February 24 Council Notes: Regional Sewage, Motions, and Provincial Advocacy

Yesterday, I posted about the housing items from Monday's Langley City Council meeting. Today, I will post about the remaining items from that meeting.

Council received a presentation from Jerry Dobrovolny, the Chief Administrative Officer for the Metro Vancouver Regional District, and Cheryl Nelms, who is part of their major project delivery office. They gave a presentation and answered questions from Council on the North Shore Waste Water Treatment Plant. As you may know, there have been some serious challenges with the construction of the project, which resulted in a 3.5 times increase in price from its 2020 budget. These costs are reflected in this year's sewer rates, including those of Langley City. Council asked several questions about the project, the distribution of costs across the region, and lessons learned to prevent cost overruns like this from happening for future projects. You can learn more about the North Shore Waste Water Treatment Plant on Metro Vancouver's website.

Council also gave third reading to our 2025 - 2029 Financial Plan. You can learn more about the budget and proposed project in previous posts.

Council also considered a motion to record who moves and seconds motions in our minutes. City staff noted that this would be against best practices as minutes are supposed to reflect the collective actions of a council and are not transcripts. Council elected to maintain our current policy.

One of the ways local governments can advocate to the province is through the Lower Mainland Local Government Association. This organization represents local governments from Lillooet to Hope. Local governments submit motions to debate at the annual conference and, if approved at the conference, are forwarded for debate at the annual Union of BC Municipalities conference in the fall. If approved at that conference, they are submitted to the province, which responds, including noting any action they might take.

Langley City Council approved submitting the following two motions to LMLGA.

Enhancing Housing Stability through Preventive Measures and Supportive Programs

WHEREAS the housing crisis in British Columbia is influenced by both insufficient housing supply and escalating demand pressures, leading to affordability challenges and housing insecurity that forces many individuals and families into unsafe and precarious living conditions, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation and victimization; and

WHEREAS preventive strategies, including the provision of adequate supports and access to portable rental subsidies, are essential to maintain housing stability and prevent homelessness;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia, in partnership with local governments and non-profit housing providers, expand programs to reduce housing vulnerability by expanding portable rental subsidies, enhancing support services, investing in preventive strategies, and providing direct grants to municipalities.

Enhancing A Collaborative, Sustainable, and Inclusive Approach to Food Security and Well-being

WHEREAS food insecurity remains a critical issue in British Columbia, exacerbated by climate change, economic instability, and supply chain disruptions, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, Indigenous communities, and socioeconomically disadvantaged regions; and

WHEREAS a resilient and inclusive food system requires sustained investment, cross-sector collaboration, and policies that integrate infrastructure development, technological innovation, cultural food systems, and community-driven approaches to ensure equitable access to nutritious food, economic resilience, and regional food security;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia collaborate with municipalities to develop and implement a comprehensive food security and well-being strategy that ensures sustainable investment in local food systems, strengthens regional and provincial food networks, promotes innovation in agriculture and food technology, and enhances access to culturally appropriate, affordable, and nutritious food for all communities.

February 24 Council Notes: Housing Projects Considered

On Monday night, Langley City Council addressed two housing redevelopment applications.

Council gave first and second reading to a rezoning bylaw to enable the construction of 10 new townhouses at 5080 & 5096 208 Street. This proposed project is "phase two" for a 26-unit townhouse complex just south, which received third reading of its rezoning bylaw last summer. The project applicant noted that they would be building both phase one and phase two at the same time if the Council grants final reading of the rezoning bylaws and issues development permits for these projects.

Rendering of proposed 10-unit townhouse complex at 5080 & 5096 208 Street. Select the image to enlarge.

All the units in this proposed townhouse project will have double-wide garages and three-bedroom + flex room units.

This proposed project is subject to Langley City's Townhome & Plex-Home Best Practices Guide due to its locations along 208th Street. Council had a good discussion about outdoor space, such as yards, centralized greenspace within a project (when it should be provided), and access and applicant-funded enhancements to existing or new public parks and green spaces. This project will have direct access (via phase one) to Nicholas Park.

