Reversing Supportive Housing Ban
Motion 8 · Standing Committee on Policy and Strategic Priorities, April 1, 2026
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27 segments
Councillor Frye, I believe. Councillor Frye, when you are ready.
Yes, shifting gears entirely. Thank you, Chair. It's not often that I quote Joni Mitchell in any kind of council meeting, but seeing as she was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Junos, I feel like it's worth trotting out that classic line, don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? And that is the case for festivals in our city, quite really. Council are well aware of the funding challenges faced by festivals, beloved festivals in our city. That's why we just supported earlier today bridge funding for Vaisakhi, why we've supported the ad hoc emergency funding for car-free days, and funding to replace the celebration of light. Despite funding shortfalls from the federal government, funding shortfalls from the provincial government, and diminishing commitments from corporate sponsors amidst rising costs to put on festivals and keep them running smoothly and safely, Council have recognized that free festivals support our city's vibrancy and celebrate the outdoors, the fun, the multiculturalism, and the togetherness that also supports our local economy in a meaningful way. And we need to step up. I want to just share a couple of letters that we've received in support of this. From Martin Roy, the Executive Director of Festivals and Major Events Canada. And I'll just excerpt from their letter. They're based in Montreal and very familiar with the ecosystem in Montreal. While Vancouver invests approximately $2 million in arts and culture, municipal supports for festivals... just festivals in Montreal, is closer to $9 million. And similarly, where the maximum grant in Vancouver is around $75,000, major events in Montreal, such as the International Jazz Festival or Just for Laughs, can receive up to approximately $600,000. We also received a letter from Jane Talbot in the downtown Vancouver BIA. She writes, festivals and events are central to Vancouver's identity as a vibrant, inclusive, and economically dynamic city. They animate public spaces, bring communities together, and generate significant economic activity for local businesses. As outlined in the motion, many of Vancouver's free public events are facing growing financial pressures driven by rising costs... shifting sponsorship models and inconsistent funding. This motion is a practical step towards sustaining Vancouver's festival sector. A dedicated, stable, and transparent festival support fund will provide certainty for organizers, help address rising costs, and maintain access to free public events that benefit residents, visitors, and businesses. The proposed models, including multi-year funding, tiered support, and alignment with senior government contributions, reflects proven approaches... to other leading cities.
I just got back. Apologies. It was at Metro Vancouver. Ah, okay. Do we have a seconder for Councillor Fry's motion? Seconded by Councillor Kirby-Young. Okay. We'll now hear from registered speakers for the motion. Public speakers should state whether they are in support or opposition. other recommendations and may only speak once. I will also ask speakers if they're residents of Vancouver, if it's not noted on the speakers list. And our first public speaker on this item is David Ray.
Hello again, Mayor and Council. For the record, my name is David Ray, and I'm a Vancouver resident, and I'm here to speak in support of Councillor Fry's motion to create the City of Vancouver Festival Support Fund. One of the things that makes Vancouver special is the incredible diversity of cultures, communities, and traditions that exist within this city. And one of the ways we directly experience that diversity is through festivals and community events. These are the moments when neighborhoods come alive, when streets fill with music, food, art, and conversation, when people from different backgrounds gather together and experience the city not just as a place to live, but as a shared community. Festivals create culture, they build connection, and they help define the vibrancy of Vancouver itself. It also challenges the ridiculous notion that Vancouver is no fun city. But many of the festivals that make this city what it is are struggling to survive. Across Vancouver, we've seen long-running events face rising production costs, declining sponsorship, and unstable funding, to the point where some events are scaling back or disappearing entirely. We've seen the Car Free Day days, events face uncertainty. We've seen the Jazz Festival appeal publicly for support just to maintain its free programming. We've seen the Mural Festival shut down after nine years with over 400 murals painted across this city. These events are cultural infrastructure. They create economic activity, support local artists and vendors, bring visitors into our neighborhoods, and most importantly, they create shared public experiences that strengthen the social fabric of our city. And at a time when many arts and cultural organizations are already facing shrinking resources and rising costs, stability matters more than ever. Right now, many festival organizers are being forced to operate year to year, constantly scrambling to secure funding while costs continue to rise. That instability puts the future of these events at risk. By creating a dedicated festival support fund, the city can provide stable, transparent support and allow these events to plan for the long term. And importantly, It asks staff to work directly with organizers and stakeholders to design a program that is accountable, equitable, and sustainable. Other cities across Canada already recognize the value of this kind of investment. Vancouver should too. When we support festivals, we're not just funding events, we're investing in culture. We're investing in community. And we're investing in the shared public life that makes our city vibrant and welcoming. Council, I encourage you to support this motion and help ensure that Vancouver's festivals continue to thrive for years to come. Vancouver is strongest when we take care of each other. Thank you again for your time.
