm happy to comment on the motion for us. And before I get into the meat of the motion, I thought I would echo the comments of my colleague, Councillor Meister, who said at the outset that he was pleased to support the urgent motion yesterday to support car-free days. And since it's been leveled a few times, this is an extraordinary process of looking at funding an event for FIFA activation on Granville Street. I would note that I also learned about the Car Free Day urgent motion on social media. So if we're going to be leveling criticisms across the room about how people are learning about things, that's how I learned about that one. But speaking to the motion, I'm incredibly pleased to see this come forward. I think it's really a testament to the downtown Vancouver BIA, who I know took a lot of initiative around this and has a proven record of delivering activations in the city. And Granville Street really is the heart of downtown. And what I think is really important as we consider supporting this activation in advance for FIFA is that people are looking for places to gather and to convene. enjoying the energy and enthusiasm of the event, just as we did with the Olympics. And people are also looking for free events. They're looking for family-friendly activations. And I was really impressed with the visuals that we saw of what you're planning. And having been to other activations on Granville Street, I know it will be a success. And I think this is certainly worthy of our time and energy and investment is to make this great. And so thank you to Councillor Meiszner for bringing it forward. Thank you to Jane for speaking today and representing the downtown Vancouver BIA, which I know has really channeled a ton of energy into what this will be. And I know that it will be a fantastic activation. So happy to support it. And thank you both for bringing it forward.
Thanks. I have a point of information for the mover of the motion through the chair, please. Just while we're on the topic, I'm super interested to know whether it's planned that the Gastown pedestrian area is going to operate the same amount or more this summer during FIFA and across the whole summer?
Is that a question for me? Yes. Okay. I'm not sure. I don't know why you presume I would have that information, but I would encourage you to connect with staff and work through the details.
It was meant to be a friendly question, but don't worry about it. I'll send an email to staff. Also, since it was raised, the majority on council have moved member motions for $6,300,000 worth of unplanned expenditure from reserves and Councillor Orr and I in response moved a member motion for $30,000. So $6,300,000 versus $30,000. In response, I think, given that the majority on council was responsible for a purported zero means zero budget, it's a quite different kettle of fish. And also, I was very grateful and pleased to have a unanimous response yesterday, vote for saving car-free days. Thanks very much.
Yeah, just to respond to Councillor Maloney's comments, I'm a huge supporter of Gastown. I lived in Gastown for five years, and I also want to see another really successful pedestrian zone in Gastown, and I'm really looking forward to the longer-term public spaces plan that's going to really revitalize Gastown. So I'm ready to have that conversation and am very supportive of Gastown. On the need to be nimble, As mentioned, Car Free Day was an emergency motion yesterday. Happy to support that, just as I am very happy to provide this extra support to Downtown Van to activate Granville Street and offer that family-friendly, free option for people during FIFA. And I just wanted to address a comment around... the press conference that we had with Downtown Van, I believe it was last week. That was a city-hosted press conference. All councillors were invited to that press conference. An email was sent out several days before to RSVP, to any councillor from any political party, if they were interested in participating. And my recollection is actually that Councillor Fry and Councillor Maloney were there. I saw them actually in the audience. And they were invited to come up to the front and celebrate this exciting pedestrian zone with all the council, but they declined that offer. So I just wanted to state that for the record.
Thanks very much. Thanks for this motion. And thank you for the speakers. And thanks to Downtown Van, who do an incredible job of stewarding amazing events. The Granville Block Party over the last couple of years has been one of the... highlights of the summer, and I think that what we're expecting to happen during FIFA with the fun free events that are going to be happening, this is something that I've been asking our staff about since early in this term, and I'm really pleased to see that we're going to be delivering that kind of downtown experience. I reminisce a lot about what happened during the 2010 games. I got very involved in it. And I remember watching the Golden Goal that was scored with Team Canada winning the gold in 2010 and asking my stepdad to drive me to the cannel line station. I was probably downtown within about 20, 30 minutes, right at the corner of Granville and Georgia. And the place was exploding in absolute glee over Canada's goal. People were dressed in red and white. The crowd, everybody was just crowded into that intersection waving Canadian flags. And I feel like that kind of incredible positive energy that we as a city showed the world is exactly the kind of experience that we're going to be seeing happen during FIFA. So I do believe that the bigger opportunity here is for us to really showcase ourself as an incredible city, an incredible destination. the very best of all the city hosts that will be running games in 2026 for the World Cup. And I know that the Granville experience is going to be a really big part of that. So I'm extraordinarily excited. for what's coming in a matter of just a few months, and so happy to support this, and I think it'll be in very, very capable hands with Downtown Vancouver Association leading the charge for what will be. one of the most memorable celebrations the city has ever had in its history. So very, very pleased to be supporting this. Thank you.
Yeah, I want to acknowledge that I was invited to the event last week. However, because there was so little information made available to, I guess, councillors who are not, I was scrounging information for information about what the announcement was about on the morning and the day before. And I declined because of the lack of information of what the event was about to stand with the majority on council up at the podium, particularly given the regrettable distractions that did draw attention away from the incredible work of the downtown BIA and distracted the media available on the day. And I'm very glad that I wasn't standing up there given the direction of the media. And that's your time, Councillor Maloney. Sorry, I'm out of time, but I think I've made my point.
Okay, thanks. All right, so I'm going to call the vote. Click, please take us to the voting screen. And, Councillor, please register your vote. And we need eight votes. But this one's two-thirds because of this grant.
Can I have a vote assist in favour, please? It's Councillor Kirby, yeah?
Yeah, great.
Thank you. All right. So this motion one passed unanimously.
Okay, thanks. That completes motion one. Councillor Dominardo?
We complete motion one. I thought you wanted to reconsider the vote.
Yes, Chair. I was hoping I could move a reconsideration of... Item 1, Housing and Homelessness Services 2026 grants, rental service grants, because I had stepped out and didn't realize you moved through it so quickly. So I'd like to vote and participate.
We have to...
Oh, I see. Okay. Okay, so clerk just told us procedurally has to be some other councillor who vote majority for that report to propose reconsider vote.
Okay, thank you. I'd respectfully ask one of my colleagues to put that forward.
I wonder... Okay, Councillor Clausen? Yeah, you want to propose more motion to reconsider the vote for report number one? Okay, we need a seconder. Councillor Clausen? Okay, seconded by Mayor Sim.
May I have an explanation as to what is going on? Sorry, I missed.
Yes, thank you. May I just interrupt on a point of personal privilege? I'm very sorry. I have a situation here with a laptop that's about to die. Just please don't do the vote again if we are going to do it until I'm able to reconnect if I'm not online. Thank you.
So, just with respect to your question, I'm seeking a reconsideration of the vote on report one. As I stepped out for a moment, I didn't realize you moved through it so quickly. So, I'd like to participate. I think Mayor Sim was also had to step out. So, that's all. So, we can reconsider the vote and vote again. That's all.
Can Council reconsider to have Councillor Domonato to participate in the vote for report number one?
So I think it's been moved by Councillor Klassen.
It's been moved by Councillor Klassen, seconded by Mayor Sin. All those in favour say aye.
Opposed say nay. Councillor Maloney.
Sorry, I just confirmed that I would like to make sure that Councillor Bligh is able to vote when we do vote. Again, on the motion.
Let's do it quickly. Let's do it quickly so we have everyone who can vote for this report. All right. So, please take us to the voting screen. And so, Councillor Bligh and Councillor Dominardo can vote on this report.
Thank you.
Yeah. Okay.
Councillor Bligh and Councillor Dominardo, we can vote now on the voting screen. And we are re-voting the report number one.
Thank you. Councillor Kerbion.
I'd like to vote in favor, please.
Councillor Kerbion, no vote.
Yes, we have Councillor Biden. Thank you. No vote. And Councillor Kerbion. Okay, so reporter one passed unanimously. All right. Thanks, everyone. Okay, we're going to move on to the motion number two, advancing the right to food and public food infrastructure. And it is moved and introduced by Councillor Wu. Before we begin this agenda item, if anyone believes they have a conflict of interest, now is the time to declare it. Does anyone have a conflict of interest to disclose? Okay, Councillor Wu, you have two minutes to introduce your motion. Please go ahead.
Thank you, Chair. Last year, Foodbanks BC released a report that revealed food bank visits across the province have increased 9%. With respect to Vancouver, there were 79,000 visits in March of 2025 alone. This is a pressing issue facing many residents of both the province and the city. Canada is a country that recognizes food as a human right and through the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights signed in 1976. This agreement outlines that we must fulfill the obligation of respecting, oh, sorry, fulfilling and protecting food rights. When taking these into account, it's understandable that action must be taken to affirm and fulfill this right. The idea of a public grocery option is electorally popular as well, with it being a core tentpole policy of New York City. Mayor Zoran Mamdani's election campaign, as well as nominee for mayor, Amanda Burroughs. While the United States is certainly not Canada that much is certain, it remains worth it to explore the following motion, and I hope I have your support on this. Thank you.