At the same meeting, the Council gave final reading of a rezoning bylaw and issued a development permit to enable the construction of a 5-storey, 132-unit apartment development at 20719-20731 Eastleigh Crescent. You can read more about this project in a previous post.

How is Hiring of RCMP Officers and Firefighters Going in Langley?

I don't usually like to compare Langley City and the Township of Langley. Still, some information has been circulating online suggesting that the City isn't investing in policing or our fire service.

At the beginning of this current election term, Langley City Council passed a motion to hire nine firefighters over the election term. The Township of Langley Council passed a motion to hire 44 firefighters (11 per year) over the same period.

Langley City Council approved two new firefighting positions in 2023, three in 2024, and we gave third reading to our 2025 budget last night to add another two. The numbers add up to seven new firefighting positions, or 77% of what we promised to deliver, with another year to reach 100% of our promise.

If Langley City Council continues on our current path next year, we will have increased our full-time suppression firefighting staff by 40% in four years.

The Township of Langley approved 11 firefighting positions in 2023 and zero in 2024 and is proposing to add 11 firefighting positions this year. These numbers add up to 22, or 50% of what they promised to deliver with a year to go.

We share the Langley RCMP detachment with the Township of Langley. The Township of Langley approved five new RCMP positions in 2023, two in 2023, and is proposing another two this year. That is a total of nine new positions. Langley City Council approved three new positions last year. Factoring in population and population growth, Langley City and Township have contributed proportionately to additional RCMP hires over the current election term so far.

We must invest in frontline policing and firefighting. We also know that to improve community safety over the long term, we need to deal with the root challenges, which include poverty, mental health, addiction, and cycles of violence.

For example, Langley City Council has partnered with the Langley School District on Project Black Feather to help young people before they enter a life of crime. We have also created two new City positions to work with the province government, health, and social service provider sector to better advocate for, support, and coordinate the delivery of support services for our community. We have launched our Citizens Assembly on Community Safety.

Ensuring we increase frontline positions, as appropriate, while also working to address the root causes of safety impacts is how we move the needle to improve community safety in Langley City. What we are doing isn't flashy, but over time, it will positively impact current and future members of our community.

Preparing for Wildfire Smoke Season, Taking Care of Your Health

It is still winter, so you might wonder why I'm writing a post about wildfire smoke season. It is always better to be prepared than to deal with something in the middle of an event. For example, finding an air conditioner in the middle of the summer is more challenging and more costly than getting one right now.

Wildefire Smoke over Downtown Vancouver. Source: Nick Dobbing

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has provided guidance on preparing for and protecting yourself during wildfire smoke season.

The BCCDC provides data that show not only does smoke impact your health in conventional ways, such as increased risk of asthma, reduced lung function, lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, but there is growing evidence that it can cause reduced mental function and increased risk of dementia later in life. If you are pregnant and exposed, smoke can also have an impact on your baby.

The good news is that we know simple ways to clean indoor air and protect yourself if you need to spend significant time outdoors during a wildfire smoke event. We learned many of these things during the pandemic.

If you have a forced-air heating or cooling system, purchase MERV 13-rated filters and change them regularly. You can also purchase a portable air filter with a HEPA filter or even search the internet for how to DIY an air filter. You'll also want to seal any gaps and cracks around windows and doors. Your favourite home improvement store can help you find the right products.

You should also pick up some N95 masks if you have to spend significant time outdoors.

For more information, please visit the BCCDC's webpage on Wildfire Smoke to learn more and get planning today!

Only 2% of New Rental Units Meet Regional Affordability Measure

As the Metro Vancouver Region, we have set a goal to have 15% of new rental units in transit-oriented areas meet our affordability targets. The provincial government has set similar targets for our region.

The following tables show the affordable rental breakdown based on the number of bedrooms and median household incomes.

Number of Bedroom	Median Income Target	Affordable Rent
1 Bedroom	$60,700	$1,517
2 Bedroom	$75,350	$1,884
3 Bedroom	$90,000	$2,250
4+ Bedroom	$113,500	$2,813

98% of the 2,545 affordable housing units built between 2018 and 2023 were built by the government and non-profits (which usually rely on funding from the government.) The provincial and federal governments are responsible for funding these units.

