October 21, 2024 Regular Council Summary

Civic Sport / Arts & Culture Merit Awards

Prior to the start of the Council meeting, the Civic Sport Merit Awards and Arts & Culture Merit Awards took place, celebrating outstanding achievement in sports or arts and culture on a Provincial, Western Canadian, National or International level. Congratulations to all of the award recipients!

Committee Recommendations

Recommendation from the October 9, 2024 Public Safety Committee meeting:

• Council approved the draft work plan for the Public Safety Committee.

Recommendations from the October 16, 2024 Finance and Audit Committee meeting:

• Council will consider increasing the annual operating grant for the Nanaimo Restorative Justice Program from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2025 during their 2025 budget deliberations. A report regarding the program was referred to the Public Safety Committee.
• Council will consider increasing the budget for the annual Neighbourhood Association Grant Program from $10,000 to $20,000 starting in 2025 during their 2025 budget deliberations. Annual grant totals will be allowed to exceed the current threshold of $1,000 per neighbourhood association, and the grant approval process was delegated to the Director of Planning and Development.
• Council provided Tourism Nanaimo with an additional $29,000 in grant funding for 2024 only to fund a new Sport Tourism Coordinator position.
• Council awarded a $4,000 “Other Grant” to the Nanaimo Lodge No. 1052 – Loyal Order of Moose for the replacement of the HVAC system at 1359 Cranberry Avenue.
• Council awarded the Connective Support Society Nanaimo with a $1,400 permissive tax exemption cash grant for the 2024 property taxation year.
• Council directed staff to add a $890,000 general fund project contingency budget for 2025 to the 2025 – 2029 Provisional Financial Plan funded from 2024 surplus.

Section 10a,b

Delegations

Andrea Paris, on behalf of the Zonta Club of Nanaimo, spoke regarding Human Trafficking Awareness Day which will be held on February 22, 2025.
Section 11a

Alan Clarke spoke regarding “Public Works Yard Updates Borrowing Bylaw 2024 No. 7386”.
Section 11b

Reports

A Development Permit was issued for 45 Haliburton Street, to allow for an overheight multi-family residential building.
Section 12a

A Rezoning Application for 1432 Kaz Court, to apply the Provincial Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing legislation to recently subdivided parcels on Kaz Court, passed three readings and received final adoption.
Section 12b

“Property Tax Prepayment Plan Bylaw 2024, No. 7390” (a bylaw to authorize a property tax prepayment plan) passed three readings.
Section 12c

“User Rates Auto Debit Plan Bylaw 2024, No. 7391” (a bylaw to authorize a user rates auto debit plan) passed three readings.
Section 12d

Bylaw Updates

"Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw 2024 No. 7388" (a bylaw to exempt certain land and buildings from taxation) was adopted.
Section 13a

Correspondence

Council will be providing a letter of support to the Mid Vancouver Island Elder College Society for their Community Gaming Grant application.
Section 14a

Other Business

Staff were directed to prepare a report with options for providing free two-hour parking within downtown City-owned parkades during the Commercial Street redesign project.
Section 16a

October 21, 2024 Regular Council meeting  – agenda, documents and video