Thanks, Counselor. All right, do we have a seconder for this motion? Secondly, by Councillor Maloney, we will now hear from the registered speaker for this motion. Public speakers should state whether they are in support or in opposition of the recommendations and may only speak once. I will also ask speakers if they are residents of Vancouver, if it is not noted on the speakers list. Our first public bodies representative speaker is Jordan Baltitude, the co-chair of Vancouver Food Policy Council. Jordan online.
Yes, can you hear me?
Oh, so Jordan, please just hold one second.
Thank you, Chair. I had a point of parliamentary procedure, which was the ability to ask questions of the mover of the motion and whether I would do that right after it was introduced or after the speakers.
My understanding is right after the speakers. That's what we normally do.
Okay, thank you.
Thank you. Thanks, Councillor. Okay, Jordan, please go ahead.
Can you hear me?
Yes, we can. Please go ahead.
All right. Good morning, Mayor and Council. Thanks for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Jordan Bultitude. I'm speaking as the co-chair of the Vancouver Food Policy Council, and we strongly support Councillor Orr's motion. Under international law, Canada has already legally affirmed the right to food through multiple commitments over half a century ago, including through Article 11 of the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which explicitly recognizes the right to adequate food and freedom from hunger. These commitments provide a clear, practical framework for governments at all levels to advance equitable food access within their jurisdiction. More than a decade after Council adopted the Vancouver Food Strategy, inequities in food access are more pressing than ever. Food insecurity remains concentrated in lower-income neighbourhoods, particularly in identified food priority zones, such as the Downtown Eastside and Southeast Vancouver, where residents face limited access to full-service grocery stores and greater barriers to affordable food. These important neighborhoods are home to many different communities who disproportionately face structural food insecurity, including Indigenous community members, newcomers, and seniors and people with disabilities who are living on fixed incomes. At the same time, the loss of affordable, culturally significant food retail in Vancouver has shown just how vulnerable food access is, especially for communities who depend on culturally necessary foods for health, dignity, and connection. Neighbors now travel across neighborhoods and sometimes across cities to find foods their families need and can afford, as essential businesses are pushed out of Vancouver's highly concentrated retail market. The strain is felt alongside rising grocery prices, stagnant wages, and inadequate government support, forcing people to rely on informal community networks and overstretched nonprofits just to get by. These networks are powerful, but they should not have to carry systemic failures alone. With meaningful support from Council, we could build a food system that is functional, collaborative, efficient, and sustainable, giving far more families the relief of knowing they are truly cared for by their city. Thanks to the City of Vancouver's thorough equitable access to healthy food retail report, our understanding of where affordable food services are needed is the most comprehensive it has ever been. Taken together, the steps proposed in this motion turn data into action and take an evidence-based, measured approach to advancing food justice in Vancouver that will reach the people that are most impacted. Frankly, this motion fills me with hope during a particularly desolate time. It gives us the opportunity to imagine a more resilient, equitable, and geographically distributed food system aligned with the city's commitments to healthy equity, reconciliation, climate resilience, and inclusive economic development. For these reasons, the Vancouver Food Policy Council respectfully urges Council to support this motion. Thank you for your time and leadership.
Thank you. Speaker number one for the public speaker is Derek O'Keefe.
Good morning and thank you. I'm speaking in support of this motion. The UN Declaration of Human Rights, which was drafted by Canadian John Peter Humphrey, was explicit in naming the right to food. Article 25 states, everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of themselves and their family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services. In a city like ours, an extremely wealthy city, but where the rent for a one-bedroom is $2,500 a month, tens of thousands of households have to choose each month between buying healthy groceries and being able to pay the rent. this motion makes three very basic common sense proposals all within available city powers first up it asks the city to make a list of city-owned land and commercial spaces in food priority zones so as mentioned by the previous speaker there's already a report on equitable access to food retail Page 18 of that report maps in red the food and retail priority zones, and these are areas where income is lower and affordable grocery stores within walking distance are lacking. So the red zones on the map actually cover much of east and south Vancouver. This is very alarming. I encourage all councillors to look closely at that. The second thing the motion asks is to look at piloting at least one publicly owned or community-operated grocery store using city land. It's just one pilot project. Very modest-esque. Zorhan Mamdani, some of you may have heard of, has the highest approval ratings in North America, famously got elected promising one community grocery store for each of New York City's five boroughs. So I'd love to see that point expanded to cover a number of key neighborhoods in Vancouver with this pilot project. And finally, the motion calls on the city to use all available means to stabilize and protect culturally significant and affordable food retail. Again, this is pure common sense. uh... and last year i just remind uh... counselors whether there was some confusion about city food grants uh... that went towards school meal programs a number of counselors uh... stated that this was merely a mix-up or misunderstanding with other levels of government, and they made clear they were committed to universal school meal programs for kids in Vancouver. This motion is really just expanding on that principle. I think we can all agree that there is nothing close to equal opportunity in a city or a society when some kids are going to school on an empty stomach. So I think it's really important for Vancouver to enshrine the right to food in all of its policies, in particular around land use, which is your primary function and power at the municipal level. So please, councillors, let's make this one unanimous. Thank you.
Thank you, Derek. Speaker number two is Chloe Leslie.
Yes, I'm here. Can you hear me?
Yes, we can. Please go ahead.
Thank you. Good morning, councillors. My name is Chloe Leslie. I'm a Vancouver resident and I support this motion. I believe that food is not a luxury and it's not a charity. Instead, it's a human right. Yet across Vancouver, access to healthy, affordable and culturally appropriate food depends far too much on your postal code. In neighborhoods like the downtown east side and, as Jordan mentioned, parts of southeast Vancouver, residents face some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the city while having the fewest full-service grocery stores. We all know this, and the city has known this for years. In 2013, this council adopted the Vancouver Food Strategy and committed to building food-friendly neighborhoods and improving access to healthy, culturally diverse food. That was 13 years ago. This motion is about moving from commitment to implementation. Because right now, the loss of longstanding neighborhood food assets like Sunrise Market shows just how fragile affordable food access has become. I know that we can't solve the entire food system at the municipal level, but I believe we do have tools. We control land, we control zoning, we control leases and public buildings. This motion asks a simple question. Where do we already have the public assets to do better? It also advances work that this council approved in the 2024 Closing the Gap motion to create below-market leases for affordable food retail. I believe that this motion is practical, I believe it's achievable, and it's long overdue. I think a city that believes food is a human right has to build the infrastructure to make that right a reality. Every resident of Vancouver should be able to buy fresh, healthy food in their own neighbourhood without travelling across the city or relying on our emergency charitable food programs to survive. Food dignity should not depend on luck or your postal code. It should be something we plan for. I believe this motion is a step towards that future and I urge Council to support it. Thank you.
Thank you. Speaker number three is Kaber Maiden.
Speaker number three. Okay. Yeah, we got just got speaker number three. Please go ahead. Okay. Good morning. Thank you, sir. Can you hear me? Yeah. Okay.
Thank you. My name is Kabir, and I'm a resident of Vancouver, just around East Van. I'm also the manager of research and organizing for the Carnegie Housing Project, which is a research and advocacy project of the Carnegie Community Centers Association's elected board in the downtown Eastside. I'm calling in to speak in favor of Councillor Orr's motion. As some of you might know, the Sunrise Market on the corner of Gore and Powell has been up for sale for a few months, and it is indeed the only affordable source of fresh food in the neighborhood. We did a little survey at work, which is ongoing, across 15 corner stores, plus the No Frills near Hastings and Clark. all the corner stores which are convenient stores often 24 7 between campbell and columbia from east to west and paul and georgia from north to south they simply buy the milk bread and eggs from stores like no frills and then reselling them at a slightly higher price which with a liter of milk that is sold at no frills for 350 going for as much as six dollars for one liter of milk in these uh convenience stores None of them have fresh food like fruits or vegetables either, and very few of them have bread or peanut butter or dairy-based butter. All the peers and residents in the neighborhood whom I have spoken to have voiced their concerns about this, especially the loss of Sunrise. Many have spoken about how grocery stores in other parts of the city treat them as criminals based on looks rather than their actions. Well, Sunrise doesn't do that, and it is therefore seen as a community space as well, rather than just a place of business or exchange. That is also the beauty of a community-run grocery store, right? It is a part of the community rather than a business that is just passing through it. So I really hope that the City Council passes this motion that Councillor Orr is proposing and directs staff to report back on the possibility of running a pilot that includes either buying sunrises or utilizing city-owned land to run a similar community-run store in the neighborhood. So I really believe that we need food, not cops, in the neighborhood. Thank you.
Thank you. Speaker number four has withdrawn. Speaker number five is Sarah McLeod. Sarah?