Thank you. Speaker 2, Jeff Tioli.
Hello again, Mayor and Council. My name is Jeff Teoli. I'm a Vancouver resident, and I'm the former Film Commissioner for the City of Vancouver. And I've also served as the Senior Manager of the Film and Event Branch at the City. Before I begin, I just want to briefly acknowledge something from earlier. I understand that wearing my Vote Vancouver pin in this setting may not have been appropriate, so I have removed it. And for clarity, yes, I am planning on running for City Council at the next election.
But I'm here today because these issues are sincerely important to me. And I believe... that because I've worked inside the city, I can speak to them with some background. I want to start by saying that I do support this motion. The idea of moving towards a more stable, structured approach to supporting festivals and events in Vancouver is something I strongly agree with. As we discussed earlier today, we've seen the challenges that come from a reactive system, and there is real value in making a more strategic, long-term approach. But I do think it's important to recognize the scale of what's being proposed here. This is a meaningful shift, both in philosophy and in how the city supports events. Historically, the city has tried to avoid picking winners and losers, focusing instead on supporting festivals as equitably as possible. What's being proposed here moves us towards a different model, where some events may receive higher levels of support than others. And that can make sense. It does for a number of cities. But it also means we need to be thoughtful about how these decisions are made. Because once we start prioritizing some events, We're also making decisions about which events may not get prioritized. And that's not just an operational shift, it's a value-based one. There are also practical implications. Expanding support, whether through additional staffing, resources, or coordination, is a change in how the city shows up in this space. And getting that right will matter. When I was working on the special event policy of the city, these were complex conversations. They required time, input, and careful balancing across the event community. And I think that same level of care is needed here. So while I support the direction of this motion, I would emphasize the importance of doing this with a high level of collaboration and consensus building with the organizers and stakeholders across the city. Because the strength of our event ecosystem comes from its diversity, and any changes in how we support it need to reflect that. If we take the time to do this properly, this can be a very positive step forward. Thank you.
Speaker 3, Bruno Klapke.
Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you, Your Excellency, to put me on the right track. I was lost a little bit. My name is Bruno Clopsey. I live in Coquitlam, but I still have a house in Vancouver as a security when I want to come back. I want to support the... the motion of creating support for festival fund. Years ago, I was participant of Marathon Festival here. We raced from Hanoi to Vancouver in the bathtub race. That we don't have anymore. I wish we have it again. As a participant, We spent months of training. We had tried races to discover what is required to obtain top speed. We were financed and helped by the Canadian National Railroad and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. So I know that festivals are a big job with a lot of work and funding.
But it brought racing clubs from everywhere. As far as Australia, the Kitsilano was teeming when we were racing from Nanaimo to Vancouver. It brought a lot of people in. Being a rice taba, we also had good relationship with United States. They invited us to Bremerton to come and race. We didn't only race from Nanaimo. We raced in Kelowna. We raced in Ladysmith. We raced in many places. I don't remember all the places. And also United States. And that brought a lot of people to the races, brought the community together. So it was something good. It was something good for Vancouver. I wish you brought it back. Now I have to go out to Bellingham to see that festival. We used to have it here. You closed it for one reason or another. I don't know the ins and outs. But I wish you brought it back because it brings other countries also to Vancouver. And that's also part of the economy. Thank you for listening.
