July 8, 2024 Regular Council Summary

Committee Recommendations

• Council directed staff to provide a report on the conditions of the Nanaimo Curling Club and options for assisting the Club with securing an operational chiller.
• Council approved an $310,000 increase to the 2024 project budget for the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre: Rear Mechanical Parapet Wall project.
• Council allocated $400,000 in funding, along with the remaining 2023/2024 winter season funding ($184,257), to match funds provided by the Reaching Home Community Advisory Board to support up to two year-round drop-in hubs that can also serve as warming and cooling centre services for the City of Nanaimo’s extreme weather response starting in the 2024 winter season. Staff will provide Council with an evaluation of the drop-in hub service when future funding is considered in summer 2025.
• Council directed staff to submit a grant application to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Community Energy Efficiency Financing program for pilot funding to support a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) style home energy financing program. If the application is successful, a PACE style home energy financing program for Nanaimo residents would be launched and up to $200,000 in funding allocated to support the program.
• Council approved a Permissive Tax Exemption Administrative Policy (that includes criteria for non-market housing) and Security Checks and Other Grants Administrative Policy (that streamlines the Other Grants process). The previous ‘Grants Policy and Guidelines’ Policy was repealed.  
  Section 10a

• The following topics will be discussed at future Governance and Priorities Committee meetings:
  • Urban Tree Canopy Management Strategy
  • Incentives that support City Plan
  • Amenity Cost Charge Bylaw Project
  • Development Cost Charge Bylaw Update Project
  • DPA8 Form and Character Design Guidelines
• Council deferred the following motion to allow for further discussion at the July 15 Governance and Priorities Committee meeting: “That Council direct Staff to proceed with the ‘Highest Needs in Single Phase’ option [for the Public Works Yard / Nanaimo Operations Centre Project] and prepare a borrowing bylaw in support of the project.”
• Council directed Staff to look at other funding options with respect to debt servicing for the Public Works Yard (Nanaimo Operations Centre) project.

Reports

• Criminal Record Checks (includes fingerprinting fee, if required) - $55.00
• Fingerprinting Fee for private industry, records suspension, travel waiver or legal name change - $50.00
• Criminal Record Check for Volunteer or Non-Profit (includes fingerprinting fee, if required) - $10.00

Bylaw Updates

Correspondence

• a letter sent seeking funding support for shelter space in the City of Nanaimo, and
• the provincial Housing Target Order that came into effect July 1, 2024. 

Other Business

• Budgetary considerations for socially responsible investments at 10%, 30%, 50%, 75%, 100% of total city portfolio; and,
• Updated background on fossil fuel divestment and responsible investing with updated numbers from the October 2021 Staff report and brief summary of practices of other local governments leading in responsible investment.