Speaker number six, Ian Marcus.
Hello. Yeah, we can hear you.
Thank you. Hello, counsel. I'm pleased to speak today in support of this motion. My name is Ian Marcus, and I am the umbrella coordinator for the Vancouver Neighborhood Food Networks and member of the Vancouver Food Justice Coalition. Close to one in four BC residents report food insecurity, according to StatsCan. Shocking in a country as wealthy as ours. This is not a food distribution or a failure of the individual problem, but rather a result of multifaceted, deeper structural and systemic inequalities. We have seen a 27% cost of food increase since 2020, according to Canada's food price report. Most large food retailers continue to see significant increases to their net revenues and profits, a structural affordability issue embedded in the nature of food retail. For most of us, our food bills are through the roof. The cost of living is simply outpacing our incomes. We have written that it is time for a publicly owned food store where prices are not set by the market, but by an affordability measure where social value is placed on health and well-being, not profit, where food is decommodified or treated as a regulated utility. The potential loss of Sunrise Market that triggered this motion will be a huge loss, not only for the Downtown Eastside residents, but to folks from across the city who travel to Sunrise for cheap deals. For many consumers, especially those with limited budgets, the retail food sector generally has not been too kind. Moreover, the inability to provide affordable retail options is a human rights failure. As this right to food motion is named, all levels of government have a responsibility to create the enabling conditions that allow people to feed themselves and their families with choice and dignity. The recent equitable access to retail study conducted by the city food policy team reveals significant gaps in healthy food access in parts of our city. Not great for the single parent who must drag her kids around on multiple buses to find affordable and nutritious food. As the study offers, non-profit food retail to fill the gap in the market is one policy option. Perhaps his time has come. We may not need to look any further than existing examples such as Washington Market or some of the low-cost community markets that our food networks operate in public spaces, all which could be scaled up at a modest cost. This rights-based motion is deserving of consideration. It builds on previous commitments to strengthen our food system. It supports existing social policy, including the food strategy and the healthy city strategy, and at this stage simply explores the idea of a pilot. I can assure you that as someone who has worked in food systems for 19 years, we're such an initiative to get off the ground that it would put Vancouver on the map as a food leader. Thank you very much.
Thank you. Speaker number seven is Nada Amadi.
In person?
Not here, not long. Okay, I'm going to come back. Speaker number eight is Mona Stilwell.
Hello?
Hi. Hi. My name is Mona Stilwell, and I am a resident of Vancouver. In the Chinese lunar solar calendar, the year is broken up into 24 sections called terms. We are currently in the term called Insects Awaken. Love that term. During this time, our bodies should be eating liver-supporting foods like celery, lemons, and spinach. And I have the financial privilege to go buy that product to do just that. There are many residents of Vancouver who do not have the same financial privilege that I do. often have to make the decision between paying rent or buying food, and food that's super inexpensive, probably from the dollar store. There's a lot of people going to the dollar store to buy food now. That is not an indication of a healthy and supportive society. It doesn't indicate a society that cares about its residents when you have to make that decision between rent and food. I feel like the city of Vancouver's mayor and council members are accountable and responsible for the well-being of the residents. I hope you all agree. For myself, I have made a weekly commitment to fill up a free pantry in my neighborhood every week. I fill it up. It's a small pantry, thankfully, so it's not too bad. But I am counting on the mayor and council to recognize the responsibility of your position to help those of us who need it the most. by unanimously supporting this motion. Thank you for hearing me.
Thank you. Speaker number nine is Jenny Simpson.
Jenny? Speaker number nine is not on the line. Speaker number 10 is Joey Liu.
Good morning. Can you hear me?
Yes, we can. Please go ahead.
Great. Yeah, so my name is Joey Liu. I'm a Vancouver resident, and I fully support this motion. So I'm currently on mat leave right now, but I've actually come to council before to speak as the food security manager at South End Neighborhood House. Many of you have heard me speak a number of times on how hard it is for South End residents to access culturally appropriate, affordable food in the area. And I know I've talked a lot about how hard it is to find permanent space to run a food support program like the South Van Food Hub. In my four and a half years helping to manage the Food Hub, we've been searching for space the entire time we've been operating the program. We've gone to look at spaces that were used as banquet halls, restaurants, even a dollar store, but none of it worked out. And last year, we were actually pretty close to signing a commercial lease for a warehouse in the industrial area of South Van. But in the end, we decided not to go with it because the rent was going to be double what we pay at the Langara YMCA, which is where the food hub is renting out of. And it just didn't make any financial sense because we could see program costs rising and grant funding decreasing in our sector. But without any other alternatives, and now, as I think you know, that Langara YMCA is being so close to redevelopment, there's a lot of uncertainty for the food hub going into the next fiscal year and as well for the area in general. And this motion talks about food priority zones, and I really want to emphasize that South Vancouver is definitely one of those zones. The area needs so many more options for food access. both in terms of retail and community programs. And I think this motion would really benefit all the residents who are struggling to put food on the table and have to travel far to access good food. I think this motion is going to help stabilize the work that food nonprofits like South Van Averitt House are already doing, and it's going to encourage more options beyond that type of emergency programming. I believe that this motion can really use some of the levers that the city has to build better more sustainable food systems and lastly i think this motion builds on the closing the gap food systems motion from july 2024 that council voted in favor of especially councillor kirby young's amendment that directed staff to evaluate opportunities in city-owned or operated buildings for food non-profits to support sustainable food systems and i'm hoping that since council voted unanimously in favor of that motion You know, I'm really hoping today that council can also move this motion forward so we can really get some of this crucial work done together. So thanks so much for your time, and I hope you all take care.
Okay, thanks. Speaker number 11 is Pamela Ramirez-Vergaz.
Hi, can you hear me?
Yes, we can. Please go ahead.
Okay, thank you. Good morning, Mayor and Council. My name is Pamela Ramirez Vargas. I am the current food security manager at South Vancouver Neighborhood House, and I am a Vancouver resident. I am speaking today in support of this motion. Every day in my work at the food hub, I see the reality behind the statistics. Our neighbors are struggling to access food that is not only affordable, but also dignified and culturally appropriate. Food insecurity in Vancouver is not simply about food. It is about the ability of people to participate fully in their communities. We see firsthand how food access intersects with mental health and well-being. When people are constantly worrying about their next meal, it affects their stress level, their relationships, their ability to focus on work, school, and feel connected to their community. But we also see the opposite. When people have reliable access to food in welcoming community spaces, it creates connection, dignity, and a sense of belonging. This is why public food infrastructure is so important. Just as we invest in public libraries and community centers, we must begin to think about food assets as essential community infrastructure. spaces where people can access affordable and culturally appropriate food, but also gather, learn, and participate in shaping their local food system. In Southeast Vancouver, residents face long distance to affordable grocery store, rising food prices, and limited culturally appropriate options. Community nonprofit organizations like ours are doing everything they can to respond, but this alone cannot solve a systemic issue. What we need are structural solutions that make food access a shared public responsibility. This motion is an important step in that direction. Identifying city-owned land in food priority zones, exploring community-operated grocery stores, and protecting culturally significant food retail are practical tools that can strengthen food access in neighborhoods that need it most. We have learned that when communities are involved in designing solutions, the outcomes are stronger, more sustainable, and more equitable. People do not just want food. They want agency, participation, and dignity. By affirming the right to food and investing in public food infrastructure, Vancouver has an opportunity to lead with a vision that recognizes food not as charity, but as a cornerstone of a healthy and connected city. Thank you so much for your time, and I really hope that this motion is passed unanimously.
Thank you. Thank you. Speaker number 12 is Delano Ellingwood.
Hi, can you hear me? Yes, we can. Please go ahead. Awesome.
Good morning, Council. My name is Delano Ellingwood, and I'm a Vancouver resident. I'm calling in this morning in support of the motion put forth by Councillor Orr. Food is not only a basic necessity of life, but it's also a basic human right, much like housing and medical care. I don't quite understand how we can discuss multi-million dollar lipstick projects that are meant to attract travelers and people coming to the World Cup when we are not providing for our residents here at home. uh... but other speakers have so eloquently stated vancouver extremely wealthy and we don't really have any excuses for ignoring such a basic issue we have to act like a world-class city if uh... we want to be one you understand uh... regardless of finances and background and postal code we have to have our citizens be able to access all of the basic necessities of life i don't really feel like we have any excuses anymore so i hope
that we will pass this unanimously, and I appreciate your time. Thank you. Speaker number 13 is Tanya Webkin.
Tanya? Speaker number 13 is Tanya Webkin. Hi there. Hi. Please go ahead.
