13 Jul 2026 Council meeting Community

Consideration of Deferred Motion re:  Seacliff Properties (Sandstone) Ltd. Request for a Letter of Support re:  Build Communities Strong Fund Direct Delivery Stream

Motion
That the Mayor, on behalf of Council, provide a letter of support to Seacliff Properties (Sandstone) Ltd. for their application to the Build Communities Strong Fund Direct Delivery Stream which highlights that while the City’s projects, which have been applied for under different subcategories of the Build Communities Strong Fund Direct Delivery Stream, remain a priority, the City is in support of the application by Seacliff Properties as well.
Minutes, page 3
Sources
Agenda itemCity agenda, whole meeting

Sheryl Armstrong Yes

Thank you. I have three, if that's okay.
I understand that, um, but this is what, uh, Ms. Darjin said was what I heard at FCM that they are separate, that they, one is not going to impact the other. I know staff is heard differently, but I heard the same thing from the government spokesperson. If you're going under this stream, it won't, you can apply for all three streams and it won't have an impact because they're looked at separately. So I did hear that. So I don't see my personal belief is it wouldn't hurt to do both because they're going to separate streams. So that's an important thing for me. The other very important thing for me, and this is where I'm going back to my years of policing is a number of people that die at lights. We see it every year here. We see the backups on Northield how terrible it is. This is huge economic benefits to put a light in at the Duke Point basically just past the Dequan Ferry terminal is going to be nothing but problems. That is the main truck route. For Vancouver Island. The main route that was deliberately said by the province for that, I think for me, and I understand we're, we're counselor's coming. But for me, it's a far bigger priority to get that because of the number of deaths that we see on our highways and significant injuries. And, uh, and not only that, when I did my research under that funding, like the number three stream that she's referring to, uh, 30, actually that was the most access thing was for Rhodes. That's what the government time and time again was for road infrastructure. So, but my other option that I would, and I've talked to, uh, Mr. Jale about that is that, you know, the First Nations can also go on board. I did have brief conversations where they're at on that because it is something that's significant to them too, because a lot of their members will be using that. But they, if I, I think if all three of us had letters of support, we'd definitely get the dollars, but that's just my thoughts.

Janice Perrino Yes

Soprano question for staff. Uh, thank you. Uh, your worship for staff. The discussion around rephrasing the letter of support. I just wondering what feeling is around that. I realised there's just, it's just a huge problem for us. But I just, um, Ms. Dysradan brought up the idea of rephrasing the letter. I'm just wondering what the thought was.

Ian Thorpe Yes

Mr. Thurp. Thank you, your worship through you. Um, and thanks also to the delegation. I think we, I don't want to speak for everybody, but I think we all recognise the importance of, uh, Southend traffic situation. And, and future solutions. I always struggle when we get last minute changes or, or I'll call the motions on the fly. And now I'm hearing about possibly a different form of letter than we originally were discussing. And in fact, uh, what caused this issue to be deferred until today. So it just makes me wary and hesitate because now I'm hearing this for the first time. Uh, I would be supportive of the sandstone, uh, project letter, uh, but only on the condition that in no way indicated that that was a priority over our own city. Projects. So if a letter could be worded in such a way, uh, then I might be prepared to support it. Uh, it's an interesting compromise as Mr. Lindsay just determed it. Um, so I need to think about that for a minute, but let me make it clear in my mind, the city projects come first. They are the top priority. And I will not do anything that jeopardizes them. Thank you.

Hilary Eastmure Yes

I think so. I think I'm hearing support for that. Um, so that we would have a letter that clearly lays out the order of the cities priorities. So provide a letter of support, um, for the application to the build community's strong fund direct delivery stream that specifically mentions the other two projects that the city has applied for reiterate that those are our priorities, but that we do support in principle this moving Thank you. Thank you. Oh, Councillor East beer? Uh, thank you. And I just want to say, I really appreciated where, uh, staff were coming from in terms of the logistics of the funding and the realities that there isn't a scarcity of funding and that we have priority projects. And I also appreciate that this project for CFIF is also a priority and that you have important partners with the nation and the port who are on board with that. And I just feel from. My, like from a karma standpoint, like if we don't support one is somehow like energetically that affects the other ones. And it's just like, it's Murphy's law, right? Like if we, if we don't. Support it, then we won't get any money anyway. And then if, if we do support it, then maybe none of us will get something. Or maybe the best case scenario is we all, uh, all three projects get prioritized. And there's a world, I believe in where that is possible because these are all critical projects to move forward. So, um, at the end of the day, I appreciate that we've come to an understanding and we'll be able to reiterate our priorities for the city and also support our development partners in this. So I think this is, this is a win and hopefully we will celebrate more funding flowing into the community as a result.