PERIOD REPORT
DATE: May 25, 2026 Report No. ADM-26-024
TO: Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Deb Hopkins, Director of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:TITLECorporate Services- 2026 First Period Report
Body
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Corporate Services Department from January 1, 2026 to April 30, 2026.
1. Staff Time Distribution
The table below illustrates how staff in Corporate Services spent their time during the first period of 2026. This is intended to provide information on the main areas of focus for the team. While not an exhaustive list of all tasks undertaken, the identified categories include activities outlined in Attachment 1.
• Elections added as a separate category for all periods in 2026
This period marks the third consecutive period that Corporate Services has been tracking time distribution on departmental activities to help identify trends over time and sustainably manage staff resources over the long term. The chart below contains data from Period 2 and 3 of 2025 and Period 1 of 2026 and calculates the average time spent per category.
The comparison data highlights the wide unpredictability of service demands for the department which helps to inform future workforce planning and better understand the impacts of the variability for informing future needs and efficient management of current resources.
• Elections added as a separate category for all periods in 2026
2. Corporate Services
* Reduced the number of agendas produced when there is a closed meeting scheduled prior to an open meeting by combining them into one
# New metric added in 2024
Highlights:
• Continued elections preparations including review of Elections Bylaws, appointment of Chief Election Officer and Deputy Chief Election Officer, communications planning, and review and update of documents, forms, and guidelines.
• Completed all departmental staff annual performance evaluations and discussions.
• Provided individual orientation sessions for new members of Council’s advisory bodies.
• Conferences/training attended by staff related to Local Government Corporate Administration, Parliamentary Procedure and Responsible Governance, Leadership Development, Elections, Records Management, and Fairness in Practice (BC Ombudsperson).
3. Information, and Privacy Management
* New metric established in 2025
Highlights:
• Completed set up of new TAB Fusion RMS physical records management system and delivered training for all municipal department appointed representatives.
• Completed backlog filing projects for Fire, Payroll, Development Services and Engineering departments.
• Streamlined the privacy risk assessment process with the development and introduction of user-friendly Adobe fillable forms for key documents (PIA, SoAR, Survey Q&A) and related Procedure Notes.
• Developed seven comprehensive email training packages for specific audiences (staff, Council, volunteers) including refence materials and templates, on various components of the Privacy Management Program.
• Participated in one written inquiry process with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
• Updated inventory of routinely available records (instances where formal access to records request not required).
• Completed replacement of updated video surveillance signage at all municipal facilities.
4. Archives
Highlights:
• Delivered three free community presentations including:
o Heritage on a Plate: Learn, Cook, Connect - Food heritage and healthy meal on a budget workshop in collaboration with the Salvation Army, Highpoint Community Church
o Explore, Play, Cook: Heritage for all Ages - Interactive archives tables at the Greater Victoria Public Library, Esquimalt Branch
o Voices of Women: Local History, Legacy, and Empowerment - International Women’s Day interactive presentation at the Esquimalt New Seniors’ Community Centre
• Contributed an article for publication in the Archives Association of British Columbia (AABC) newsletter (Winter 2026, vol.27, no. 2, pp.11-15) “Esquimalt Municipal Archives: Outreach & Community Engagements in 2025”.
• Attended training sessions on Market Shifts and Collection Needs, and Archives Disaster Preparedness.
• Completion of Phase 1 of the Unveiling Women in Archives project that aims to reclaim the female identity in archival photos with over 100 women found and 103 records updated.
5. Communications
During the first period of 2026, resulting from an organizational restructuring, Communications joined the Corporate Services Department.
Highlights:
• See Attachment 5 for period highlights
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Overview of CS Task Categorization
2. Council Resolutions 2026 Period 1
3. Granicus Analytics Dashboard 2026 Period 1
4. FOI Request Dashboard 2026 Period 1
5. Communications Activities & Highlights 2026 Period 1