Richmond council is backing away from introducing a new bylaw to regulate inclusion of English on local business signage.
At a packed meeting room at city hall Monday afternoon, council members voted to go no further than simply receiving for information a 1,000-name petition calling for Chinese signage to also feature Canada's official languages.
Submitting the petition were local residents Ann Merdinyan and Kerry Starchuk, who've spent eight months researching the issue and taking photos of Chinese-only signs.
The pair fear those unable to read Chinese characters are being excluded.
Merdinyan added she would like to see a new bylaw similar to Aberdeen Centre's policy, where signage has to be 70 per cent English/French.
The remaining 30 per cent is displayed in the language of the retailer's choice.
"Harmony is built on understanding. Communication is a key," Merdinyan said.
"For the sake of our grandchildren and those who are waiting in the wings to come to Richmond, we must become a community inclusive of all people - a legacy we'll all be proud of."
Coun. Chak Au said only receiving the petition for information, "will not be the right thing to do."
Au added he would like to have city staff examine the situation and come up with a process with the goal of forming a consensus through meaningful discussion.
"I think that's a better approach." Au said his stance on the matter was not just based on cultural sensitivities, but also included safety issues involving emergency services who are often tasked with quickly locating a specific building.
And when one has signage devoid of English, "That can delay the rescue," he said.
Coun. Evelina Halsey-Brandt said she understood the concerns of Merdinyan and Starchuk, but could not support sending the matter to city staff for further investigation.
"I believe every business has the right to try and attract the customers of their choice," Halsey-Brandt said.
"If they don't want me to come into their store because they have not informed me of what kind of business they offer, then I will talk with my wallet and my feet, and I won't go into it."
Halsey-Brandt added she has never had a problem regarding foreign language signage in Richmond.
"I go in and I talk to the people. If I don't understand what's on the menu, I ask them," she said. "I have never felt excluded."
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? For more on this issue, see the Immigration column, page 12.