Thank you, Bruno, for speaking to council. Okay, that is the end of our speakers list. Thanks, everyone, for speaking to the Standing Committee on Policy and Strategic Priorities. Committee members, is there any discussion? And I see Councillor Kirby-Young. Please go ahead.
Yeah, thanks, Chair. Before I make comments overall on the motion, I'd like to propose what I hope is a friendly amendment, if you want to move us to an amendment queue.
Great. Yep. Okay, that amendment seconded by Councillor Fry. Please go ahead, Councillor.
Yeah, thank you, and thanks, Councillor Frey, for seconding it. And I'll just read this into the record, and it is simply augmenting what Councillor Frey has articulated in the motion about to the province asking for restoration of the BC Fairs and Festivals Fund, and I'm mirroring it with a similar clause that recognizes that the federal government has also... step back. And so the additional proposed clause is that Council requests that the Mayor, on behalf of Council, advocate to the Government of Canada, including through the Department of Canadian Heritage, the restoration and expansion of federal funding programs supporting major festivals and cultural events, recognizing their economic, cultural, and tourism impacts, and the growing financial pressures that are facing such events, not just in Vancouver and across Canada. And I think that's self-explanatory. Thanks.
Great. Thanks, Councillor. Okay, I'm not seeing anyone else on the queue to speak to the amendment.
I'd like to provide some comments on the overall motion. First of all, thank Councillor Fry for bringing it forward. He and I have the pleasure of serving as the Council Liaisons to the Arts and Culture Committee, and I think over two terms together on Council, have both been fully supportive of this sector, as is, I think, broadly all of Council. I think that this is happily a sector that everybody supports and that Council's aligned on. It was mentioned earlier, I think I commented that In the last year, particularly, it's never easy in the arts and culture sector. We know that. But it has been particularly difficult going into COVID, coming out of COVID. And then when the festival started to really realize the impacts and getting back, started to see that there were extraordinary latent and resulting cost pressures on things, renting things like fencing and... temporary bathrooms, and all of the things that go into providing the necessary infrastructure for festivals. We have seen corporate sponsors pulling back in very challenging, very difficult economic times. And we have seen senior governments, provincial and federal, also pulling back. And that has been... a whole confluence of factors. The city of Vancouver stayed the course and has been there, but that is cold comfort when you are a festival and trying to deliver it. I think that it is noteworthy that we have tried to continue upping the ante. There has been increased support. We took a look at trying to streamline the requirements around public safety. There's some additional, there's the FestShare program trying to offset costs. I think I myself brought a motion forward last term that was entitled Making it Easier to Host Outdoor Festivals and Events. recognizing that we wanted to strip down barriers to the best of the city's ability make the permitting streamlined and easier all of that said everything remains a challenge and I think it's always good for us to look at what else the city can do to sort of lever up and support that I think a city without art and without festivals and events is a bleak one And it's dark, and that is, as we're heading into festival season, I think what makes Vancouver such a special place to live in a vibrant city. We get to celebrate our nature. Many of these things happen outdoors. We get to celebrate our diverse cultures. We have a chance to really come together. We just had the Cherry Blossom Festival this weekend. Amazing to see people picnicking under the... Cherry Blossoms. We've got Visaki coming up. Folk Festival was able to turn a corner previously with council support. They had a tough period of time. There's some bright lights with things like VIF and others and BARD. And then there's some folks that are having genuinely a difficult time. So I'm all in for looking at what we can do. and continue to do to support um our events again i think it is part of this council's commitment that was made i believe unanimously towards supporting a vibrant vancouver and that is really a big part of living in a fun city and living in a connected city so i thank council fry for bringing it forward it's something that was very much on my mind and i'm sure that we're going to see broad support around the table i'd be surprised if we don't thanks