Yeah, I am here to support Councillor Orr's motion. This is an incredibly important issue for our city. Food insecurity in Vancouver is at a crisis level, driven by inflation and severe cost of living gap. Food bank use has gone up 79% since 2019, and we don't need charity. We need system changes. One in four people are food insecure, and children make up one-third of food bank visitors. We have hungry children in Vancouver that need urgent action. But we also have folks on fixed incomes, seniors, and students who are also struggling. Food banks were created to be an emergency response in the mid-80s. They were never intended to be a permanent solution. They were meant to be a last resort, not a needed weekly event. Depending on food banks is not equitable and it is not sustainable. Like some have mentioned, you know, the pending sale of the Sunrise did highlight this as a longstanding issue, particularly in the downtown area, in the downtown east side and for Chinatown. You know, we have lost So many cultural food assets at alarming rates, particularly in the Chinatown area. If you look at the Chinatown food security report, they've lost 55% of green grocers between 2009 and 2016. This loss of integrated food systems has... has changed the landscape of how people shop in that area we also have a large concentration of people who are seniors people that are disabled never mind the overwhelming impact that the downtown east side core is over 30 indigenous the equitable access to food retail report identified several food priority zones the downtown east side is one but vancouver's southeast and east neighborhoods are also incredibly at risk These areas don't have equitable access to healthy food or cultural food sources, which are also part of that equitable access. This also affects social determinants of health. And in that report on page 18, as some have mentioned, this report shows where low-income areas overlap with poor access to food retail. The Vancouver Food Strategy and the Food Charter both assert that residents have the right to equitable, dignified, and a rights-based food system as a basic human right. And the Downtown Eastside has been a long-time, culturally diverse neighborhood for generations. The Food Charter states that the city is committed to a just and sustainable food system.
And according to the Food Charter, We need that because it contributes to the economic, ecological, and social well-being of our city and region. It encourages personal business and government food practices that foster local production and protect our natural and human resources. It recognizes access to safe, sufficient, culturally appropriate, and nutritious... That's your time, sorry.
Please pass this motion and bring food justice to the City of Vancouver.
Thank you. Speaker number 14 is Alicia Squamish.
Not on the line. Okay. All right. So I'm going to go back to the speaker number five, Sarah McLeod.
Sarah?
Just one moment. The staff in the back are just typing. There may be an update on Sarah. Not on the line. Okay. Speaker number seven is Nada Amdi.
No, not on the line. Speaker number nine is Janice Simpson.
Not on the line. Speaker number 14 is Alicia Squamish.
Not on the line.
All right, thank you. Okay, so this is the end of our speakers list. Thank you everyone for speaking to the Standing Committee on City Finance and Services. Committee members, is there any discussion?
Okay, Councillor Donato.
Yeah, thanks, Chair. I had started earlier. I just wanted to have a question, so it's a point of information through you to the mover of the motion. Just around clarity around the motion, is it from the direction this proposes it's seeking that... the city explore options for a city-owned, operated, or publicly funded grocery. Is that part of the intent of the motion, is to explore that? Just if the mover could speak to that, please.
Yeah, so I'll turn it over.
Yeah, absolutely. That's part of it. Policy options to pilot at least one public-owned or community-operated grocery store on city land. That's definitely part of the report back to look at the feasibility of that for sure.
Okay. Okay. Thank you.
Yeah, just generally speaking in support of this, I appreciate that it is directing for a report back, and I think these are some pretty important issues. And I am very curious with the possibility and feasibility of leveraging city-owned land for this kind of space. I would love to see this expanded actually for broader food security. We've talked in the past about the opportunities for – replacing the food distribution hubs along Malkin Avenue with the coming of the hospital and the fact that a lot of the land assessment value there has skyrocketed, I remain worried that we might lose some of this incredibly valuable infrastructure and have long thought that there'd be an opportunity for us to consider how we could do what many cities do, which is to have our own food distribution hub that services not only as a lease space for food distributors and produce distributors, but as a functioning public market as well. And this is done in cities around the world. A bit of a tangent from the intention of this motion, but I think it's part of a broader conversation that leverages city assets for food security. And in the immediate, I would love to see this perhaps leveraged as the conversation around the Chinatown Plaza evolves. And maybe we might see something happen there where we can enhance food security in an area that could well use it. So happy to support this motion and excited to see what comes back from staff reporting. And I'm going to avoid amending it into something about food distribution hubs as much as I would love to. I think it's not germane to this immediate motion. Thank you.
Okay, thanks, Councillor Frey. Councillor Domenato.
Thank you, Chair. I have a question through you, pointing permission through you to the City Manager. Yeah. Sorry. City Manager, I'm just wondering if you could just comment on the feedback that was given on this report or this motion in that it states that a report is coming back on existing food systems. It's planned to come in the next three months. And... I'm asking because I also was reviewing the Vancouver food strategy and a number of other sort of points of reference in terms of the Vancouver plan. And noting that for the most part, most of what's in this motion is already underway in the city. And I'm just curious if you could comment on that. I'm not going to call it out of order, but it effectively is already being done based on, and Councillor Boyle had a motion previously around food cultural assets. Some of these pieces are embedded in the Vancouver plan, the Vancouver food strategy, including piloting. And we already leverage city land for nonprofits. So just can you comment on that? Because I was a little surprised to see this come forward.
Thank you, Councillor Sanderson, Deputy City Manager. Yeah, in the staff feedback, we did identify that a significant amount of this work is already underway as part of the Vancouver food strategy, as well as contemplation in the Vancouver plan. What I can say is that the item that we're not actively looking at is our... the notion that the city would run a grocery store. So that is new to the food strategy work, but the balance of it is already in place. Okay. I guess my last question then to you, I appreciate that, is that... I toured a number of years ago, maybe other councillors did, is Quest's site down at the downtown east side. And there's a number of other, I know there's been concern and angst over sometimes, not by myself, but members of the community about the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. But there's a range of not-for-profits and other organizations contributing to food security. And so I'm curious for what your thoughts are on what gap the city would fill by opening its own grocery. Like what would... What would the difference be compared to all the other agencies that are already operating in this space?
Or is there a difference? I really don't know. Yeah, thank you for the question, Councillor. I'm not in a position to comment on that right now. What I can say is that through the city's existing suite of services, we do provide low-cost services. food access through our inner city community centers, Gathering Place, Evelyn Saller Center, and Carnegie Center. We do offer some social services funding through the ACCS grants to nonprofits that also offer these types of services. We have typically viewed food provision and the need for these services as the impact of deep and persistent poverty, which is a senior government responsibility. So that's the way we've approached it historically. Okay, no, I appreciate that. Okay, I think just with my limited time, I'll just state that I appreciate the spirit in which the motion is brought forward by Councillor Orr. I think that what I've heard and confirmed from my review of work is that this council has affirmed its commitment to food security and infrastructure. That work is underway. We're going to get a report back in what looks like less than three months' time. And on that basis, I won't be supporting the motion. And it sounds like we have a number of organizations already addressing sort of some of that gap. I'm not saying it's perfect in recognizing that poverty continues to be an issue within our communities and our city. But this work is largely already underway and we'll be getting a report back.
Thank you. Okay, Councillor Maloney.
Thank you. And I appreciate in a lot of areas we are already working on programs, but I think for me I will be supporting this because we're not doing anywhere near enough and we're not doing enough on food security, we're not doing enough in other areas of... road safety and public safety and poverty reduction and housing. So I think I'm very grateful to Councillor Orr for moving this motion and I'd like to acknowledge the advocacy on this by Amanda Burrows. Thanks.
All right, thanks. So this is the end of our speakers list. I'm going to call the vote. Clerk, please take us to the voting screen and committee members, please register your vote on the voting panel. We are voting on the main motion. Chair, this is Councillor Bligh. Could I have a vote of assistance in favor, please? Okay. Councillor Kerbion, we need you to turn on the video, please. And Councillor Bligh, oh, just, yeah, okay. Councillor Kerbion. Oh, Councillor Kerbion, we need you to turn on the video, please. Who would like to vote? Yeah, sure. I can't turn my video on at the moment, so I won't be able to vote. Okay. All right. Thanks. All right. So the motion did not pass with Councillor Zhou, Dominano, Classen, Meister, and Mayor Xinyi in opposition.
Okay. Thanks, everyone. That completes motion two on the agenda. Motion three, cheap, easy, everywhere, unlocking the full potential of shared mobility to reduce traffic congestion across Metro Vancouver was co-submitted by Councillor Maloney and Councillor Wong. And it is to be moved and introduced by Councillor Maloney. Before we begin this agenda item, if anyone believes they have a conflict of interest, now is the time to declare it. Does anyone have a conflict of interest to disclose? Seeing none, Councillor Maloney, you have two minutes to introduce your motion.