Local government can also support affordable housing projects by contributing land, reducing development charges, creating partnerships, and having policies to encourage affordable housing units. An example in Langley City is a proposed BC Builds project (on 200th Street near 49th Avenue), a partnership between the province and the Pacific Nazarene Housing Society, where the city is contributing land.

Local government support must be balanced to ensure we aren't further driving up the cost of market units.

The data shows that the provincial and federal governments will continue to be critical in getting affordable rental units built in our region. Only 2% of housing units built between 2018-2023 were affordable for people who make the median income in our region. I believe it will require a "wartime" effort level of response, like right after World War 2 when the federal government made it a priority to ensure everyone had an affordable home.

For more information on our Metro Vancouver affordable housing targets and progress, please read the February 6th Regional Planning Committee agenda.

Grand Opening - The Station Café @ Timms Community Centre

Before COVID times, the Langley Senior Resources Society operated the Station Café at Timms Community Centre. The café provided light meals and snacks. This iteration of the café closed some time ago but has now been reimaged and reopened as a community food space.

One of the most basic and fulfilling things is to connect with others over a shared meal. The Station Café will further the City's goal of connecting community members. You can expect City-led events and activities at the café that help foster getting people involved in our community by promoting civic engagement.

The café's operator is Indigenous, and the café is supported by funding from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

Next week will be the café's grand opening, which is open for all to attend.

Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Welcome ceremony at 10:00 a.m., coffee and treats available at 11:00 a.m.)

I look forward to seeing people come together in this space at Timms Community Centre.

Strata Retrofit Program - Going Electric, Saving Money

If you live in Langley City, there is a good chance you live in a strata building, which may be older. I lived in an older building and served on its strata council for many years. Over time, we needed to replace or renew many building systems, such as hot water, lighting, and roofing. We tried to do "green" things like replacing our lights with LED, but many of the systems we replaced like for like, including our hot water system.

Many strata, even with experienced strata property managers, do not have the expertise to understand what provides the most long-term value, improves building systems, and lowers climate change impacts. The good news is there is now a program that can help stratas with retrofitting called the "Strata Energy Advisor Program."

If your building is four stories high or has more than 30 units, has an upcoming end-of-life replacement project, and uses natural gas for heating, hot water, ventilation, or fireplaces, you could qualify for free support.

For more information, check out the Strata Energy Advisor. You can sign up for a mailing list, attend a virtual seminar, or sign up for the program. You can also send this information to your strata.

The Zero Emission Innovation Centre also has programs for market rental buildings, commercial buildings, and non-profit-owned buildings. Please visit their website for more information.

February 10 Council Notes: Housing Matters

Yesterday, I posted about Monday's Langley City Council meeting but did not post about the housing and transit-oriented projects that Council considered. Today, I wanted to touch on those projects.

A typical development project consistent with our Official Community Plan and needing rezoning requires four separate votes from Council for approval. These votes include first and second reading, third reading, final reading, and issuing a development permit.

Significant Council discussions on a project will typically occur during first and second reading since changes to provincial law now limit public hearings for most projects. There is usually a delay between third reading and final reading/issuing a development permit as a project applicant needs to finalize their design plans and engineering requirements and pay deposits to the City before it is ready for consideration of final approval.

Overall site plan of 5501 204 Street and 20300 Douglas Crescent. Select the image to enlarge.

All that being said, Council gave third reading for the following projects. I've included links to previous posts for more information on the projects:

• Langley Mall Redevelopment (20300 Douglas Crescent)
• 26-Unit Townhouse Project (20815 45A Avenue, 4560, 4570 & 4580 208 Street)
• 6-storey, 70-Unit Apartment Building (20239-20249 54A Avenue)

Council also gave final reading and issued a development permit for the following projects:

• 14-Unit Townhome Project (4503 & 4513 200 Street)
• 6-storey, 136-Unit Apartment Building (20619 & 20629 Eastleigh Crescent)

February 10 Council Notes: SkyTrain Construction and Budget Feedback

At Monday's Langley City Council meeting, staff from Transporation Investment Corporation, a provincial crown corporation, gave an update on SkyTrain construction. The project is in full swing, with work at the future Langley City Centre SkyTrain Station underway. They noted that this station will have a centre platform and two elevators, ensuring that even if one elevator is out of service, the stations will remain accessible.