Thank you. Councillor Klassen. Thanks very much. And thanks, Councillor Fry, for bringing this motion forward. I know this has been a vexing challenge for a lot of people in the arts and culture sector, but particularly our festival producers. And I know that you and others in council have devoted a lot of time to meet and try to problem solve. And while I don't think any of us think that... the city is going to be the principal source to try and make up that gap. We have seen a number of different companies and government levels of government that have walked away, partly because of the difficult economic times and the belt tightening that's happening as a result of... large deficits. But I remain always optimistic that there is a pathway forward. And I know that, you know, in this term of council for myself, I remember my very first meeting with the Folk Festival when they were facing imminent ending of that festival. Luckily, by working with them and engaging with the city staff and other stakeholder partners, um, that, uh, that festival was able to continue. And I, I, I am optimistic that we'll continue to go on for years to come. Um, uh, we, uh, are blessed by fantastic outdoor street festivals and, um, uh, you know, I'm thinking the Latin Coover, uh, um, uh, festival that happens at Johnson Rogers park and, CATS ALANO AND OF COURSE ALL OF US PARTOOK IN THE SPRING FESTIVAL IN CHINATOWN LUNAR NEW YEAR PARADE THERE'S JUST SO MANY OF THESE THAT ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN Councillor KERBY YOUNG AND MYSELF ACTUALLY MET WITH A NUMBER OF LEADERS IN THE IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE AND FESTIVAL SPACE AND Last fall, putting sort of all ideas on the table, I've since then met with a leader of another major arts festival. Again, just trying to think of any potential pathway. I mean, the one thing that all of us have at Council are fantastic networks and the ability to reach out to other stakeholders. And maybe there is a corporate sector in this city. We're seeing a lot of growth in some of the rare earth minerals and the mining sector, and I sort of think that some of those companies just need to be tapped and talked to and see if they'd be willing to partner. But again, there's nothing like having... the ongoing support of the federal government and we need to I think with this amendment making those direct outreach to the ministry and to the government itself to try and make sure that we can ensure that by providing that support That'll be a net positive in terms of economic activity that will lead to a lot of sales tax and in a sense kind of pay for itself. So very happy to support this and continue to bring strong voice to continuing and growing and supporting our arts and culture festivals in this city. Thanks.
Thank you.
Sorry. I strongly support this motion and thanks to Councillor Fry for moving it. We're increasingly relying on extraordinary one-off grants to support festivals rather than developing a coherent planned approach. So that really does need to change. And the arts and culture community deserves predictability and that means building stronger, more consistent support for festivals and their infrastructure. into our planning from the outset, not scrambling at the last minute. I appreciate the amendment, which I was very supportive of in terms of seeking federal government funding for something that really does contribute to Canada's national identity. It's important that we get a clearer picture of the rising costs the city itself is responsible for in supporting festivals and events to ensure we plan to meet them. And I think that it should be a more central part of what we do as a city. We are really fortunate to have so many extraordinary artists and creatives living here. And it doesn't just yield a social and cultural return on investment. It It also, we know, provides a financial return on investment. And I'm thinking about that 2024 Destination Vancouver study that shows that events throughout the year generate real economic concerns, sorry, economic returns for the city. And this is an investment worth making deliberately, not just when a crisis lands on our desk. So I'll be voting in favour. Thanks.
Yeah, thanks. Not much more to say that hasn't already been said. Obviously, strongly support this. And just unfortunate to sort of add to the list that is in the motion. It's the Mother's Day powwow that's... Held at Trout Lake, I believe, has been going on for 40-something years. Just had to cancel due to rising costs. Much to the chagrin of the organizers and, of course, Vancouver's urban indigenous community as well. So that just means that this motion is very timely and I look forward to supporting it. Thanks.
