Mayors Committee Regular Meeting Minutes
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METRO VANCOUVER REGIONAL DISTRICT MAYORS COMMITTEE Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) Mayors Committee held at 1:09 p.m. on Friday, July 6, 2018 in the 28th Floor Boardroom, 4730 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair, Mayor Greg Moore, Port Coquitlam Vice Chair, Mayor Gregor Robertson, Vancouver Mayor Wayne Baldwin, White Rock Mayor Malcolm Brodie, Richmond Mayor Karl Buhr, Lions Bay Mayor Mike Clay, Port Moody Mayor Derek Corrigan, Burnaby Mayor Jonathan Coté, New Westminster Mayor Ralph Drew, Belcarra Mayor Jack Froese, Langley Township Director Maria Harris, Electoral Area A Mayor Linda Hepner, Surrey Mayor Lois Jackson, Delta Mayor John McEwen, Anmore Mayor Darrell Mussatto, North Vancouver City Mayor Ted Schaffer, Langley City Mayor Murray Skeels, Bowen Island Mayor Richard Stewart, Coquitlam (arrived at 1:17 p.m.) Chief Bryce Williams, Tsawwassen MEMBERS ABSENT: Mayor John Becker, Pitt Meadows Mayor Nicole Read, Maple Ridge Mayor Michael Smith, West Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton, North Vancouver District OTHERS PRESENT: Councillor Darrell Penner, Port Coquitlam, Regional Planning Committee member Councillor Andrea Reimer, Vancouver, Regional Planning Committee Vice Chair Councillor Barbara Steele, Surrey, Regional Planning Committee member Councillor Harold Steves, Richmond, Regional Planning Committee member STAFF PRESENT: Carol Mason, Chief Administrative Officer Genevieve Lanz, Legislative Services Coordinator, Board and Information Services Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the MVRD Mayors Committee held on Friday, July 6, 2018 Page 1 of 5 1. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 1.1 July 6, 2018 Regular Meeting Agenda It was MOVED and SECONDED That the Mayors Committee adopt the agenda for its regular meeting scheduled for July 6, 2018 as circulated. CARRIED 2. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES 2.1 July 7, 2017 Regular Meeting Minutes It was MOVED and SECONDED That the Mayors Committee adopt the minutes of its regular meeting held July 7, 2017 as circulated. CARRIED 3. DELEGATIONS No items presented. 4. INVITED PRESENTATIONS 4.1 Councillor Kerry Jang, Co-Chair, UBCM Joint Provincial-Local Government Committee on Cannabis Regulation and Gary MacIsaac, Executive Director, UBCM Councillor Kerry Jang, Co-Chair, UBCM Joint Provincial-Local Government Committee on Cannabis Regulation and Gary MacIsaac, Executive Director, UBCM, provided members with a presentation on the UBCM Joint Provincial-Local Government Committee on Cannabis Regulation (JCCR) highlighting the UBCM cannabis tax sharing principles, concerns surrounding cannabis production on agricultural land, and Provincial decisions on cannabis use and regulations. 1:17 p.m. Mayor Stewart arrived at the meeting. In response to questions, members were informed of the difference between medical and non-medical cannabis, potential production cost models, and storage of retail cannabis. Presentation material titled “Non-Medical Cannabis in BC – UBCM Advocacy & Policy Development” is retained with the July 6, 2018 Mayors Committee agenda. Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the MVRD Mayors Committee held on Friday, July 6, 2018 Page 2 of 5 5. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEE OR STAFF 5.1 Commercial Cannabis Production on Agriculture Land Report dated July 3, 2018 from Heather McNell, Director, Regional Planning and Electoral Area Services, and Roger Quan, Director, Air Quality and Climate Change, Parks, Planning and Environment, providing the Board with information on cannabis production on agricultural or industrial lands. It was MOVED and SECONDED That the MVRD Board receive for information the report dated July 3, 2018, titled “Commercial Cannabis Production on Agricultural Land”. CARRIED Chief Williams absent at the vote. Members considered writing a letter to the Province and appropriate organizations conveying a regional position on cannabis production on agricultural land. It was MOVED and SECONDED That the MVRD Board write to Premier Horgan, of British Columbia, the BC Agriculture Minister and other ministries, BC Environment Office, the Agricultural Land Commission, Canadian Environment Assessment Agency and Local MLAs and Councils requesting: a) that all government agencies protect farmland and preserve the productive capacity of land in the Agricultural Land Reserve for uses related to growth of agriculture and food production; b) strengthening the governance of the Agricultural Land Commission and the Agricultural Land Reserve to increase public transparency and public confidence to ensure that land use regulations and land use decisions are preserving agricultural land and encouraging food production and ranching; and c) allowing local government to oversee cannabis production and distribution in their industrial areas, under guidance of the provincial and federal legislation. Members discussed the role of municipalities in regulating agricultural activities, food and non-food production on agricultural land and appropriate letter recipients, and determined that additional information was required in terms of regional soil quality, farming and ranching activity, the Metro Vancouver Regional Food System Action Plan, and the UBCM Joint Provincial-Local Government Committee on Cannabis Regulation recommendation. Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the MVRD Mayors Committee held on Friday, July 6, 2018 Page 3 of 5 Referral Motion It was MOVED and SECONDED That the Mayors Committee refer the matter of writing a letter conveying a regional position on cannabis production on agricultural land to staff to report back with more information as requested at its meeting of July 6, 2018. CARRIED 6. INFORMATION ITEMS No items presented. 7. OTHER BUSINESS No items presented. 8. BUSINESS ARISING FROM DELEGATIONS No items presented. 9. RESOLUTION TO CLOSE MEETING It was MOVED and SECONDED That the Mayors Committee close its regular meeting scheduled for July 6, 2018 pursuant to the Community Charter provisions, Section 90 (1) (k) and 90 (2) (b) as follows: “90 (1) A part of the meeting may be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to or is one or more of the following: (k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a regional district service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the board or committee, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the regional district if they were held in public; and 90 (2) A part of a meeting must be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to one or more of the following: (b) the consideration of information received and held in confidence relating to negotiations between the regional district and a provincial government or the federal government or both and a third party.” CARRIED Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the MVRD Mayors Committee held on Friday, July 6, 2018 Page 4 of 5 10. ADJOURNMENT/CONCLUSION It was MOVED and SECONDED That the Mayors Committee adjourn its regular meeting of July 6, 2018. CARRIED (Time: 2:27 p.m.) ____________________________ ____________________________ Genevieve Lanz, Greg Moore, Chair Legislative Services Coordinator 25975899 FINAL Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the MVRD Mayors Committee held on Friday, July 6, 2018 Page 5 of 5 .