Courtenay Council Meeting Highlights for March 13, 2024

March 18, 2024

This update covers highlights from the March 13, 2024 Council meeting. If there’s something from the meeting that you’d like more detail on, the full agenda, video, and minutes (when available) of each meeting are posted on the City of Courtenay website at www.courtenay.ca/councilmeetings 

Council respectfully acknowledged that the lands on which this meeting was conducted are the Unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation.

Announcements

Mayor Wells:

Mayor Wells acknowledged "Green Shirt Day" in Courtenay on Sunday, April 7th, in honour of Logan Boulet's legacy and the victims of the Humboldt Broncos crash, encouraging Canadians to discuss organ donation with their families and register as donors.

Delegations

  • Comox Valley Regional District Sani-dump Update 
    Kris La Rose, Senior Manager of Water/Wastewater Services at the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD), presented an update on the challenges of locating a sani-dump in the Comox Valley. The Comox Valley Regional District requested City of Courtenay support for additional due diligence on the Dove Creek Place location by summer 2024.

    Council directed staff to advise the Comox Valley Regional District that the City of Courtenay does not have the capacity to act on the Dove Creek Sani-dump proposal for the summer of 2024. 

    Council also directed staff to cooperate with the Comox Valley Regional District on the Sani-dump options as staff capacity allows.

Staff Report

  • Park Playground Design Standards Community Engagement Summary and Emerging Directions
    Vanessa Walton, Landscape Architect at Lanarc Consultants presented a summary to Council. The City launched Let’s Play, Courtenay! in January 2024 to engage residents in reimagining the future of play in Courtenay. The project included community engagement and leading practice reviews to establish draft design guidelines, followed by internal and external review.

    The playground design standards will guide the City’s approach to playground renewal and development by identifying recommended standards to be applied. This report provides the summary of community engagement activities and findings, as well as emerging directions for the project.

    Council received the report for information and directed staff to proceed with the next phase of the project based on the Emerging Directions draft vision, goals and guiding principles contained in this report.

    Council directed staff to report back with recommendations on sharing the Park Playground Design Standards survey results and feedback with the Provincial government as it relates to mental health, substance use, and homelessness in municipal playgrounds and parks.

 

  • Application to the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) Development Approvals Program 
    Council endorsed the submission of a grant application for $150,000 to the Union of B.C. Municipalities for the Local Government Development Approvals Program; and
    Council supported the City of Courtenay utilizing the grant and providing overall grant management, if the funding is successful. The program would supplement the implementation of development approvals procedure improvements.

  • Parcel Tax Review Panel 2024 
    In accordance with Sections 208 of the Community Charter, a parcel tax roll review panel must be convened to consider and respond to any complaints regarding a new or refusal to amend an existing parcel tax. The Parcel Tax Review Panel must consider any complaints prior to the annual property tax levy.

    Council set the Parcel Tax Review Panel on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 3:00 pm at the CVRD Civic Room, 770 Harmston Ave, Courtenay.

  • General Fund Financial Plan Additional Information
    Council made the following motions:
    Council increased the Utility (Class 2) property tax rate to the legislated maximum, 40.000; and, any revenues resulting from the increased Utility (Class 2) property tax rate be used to decrease the 2024 discretionary tax.

    Council directed staff to amend the “2024-2028 General Fund Financial Plan” to reflect rate change to the Utility Class (Class 2) as approved by Council on March 13, 2024; and, Council approved the “2024-2028 General Fund Financial Plan”, as amended; and,

    Council directed staff to prepare the 2024-2028 Consolidated Financial Plan Bylaw with a +7.7% discretionary tax change minus the impact of the change in utility class rate.

 

  • 2024 Emergency Operations Centres and Training – Grant Application
    Council approved and authorized an application to the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (Emergency Operations Centres & Training 2024) for $150,000 to be used in 2024-2025 to support the regional application by the Comox Valley Regional District (primary applicant); and that as a joint applicant, Council agreed that the primary applicant will apply for, receive, and manage the grant funding on their behalf, if successful in grant funding. 

  • 2024 Emergency Support Services Equipment and Training – Grant Application 
    Council approved and authorized an application to the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (Emergency Support Services and Training 2024) for $150,000 to be used in 2024-2025 to support the regional application by the Comox Valley Regional District (primary applicant); and as a joint applicant, Council agreed that the primary applicant will apply for, receive, and manage the grant funding on their behalf, if successful in grant funding.