Thanks, Councillor Orr. I'll just hand the chair to Councillor Dominato, Vice-Chair Dominato, to make some comments. I just want to add my support for this motion and thank Councillor Fry and Councillor Kirby-Young. Our festivals, as noted and as Council's aware, are facing extraordinary and escalating cost pressures, some of which was highlighted during our discussions this morning on Vaisakhi. But the challenges around these escalating costs are really festival-wide, whether that's the Pride Festival, Car Free Days, Cherry Blossom Festival, the Folk Festival, Carnival del Sol, the list goes on. So we have been stepping in with some extraordinary one-time funding and also the ongoing support of our Festshare program. But clearly, we need updated and sustainable. funding model and that's what this motion will bring back to council so i'm looking forward to that and in addition we will continue as council and i know the mayor will to advocate to our provincial and federal government partners as mentioned earlier today the city has really stood firm and as many cases have increased our support of these important important festivals in our city the city has always been there and the city will continue to be there but we really need the province and the feds to come back to the table And in many cases, you know, reaffirm their support instead of reducing it. So we'll continue to do that advocacy and continue to put that pressure on. But I just wanted to voice my support for this motion. Thanks. And I'll take the chair back. Councillor Fry to close.
Yeah, thanks, Chair. And thanks, Councillor, for what sounds like a sound support for this. I do want to acknowledge, too, that thanks to Councillor Kirby-Young for that amendment. And also... As mentioned, Councillor Kirby-Young's leadership in the last term on the motion that is referenced in this motion, the making it easier... resolution that we passed in the last council, making it easier to host outdoor festivals and events, which certainly has eased up some of the pressure, but obviously we've seen new pressures that are mounting, and so I appreciate that everybody understands the critical importance for us, even though we see this drop in other funding sources. I do want to just reflect that the letter that we did receive from FAME, which I'll share with the rest of council, I'm not sure if everybody got it, But it does also, you know, where it encourages us to step up, it also talks about how there is a lot of advocacy that they are doing and their colleagues are doing with senior levels of government, with the province, with the feds, and increasingly with tourism destination organizations and encouraging them to step up and help to support these festivals because these festivals really are a huge benefit to all sorts of sectors in our society, not the least of which arts and culture, but also you know, small business and local economic development. And also just to one of the speaker's comments around concerns around getting this right. I do want to just reference that the motion does specifically talk about mechanisms to ensure accountability, transparency, equity, and cultural inclusion in this work from council or this direction from council to staff. and also that staff report back. So we're not giving entire direction here. We're giving the cue for staff to do the work, and hopefully we come back with something really, I think, comprehensive that can recognize the diversity of cultural festivities, recognize that this is a shift in our approach as the city, and getting it right so that we can support these festivals that support our vibrancy in our city the way they do. So thanks, everybody. Appreciate it.
Statement Watch
Hello again, Mayor and Council. For the record, my name is David Ray, and I'm a Vancouver resident, and I'm here to speak in support of Councillor Fry's motion to create the City of Vancouver Festival Support Fund. One of the things that makes Vancouver special is the incredible diversity of cultures, communities, and traditions that exist within this city. And one of the ways we directly experience that diversity is through festivals and community events. These are the moments when neighborhoods come alive, when streets fill with music, food, art, and conversation, when people from different backgrounds gather together and experience the city not just as a place to live, but as a shared community. Festivals create culture, they build connection, and they help define the vibrancy of Vancouver itself. It also challenges the ridiculous notion that Vancouver is no fun city. But many of the festivals that make this city what it is are struggling to survive. Across Vancouver, we've seen long-running events face rising production costs, declining sponsorship, and unstable funding, to the point where some events are scaling back or disappearing entirely. We've seen the Car Free Day days, events face uncertainty. We've seen the Jazz Festival appeal publicly for support just to maintain its free programming. We've seen the Mural Festival shut down after nine years with over 400 murals painted across this city. These events are cultural infrastructure. They create economic activity, support local artists and vendors, bring visitors into our neighborhoods, and most importantly, they create shared public experiences that strengthen the social fabric of our city. And at a time when many arts and cultural organizations are already facing shrinking resources and rising costs, stability matters more than ever. Right now, many festival organizers are being forced to operate year to year, constantly scrambling to secure funding while costs continue to rise. That instability puts the future of these events at risk. By creating a dedicated festival support fund, the city can provide stable, transparent support and allow these events to plan for the long term. And importantly, It asks staff to work directly with organizers and stakeholders to design a program that is accountable, equitable, and sustainable. Other cities across Canada already recognize the value of this kind of investment. Vancouver should too. When we support festivals, we're not just funding events, we're investing in culture. We're investing in community. And we're investing in the shared public life that makes our city vibrant and welcoming. Council, I encourage you to support this motion and help ensure that Vancouver's festivals continue to thrive for years to come. Vancouver is strongest when we take care of each other. Thank you again for your time.
