City staff are presenting council with a number of recommendations aimed at improving the working conditions for artists in Vancouver this morning.

At a council meeting today (October 6), councillors will be presented with staff’s Artist Studio Regulatory Review Implementation Framework, which includes a number of recommendations for short, medium-, and long-term implementation.

These include identifying opportunities for studio development through rezoning and city-controlled spaces; identifying and piloting potential improvements to existing design guidelines and development reviews to ensure studios are functional; exploring ways to issue permits and licences more quickly and lower the barriers for studio development; identifying known multi-tenant studios; extend the “interim” program piloted under the Live Performance Venue Regulatory Review to assist artists in addressing by-law issues and enforcement actions; exploring a requirement for multi-tenant studio developments to have artist-led building management bodies; requiring multi-tenant artist studio buildings to post city-approved uses in common areas; and offer engagement and learning opportunities for artists regarding city hall’s processes.

The regulatory review comes at a time when tenants of the Red Gate studios at 152-156 West Hastings have been battling to keep the space running in the face of an order to vacate for safety reasons. Yesterday, the mayor’s communication director Kevin Quinlan said the city had issued a seven-day order to the owner of the Red Gate building to make repairs, in an attempt to keep it open.

“If he doesn’t comply, the city is hiring contractors to go in and fix it, and bill it to the owner,” Quinlan said in an email to the Straight. “This step by the city to go have contractors fix it and bill to owners, is, as far as we know, unprecedented in terms of trying to preserve affordable artist space.”

The Straight has requested an interview with councillor Heather Deal to discuss the situation.