Here are the highlights from the City Council meeting held on September 10, 2025. Read the full agenda and attachments for more details.
To learn more about Council meetings — including video recordings, meeting schedules, past minutes and upcoming agendas — visit the Council meetings page.
Courtenay and District Memorial Outdoor Pool – Public Engagement
The Courtenay and District Memorial Outdoor Pool, a historic community facility operating since 1949, needs major upgrades due to age and wear. The City of Courtenay, in partnership with the Comox Valley Regional District, has completed an Aquatic Needs Strategy and is now exploring four options for the pool’s future: repair, renovate, replace, or decommission. Public feedback shows strong support for keeping the pool at its current location, with most people preferring either repairs or a full renovation. The pool has structural issues, accessibility challenges, and environmental concerns due to its location in a floodplain and near an archaeological site. Each option comes with different costs, timelines, and impacts, with repair estimated at $5 million and replacement at $32 million.
To help decide the best path forward, the City is launching a public engagement campaign that includes online displays, surveys, and open house events. The goal is to gather community input on the proposed options before making a final decision. The repair and renovate options could be ready for construction by summer 2027, while the replacement option would take longer due to more complex permitting and design needs. The decommission option, which would remove the pool entirely, is the least supported by the public. The City emphasizes that the pool is a valued community asset and any decision will consider public health, safety, environmental responsibility, and long-term community benefits.
Council directed staff to proceed with public engagement to receive feedback on the Courtenay and District Memorial Outdoor Pool Options Analysis and to report back to Council with the findings of the public engagement. Council also directed staff to request a delegation to the Comox Valley Regional District Recreation Commission to share the engagement staff report.
View Courtenay and District Memorial Outdoor Pool Public Engagement report and meeting video
Permissive Tax Exemption Policy Direction
The City of Courtenay is reviewing its Permissive Tax Exemption (PTE) Policy, which allows certain non-profit and charitable organizations to pay less property tax. This helps these groups offer more services to the community. Council is considering updates to the policy for the 2027 tax year, including expanding the scope to include grants-in-aid and aligning decisions with the City's Official Community Plan. The review includes options like using financial need tests to decide who gets exemptions, considering the type of service provided (e.g., social programs vs. sports), and adjusting how long exemptions last. For example, moving from 1-year terms to 4-year terms could reduce paperwork and improve stability for organizations.
Other ideas include making exemption amounts more consistent for groups serving people outside Courtenay and changing how leased properties are supported—possibly replacing tax exemptions with direct financial aid. The City is also looking at how to fairly judge applications, such as using a committee or third-party group. These changes aim to make the program more fair, efficient, and focused on helping those who need it most. Council will decide which options to include in the updated policy, with some changes possibly starting in 2027. The goal is to balance financial sustainability with community support, while keeping the process transparent and aligned with strategic priorities like equity and well-being.
Council directed staff to report back with options to update Permissive Property Tax Exemption – Policy 1960.00.01, with changes to take effect in 2027.
View the Permissive Tax Exemption Policy Direction report and meeting video
Application to UBCM Strategic Priorities Fund – Capacity Building Stream for Recreation Facilities Master Plan
The City of Courtenay is applying for a grant from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) to help fund a new Recreation Facilities Master Plan. This plan will guide how the city manages and improves its recreation buildings, like the Lewis Centre and Florence Filberg Centre, over the next several years. The plan will be based on community feedback and will help the city decide which buildings need repairs, upgrades, or even replacement. The city is also working on a Recreation Strategic Plan, which will help shape the future of recreation services and programs. Together, these plans aim to make sure Courtenay’s recreation spaces meet the needs of a growing and changing community.
The grant could cover up to 100% of the costs for the Recreation Facilities Master Plan, which is estimated at $400,000. If approved, the project would begin in 2026 and finish by 2028. The city’s recreation buildings are aging—some are over 75 years old—and many are in flood-prone areas, so planning for climate resilience is also important. The plan will also look at how recreation spaces can support other community needs, like emergency shelters during extreme weather. This work supports Courtenay’s goals for healthy, sustainable, and inclusive communities, and will help guide smart investments in public spaces for years to come.
Council directed staff to submit a grant application for the Recreation Facilities Master Plan to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Strategic Priorities Fund – Capacity Building Stream. Council supports the project and will include the project budget for the Recreation Facilities Master Plan in the 2026-2030 Financial Plan.
View the Application to UBCM Strategic Priorities Fund report and meeting video