Statement Watch
Hello again, Mayor and Council. My name is Jeff Teoli. I'm a Vancouver resident, and I'm the former Film Commissioner for the City of Vancouver. And I've also served as the Senior Manager of the Film and Event Branch at the City. Before I begin, I just want to briefly acknowledge something from earlier. I understand that wearing my Vote Vancouver pin in this setting may not have been appropriate, so I have removed it. And for clarity, yes, I am planning on running for City Council at the next election. But I'm here today because these issues are sincerely important to me. And I believe... that because I've worked inside the city, I can speak to them with some background. I want to start by saying that I do support this motion. The idea of moving towards a more stable, structured approach to supporting festivals and events in Vancouver is something I strongly agree with. As we discussed earlier today, we've seen the challenges that come from a reactive system, and there is real value in making a more strategic, long-term approach. But I do think it's important to recognize the scale of what's being proposed here. This is a meaningful shift, both in philosophy and in how the city supports events. Historically, the city has tried to avoid picking winners and losers, focusing instead on supporting festivals as equitably as possible. What's being proposed here moves us towards a different model, where some events may receive higher levels of support than others. And that can make sense. It does for a number of cities. But it also means we need to be thoughtful about how these decisions are made. Because once we start prioritizing some events, We're also making decisions about which events may not get prioritized. And that's not just an operational shift, it's a value-based one. There are also practical implications. Expanding support, whether through additional staffing, resources, or coordination, is a change in how the city shows up in this space. And getting that right will matter. When I was working on the special event policy of the city, these were complex conversations. They required time, input, and careful balancing across the event community. And I think that same level of care is needed here. So while I support the direction of this motion, I would emphasize the importance of doing this with a high level of collaboration and consensus building with the organizers and stakeholders across the city. Because the strength of our event ecosystem comes from its diversity, and any changes in how we support it need to reflect that. If we take the time to do this properly, this can be a very positive step forward. Thank you.
Statement Watch
Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you, Your Excellency, to put me on the right track. I was lost a little bit. My name is Bruno Clopsey. I live in Coquitlam, but I still have a house in Vancouver as a security when I want to come back. I want to support the... the motion of creating support for festival fund. Years ago, I was participant of Marathon Festival here. We raced from Hanoi to Vancouver in the bathtub race. That we don't have anymore. I wish we have it again. As a participant, We spent months of training. We had tried races to discover what is required to obtain top speed. We were financed and helped by the Canadian National Railroad and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. So I know that festivals are a big job with a lot of work and funding. But it brought racing clubs from everywhere. As far as Australia, the Kitsilano was teeming when we were racing from Nanaimo to Vancouver. It brought a lot of people in. Being a rice taba, we also had good relationship with United States. They invited us to Bremerton to come and race. We didn't only race from Nanaimo. We raced in Kelowna. We raced in Ladysmith. We raced in many places. I don't remember all the places. And also United States. And that brought a lot of people to the races, brought the community together. So it was something good. It was something good for Vancouver. I wish you brought it back. Now I have to go out to Bellingham to see that festival. We used to have it here. You closed it for one reason or another. I don't know the ins and outs. But I wish you brought it back because it brings other countries also to Vancouver. And that's also part of the economy. Thank you for listening.