City of Delta F.11 COUNCIL REPORT Regular Meeting

To: Mayor and Council

From: Corporate Services Department

Date: April 10, 2019

Ottawa Delegation Follow-Up

The following report has been reviewed and endorsed by the City Manager.

• RECOMMENDATION:

THAT this report be received for information.

• PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the Mayor's delegation to Ottawa and the meeting outcomes.

• BACKGROUND:

At the February 11, 2019 Regular Meeting, Council approved sending a deh;~gation to Ottawa to meet with key federal government ministers and their senior staff. With scheduling assistance from the office of the Honourable , Member of Parliament for Delta, Mayor George V. Harvie, Councillor Alicia Guichon, Sean McGill, City Manager, Param Grewal, Director of Public Engagement & Intergovernmental Affairs, and Neil Dubord, Chief Constable, met with officials between February 25 and 27, 2019.

• DISCUSSION:

A summary of key issues discussed is provided below:

Monday, February 25,2019:

1. Meeting with: the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, PC, MP, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility

. Issues: i. George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project ii. Odours from Cannabis Production Facilities iii. Regulation of Cannabis Edibles, Extracts and Topicals iv. Cashless casinos v. Funding for youth-at-risk programs vi. Funding for addiction treatment facilities Page 2 of 5 Ottawa Delegation Follow~Up April 10, 2019

vii. Dike upgrades to address climate change and higher seismic standards viii. Preservation of archaeological artifacts ix. Lower Fraser River local channel dredging

Summary of Discussion:

Minister Qualtrough was extremely well-prepared and knowledgeable on the issues being presented. She stressed her continued commitment to advocate for Delta at every opportunity and to follow-up on all the issues raised. Her staff were in attendance during all the subsequent meetings. It was noted that several other Ministers and senior federal staff complimented Minister Qualtrough on her commitment and dedication to the Delta community.

2. Meeting with: the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Issues: i. Funding for youth-at-risk programs ii. Funding for addiction treatment facilities iii. Dike upgrades to address climate change and higher seismic standards

Summary of Discussion:

Minister Goodale noted that the federal government is increasing funding to deal with drug addiction, organized crime and youth at risk. On the issue of grant funding, he noted that Delta had submitted a persuasive case in its application to the National Crime Prevention Program. Both he and Honourable Fran<;ois-Philippe Champagne (Minister of Infrastructure and Communities) sit on the panel that assesses funding applications, and he asked if a copy of Delta's submission could be forwarded to his office.

On the issue of dike upgrades, it was noted that federal funding is being allocated through the Natural Disaster Mitigation Fund (Public Safety Canada) and the Disaster Mitigation & Adaptation Fund (Infrastructure Canada). The Minister asked for a list of projects for which Delta has submitted applications.

3. Meeting with , Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

On the issue of preserving archaeological artifacts, Mr. Anandasangaree confirmed that the artifacts found in Delta would be of national significance; however, there are currently no funding programs that assist municipalities with the costs of finding and preserving artifacts. He indicated there are funding programs in place for cultural spaces and multicultural events and that he could explore potential options to expand the scope of these programs to include archaeological works. He also indicated that the government is working on a national policy that would provide more clarity around this issue, and offered to facilitate connections with other communities that have had similar experiences in finding, preserving and displaying artifacts. Page 3 of 5 Ottawa Delegation Follow-Up April 10, 2019

4. Meeting with Brock Carlton, CEO, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Issues relating to odour from cannabis greenhouses, funding for police training related to cannabis, and limiting the number of cannabis cultivation licences per municipality were discussed. It was also noted that, with the legalization of recreational cannabis, there is no longer any need to grow cannabis for medical purposes in residential areas and Health Canada should stop issuing licences for this activity. Chief Dubord was invited back to Ottawa on March 27,2019 to participate on a national panel during the National Regulators of Marijuana Conference to speak on four issues relating to the City of Delta:

a. Health Canada's responsibility in regulating and enforcing legislation in relation to cannabis production in greenhouses. b. Limiting the number of cannabis production facilities in greenhouses on ALR land in Delta. c. Costs of training for police in relation to the legalization of cannabis. d. Community issues arising from cannabis grow operations in residential homes and the need to repeal previous medical cannabis legislation (Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes).

On the issue of money-laundering in casinos, Mr. Carlton suggested that the appropriate avenues to pursue would be with the federal government and RCMP, as well as UBCM and FCM (Delta has submitted resolutions on this issue).

Tuesday, February 26,2019:

5. Meeting with: Peter Schiefke, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Youth) and Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, and Radey Barrack, Director of Operations

Discussion focused on cannabis odours and edibles. Mr. Schiefke indicated that they were in the process of establishing a team to ensure information about licenced facilities is readily accessible for municipalities. Delta is to provide information on cannabis growing operations that are problematic in terms of odour, and Mr. Schiefke noted that he would follow-up with the provincial government on the issue of cannabis tax revenue distribution to local governments.

