VICTORIA -- Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps is heading to Ottawa for a round of meetings with federal cabinet ministers.
The trip coincides with the opening of the next session of Parliament on Monday.
Victoria city manager Jocelyn Jenkyns will accompany Helps. Both city officials have meetings booked with federal cabinet ministers and ministerial staff on Monday and Tuesday, according to the city.
The trip is expected to cost Victoria taxpayers an estimated $2,043.99, according to a recommendation approved by the city's committee of the whole.
Those costs are broken down as $1,059.26 for transportation, $444.23 for accommodations, $350 for incidentals like taxis and meals, and $190.50 for carbon offsets.
Helps and Jenkyns hope to advocate for federal-municipal action to grow Victoria’s economy, act on climate change, and address homelessness, according to the city.
“Housing affordability is a key issue facing our community,” Helps said in a statement Friday.
“We’ll take the region’s request to Ottawa for an additional $10 million required to complete the targeted 2,000 units of affordable and rental housing including 400 units that rent at $375 per month for people currently living on the streets.”
