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Mayor Malcolm Brodie at Maritime Festival.

Photo courtesy City of Richmond

2022 progress leads into 2023 and beyond

By Mayor Malcolm Brodie

Published 12:43 PDT, Fri June 23, 2023

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Earlier this year, I presented my Annual Address to the community at a well-attended event. I outlined the significant progress made in 2022 by City Council when emerging from the considerable challenges and changes caused by the pandemic. (Annual Addresses are available at richmond.ca).

Looking ahead, Council’s Strategic plan for the current term emphasizes proactive engagement, sustainable growth, community safety, responsible financial management, environmental sustainability and a vibrant, active community.

In my Annual Address, I shared how ongoing investment in infrastructure, technology and programs continue to make Richmond one of the most desirable communities in the Province for residents and businesses. I’m happy to report that our economic activity remains strong, largely due to our diversification and our ability to react quickly to global uncertainty.

So far this year, over 300 building permits have been issued by Richmond. Of these, over half are for residential construction—an increase from last year. In the same time this year, over 600 housing starts represent an almost 25 per cent jump from a year ago. Projects moving ahead include the long-awaited Steveston Community Centre replacement along with the Capstan Canada Line station—and the redesigned Minoru Lakes re-opened recently.

Emerging from the pandemic has proven to be a challenge. However, over 420 new business licences have been issued in Richmond since January representing over 1,600 more Richmond-based jobs. Tied to those new businesses is 420,000 square feet of commercial space, a six per cent jump in demand.

The City has also embraced technology to support residents and businesses. A new app, MyRichmond, was launched recently to allow quick, reliable public access to a range of City programs and services. Available for iOS and Android mobile devices, this app allows users to view and pay property taxes/utilities, register for programs at community centres and submit service requests, among other applications.

A refreshed and redesigned city website is now in place (richmond.ca). You will find it offers a simpler navigation structure with a flexible search function, accessibility enhancements and an easy-to-use multilingual translation tool for those with alternative language needs.

Council continues to work together to improve our City and build a stronger sense of community. This includes the hiring of our first-ever Manager of Indigenous Relations as a further step in our ongoing relationship with First Nations.

Over the summer months, I encourage everyone to enjoy Richmond’s many offerings. For instance, major events such as the Steveston Salmon Festival on Canada Day followed by the Maritime Festival in August have returned for in-person attendance. The ever-popular Richmond Night Market is back for another season. Richmond’s 136 kilometres of walking, rolling and cycling trails along with over 870 hectares of parkland offer something for all ages and activity levels.

Richmond remains a strong, vibrant and resilient community thanks to wise investments, sound management and innovative action by City Council along with staff and the efforts of thousands of Richmond residents who volunteer for community activities. Working together, we continue to make Richmond a better place for all.