Vancouver City Council

COUNCIL MEETING FOLLOWING
PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT MEETING
April 14, 2005

DECISIONS

For information, please contact
Diane M. Clairmont, Meeting Coordinator, at 604-871-6371 or
e-mail diane.clairmont@vancouver.ca

1. Family Court/Youth Justice Committee - Annual Report for the year 2004

A. THAT the Other Report Annual Report for the Year 2004, dated January 24, 2005, from the Family Court/Youth Justice Committee, be received for information.

B. THAT Council call upon the Attorney General to re-establish the volunteer youth court workers program run by the John Howard Society, by the Ministry of Children and Family Development, and to restore funding to this program that has considerable potential to contribute to the smooth and effective operation of youth court in the City of Vancouver.

C. THAT Council direct the Office of the City Clerk to ensure, that in seeking citizen volunteers for the FC/YJ Committee, the City come up with a stragtegy:

1. for ensuring the call for Committee members is directed at youth 15 to 24 years of age; and
2. that City Council, in appointing members to the Committee, where possible appoint a minimum of 4 youth.

D. THAT Council work with the Province of British Columbia to immediately assess and address the needs resulting from the lack of programs and options available to the courts for dealing with the problems that bring youth into the justice system; and

FURTHER THAT Council work with the Province of British Columbia to ensure that an immediate priority be given to the lack of an adequate number of detox beds for dealing with youth with drug addiction problems in the City.

E. THAT the Family Court/Youth Justice Committee come forth with specific requests for funding when specific needs are identified.

F. THAT this Motion, with the exception of E, be forwarded to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

2. Community Amenity Bonus 1188 West Pender

THAT Council approves, in principle, the applicant's request for a Child Care Amenity Bonus at 1188 West Pender Street (DE 408949), as outlined in Administrative Report Community Amenity Bonus 1188 West Pender, dated March 23, 2005, subject to the Owner entering into a Section 219 Covenant and an Option to Lease (with form of lease attached to Option to Lease) providing for:

1) the design, construction, fit, finish, and equipping by the Owner, at its cost, of a licensed group child care facility of approximately 12,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor program space for 37 children to be constructed pursuant to DE408949, as per the City of Vancouver Childcare Design Guidelines and acceptable to the Directors of Social Planning and Facility Design and Management, and Community Care Facilities Licensing, and;

2) a $1.1 million contribution to the City Childcare Endowment Fund to assist in the provision of affordable, accessible child care as established by Council Policy; and

3) leasing of the amenity space to the City for nominal rent for the life of the Development, on the terms and conditions contained in Administrative Report Community Amenity Bonus 1188 West Pender, dated March 23, 2005.

The Section 219 Covenant, Option to Lease, and Childcare Endowment Fund contribution shall be on the terms and conditions outlined in Administrative Report Community Amenity Bonus 1188 West Pender, dated March 23, 2005.

3. Regulating Payday Lending Businesses

THAT staff report back to Council as soon as possible with policy options to manage payday lending businesses. Issues to be considered as part of the report back include, but are not limited to:
1) the number and location of existing payday lending businesses in the City of Vancouver;
2) recommendations for Council policy to guide future land use decisions regarding pay day lending businesses;
3) recommendations for Council policy to regulate payday lending businesses;
4) recommendations on steps the City can take to encourage existing lending institutions to provide low income people with better access to lending services; and

THAT the City of Vancouver urge the provincial and federal governments to develop and enforce regulations for this industry and that such regulations consider the regulatory framework put forward by the national nonprofit organization, Acorn Canada.

MOTIONS

1. Vancouver International Airport Resolutions

THAT Council directs staff to forward a letter to the Lower Mainland Municipal Association in support of the following resolutions put forward by the City of Richmond, copy to the City of Richmond and others as noted in the resolutions:

OPEN SKIES AND FIFTH FREEDOM RIGHTS

WHEREAS the Vancouver International Airport is an economic generator and facilitates job creation province wide with the most recent economic impact study showing that the airport is responsible for a total economic output of $5.183 billion and 54, 182 person years of employment;

AND WHEREAS the Vancouver International Airport Authority has paid over $660 million in rent to the federal government for a facility which had a historical cost of $255 million;

AND WHEREAS the return from Vancouver International Airport Authority has paid over $660 million in return to the federal government for a facility which had a historical cost of $255 million;

AND WHEREAS the return from Vancouver International should be provincial and national economic growth, not rent;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Richmond call upon the federal government to adopt a new rent policy that is fair, equitable, transparent and sustainable and includes: a 50% reduction of total rent throughout the airport system; the elimination of rent entirely for all but the eight largest airports, and tying future increases directly and proportionately to changes in passenger and freight traffic;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be conveyed to Prime Minister Paul Martin, the Honourable Jean-C. Lapierre, Minister of Transport, the Honourable Raymond Chan, MP, and the Honourable John Cummins, MP, the Federal Standing Committee on Transport, Premier Gordon Campbell, Minister of Transport, Kevin Falcon, the Honourable Geoff Plant, MLA, Linda Reid, MLA and Greg Halsey-Brandt, MLA, UBCM, the LMMA, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, requesting their support, and the provincial and federal governments.

FEDERAL AVIATION POLICIES AND BC'S COMPETITIVENESS

WHEREAS the Vancouver International Airport is an economic generator and facilitates job creation province wide with the most recent economic impact study showing that the airport is responsible for a total economic output of $5.183 billion and 54,182 person years of employment;

AND WHEREAS the connectivity provided by the airport is essential both to keeping British Columbia companies competitive in a global economy and to attracting new economic development and high quality jobs to the Province;

AND WHEREAS only 40% of Canada's current bilateral air treaties with other nations allow access by foreign carriers to YVR;

AND WHEREAS this restrictive international Aviation Policy put the Vancouver International Airport at a competitive disadvantage with U.S. West Coast airports and prevents it from maximizing its potential as a Gateway between Asia and North
America:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Richmond urge the federal government to:

(1) enter into immediate negotiations with the United States for a true Open Skies agreement including fifth freedom rights;

(2) pursue planned aviation negotiations with the Government of China to seek substantial liberalization and improved market access; and

(3) introduce Canada's own Open Skies aviation policy and pursue it on a global basis with its trading partners:

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be conveyed to Prime Minister Paul Martin, the Honourable Jean-C. Lapierre, Minister of Transport, the Honourable Raymond Chan, MP, and the Honourable John Cummins, MP, the Federal Standing Committee on Transport, Premier Gordon Campbell, Minister of Transport, Kevin Falcon, the Honourable Geoff Plant, MLA, Linda Reid, MLA and Greg Halsey-Brandt, MLA, UBCM, the LMMA, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, requesting their support, and the provincial and federal governments.

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