Thank you. This motion seeks to help progress the transformation of Vancouver's relatively modest public bike share system into a bona fide pillar of public transportation. So many public policy goals are progressed by making bike sharing a truly convenient and cost-competitive public transit option for residents of and visitors to the city and lower mainland region. A large and growing body of evidence concludes that shared active transportation services, including bike share systems, contribute to cleaner air, improved public health outcomes, quieter neighbourhoods and reduced traffic congestion. In 2016, the City of Vancouver provided an initial investment to help launch Moby by Rogers, but our city's bike share system has since fallen behind Toronto and Montreal. in both network size and affordability. For example, Montreal offers nearly twice as many shared bikes per resident. Gaps in station coverage and lack of connectivity with other Metro Vancouver shared mobility systems are really putting the brakes on bike sharing. A more robust system would bring residents benefits too significant to ignore. That's why I hope that council will support this motion to establish a clear growth and funding strategy to unlock its full potential. This motion was drafted in consultation with a number of important stakeholders in the sector, including Hub Cycling, Vancouver Bike Sharing and the British Columbia Cycling Coalition, and Better Environmentally Sound Transportation, or BEST. We need to bring Vancouver's system up to speed and meet the city's transportation mode share objectives. Thank you.
Thank you. All right, Councillor Wu has seconded this motion. We will now hear from the registered speaker for this motion. Public speakers should stay whether they are in support or in opposition of the recommendations and may only speak once. I will also ask speakers if they are residents of Vancouver if it is not noted on the speakers list. Our first public speaker is speaker number one, James Maiden.
Hi, my name is James Madden. I'm a Vancouver resident and I support this motion. I've lived in Montreal and I've seen firsthand what a well-run regional bike share system can do for a city. Bixie, Montreal's bike share system, handles more than 13 million trips a year, taking cars off the road, reducing emissions and congestion, while helping to revitalize struggling commercial streets like Saint-Denis. More than a quarter of Montrealers use Bixie and it's become a point of pride and an iconic symbol of the city. During major events, Bixi is a critical piece of transit infrastructure and helps to reduce the crunch that the metro experiences. And in my own experience, it's super affordable and convenient to hop on and off and makes getting around the city a breeze without relying on a car. With how big of a success it's been in Montreal, you'd think bike share would be an even bigger hit in Vancouver with a climate that's ideal for year-round biking. Instead, Moby hasn't taken off in the same way. It's had fewer trips in its entire existence than Bixi gets in a year. That's because Moby doesn't enable nearly as many trips. It's limited to a pretty small area around the downtown peninsula and Broadway area. It's also twice as expensive as Bixby, which really limits how willing people are to ride. It's my hope that through this motion, we can advocate for a convenient and affordable regional system that can deliver on the city's priorities for mobility, sustainability, and affordability. moby or a different regional system could be transformational for vancouver if made accessible affordable and region-wide the benefits are endless better connectivity less congestion lower emissions supporting businesses reducing wear and tear on our roads and beyond i encourage you all to support this motion as well thank you for your time thank you speaker number two is mia cohort
Hi there. Oh, Lenny, you got my last name right. Thank you so much. Hello, Mayor and Councillors. My name is Mia Cohout. I'm the CEO of Moby by Rogers, and I am a Vancouver resident. I'm speaking today in support of this motion, both as the CEO of Moby, but also as an advocate for recognizing shared micromobility as public transportation with the goal of building a region-wide publicly supported system. BikeShare helps address many of the challenges facing our city today, traffic congestion, air pollution, and affordability. And the truth is, BikeShare in Vancouver and across Metro Vancouver could be so much better. We don't have to look far to see what's possible. In Montreal, the gold standard of BikeShare systems, Bixby Montreal operates a fleet of about 12,000 bikes and generates over 13 million rides per year across 13 municipalities in the region. In Toronto, their system has more than 10,000 bikes and recorded over 8 million trips in 2025. Stations are available in every ward, making bike share accessible to residents across the city. Meanwhile, in Vancouver, we have 2,600 bikes and 1.3 million rides per year and multiple operators across the region, creating a fragmented system that can be expensive and underutilized. The difference comes down to two things, affordability and public investment. Cities like Montreal and Toronto treat bike share as a public service and fund it accordingly. In Metro Vancouver, we already subsidized transit and the road network for private vehicles. Supporting bike mobility would cost a fraction and deliver significant public benefits. 21 municipalities in our region, coordination matters. That's why TransLink is a natural partner to help lead a regional system, just as transit agencies do in cities like London, Taipei, and LA. We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We simply need to build on models that already work. So my hope is that TransLink, senior levels of government, and municipalities across the region come together to invest in an affordable, connected bike share system. Supporting this motion is an important step in that direction, and it would be wonderful to see Vancouver lead the way. We have the opportunity to build the next great Canadian bike share success story right here in Metro Vancouver. Thank you.
Thank you. All right, speaker number three is Wahaj Hosseini.
Good morning. My name is Vahid Hosseini, and I am an associate professor at Simon Fraser University. I'm not a Vancouver resident, but I support this motion. I'm pleased to offer my expert opinion to support the motion, and I have provided a written statement. Here is the summary of it. Over the past three years, my research group at SFU, including three graduate students, has conducted detailed studies of Vancouver public bike sharing systems. We have examined its environmental impact, usage pattern, and integration with broader urban mobility systems. The findings of this work are now reflected in graduate thesis and multiple peer-reviewed applications. Our research shows that Vancouver's bike-sharing system has a strong potential for expansion beyond its current service area, both geographically and in terms of service level. Even with its current limited footprint, the system is already making a meaningful contribution to emissions reduction and reduced traffic congestion. Our analysis indicates that under Vancouver's current utilization level, about 18 bicycles can reduce the CO2 emissions by an amount equivalent to removing one internal combustion engine from the road. In a highly utilized system such as Montreal, that ratio improved significantly to roughly five bikes per displaced vehicle. This shows that higher ridership and greater system density can substantially increase environmental benefits. Our work also highlights the important opportunity to improve the system's lifecycle sustainability. A significant share of emissions associated with bike sharing comes from, not from bicycles, but from track-based bicycle rebalancing operations, which currently largely relies on vehicles. Policies that encourage user-based sales rebalancing, along with lower costs and more widely available bicycles, can help reduce both operational costs and lifecycle emissions. Importantly, things like RightLink that have integrated fair system can be done through software modification and enhanced inter-agency coordination. It also reduces emission reduction comparable to much more capital-intensive infrastructure investment. Our estimate place its carbon abatement costs at approximately $48 per ton of CO2 reduction, which is far below the federal benchmark of $266 per ton. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Thank you. Speaker number four is Jesse Brado.
Hello, thank you for this opportunity to speak. My name is Jesse Bridle. I'm a resident of Vancouver and Mount Pleasant, and I am speaking in support of this motion. I have to say I'm a little intimidated by the eloquent speakers who came before me, and they've said everything that I wanted to say in better terms than I could. I have no particular professional... or expert opinion to share here. I'm a user of the bike share system in Vancouver. My primary mode of transportation is micromobility bikes and e-scooters and that sort of thing. And I couldn't be more excited to see this motion come up and hope for its passing. I learned recently that cities like Montreal and Toronto have a very different system from the way that Vancouver's bike share system operates. Vancouver has a good biking infrastructure. We have good transit and we have good connectivity between the various municipalities. But this is not a good city. It is a great city. And I think that we deserve to have a great set of infrastructure for moving around it. Expanding the bike share network to other municipalities, connecting with TransLink and helping to connect the city in that way will make the streets safer for drivers and cyclists. It will reduce traffic. traffic congestion, reduce emissions, and just make this a much more enjoyable and livable city. I hope that the motion passes. Thank you very much for your time. That's all I have to say.
Thank you. Okay, speaker number five is Peter Ladner.
Good morning, councillors, Mr. Chair. I was going to say fellow councillors. I'm a resident of Vancouver and chair of the BC Cycling Coalition. And I'm also the person who first brought the idea of shared bikes to this council floor way back in the early 2000s and to the TransLink board around the same time where I was a member. And in both cases, it's in the TransLink case that went nowhere. And in this case, It went somewhere, which you all know about. I came here today on a Mobi e-bike. I had about a 5.8 kilometer ride. Took me 23 minutes. It cost $11.11. If I had taken an Uber, it would have cost $11.84. So I saved 73 cents. We have a problem. Like the bike share, especially the one I used where the battery went dead about three minutes into the ride, is not a great service. It's working. It's over a million riders. That's great. But the fact is that it's limited. If I had lived in Dunbar, Oak Ridge, Fraserview, Killarney, Renfrew, Collingwood, Hastings, Sunrise, or Marpole, I wouldn't have had the option of taking bike share. And if I want a bike to transit and then go to another municipality, I can't use my Mobi card. I have to get an account with Evolve or wherever it is in the North Shore. So Moby is an unfinished project with untapped potential, which this motion hopes to unlock. And I would urge your support for this. You're about to enable the construction of thousands of new housing units around this city and no new roads, very little new transit except for the Broadway line. And this would be a way to help optimize opportunities for people, all those thousands of people who will move here. I would urge you to support this motion, bring Vancouver up to the standards of Canada's two other leading municipalities, make better use of the sunk costs of our 330 kilometres of bike lanes that we already have, bike infrastructure, and step up to the responsibility to accommodate the mobility needs of thousands of new residents, and eventually provide financial support for this. One of the reasons that my trip was so expensive is because the City of Vancouver, unlike Toronto and Montreal, pays no capital costs. for the bike share system, and it extracts money by making the bike share users, like myself, pay for the parking costs of putting bike docks in parking places. Please support this motion. Please get Moby up to the standards of other great cities and help it serve the citizens of Vancouver better. Thank you.