External Reports

Internal Reports

  • Strengthening Communities' Grant Update
    In 2021 the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) was awarded a regional grant of $1.093 million through the Strengthening Communities' Services program. In 2022 an additional $898,603 was awarded. The purpose of the funding is to better support people experiencing homelessness in the Comox Valley.

    The funding strengthens Comox Valley's response to the increased demand/need for critical homelessness support services. Working with municipal partners and an advisory committee composed of the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness, Comox Valley Transition Society, and Wachiay Friendship Centre, the City oversees the administration of this grant funding to established community outreach providers.

    Council received the update for information.

Council Resolutions

  • Rise and Report - HEART & HEARTH Program Funding
    Council directed staff to write to the Minister of Housing requesting that the City of Courtenay be identified as a priority community for Encampment & Homelessness Response: HEART & HEARTH program funding due to the urgent need for shelter space and supportive housing; and that Council rise and report on this resolution at the next regular meeting of Council.

  • Rise and Report - Officer Appointment
    Council made the following appointments under s.148 of the Community Charter:

    -Kate O’Connell as interim Corporate Officer, during the leave of Adriana Proton, Manager of Legislative Services;

    -Lisa Bourgeois as interim Deputy Corporate Officer, from February 28, 2024 until the return of Rayanne Matthews, Deputy Corporate Officer;

    THAT Council rescind the appointment of Jessica Bagnall as Deputy Corporate Officer;

    Council authorized the immediate release of this information for the purposes of conducting City business and that Council rise and report on this resolution at next regular meeting of Council.

  • Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Beds - Councillor Jolicoeur
    Council passed the following resolution:
    WHEREAS the Province of BC and Canadian Mental Health Association of BC (CMHA-BC) announced in January 2024 an urgent increase in funding for treatment beds across BC; and

    WHEREAS the Comox Valley Substance Use Strategy, informed by local data and lived experience of people impacted by mental health and substance use, calls for the urgent need for local medical detox and treatment services; and

    WHEREAS Council has recently met with Island Health leadership and the Minister for Mental Health and Addiction clearly requesting increase mental health and substance use services, including medical detox and mental health and substance use treatment services.

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council request the Premier, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and CMHA-BC urgently prioritize the funding of treatment and medical detox beds in the Comox Valley from this new funding; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Council forward the Comox Valley Substance Use Strategy Phase 2 report and the Walk with Me report along with this request; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Council send correspondence to regional government partners to seek letters of support for this request.

Notice of Motion

  • Temporary Sheltering Options - Councillor Morin
    Council waived notice and passed this motion on the March 13, 2024 agenda:

    WHEREAS, in consideration of ongoing challenges with sheltering and congregation in the downtown core and the negative impacts to those unhoused having to pack up and move; and

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council direct staff to bring back a report at the April 10th, 2024 Council Meeting, outlining a range of temporary sheltering options including but not limited to: managed encampments, temporary modular housing and other options identified by staff; and

    THAT the report include preliminary consideration of the following details for each option presented:
  • Anticipated operational impact
  • Budget estimates
  • Potential number of individuals supported
  • Potential partnerships for the provision of services, and
  • Any other impacts or considerations.

Bylaws

For First, Second and Third Reading

For Third Reading

  • Parks and Open Spaces Regulation Bylaw No. 3121
    Council deferred third reading of the “Parks and Open Spaces Regulation Bylaw No. 3121” and directed staff to send a letter to K’ómoks First Nation, Wachiay Friendship Centre Society, Métis Association and the Indigenous Women’s Sharing Society, Unbroken Chain Harm Reduction requesting comments and input on the “Parks and Open Spaces Regulation Bylaw No. 3121”, and provide a 60 day period for a response.

    Council directed staff to organize a facilitated meeting with the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness members to foster communication and relationship building.

Council Reports

Members of Council are given the opportunity to describe various meetings and events they have attended. See attachments in the agenda with submitted written reports.

In Camera Resolution

Council closed the meeting to the public pursuant to the following subsection of the Community Charter:

90 (1) A part of a council meeting may be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to or is one or more of the following:

(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality.

 

The meeting began adjourned at 8:20 p.m., the next meeting is Wednesday, April 10 and will be available on the City of Courtenay’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/CityofCourtenayBC/streams