Council voted in favour of the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs pursuing an advocacy delegation to Victoria to follow up on and introduce items of concern.
The purpose of the delegation, as highlighted in the report to council, is to use the time to meet with provincial leaders to discuss requests that could enhance service delivery and reduce costs to items that are of importance regionally. For example, the continued conversation on the expenses the municipality absorbs for fire fighters responding to medical calls related to the toxic drug crisis and the ongoing advocacy work on an acute care tower or veterinary medicine program in the area.
Funding for this proposed delegation, which will see four committee members and one staff person in Victoria for three days, will be paid out of the city’s general contingency fund, and is expected to come in under $10,000.
The proposal is for this activity to happen in the first six months of the year, with April being the current preferred month.