PERIOD REPORT
DATE: May 25, 2026 Report No. SI-26-013
TO: Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Judy Kitts, Director, Strategic Initiatives
SUBJECT:TITLEStrategic Initiatives - 2026 First Period Report
Body
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Department of Strategic Initiatives from January 1, 2026 to April 30, 2026.
The Department has recently transitioned from Community Safety Services to Strategic Initiatives under a new Director, who joined the Township in August 2025. This newly established department has oversight of bylaw enforcement, the policing model and Framework Agreement with VicPD, economic development, First Nations engagement and reconciliation initiatives, and the Council Priorities Plan process.
Highlights:
* Progress is underway on the Gorge Midden interpretive signage project, supporting reconciliation and public education in partnership with Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations.
* Planning and recruitment is in progress for expanded after-hours bylaw enforcement, supporting improved parking and community event enforcement.
* In March 2026, Bylaw had its first adjudication of a disputed bylaw offence in five years.
* Esquimalt Forward, a staff-led strategic plan, is currently underway.
* Memoranda of Understanding with local Nations are in development, currently at the staff drafting stage, and will be presented to Council for review.
Department Activities:
1. Bylaw Enforcement
o Bylaw Offence Notices (BONs), Warnings, & Disputes
* In this period, 75 warnings and 345 BONs were issued.
* 97% of BONs were related to parking violations.
* In this period, 21 BONs were disputed. Of those, 12 were cancelled, 7 were upheld for payment, and 2 have not been reviewed.
o Animal Control
* During this period, VACS investigated 425 incidents.
* During this period, 1314 dog licenses were sold: 521 from Municipal Hall, 244 from vendors and 549 online.
* An Annual Report from VACS is included in Appendix A. As pa...
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