Council asked several questions on public art and design. The SkyTrain team told us they will incorporate public art into the project. Like at Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station in Coquitlam, the Langley City Centre Station will have a track stub. Council asked if it would be designed to soften its impact, and the SkyTrain team said it would not.

Council also ask many questions about construction and its impact on residents, businesses, and accessibility. The SkyTrain team told us they plan to minimize all impacts and maintain accessible access on our sidewalks and streets at all times. The key takeaway was that people should visit the Surrey Langely SkyTrain project website and sign up for the email list. They also provided the 24/7 project hotline, which is 1-844-815-6111.

Later in the meeting, Council provided a formal opportunity for the community to provide feedback on the proposed 2025 budget. Three people provided feedback. One person supported the proposed budget, and one business owner wanted the City to provide financial compensation to businesses on the Fraser Highway Oneway because of the current construction project. Another person had a question about two staffing positions, wanted Council to remove the proposed infrastructure level increase and wanted a freeze on any Council compensation increases.

Later in the meeting, Council gave final reading to a bylaw to update some job titles. Council also approved signing an agreement between Metro Vancouver and ourselves for Next Generation 911. The short version is that Next Generation 911 will provide your exact location when you call. Munipcailities need to provide the geographic data to enable this feature. This agreement was around how we provide and update this data.

Council also approved a motion from a member of Council to receive an operational review report of our fire/rescue service and deferred another motion to release it publically until Council had received the report.

Council also released a January version of the City's organizational charts and referred to City staff a letter from Squamish Nation asking for us to work on a climate strategy.

Cost-Sharing Aquatic Facilities in Langley City and Township

Langley City and Township have a long history of working together on recreation facilities. For example, the City helped fund the construction of McLoead Athletic Park, WC Blair Pool and George Preston Recreation Centre. The City also provided operating funding for booth Blair and McLoead until 2006, when the City exited these agreements and gave up ownership rights of these facilities.

Council recently received a letter from the Township of Langley asking that we work towards a multi-year funding agreement to support aquatic facilities. City and Township residents use aquatic facilities and, more generally, recreational facilities across municipality borders.

For example, about 52% of swimming lessons at Al Anderson Memorial Pool in 2024 were for Township residents, 35% for City residents, and 13% for Surrey residents.

The City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver have a joint funding agreement and operate under the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture brand (even though each community owns and maintains its facilities.) This type of agreement could be a model for Langley City and Township.

At last night's Council meeting, Langley City Council asked our staff to "explore inter-municipal recreation services cost-sharing models, with a focus on aquatic facilities, that may be applicable within the context of the City of Langley and the Township of Langley" and formally reply to the Township to let them know.

I look forward to seeing what's possible and how we can cooperate to provide fair and equitable cost-share of aquatic facilities to benefit residents in both communities.

Making our Community Less Lonely: Building Housing for Social Connection

While it may seem that we are more connected than ever, loneliness and isolation are rising. The pandemic showed us that no amount of technology replaces face-to-face interaction with others. Langley City is a walkable community, and we've intentionally designed our public spaces, parks, libraries, and community centres to help people connect.

Langley City is also a community where 80% of households live in apartments or townhouses. So, there is an excellent opportunity to think about how we design semi-public spaces in and around these buildings to support bringing people together. Community gardens are one of the most basic and powerful connectors I've seen. We have many community gardens in our parks and new apartment projects. Of course, we can go beyond community gardens.

SFU, Happy Cities, and Hey Neighbour Collective have been researching and developing design toolkits to help municipalities and home builders create buildings that support social connections. To be clear, this isn't about co-living, as most people also love the privacy of their own home, but it does include outdoor and indoor amenity spaces of buildings, how buildings connect with the street, lobbies, balconies, hallways, and other common spaces.

The following are the six design principles for the "Building Social Connections" toolkit.

• Location: Maximize opportunities for interaction by locating social features and spaces in convenient, visible, and prominent locations with natural light; Multiply social impact through co-location.
• Invitation: Maximize spontaneous daily encounters by designing places to pause and interact; Use the built environment as an icebreaker for social interaction.
• Activation: Create interesting, functional spaces and a centre or heart for the community through diverse scales of common spaces with intentional things to see and do.
• Inclusion: Create spaces that are accessible and safe for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds; Reflect different cultural preferences and identities.
• Transition: Balance high-quality, livable private homes with common spaces; Consider thoughtful transitions and gradients from public to private space.
• Evolution: Nurture a sense of belonging through stewardship of common spaces; Allow spaces to evolve with residents over time to meet changing community needs.

A visual example of the "Invitation" principle. Select the image to enlarge.

One of the things that stood out to me is that many of these considerations can be applied to existing buildings with simple retrofits or even just new furniture.

If you are interested in how to design buildings that help combat loneliness and support community, check out the toolkit and visit the Hey Neighbour Collective website.

Apply Today for Langley City's Citizens' Assembly

As I've posted about in the past, Langley City is starting a Citizens' Assembly on Community Safety to create a Made-in-Langley-City action plan to improve safety and well-being.

A Citizens' Assembly is a form of direct democracy where regular folks create City policy. The City is fully supporting assembly members with data, people with knowledge about community safety best practices, and people to help facilitate the assembly process.

If you are over the age of 16 and either live in or own a business in Langley City, you can apply to become a member.

The City will randomly select 29 people from those who apply to join the assembly. The selected folks will reflect the current makeup of our community. People will receive a living wage when attending the assembly meeting, and the City will provide support to help them participate in the assembly.

I genuinely believe the only way to create a safer community where people's well-being is improved is when we all come together. We live in a divisive time, so I'm proud that we are coming together to solve real challenges in Langley City.

The deadline to apply is Friday, February 7th. Last week, Langley City mailed out an application postcard to every household in our community. You can also directly apply at https://langleycity.ca/CitizensAssembly

Don't delay, apply today!

Langley City's Proposed 2025 Capital Projects Budget

Last week, I posted how Langley City compares with other Metro Vancouver municipalities regarding total property tax and debt per household. Yesterday, I posted a breakdown of the proposed 2025 property rate, including proposed changes that Council is considering. Today, I wanted to highlight our proposed 2025 capital projects budget.

The City pays for these projects through reserve accounts, development fees and contributions, casino revenue, grants, and loans. Every year, the City takes a portion of property tax revenue and puts it into reserve accounts. These reserve accounts are savings accounts. The property tax infrastructure levy I posted about yesterday is one component. The City also receives grants from the federal government, province, ICBC, and TransLink to help fund specific projects.

This year's proposed capital budget is $16.3 million. The following chart shows the breakdown of projects by type. You can hover or click on each pie slice to get more information.

Some of the biggest proposed projects for 2025 include:

• $2.9 million to renew the water main on 200 Street (between 44 Ave to 50 Ave)
• $2.3 million to renew the storm sewer on 198 St (between 55A Ave and 54 Ave)
• $1.3 million to renew the storm sewer on 201 St (between Michaud Crescent and 56 Ave)
• $800,000 for road rehabilitation

There are a lot of smaller projects in the capital budget, including walking, cycling, repaving, and transit improvement. One of the projects that I'm looking forward to seeing completed is the Linwood Park Shade Sails/Picnic Area and Aquatic Facility Feasibility Study.

For more information, you can read the capital projects plan in the City's proposed 2025 - 2029 Financial Plan.

Langley City's Proposed 2025 Operating Budget

Last week, I posted about where Langley City stands today with property tax and debt compared to other municipalities in Metro Vancouver as Council was preparing to discuss the 2025 budget. Council gave first and second reading of the preliminary budget last Monday.

