MERGED AGENDA
GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING

Monday, January 22, 2024 at 1:00 P.m. - 5:00 P.m.

SHAW AUDITORIUM, VANCOUVER ISLAND CONFERENCE CENTRE

80 COMMERCIAL STREET, NANAIMO, BC

SCHEDULED RECESS AT 3:00 P.M.

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1.

CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER:

[Note:  This meeting will be live streamed and video recorded for the public.]

2.

INTRODUCTION OF LATE ITEMS:

3.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:

4.

ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES:

a.

Minutes

Minutes of the Governance and Priorities Committee Meeting held in the Shaw Auditorium, Vancouver Island Conference Centre, 80 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC, on Monday, 2023-NOV-27, at 1:00 p.m.

b.

Minutes

Minutes of the Governance and Priorities Committee Meeting held in the Shaw Auditorium, Vancouver Island Conference Centre, 80 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC, on Monday, 2023-DEC-11, at 12:59 p.m.

5.

AGENDA PLANNING:

a.

Upcoming Topics and Initiatives

To be introduced by Sheila Gurrie, Director, Legislative Services. 

6.

PRESENTATIONS:

a.

Provincial Housing Legislation Overview

To be introduced by Lisa Brinkman, Manager, Community Planning. 

b.

Dave Witty to present report titled:  "Developing a Homelessness Action Plan for Nanaimo: Finding a Way Home"

7.

REPORTS:

a.

Connected Nanaimo: 

1.

Roadway Asphalt Asset Management and Maintenance Plan 

To be introduced by Bill Sims, General Manager, Engineering and Public Works. 

Presentation:

1. David Thompson, Manager, Roads and Traffic Services.

[Note:  Report to be distributed on the addendum.]

1.

Add report titled "Roadway Asphalt Asset Management and Maintenance Plan"

Purpose:   To obtain the Governance and Priorities Committee direction on asphalt maintenance funding and associated changes to the maintenance plan.

Recommendation:   That the Governance and Priorities Committee recommend that Council consider increasing the annual road maintenance budget by $1.5 million per year as part of the 2025 – 2029 Draft Financial Plan and adjusting the maintenance plan as proposed in the 2022 Pavement Condition Assessment Report, Table D-5. 

b.

Empowered Nanaimo:

1.

2024 AVICC Resolutions

To be introduced by Sheila Gurrie, Director, Legislative Services. 

Purpose:  To seek Council direction on the proposed resolutions for the 2024 Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities 2024 Annual General Meeting. 

Recommendation:  That the Governance and Priorities Committee recommend that Council: 

1. provide direction regarding the resolutions proposed by members of Council and,
2. direct staff to submit the following resolution to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities for consideration at their 2024 Annual General Meeting:

WHEREAS many communities are experiencing a crisis-level influx of homeless individuals and the existence of emergency shelters is critical to addressing the safety of people experiencing homelessness;

AND WHEREAS, due to the urgent nature of the need and the lack of suitable building stock in many communities, emergency shelters are frequently operating from buildings that do not meet the major occupancy classification requirements of the BC Building Code, nor the requirements of the BC Fire Code, placing local governments at risk of incurring liability if they do not enforce the codes and risking shutting down emergency shelters if they do enforce the codes:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request the Province work with the Building Safety Standards Branch to establish some reasonable variances to the BC Building Code and BC Fire Code to enable emergency shelters to remain open.

8.

QUESTION PERIOD:

9.

ADJOURNMENT: