Province asks Richmond to waive $2.98 million in fees for new Lions Manor

At one of its last meetings of the term, Richmond city council will consider waiving nearly $3 million in fees to help offset the cost of building a new Lions Manor in Steveston. The provincial Ministry of Infrastructure asked the city to waive development cost charges (DCCs); Richmond’s share is $2.98 million. City staff propose drawing the money from the rate stabilization fund, which holds surplus from previous years’ taxes, and replenishing the capital budget where DCCs would normally be allocated.

Mayor Malcolm Brodie said council has occasionally waived DCCs, but only for projects such as affordable housing. He noted the province is in “dire financial” straits and rebuilding the long-term care facility is “important” to the community. “It’s definitely a download, but, on the other hand… we don’t want anything to be in the way of rebuilding Lions Manor,” Brodie said. Council approved the property’s rezoning at third reading in December. When Lions Manor closed its Steveston location about 12 years ago, it moved to a former hotel on Bridgeport Road, where it has been ever since.

The new Lions Manor is being described as a “campus of care,” with 144 long-term beds, adult and child day care, a 14-bed hospice and other facilities. The project would also owe about $1 million in DCCs to Metro Vancouver and about $73,000 to TransLink. A city staff report says the province would have to negotiate separately with Metro Vancouver and TransLink to have those charges waived. The new city council will be sworn in on Nov. 2, 2026.