Richmond City Council holds its first regular meeting tonight, with votes on consumption sites and 2027 events
Richmond City Council meets at 7 pm on November 9 for its first regular meeting, covering a formal position on supervised consumption sites, a $1.115 million events budget for 2027, and a Shell Road rezoning application.
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Richmond City Council holds its first regular meeting tonight, Monday, November 9, at 7:00 pm. The agenda includes a formal council position on supervised consumption sites, the annual budget for the city's signature festivals and community events, and the first reading of a rezoning bylaw for land near Steveston Highway.
The agenda was posted at citycouncil.richmond.ca on November 5, 2026. Regular council meetings are held in the Council Chambers at Richmond City Hall and are streamed live on YouTube.
The supervised consumption site position
The council's agenda includes a resolution stating that Richmond "will not pursue, initiate, study, plan for, or advance the establishment of a supervised consumption site" within city boundaries. It is listed as a consent agenda item, meaning councillors will vote on it as part of a block of routine items unless one of them asks to pull it for separate debate.
Mayor Rob Howard campaigned on a platform that included a promise to ban supervised injection sites in Richmond. The resolution on tonight's agenda is the formal council-level record of that position. The staff report notes that the resolution is intended to give residents clear documentation of the city's stance, and that the city had previously evaluated the matter and decided against proceeding.
You can follow Mayor Howard's progress on this and his other campaign commitments on his promise tracker.
The 2027 community events program
The General Manager of Parks, Recreation and Culture has recommended that council approve a $1,115,000 budget to fund eight annual city signature events in 2027. The report is dated October 22, 2026, and is also on the consent agenda.
The eight events are:
- Children's Arts Festival
- Richmond Cherry Blossom Festival
- Doors Open Richmond
- Community Celebration Grant Program
- Neighbourhood Block Party Program
- Steveston Salmon Festival
- Richmond Maritime Festival
- Richmond Farm Fest
The $1,115,000 total is funded from three sources: $960,000 from the Rate Stabilization Account, $95,000 in estimated sponsorship revenue and $60,000 in estimated grant revenue. The staff report does not break out the amount allocated to each individual event.
The Steveston Salmon Festival and the Richmond Cherry Blossom Festival are listed among the City Signature events. The staff report recommending the program was prepared by the General Manager of Parks, Recreation and Culture and dated October 22, 2026 (file 11-7400-01, REDMS 8524208). The report appears on page CNCL-55 of the full agenda package posted at citycouncil.richmond.ca.
The Shell Road rezoning
The council will also give first reading to Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500, Amendment Bylaw 10804, which covers four properties near the intersection of Shell Road and Steveston Highway: 11001 Shell Road, 11011 Shell Road, 10700 Steveston Highway and an unaddressed parcel with PID 015-725-880.
The application (file RZ 23-024473), submitted by Salim Karimani, asks the city to rezone the properties from Agriculture (AG1) to Agriculture and Assembly (ZA5), Shell Road (Gilmore). The ZA5 zone permits both agricultural use and assembly use on the same land.
First reading is the opening step in a rezoning. Giving first reading does not approve the change. After first reading, the city typically holds a public hearing where residents can speak for or against the application before council votes on second and third readings.
The properties sit in the south of the city in an area zoned for agriculture. The ZA5 zone is described in the bylaw title as the Shell Road (Gilmore) zone. Agricultural land in Richmond sits partly within the province's Agricultural Land Reserve; the agenda does not state whether these four properties are within the reserve, and that determination would appear in the staff report included in the full 40-megabyte agenda package at citycouncil.richmond.ca.
The election results receipt
Item 13 on the agenda is the formal receipt of the Chief Election Officer's declaration of official election results, dated October 21, 2026. Under Local Government Act section 158, council receives this declaration for information at its first regular meeting after the election. No vote is required: the results have already been declared.
The declaration confirmed the election of Mayor Howard and eight councillors and seven school trustees. The results are at /bc/richmond-2026/results.
Also on the agenda
The consent agenda includes a liquor licence capacity increase for Splitsville Riverport, from 460 to 500 persons, and a letter asking the federal government to restore funding for English language training. Bylaws for a housing agreement amendment at 3420 Ketcheson Court (market rental, Bylaw 10803) are also listed for three readings.
