District of Oak Bay
News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2021

District of Oak Bay Initiates Marina Lease Negotiations and Identifies Proponent 

The District of Oak Bay has begun Marina Lease Negotiations as part of the formal procurement process.

Late in May, the District announced the selection of Proponent 1 as the party with whom the District would commence negotiations. Since then, both parties have been working with professional advisors to prepare for negotiations.

The first negotiation meeting took place July 15, 2021. Among the items discussed at the meeting was identification of Proponent 1 by name. Release of this information required agreement of the Proponent and this was considered best dealt with in the context of the first negotiation meeting. With Proponent agreement, the District is pleased to identify Proponent 1 as the Oak Bay Marine Group. Another item discussed at the meeting was public release of Oak Bay Marine Group’s technical proposal. With Proponent agreement, the District is pleased to release this information (redacted to remove sensitive commercial information).

 “I look forward to a productive discussion with Oak Bay Marine Group as we work towards a final agreement that addresses the financial, environmental, social, and public amenity goals we’ve heard from the community” says Mayor Murdoch. 

“We’re thrilled to be selected. Oak Bay has been our home for the last 60 years and we look forward to continuing to evolve and meet the needs of the community. The District of Oak Bay put together a thorough RFP process and it was handled professionally. We greatly value all the community input that we received and we will continue to work closely with all stakeholders, including First Nations” says Oak Bay Marine Group CEO Brook Castelsky.

As this is a negotiated Request for Proposals (RFP) process, the District will, throughout negotiations, be referencing public feedback received during the spring of 2021 (over 600 online questionnaire responses, Committee of the Whole meeting input, related emails and letters). The goal of the negotiation process is to achieve financial and social value for the community, and success for all stakeholders. The District's negotiation team, supported by subject matter experts, will be seeking the best value for the public.

The District recognizes the historical connections that the Lekwungen speaking people, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, have to the land on which the District is located. The District has stipulated respect for First Nations culture, language, traditions, and world view as a lease objective and guiding principle and encouraged proponents to engage with First Nations in formulating their response to the Request for Proposal. The negotiation process allows for continuing work to achieve these and other Reconciliation goals. Ongoing respectful dialogue with First Nations is a key priority for the negotiation parties. 

Those interested are invited to visit www.oakbay.ca/marina-lease-negotiations for further information.  

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Kevin Murdoch, Mayor  
District of Oak Bay  
250-896-4983 
mayor@oakbay.ca