Thanks, Peter. Okay, speaker number six is Matthew Uden.
Speaker number six is not on the line speaker number service Adam Hawk No, not on the line speaker number eight I've has withdrawn Speaker number nine also with strong speaker number ten Nathan David of each Another Thank You counsel My name is Nathan Davidovich and I'm speaking in support of motion 3 by councillor Lucy Maloney and Sean Hall. Back on July 10th, 2024, I spoke to city council about the need for share regional system of bikes and scooters. But city council voted up to 20 year contract for scooters. And now Vancouver is the only city in BC and Canada that has two separate contracts. one for bikes and one for scooters. Look at the waste of street space and having so many stations for the two companies. Now the BC government has hired a consultant to work on the bad governance in TransLink and BC Transit, and maybe they will make some long overdue changes. Maybe many of the sustainable transportation promises since 2017 have not been implemented by this government. And I would also note, in case nobody has watched that good video that Yuta Lee put on this bike share system and how it should be done, and he has some real good comments. So thank you very much for your support. Thanks, Nathan.
Speaker number 11 is Tonya Wepkin.
She's on the line, okay. Hi, Tonya.
Okay, speaker 11, Tonya Wepkin.
Hello there.
Hi there. I'm here.
Hi there. Yeah, go ahead, Tanya.
Yeah, I just want to say that I'm very excited about this motion. I appreciate Councillor Maloney and Councillor Orr for putting it forward. This is a great sign that Moby Bikes has been a successful program. And it just needs expansion. So in my opinion, this is great news. As most pilot projects, it started on a limited area, and now it's just time to increase that scope.
This would just increase affordable urban mobility, reduce traffic congestion, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. What I really like about the program is that it's equitable. We can use our Compass cards to book Moby bikes. We also have a community pass for low-income residents where they can access unlimited 60-minute rides for only $20 a year. And if they go beyond that time, it's only 25 cents per minute. That is creating equitable access. And also for those that are on disability, they also have e-bike access. So for me, that is disability justice right there. and not to leave out youth, the youth pass is also $20 a year for youth aged 12 to 18. Particularly as we do not have free transit for youth aged 12 to 18, I think that this offers a safer mode of transportation for students that aren't able to take the bus. I support equitable and affordable transportation across the city. I urge councillors to please support this motion. Thank you so much.
Thanks, Tonya. Speaker numbers, I'm going to go back to speaker number six, Matthew Yudin.
Not on the line. Speaker number seven, Adam Hawk.
No, not on the line.
All right. Okay. So this is the end of our speakers list. Thanks everyone for speaking to standing committee on city finance and the services. Before I continue, I'm just looking at the time. I'm looking for a motion to extend this meeting just in case. Council. Okay, moved by Councillor Kerbion. Seconded by Councillor Claassen. All those in favor say aye. Opposed say nay. Okay, that motion carries. All right, so committee members, is there any discussion? Councillor Orr.
Yeah, I just want to express gratitude to Councillor Maloney for really running with this, or should I say riding with this. I did send Councillor Maloney the UT Lee video, and
it was you know just putting it out there and she definitely you know did a lot of the leg work on this so I'm really grateful for that we know that Bike share systems help reduce congestion, improve air quality, and give people a convenient way to get around the city without needing a car. But the motion points out something important. The system isn't reaching its full potential, as former Councillor Ladner pointed out. Stations are unevenly distributed. Connections to other transportation systems are limited. Compared with other Canadian systems, Vancouver is smaller and less affordable. If we're serious about our goal, that two-thirds of trips made by transit or active transportation by 2030, we need to keep expanding the tools that help people leave their car at home. That means looking at things like expanding stations into underserved neighborhoods, improving integration with transit, and working with other municipalities to create a regional shared mobility network. This motion doesn't commit City to a specific program today. It simply asks staff to explore how we can unlock the full potential of bike share and shared mobility so it works for more people in more neighborhoods across the region. We want cleaner air, less congestion, and healthier communities. That's a conversation worth having, and I will support the motion. Thank you. Thanks. Okay, Councillor Kerbiel.
Yeah, thanks. I have a number of comments on this motion, and I'll just say it seems to be a bit of deja vu this morning. We're having a lot of what's old is new again type of conversations, and I think it's helpful to level set in terms of what's happened already. I'm going to preface my comments by saying that I, over two terms and a couple of different votes, worked diligently to bring forward the e-scooters in Vancouver. And that resulted in an RFP, which Lime was a successful proponent of. I think it's worth comparing and contrasting the models between the two. But I'll first say that with respects to the work to expand or the part of the motion that talks about wanting to expand. The network, that is something I think that people want to see it happen and move faster. In fact, I called notice on a motion last council meeting, I should say, and I did not bring it forward because the feedback that came from staff was very, very clear. That was a motion that came from the Transportation Advisory Committee at the request. It was a unanimous vote of the Transportation Advisory Committee at the request of all their members. And the feedback that came from staff was this work is already underway and it's already happening and there's nothing new here. So I went back to the Transportation Advisory Committee and I shared that feedback from staff. And I think that might be a communication opportunity. And so staff, I think, are going to be coming to present to the committee. I'll make that observation that there was sort of identical desire in the two motions and an overlap on that piece, but just provide some context. I think it's important for people to recognize that that's a huge commitment and it is being resourced. Then we get into the, okay, why is it not advancing as quickly as we might want? Moby, five, 10 years ago, a decade ago, was given $5 million by the city and then ongoing other significant support An in-kind investment with a deep desire, from what I've read, I was non-council at the time, to establish a well-used bike share system. Subsequently, there was a lot of additional opportunities given in terms of forgiving sort of financial payments, delays, so on, et cetera. I, too, have used the one in Montreal. I would argue that those Bixi bikes are not necessarily as well-maintained. But the difference in terms of the standard and the threshold and the model with which the Lime Scooters is coming forward is very distinct. That was put forward to be run at no cost to the taxpayers of Vancouver. It was asked to be cost neutral and or revenue positive. A number of different proponents applied to that. And I think it's well known. I'm not speaking out of turn. Moby, Lime, et cetera. That came forward. Lime was a successful proponent. It has taken off dramatically in a short period of time. I think in September 2024, we launched in Grandview Woodlands with 100 scooters. Then we went to the downtown expansion in June. The Central Broadway expansion happened just last November. And they are growing rapidly in terms of the number of neighborhoods they're in, the number of docking stations, the number of units, and most importantly, the number of rides and the usage. And we're actually generating revenue to the city of Vancouver at that time. A number of the respondents to the RFP wanted to also offer bikes, and particularly e-bikes, and new and fresh and modern ones. And we saw other neighboring municipalities like North Vancouver elect to go with Lime for their e-bikes because they felt they had a good offering at the time. Because of a contractual obligation to Moby, Vancouver has two providers and two systems. And it was felt important to honor that contract that was currently in place. That's actually a bit of a sort of structural impediment, I think, to us having an integrated system. I actually think there's a lot of opportunities to have integrated systems, not just within Vancouver with one provider over time. but also within the region. And this is something that I have brought up at the table at Mayor's Council when I've attended in the past for Mayor Sim and had dialogue with TransLink staff and with CEO Kevin Quinn. And I know that the 2040 transportation plan supports micro mobility and contemplates it with respects to its importance for first and last mile. So I think that level of advocacy is important. Very happy to sort of support that component. champion that moving forward I think that it's disappointing we don't see the investment that we need from senior governments within our transit system I think that's well placed it would be great to tap your compass card and to go in and to utilize all of those components but I do think that with respects to asking to fund Moby additionally when millions of dollars have been put in and a long runway has been provided to do that I there was a huge opportunity for them to be successful. And there are some really good folks there. But I just compare and contrast the systems. And I think we have to be very thoughtful about evaluating that component. Thanks.
Thanks, Councillor. Councillor Clausen. Thanks very much. And I really appreciate that historical context from Councillor Kirby-Young on this one. When this motion came forward, we did hear from staff that emphasized that much of this work is already underway. And of course, I think by chair is an incredibly important service. It provides that first and last mile connectivity to other transit. And it's been successful and it's become a part of the fabric of the city.
