Hello neighbours,

July featured the last set of summer council meetings before the August break. City council and committees do not meet in August, but the work continues, albeit at a slightly different pace.

There were many community events in July as well - starting with Golden Spike Days and Canada Day Celebrations - followed by Tri-Cities Youth Pride at PoMo Arts, RibFest (presented by the Rotary Club), Art Outside kick-off (runs through Aug 10), and the IOCO townsite augmented reality art installation unveiling (some photos below).

Council also appointed Youth Focus Committee reps for the 2025-26 school year.

• July Council Update

• CleanBC Feedback Letter

• Links to July Agendas

• Upcoming Dates and Information

July Council Update

Key highlights:

• Bert Flinn off-leash trial (July 8): Council gave the go-ahead for an off-leash pilot - option 1 in the report. Staff will report back on pilot outcomes, including compliance, ecological observations, and public operational feedback, before determining long-term implementation.

• Draft OCP (July 15): Staff presented the draft OCP to Council. The OCP has a strong focus on climate and incorporates the provincial housing legislation. Significant consultation has been completed since the inception of this project. The staff report can be found here.

  • “Each chapter of the OCP has been completely revised to reflect the range of Port Moody studies, strategies, and plans completed since the 2014 OCP update. Port Moody 2050 also integrates current senior government legislation and regulation, as well as best practices in relevant fields. The resulting Plan is presented in a new refreshed format with enhanced readability and accessibility and a strong Port Moody identity.”

• Memo: Publicly Accessible Playground Replacement Grant Program (July 22): Cllr Morrison and I also brought this report to Council. The motion asks staff to report back on options that would enable the City to provide financial support through grants or other mechanisms, for publicly accessible playgrounds on strata/private property that have reached their end of life and require a refresh or replacement to continue to provide recreational opportunities for the broader neighbourhood. Council endorsed this.

• Noise camera update (July 29): Staff reported back on the details of a noise camera pilot as previously directed by Council. We will be moving forward with noise monitoring. This will be in the form of a sensor that can be plugged into streetlights. The data will be used to support a business case and advocacy to the Province. There is no budget impact from this. The staff report can be found here.

CleanBC Feedback Letter

Recently, the BC government requested feedback on CleanBC programs. So I wrote a letter in collaboration with Cllr Amy Lubik and Mayor Meghan Lahti. If you are interested in reading our thoughts, you can read it here.

Links to July Agendas

• Regular Council Meeting - July 8

• Council Standing Committees: City Initiatives and Planning, Strategic Priorities - July 15

• Regular Council Meeting - July 22

• Special Council Meeting and Council Committees: Finance, Governance and Legislation - July 29

Upcoming Dates and Information

• Got kids? Get the $25 Child and Youth Pass Now! More details here:portmoody.ca/summerpass

• Check out the Community Calendar (not the Council calendar) for upcoming community events.

• Until August 10: Art Outside.

• Play in Our Parks (free program) is back this year! Recreation staff will be at various parks around the city starting July 7. Details can be found here.

• Car-Free Day (Aug 17): Learn more here.

• Spring / Summer Focus Newsletter - read the electronic version of the Focus Newsletter here.

That’s all for this month. I wish you a safe and happy August. See you all in September!