What residents can do
The meeting starts at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers at Richmond City Hall. Residents who want to speak can register to appear as a delegation through the City Clerk's office in advance. The agenda and staff reports for all items are posted at citycouncil.richmond.ca. The meeting is also streamed live on YouTube. The next regular council meeting is November 23, 2026.
Questions this story answers
When is Richmond City Council's first regular meeting?
The first regular meeting of the new Richmond City Council is Monday, November 9, 2026 at 7:00 pm. It is held in the Council Chambers at Richmond City Hall. The meeting agenda was posted at citycouncil.richmond.ca on November 5, 2026.
What is the supervised consumption site position statement on tonight's agenda?
The agenda lists a resolution stating that the City of Richmond will not pursue, initiate, study, plan for, or advance the establishment of a supervised consumption site within Richmond's boundaries. The resolution is a consent agenda item for November 9. Mayor Rob Howard's campaign platform included a promise to ban supervised injection sites in Richmond.
What is the 2027 community events program and how much does it cost?
The 2027 City Signature and Community Events Program covers eight annual events: the Children's Arts Festival, Richmond Cherry Blossom Festival, Doors Open Richmond, the Community Celebration Grant Program, the Neighbourhood Block Party Program, the Steveston Salmon Festival, the Richmond Maritime Festival and Richmond Farm Fest. The total budget is $1,115,000, funded from the Rate Stabilization Account ($960,000), estimated sponsorships ($95,000) and estimated grants ($60,000). The report recommending it was prepared by the General Manager of Parks, Recreation and Culture and dated October 22, 2026.
What is the Shell Road rezoning application before council tonight?
Bylaw 10804 gives first reading to a rezoning application (file RZ 23-024473) for four properties at 11001 Shell Road, 11011 Shell Road, 10700 Steveston Highway and an unaddressed Richmond parcel (PID 015-725-880). The application by Salim Karimani would change the zoning from Agriculture (AG1) to Agriculture and Assembly (ZA5), Shell Road (Gilmore). First reading is a procedural step that opens the application to public review; it does not approve the rezoning.
What is the housing agreement amendment for Ketcheson Court?
Bylaw 10803 gives three readings to an amendment of a housing agreement for a market rental property at 3420 Ketcheson Court. The agenda gives no other details about what the amendment changes. Three readings at one meeting is the standard final approval step for a housing agreement bylaw under BC law.
Who are the members of the new Richmond City Council?
The council elected on October 17, 2026 is Mayor Rob Howard (Richmond Forward), Councillors Carol Day, Laura Gillanders and Michael Wolfe (RITE Richmond), Gary Law, Kevin Lai and Sheldon Starrett (Advance Richmond), Kenny Chiu (Common Sense) and Andy Hobbs (Richmond United). Their term runs from November 2, 2026 to November 4, 2030, as set by Richmond Council Procedure Bylaw No. 7560 and the Community Charter.
What other items are on the November 9 agenda?
The consent agenda also includes adoption of minutes from three prior meetings, a liquor licence capacity increase for Splitsville Riverport from 460 to 500 persons, a letter to the federal government asking for the restoration of English language training funding, and two development permits. Item 13 is the receipt of the official 2026 election results declaration from the Chief Election Officer for information, as required by Local Government Act section 158.
Where can a resident watch or attend the November 9 council meeting?
The meeting is in the Council Chambers at Richmond City Hall at 7:00 pm on November 9, 2026. It is also streamed live on YouTube. The meeting agenda and staff reports are posted at citycouncil.richmond.ca. Residents can register to speak as a delegation through the City Clerk's office. The promise tracker for Mayor Howard is at /bc/richmond-2026/candidates/rob-howard.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Richmond City Council · November 9, 2026 Regular Meeting Agenda Cover Sheetcitycouncil.richmond.ca
- Richmond City Council · November 9, 2026 Agenda and Staff Reports (PDF)citycouncil.richmond.ca
- Richmond Council Procedure Bylaw No. 7560richmond.ca
- Local Government Act, section 158, BC Lawsbclaws.gov.bc.ca
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