And certainly seeing it grow over time would be really valuable. So, Chair, I have forwarded an amendment to this motion here that I'd like to be able to bring forward. Thank you.
Let me move on to the amendment in the queue. Okay, seconded by Councillor Kerby Young. Please add yourself there. Yeah, please go ahead, Councillor Cross.
Thanks very much. So the motion, as mentioned, it continues to emphasize our strongest hand, which is our advocacy. So the motion reads, therefore be resolved. The council affirm. Its support for bike sharing is an essential component of comprehensive and well-integrated regional transportation and mobility system, and requests that the Mayor write to TransLink with copies to the Mayor's Council on Regional Transportation and the BC Minister of Transportation and Transit, advocating that TransLink explore opportunities to develop and deliver an integrated, regional bike share system to improve first and last mile connections to transit and expand affordable mobility options across much of Vancouver. And further, that council's advocacy highlight potential opportunities for regional coordination, including integration with regional transportation system, fare or pass integration, coordinated planning, of shared mobility networks and equitable access across municipalities in the region. So I think that this strike and replace really strengthens our hand. It focuses on the real opportunity in front of us and ultimately will hopefully get us to continue the work that is already happening at the staff level to improve our... bike share system in addition to the scooter program that's underway and of course a very strong rapid transit system here in the city. Thanks very much.
I'll wait till after Councillor Meiszner has spoken since this is my last opportunity. Councillor Meiszner?
I just want to say I appreciate this amendment. I'm a regular user of both Moby and Lime, and they're both great services, you know, different formats, but they're fantastic for that last mile connection or just getting places around town. I appreciate the amendment because I strongly agree that we need to grow these systems. We need to expand their geographic coverage across the city. I know that's been a challenge for Moby, and we're seeing Lime expand quite quickly. My concern about putting additional city funding towards Moby, for example, is that we've seen in other jurisdictions, particularly Montreal, which was referenced by a few of my colleagues as an example of a great system, and it is a great system, but Montreal in 2011 bailed out Bixie for $108 million. And in 2017, Montreal was once again on the hook for $16 million for unpaid Bixie suppliers. Those are both reported in the Montreal Gazette. So my concern around that is the city of Vancouver potentially being on the hook for over $100 million if we were to take on more ownership or... financial contributions towards bike share in the city. I think a much better model is what we're seeing with Lime, where we had a competitive RFP process, where we now have a service up and running that is a revenue generator for the city. that the operator is taking on the costs of running that service and it's actually making money for the city. And while I'm grateful that we have Moby and I think the $5 million investment many, many years ago of previous councils was worthwhile to get it established, I think moving forward we need to look at an option that is cost neutral or revenue generating for the city. And I can't support... dumping $100 million into a bike share system here in Vancouver as what happened in Montreal with Bixie. So all that to say, I really appreciate this amendment to help move things forward and help develop an integrated system across the region and advocate to TransLink to look at different options in terms of Compass Card, et cetera, to access those systems. So appreciate Councillor Klassen and Kirby Young for bringing this forward. Thanks.
Thanks very much, Chair, and appreciate the motion being brought forward. I mean, I want to speak in support of the original motion. I recognize with the strike and replace, which I think we had before us, the risk of voting against this strike and replace and the impression that one does not support bike share or the original intent of the motion, which is always the unfortunate thing about these strike and replace motions that sort of water down um actual uh sort of um just the actual sort of meeting um the the crux of the motion itself so anyway all that they have to say i do support the motion um put forward by counselor maloney um Because I really feel that a shared mobility service, any shared mobility service like bike share is a practical way to reduce construction, of course, and improve public health and expand affordable transportation options for residents. You know, this is a necessary step, of course, to further invest if we're serious about our goal. of having two thirds of trips made by active transportation and transit by 2030. And so, of course, the systems we talk about last mile, these are incredibly important systems that are accessible across more neighborhoods and are better connected to transit, the more likely we are to reach that goal. And as has been mentioned, other cities have recognized that the public value of a bike share in investing accordingly, like Montreal, in the Bixby network has grown significantly. And I will just point out, not to Councillor Meiszner's point, which I appreciate, you know, and he's done some research there, but they also benefited from investments from the federal government because it's recognition that it has to be part of a broader transportation system. But all that to say, I think the really underlying importance and point that I'd like to make is that there's real value in maintaining and growing a Vancouver run bike share system. Having a locally governed system means that the public interest comes first. from where stations are located to how pricing and accessibility are designed. And that's the important contrast to proposals that rely on large private operators like Lime owned by Uber, whose business model is primarily driven by profit rather than long-term mobility goals. That's just a known fact. So expanding the bike share and working with regional partners on a coordinated system, I really feel is a really strong and smart next step and will benefit residents across Metro Vancouver. And it really comes down to the political will that... A revenue generating service for the city ultimately makes things less affordable for in the long run for the end user. And I think the priority should be Vancouver local economy, Vancouver locally run and making sure that the affordability can be maintained through other models like a co-op. leveraging other forms of funding through TransLink through the province in time, hopefully, and through the federal government as that precedent has already been set with other big cities. So I'll leave it there. Thank you.
Thanks. And I'd like to particularly thank speakers for taking time out of their day to come here and for phoning in with some incredible ideas and just articulating the benefits of expanding bike share across the region so well. I'd also like to particularly acknowledge the recent video from about here by Yutai Lee for really explaining and broadening out awareness of the benefits of bike share and expanding it regionally. The timeframes in this motion in Part A were chosen acknowledging the constraints on staff time and capacity and acknowledging that this is a long-term complex advocacy piece. I think that there's a fundamental difference in approach when we look at this by expanding bike share as part, an essential and useful and beneficial part of the public transit system, rather than some optional accessory that has to pay for itself or make a profit to even exist at all. Like Councillor Bligh said, the public interest needs to come first. The return on investment is the numerous public policy goals that are progressed by making bike share a truly convenient and cost-competitive public transport option for residents and visitors to the city and residents of the whole Lower Mainland region. I'm not going to repeat what I said in my introduction and that the speakers have articulated so well. But part B of our original motion is really the essence of what's in this strike and replace motion. And I really hope that staff is going to work on this on a strategy. We worked through very carefully the feedback of staff and removed the parts that we considered to be repetitive. And so because I feel as though this strike and replace motion does replicate what's in Part B, I'm going to support it. I'm going to keep the rest of my time to perhaps respond to any other issues that come up.
Yeah, you know, I'm just going to reflect that I think I'm a Mobi super user. I've ridden thousands of kilometers on Mobi. No, no joke. And when they changed the app, I had a really great, like, over 1,500 kilometers. And now they changed the app, and I'm just down to 800 kilometers. But cumulatively, I've done a lot of Moby riding. It's very convenient for me. I would say the one thing that, you know, and I appreciate this motion coming forward, and I appreciate, I guess, the intent of the amendment to move forward on an expanded system. I do worry about the privatization kind of potential of public bike share. You know, I think where it is sort of a mixed public-private kind of operation right now, what I can say is that when they moved Moby's, when they brought Moby's into my neighborhood in Strathcona before I was elected, I worked with the team then to ensure that... Moby's were – that's where they introduced the accessible program for low-income folk and a scaled tier for folks who had limited access to funds to pay for something like Moby and that it wasn't just seen as something for other people coming into a neighborhood with a lot of low-income folk. And that was successful. And I see folks in my community, you know, there's a station right outside of Raycam. There's one right by Strathcona Community Center. And I see folks who have – need these kind of bike share options because they can't afford other options, frankly. And I see that as a huge benefit. I know that Lime does not do something like that. And I know that many of these sort of private companies like Lime actually have surge pricing and the like, and it's more of a for-profit model. And I worry that should that be the outcome of this new direction, that we will lose something in the effective public bike share and what that means to have something that is truly public and accessible and not driven by profit, but driven by a greater good for increased micromobility and reduced use of fossil fuel kind of travel. But so it will be as the motion, I will support the amendment. But yeah, just making the case for public bike share.
Well, I do need to wait till after Councillor Kirby Young so I can finish off.
No, I'd like to save my time in case there's anything to respond to.
Chair, it's not really a back and forth. Usually, councillors make comments, so I'll just reserve my time in the order in which we're in the queue. Thank you.
Okay, thanks. Councillor Maloney. It seems to be a quite common practice that people who move a motion reserve their time to finish up, so I will wait until after.
Councillor Kerby, yeah? Yeah, thanks. Well, actually, I think I will speak to the... Can I get confirmation procedurally first? We're voting on a strike and replace, so there will be only one vote, correct?