With regard to money laundering in casinos, it was acknowledged to be a significant problem, particularly in BC, and one that needs a national policy. There have been meetings with David Eby, Attorney General, and the federal government is taking a more proactive approach, with increased funding for RCMP and CBSA investigations. Mr. Schiefke offered to facilitate meetings between Delta and Minister Eby and Peter German. Federal staff were also interested to learn more about the use of 'drug sniffing' dogs to detect drugs at CBSA screening facilities and for other uses in the community to assist with drug enforcement and education. Page 4 of 5 Ottawa Delegation Follow-Up April 10, 2019

The delegation was complimented on its great advocacy for a relatively small community of 100,000 people.

6. Meeting with Amanda Campbell, British Columbia and Territories Regional Desks for Prime Minister's Office

Ms. Campbell addressed the tunnel replacement issue and stressed the need for the BC government to present a cohesive 'ask' to the federal government, with support from Metro Vancouver municipalities and local MPs. She asked to be provided with electronic copies of all documents related to the issues discussed, including correspondence regarding the tunnel replacement and grant applications.

7. Meeting with Gordie Hogg, MP South Surrey-White Rock and Chair, Pacific Caucus for the Liberal Party

The Pacific Caucus includes all 18 Liberal MPs from BC. As the chair, Mr. Hogg regularly reports to the party's national caucus on issues of importance in BC. He invited Mayor Harvie to make a presentation to the caucus on the issue of the tunnel replacement project. This is an excellent opportunity to collaborate and garner support for the project. Mr. Hogg also suggested that the Pacific Caucus be copied on all grant applications made by Delta.

On the issue of gangs and gun violence, Mr. Hogg noted there were some initiatives being undertaken in Abbotsford to deter gang membership, including the use of ex-gang members to deter youth, ACE questionnaire (adverse childhood experience) studies, and online public engagement (ETHELO). Consideration being given to making it a criminal offence to entice youth into gangs, and higher ICBC insurance rates for cars associated with gang activity.

On the issue of supportive housing for adults with developmental disabilities, Mr. Hogg indicated that federal funding is available and encouraged Delta to bring projects forward. He noted that Delta should involve federal contacts at an early stage in project development and that the federal government wants to promote supportive housing projects.

8. Meeting with the Honourable , Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

On the issue of local channel dredging, Minister Wilkinson noted that the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is a key player. He suggested that funding for dredging could be a community amenity from the Port should Roberts Bank Terminal 2 be approved.

9. Meeting with the Honourable , Minister of Transport

Minister Garneau acknowledged that there is an issue with congestion at the George Massey Tunnel crossing and that a replacement crossing is needed. Funding is available through the National Trade Corridors Fund; however, the BC government must bring the project forward as a provincial priority and make a business case to the federal government. Minister Garneau also indicated that he would discuss this matter, and secondary channel dredging, with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. Page 5 of 5 Ottawa Delegation Follow-Up April 10, 2019

Wednesday, February 27,2019:

10. Meeting with Ms. Ayesha Chughtai, Regional Advisor, and Dylan Marando, Director of Policy, Ministry of Families, Children and Social Development

Councillor Guichon, the City Manager and the Director of Public Engagement & Intergovernmental Affairs met to discuss funding for housing for people with differing abilities. Ms. Chughtai provided information on (i) the Federal Lands Initiative whereby surplus federally-owned lands may be available at no or minimal cost for supportive housing projects, and (ii) the National Housing Co-Investment Fund, which provides funding for affordable homes for seniors and people with developmental disabilities, and for shelter spaces for victims of family violence. Staff will look into these programs and identify potential eligible projects in Delta.

The delegation had the opportunity for a lunch meeting with , MP for Surrey­ Newton, during which a high level overview of the main issues affecting Delta was provided.

Follow-Up Letters and Actions:

Letters have been sent to the ministers and federal officials who met with the Mayor's delegation in Ottawa thanking them for the opportunity to meet and following-up on commitments made during those meetings. In addition, a letter has been sent to the Honourable Carla Qualtrough to thank her and her staff for their assistance in setting up the meetings in Ottawa and for their support during the visit.

Implications:

Financial Implications - total costs for travel and accommodation was just less than $20,000.

• CONCLUSION:

The Ottawa delegation was a busy and productive three day trip which provided unique opportunities for Delta to interface with federal Ministers and senior officials on issues of importance for the community. Collaboration and information sharing, particularly with respect to potential funding opportunities, will help move some of these challenging issues forward and eventually br' resolution to some long-standing issues in Delta.

Mel Cheesman AJDirector of Corporate Services

Department submission prepared by: Bernita Iversen, Manager of Corporate Policy F:\8ernita\Ottawa Delegations\Ottawa 2019\OttawaFoliowupCR.dolx