Today, I will review the ongoing operating budget, and later this week, I will review the capital projects. I wrote a post called "Infographic: understanding how revenue the City of Langley receives is used," which provides a good overview of our various funding sources and how we use them.

Maintaining our status quo funding levels requires a 4.3% property tax increase in 2025.

Status quo doesn't mean maintaining the same level of service. As our population grows, we need to increase our level of service.

For example, let's say we have 10 spaces for a recreation program. Maintaining our status quo funding means maintaining those same 10 spaces. The demand for those 10 spaces increases as the population increases, and the level of service decreases as a result. So if our population grows from 20,000 to 30,000, we need to provide 15 spaces to maintain the same level of service.

Back to the 4.3%, the biggest driver of this increase is wages and benefits, which are negotiated through collective agreements. The federal government negotiates the RCMP collective agreements. Municipalities negotiate other collective agreements, though collective agreements across local governments in our region have some consistency.

About 40% of the $2.7 million in status quo operating cost increases is due to our RCMP contract, detachment, and community policing office. About another 30% is other employee wage and benefit costs.

Other drivers for the 4.3% increase include fire rescue service equipment, our library contract with the Fraser Valley Regional Library system, and increases in software license costs.

This $2.7 million was offset by increased projected taxes due to population growth, reduced debt services costs, and increased fees. The net status quo overall increase works out to $1.8 million.

Council also preliminary approved other increases in the 2025 budget. This includes:

• An increase to our infrastructure levy to pay for roads, water, and sewer projects. This increase works out to $418,000 or 1%
• Two additional firefighters to keep up with population growth and prepare for SkyTrain. The cost is an additional $350,000 or 0.8% increase in property tax
• A new IT worker to help ensure we are safe from cyber security attacks. This cost is an additional $99,500 or 0.2%
• A new recreation worker to support our events. This cost is an additional $89,000 or 0.2%
• Keeping our pool open an extra month (in September.) This cost is an additional $68,240 or 0.2%

All in, the proposed 2025 property tax increase is 6.7%.

If you'd like to learn more about the 2025 budget, please consider attending Langley City's budget open house from 6 pm until 8 pm on Thursday, February 6th, at City Hall. You can find out more about the budget and the open house on Langley City's website.

26-Unit Townhouse Project on 208th Street in Uplands

Last Monday, Langley City Council gave first and second reading, which if approved, would allow the construction of a 26-unit townhouse project between 45A Avenue and 46 Avenue on the east side of 208th Street in the Uplands Neighbourhood.

Render of the proposed project at 20815 45A Avenue & 4560, 4570 and 4580 208 Street. Select the image to enlarge.

In BC, anyone can build up to four housing units on a lot. Langley City has a minimum lot size of 5,995.69 sq. ft. for our regular detaching housing zone. Many larger lots in our community can be subdivided if the resulting new lots meet the City's minimum lot size requirements. Building up to four units and subdividing a lot does not require the approval of Council. The minimum parking requirement is 1 to 1.5 parking spaces per unit, in alignment with provincial standards.

Langley City Official Community Plan allows for townhouses and 'plexes at a slightly higher density than the provincial minimum along the 200th Street and 208th Street corridors. The City requires increased parking and the implementation of our Townhome & Plex-Home Best Practices Guide in exchange for this slightly higher density.

If the builder followed the "by right" provincial minimums, they could build 24 housing units with 36 parking spots for this proposed project. Council would have no say.

Because they are choosing to go through our rezoning process for 26 housing units, they must provide 52 residents parking spaces (2 per unit) plus six additional visitor parking spaces. They must also setback the townhouse units further away from the existing properties to the east and preserve some of the trees on the site. The townhouses themselves must also step back in height on their eastern edge. The project must include at least 50% of the units with side-by-side garages (this proposed project has 58%.) The project must contribute $36,000 to help improve a nearby park (in addition to regular contributions and fees.) The project also cannot allow balconies facing to the east. The project must widen the sidewalk on 208th Street along the project.

Tree management plan for the proposed project. Select the image to enlarge.

With two additional units, the City can achieve a significant number of additional benefits for the neighbourhood.