OK. All right. Great. Then I'm going to speak to the... We're not speaking to the amendment. We're speaking to the... OK. Great. All right. OK. I'm going to confirm that. So I just want to provide a couple of comments, and I'm appreciating the conversation around the room, but I do think it's important... that our conversations are sort of fact-based, and I know that people have different opinions and perspectives around that, but just a couple of observations in listening to some of the comments around the table. I think there was a comment made that from an equity program perspective, LIBE didn't have that, or perhaps an inference that it was limited. It has exactly the same... equity program and access that moby does folks who have access to the leisure access program through the vancouver park board have the same access for both lime and moby and that was a very intentional component of the launch and i think it's important to state that the city of vancouver controls what we want the public benefits to be with respects to things like placement or equity programs, et cetera, through the contract. Those were required provisions and sort of components that were evaluated when the RFP was awarded. So I just want to level set so that people can vote how they want to vote here. But I want to make sure that the public discourse is sort of based on the facts. I think that's an important component. Also, with respect to commentary around geography, that was also something that was contractually included. And in fact, I think it was very noteworthy at the time, a lot of media commented on it, that the system launched in East Vancouver very intentionally. in terms of citing that both from an equity perspective and in terms of just a utility of where access to transit was, et cetera, and trying to fulfill its mandate around connecting to first and last mile. So I do think that there is tremendous benefit. I actually think, as I mentioned earlier, and I am respecting and appreciating the good work of both companies, but the fact that Vancouver has two is probably... constraining us from having a more integrated system and potentially a better capitalized system. And that is again distinct from having something that's for profit. Again, I mentioned earlier that this does now generate in the early stages revenue, but it was also very clearly articulated that it just should not be a cost center, but it could be revenue neutral, recognizing that there is value in having the micromobility services in the shared system. I also find some incoherence in the arguments with respects to the fact that this should be something that TransLink does in its regional system and yet wanting Vancouver to invest in developing its own system. And that sort of others should follow suit. That seems to me to be not a great way and a great model to bring something forward and engender cooperation and get other folks on board. It reminds me very much of the discussion that we had at council around rideshare when Vancouver wanted to do its own intermunicipal ride hailing license at the time and put its own fees in place. And I voted against that because It hadn't been considered, and we hadn't done the engagement with other mayors in the region, and I thought it was going to preclude a regional system where people had to get a license if you were a ride-hailing person and driver in every single municipality. Just thought about the mechanics and the cost of that, and was that really going to engender a great regional system, or would you have people that said, I'm just going to drive in Surrey or Burnaby or Vancouver because I don't want to have to buy a license here and there and everywhere, and I'm going to cross jurisdictions and boundaries. And literally, within the 24-hour news cycle after that vote, that's exactly what we heard from the mayors of the region who rose up and said, you didn't come to us, you didn't consult us, et cetera, and Vancouver pulled back. And when they pulled back on it, that's when we got to a regional solution because we approached it, I think, properly from the beginning. So I think that there's, you know, a lot more perspective to kind of thoughtfully reflect on here around this. And I think it's important those characterizations are... are sort of based, in fact, in sort of a little bit more of a broader perspective around what the best pathway is, actually, towards getting towards a regional service. Thank you.
Thanks, Councillor. Councillor Maloney, you want to go last, or do you want Councillor Masner to go first?
I'll go last.
Yeah, thanks. I wasn't going to jump on, but the discussion around the affordability piece had me... use artificial intelligence. And I input a 10-minute ride on a Lime scooter in Vancouver versus a 10-minute ride on Mobi. And actually, Lime is cheaper. And this is because Lime travels faster. Lime goes up to 25 kilometers per hour. And if you've ever used a Lime scooter, you can probably confirm that. They are quite fast. Mobi is obviously a little bit slower, but more comfortable for some users. But the 10-minute trip on a Lime scooter, including the unlock fee, would come to $515. And the 10-minute trip on a Mobi e-bike would come to $565. So Mobi is actually... a little bit more expensive than Lime currently. And these are updated numbers. But to Councillor Kirby-Young's point around Lime, there is an equity program in place as well. And that offers discounted rides and passes to people who are eligible. So all that said, I think Councillor Kirby-Young's points, and I know how well versed she is on this file, having championed micromobility in Vancouver for many, many years. And I think now we're seeing the benefits of that with the fantastic system that we have. Thank you.
Thanks, Councillor. Councillor Maloney. Without involving myself in the Lime versus Moby debate, which I don't think we tried to raise in our motion, I just want to reflect that advocacy is not a one and done. As a former advocate myself, or continuing to advocate, it's a process of using every possible way to influence getting something done and then making it better. I do want to acknowledge Councillor Fry as a Moby Bike super user. I have often referred to myself as the unofficial president of the Moby Bike fan club, but I do acknowledge that Councillor Fry may be more worthy of that title given how often I see him riding around town on a Moby Bike. And I think that the fact that Councillor Fry often calls out to me or comes up behind me on his Moby Bike and that we can stop and have a chat really demonstrates one of the unique benefits of cycling and bike share in particular compared to other forms of transport. It really fosters social connection. People can immediately stop and dock their bike or lock up their bike and patronise businesses. And bike share really does need to be supported as an important fundamental pillar. of our public transit system rather than an optional extra. Thanks.
Just to underline once again that this amendment that I brought forward supports bike sharing, recognizes the work that's currently underway, focuses our advocacy where it matters most, and will ultimately help improve regional connections to transit. So I hope council will support it. Thanks very much.
Okay, thank you. All right, seeing no one else on the queue, so let's go to the vote for this amendment. And just to be clear, we are voting on Councillor Clausen's amendment. Councillor, please register your vote.
Can I have a vote of sister in favor, please?
It's Councillor Bligh. I'm just trying to turn my video on. Oh, there we go.
Noted. Thanks, Councillor Bligh. Okay, the amendment passed unanimously. All right, so going back to the main queue, Councillor Klassen.
Okay, Councillor Maloney? That's it for me, too. Thanks. Councillor Meiszner?
Thank you. Okay. All right. So let's go to the vote for the motion as amended. So, Councillor, please register your vote.
In favor, Chair?
Oh, so we don't need to vote again, right? Okay. I want to confirm that. All right You confirmed clerk Yeah
I had asked a point of procedure earlier that it was a strike and replace, so that was the final comment, final motion, final vote, and you had said yes. Can I get confirmation? I'm not sure why you're voting again.
I saw that on the voting panel. Okay. All right, so it's done, right?
Yeah, so just to clarify, we're not voting again because it's a strike and replace, so it's all done. It's passed unanimously. Yeah, this one, we should remove this one.
Okay, clerk's confirmed. It'll be removed from the minutes.
Okay, thanks. All right, that completes motion three on the agenda. So the standing committee portion of this meeting is now complete. We will now convene in council with Mayor Hsien as the
chair to deal with the recommendations and actions on today's committee meeting. Over to you now, Mayor Sim.
Great, thank you. We're now going to convene in council to deal with the recommendations and actions from today's standing committee on city finance and services meeting. Can we please get a roll call?
Mayor Sim in the chair, Councillor Kirby Young, Councillor Dominato, Councillor Bligh. Present. Councillor Frey. Councillor Montague is on a leave of absence for personal reasons all day. Councillor Klassen. Present. Councillor Meiszner. Present. Councillor Zhoul. Present. Councillor Orr. Present. Councillor Maloney. This meeting has quorum, Mayor Sim.
We need a motion to adopt the committee's recommendations for report one and two and council members motions one through three. Great. Councillor Dominato seconded by Councillor Klassen. Thank you very much. All those in favor say yay. All those opposed say nay. Great. The motion carries unanimously. Urgent Business Council, are there any items of urgent business? And I do have one. I need a leave of absence from 1 p.m. onwards today for civic business. And I submit it.
We have a seconder.
Okay, great. Thank you. Sorry, do I have to see the chair procedurally for this one?
I do. Sorry, Councillor Klassen, can you take the chair? Great, thank you.
Bless you.
it should be 1 p.m. actually
And that's for today. Okay. Any opposed?
Okay, that carries. Thanks very much.
Just noting there is no audio on the WebEx of Councillor Orr speaking.
Sorry, yeah, that was probably my fault. I also have a motion for urgent business to request a leave of absence from 1 p.m. onwards for personal reasons, and I am sending that forward. Thanks.
Okay.
So do I have a seconder for that? Okay.
Councillor Dominato. Okay. All those in favor? Any opposed? That carries. Thanks very much.
All right. So that concludes. Yeah.
Okay. Motion to adjourn. No, no, no. Oh, sorry. There's a bylaw. Yeah, we have bylaws. Okay. Just one second here. One moment. All right. So we have one bylaw on the agenda for enactment. Before we begin this agenda, if anyone believes they're in a conflict of interest, Now is the time to declare it. Does anyone have a conflict of interest to disclose? Seeing none, would someone like to move the motion to adopt the bylaw?
Second? Okay, thanks very much. Councillor Zhou and Councillor Domonato. Councillors, any discussion? All those in favour, say yay. Any opposed? That carries unanimously. Thanks very much. The approved bylaw can be found on the city's website. Would somebody now like to make a motion to adjourn? And second?