CITY OF VANCOUVER

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

November 7, 2000

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, November 7, 2000, at 2:00 p.m., in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT: Mayor Philip Owen

Councillor Fred Bass
Councillor Jennifer Clarke
Councillor Lynne Kennedy
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Tim Louis
Councillor Sandy McCormick
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor George Puil
Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT: Councillor Daniel Lee (sick leave)

CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE: Judy Rogers, City Manager

CITY CLERK'S
OFFICE: Ulli Watkiss, City Clerk

Jan Gibson, Director of Meeting and Election Services

PRAYER

The proceedings in the Council Chamber were opened with a prayer read by the City Clerk.

IN CAMERA MEETING

MOVED by Cllr. McCormick
SECONDED by Cllr. Don Lee

THAT Council go into a meeting later this day which is closed to the public, pursuant to Section 165.2 of the Vancouver Charter, to discuss matters related to paragraphs:

(c) labour negotiations and employee relations; and

(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, the disclosure of which Council considers might reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the City.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

PRESENTATION

1. Vancouver Port Authority UpdateFile: 8109

Wayne Hartwick, municipal appointee to the Vancouver Port Authority Board of Directors and Norman Stark, CEO of the Port, updated Council on Port activities and future plans as they relate to the City.

Wayne Hartwick, appointed by the Minister of Transport on the recommendation of the eight municipalities adjoining the Port (including the City of Vancouver), highlighted the growth of the Port since it became an independent Authority and advised Council of the

the major issues on which the City and the Port had liaised in the last year, notably the Lafarge concrete plant.

Captain Stark provided details and statistics of the expansion of Port activities over the last ten years. In particular, he pointed out the advances that had been made as a result of the increasing use of information and communication technology. He advised that the Port is one of the most advanced in terms of environmental controls in North America. He also noted the challenges facing the Port, including the need for public support and understanding of the economic benefits the Port brings to the Lower Mainland.

Upon being advised that Captain Stark would be leaving the Port at the end of this year, members of Council expressed their appreciation for Captain Stark's work in achieving the tremendous growth of the Port during his time as CEO and particularly commended him on the improvements in communication between the City and the Port during his tenure. Council also thanked Mr. Hartwick for representing the interests of the City of Vancouver, as well as the other local municipalities, on the Board of the Port Authority.

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

1. Regular Council - October 31, 2000

MOVED by Cllr. Louis
SECONDED by Cllr. McCormick

THAT the Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting held on October 31, 2000, be approved, with the following corrections:
(a) on page 8, Administrative Reports No. 6, SAP 4.6C Upgrade, the vote should be changed so that the word unanimously is deleted, and the result of the vote indicated by the word "CARRIED"; and
(b) on page 13, Motion No. 1. Refund to Taxpayers for Services Not Provided during the Civic Workers' Strike, Councillor should be shown as having voted in favour, and the words "Louis and" deleted from the vote.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Clarke
SECONDED by Cllr. Louis

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole with Mayor Owen in the Chair.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

CITY MANAGER'S ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

1. Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of BC Professional Service Award File: 2601/RTS: 1724

MOVED by Cllr. Kennedy
THAT this report be received for information and the Mayor send a letter on council's behalf to Mr. Tsisserev, congratulating him on winning the award and thanking him for his service to the citizens of Vancouver.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

2. Year 2001 Business Licence Fees and Live-aboard Fees File: 1757

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee

A. THAT with the exception of those charitable or non-profit categories detailed in Appendix A of the report from the Chief Licence Inspector in consultation with the Director of Finance, dated October 31, 2000, Council approve an across-the-board increase in business licence fees of approximately 2% (when rounded) for the year 2001 (as shown in Appendix B of the report) as an inflationary adjustment based on the growth in city costs;

B. THAT the fees for live-aboard boat owners be increased in 2001 by 2.75%, reflecting the increase in residential property taxes in 2000;

C. THAT the Director of Legal Services be requested to prepare the necessary By-law amendments to the Licence By-law to implement the revised fees, to be effective January 1, 2001.

Members of Council requested that the clauses be split for voting purposes.

CLAUSE A PUT

A. THAT with the exception of those charitable or non-profit categories detailed in Appendix A of the report from the Chief Licence Inspector in consultation with the Director of Finance, dated October 31, 2000, Council approve an across-the-board increase in business licence fees of approximately 2% (when rounded) for the year 2001 (as shown in Appendix B of the report) as an inflationary adjustment based on the growth in city costs;

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

CLAUSE B PUT

B. THAT the fees for live-aboard boat owners be increased in 2001 by 2.75%, reflecting the increase in residential property taxes in 2000;

- CARRIED
(Cllrs. Bass and Louis opposed)

CLAUSE C PUT

C. THAT the Director of Legal Services be requested to prepare the necessary By-law amendments to the Licence By-law to implement the revised fees, to be effective January 1, 2001.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The motion carried with Councillors Bass and Louis opposed to Clause B.

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Sullivan
SECONDED by Cllr. Don Lee

THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

MOTIONS

1. Federal Government Support for Urban Transit File: 5551

MOVED by Cllr. Louis
SECONDED by Cllr. Bass

WHEREAS Canada is the only Western industrialized country whose national government does not directly fund regional transportation;

AND WHEREAS the Federal Government receives approximately $350 million annually in gas taxes paid by Lower Mainland drivers ($4 billion across Canada);

AND WHEREAS the GVTA is currently asking all transit users and Lower Mainland vehicle owners to contribute to the financing of improvements in regional transit and transportation;

AND WHEREAS since the implementation of the most recent transit fare, transit users are already paying for transit improvements;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver formally request the Federal Government to
(1) establish a funding mechanism to return at least one-third of gas tax revenues to fund public transit in urban areas;
(2) that the Federal Government change federal tax policy to allow employersto give transit passes to their employees in leu of parking space as a non-taxable benefit.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

NOTICES OF MOTION

1. Genetically Modified Foods File: 4101

Councillor Bass gave notice that at the next regular meeting of Council he would move:

WHEREAS consumers of any food product have the right to complete knowledge of ingredients in their food;

AND WHEREAS genetically modified or engineered foods have not yet been adequately assessed for their long term impacts on the environment and human health;

AND WHEREAS many bio-engineers and scientists are on record as stating this technology differs from traditional agricultural methods and might result in undesirable health and environmental risk factors including damaged soil ecology, harmful effects to wildlife and increased use of pesticides;

AND WHEREAS the European Community has agreed on terms to guarantee labeling of genetically modified foods;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver formally request Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to implement labeling of all food products that have been genetically modified;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT all City Departments and Agencies seek vendors of BC grown organic and non-genetically modified foods as options when contracting for goods and services;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT City Council urge the Vancouver School Board to offer BC-grown organic foods ad non-genetically modified foods in Vancouver Schools;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT City Council urge the VancouverPark Board to seek vendors of BC-grown organic and non-genetically modified foods as options when contracting for goods and services.

The Council adjourned at 4:50 p.m.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver