Building Code Alignment Amendment (Orr - public disclosure)
Motion 29 · Standing Committee of Council on City Finance and Services, May 20, 2026
Summary
- Amendment by Councillor Orr requiring public disclosure of calendar meetings between the mayor's office and natural gas industry representatives in connection with the motion; defeated.
- Raised concerns about the potential influence of a mayoral senior adviser with directorships in LNG firms on the drafting of the motion.
Vote
In favour 3
Abstained 1
Public comments
Read all 1 statements
Transcript
16 segments
Thanks, Chair. No, just... Appreciate that, and just, I guess, in just closing generally on this, I really do appreciate the reporting on this, and it is sobering, and there's a lot of work ahead. I do, is this, are we actually closing, closing? Because I did actually have a question originally, and I see I'm kind of out of time.
You know what, Counselor, you are at five minutes already. You are over.
Yeah, on the moment, yeah. That's good. I'll come back on.
Okay, perfect. Yeah, thanks. Counselor Kirby, yeah.
Sorry, just point of procedure or clarification. Are we voting? Are we doing closing comments now?
Are we voting on the amendment to the motion first? Yeah. So do we need to do the vote before we speak?
Yes.
Okay. I'm going to hold my time then, please.
Thanks. All right. Seeing no one else on the queue, so let's go to the vote for the amendment as amended.
So that's original Councillor Kirby's amendment as amended by Councillor Frye.
Oh, okay. So, clerk, please.
Yeah. Yeah, thanks for the reminder. So, let's bring the full motion there.
Yeah, that's the one on the screen right now. Perfect. All right. So, counsel, please register your vote on the voting panel. Chair, can I please get a vote assist in favor? Yeah, thanks. Noting the mayors.
Councillor Bligh?
Not online?
Sorry about that. My screen is not... I'm not able to... Could I actually register my vote as an abstention, please? Without additional information, I can't vote in support.
Okay. Yeah, that's fine. All right. Thanks. So the amendment passed with Councillor Bligh abstent. Thank you. I'm going to go back to the main queue. Councillor Kerbion?
Yeah, in closing to the motion on the floor, I'm super happy that we're having this conversation. It's a really sobering topic, but I feel like it's something over two council terms that have been fighting to daylight. As I mentioned earlier, the fact that this number is now commonplace and referenced many times of a half a billion dollars a year and the fact we're spending 300 million versus 800 million that contributes to the overall $10 billion that we need to renew is pretty significant. And I think it's a day of reckoning. Honestly, in a moment for this council and for the city leadership that because of a number of choices over the years, we are now dealing with the pretty significant ramifications of not having taken care of our essential. public safety, community infrastructure, and everything that makes Vancouver vibrant and livable. And we need to advance that and to move it forward. So I'm really hopeful that the spirit of the conversation today, I think it's widely recognized around the council table, will be reflected in the capital plan. It's why we put such a stake in the ground that we needed to renew the community centers and the roads and the sidewalks and curb cuts and other accessibility measures because swimming pools are closing, roofs are falling off the side of aquatic centers. There's so many examples and more were given today. So this is really where the proverbial rubber hits the road and council needs to be unyielding. in our commitment and focus to tackling this in the capital plan and pulling back off of funding everything else that was downloaded onto us by senior governments and finding better, smarter ways to continue to support other priorities, but dealing with this very real one that is primarily our responsibility. And while sometimes we get some support to senior governments, it's very rare and we need to do the heavy lifting. Thank you.
Thanks. Councillor Fry. Yeah, thanks, Chair. And this is to the original report question. Do I have to ask through you, or can I just go direct to staff?
Through the Chair, I think.
Okay, so through the Chair. I'm curious. We haven't talked much about the other consideration that was presented here, and that's the right-sizing the asset portfolio. So I do – I'm wondering if we could get a little bit more color on the idea of – co-location and consolidation is this with a mind to generate additional revenue sources by selling off assets potentially and then putting that revenue into a new asset renewal is that the subtext to this and am i making sense
Statement Watch
All right, is anyone else cold in here? Because I definitely am. But good morning, everyone. Good morning, council members and our mayor. My name is Samaya Adam. I am a black Muslim woman, and I'm grateful to be here with you all today. I'm a community builder. However, I am here on behalf of Foundation for a Path Forward. So on foundation, I serve as their board member. And, you know, sometimes you got to do dutiful, do the full things and come and support your community. So that's why I'm here today. However, the foundation's work is really focused on strengthening communities and advancing anti-racism work across local, national, and global contexts. It is in partnership with Resilience BC under the Attorney General's office. Our work is really grounded in collaboration and practical community-led solutions to build stronger, safer, and healthier communities. And so with that, we are here today for a proclamation recognizing Eid al-Hadha. Eid al-Hadha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, which you also graciously shared, it is one of the most significant holidays and celebrations in the Muslim faith. It is rooted in generosity and sacrifice, and it is deeply connected to the values our community cares. So our community really values community care. It is rooted in service. and support. And so when we think about sacrifice, there has to be this willingness to do that. And so at the same time, we cannot ignore the sober context of next month. So this June actually marks five years since the devastating attacks on the Afzal family in London, Ontario, where three generations of Muslim families were taken from us in an act of Islamophobic violence. Even today, we continue to see that rise in Islamophobia. However, moments like today should remind us that while Muslim communities are celebrating, many of us are also navigating anxiety and grief from our day-to-day experiences. So while today is a very symbolic day and a recognition that is so needed, it is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of one another, as well as to build solidarity. And so, thank you for... convening us today because the importance of coming together across differences is what really builds healthier, stronger communities. And so I'm really grateful for the city of Vancouver for creating the space for its residents, opening seats at the table, and really instilling a sense of dignity, shared responsibility through power, shifts, dynamics, all of that. And so this is a place we all call home. And so again, I'm just going to say thank you for giving us the space.
All right. Thanks, everyone. Thanks for... Alright, so this is the plan for the day. We're going to break at noon for lunch and return at 1pm to continue to deal with the remainder of the agenda. If needed, we need to recess at 5pm for a dinner break and reconvene at 6pm to complete the agenda. Okay, so now the committee member will consider the matter adopted on consent. We have report number one on the consent agenda for the committee's consideration. We will hold report two and three to hear from the speakers.