Here are the highlights from the City Council meeting held on October 15, 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.
Public Works Association of British Columbia (PWABC) and Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA) National Public Works Week – Awards Presentation
Council welcomed Meryl Ditchburn of the Public Works Association of BC (PWABC), who presented three awards—one provincial and two national—to Kyle Shaw, Director of Operational Services, recognizing the department’s outstanding 2025 Public Works Week event. The awards, presented jointly by the Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA) and PWABC, celebrate Courtenay’s first-time submission in the category for communities between 25,000 and 100,000 residents.
The awards highlight Courtenay’s strong community engagement through school tours, student art initiatives, equipment demonstrations, and a public open house showcasing the essential work of the City’s Operational Services team. Mayor Bob Wells congratulated staff for their dedication and commitment to maintaining the infrastructure that supports daily life in Courtenay.
Read more about the awards here
Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) Solid Waste Management Plan: Strategies and Actions
Council received a presentation from Comox Strathcona Waste Management (CSWM) on the renewal of the regional Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP), which will guide how waste, recycling, and organics are managed across the Comox Valley and Strathcona regions over the next decade. The plan will guide how waste, recycling, and organics are managed across the Comox Valley and Strathcona regions over the next decade. The update, required by the Province, builds on a year of engagement with residents, staff, and experts to identify eight strategies and 33 actions aimed at improving diversion, reducing waste, and enhancing education and access.
Key initiatives include expanding recycling and organics collection, supporting waste diversion in multi-family and commercial buildings, promoting deconstruction in place of demolition, and improving services in rural areas. Council received the presentation for information. Public feedback is open until October 16, 2025, at engagecomoxvalley.ca/swmp
Amenity Cost Charges (ACC) Program and Rates
Council received an update on the development of the City’s new Amenity Cost Charges (ACC) program, a growth-related funding tool created through recent changes to the Local Government Act. The program will help ensure new development contributes fairly to the cost of community amenities such as recreation, cultural, and park facilities. The ACC framework replaces negotiated amenity contributions with a standardized, bylaw-based system that complements the existing Development Cost Charges (DCC) program.
The proposed ACC bylaw would apply to new residential and commercial development and fund projects such as community and cultural facility expansions, sportsfield and park improvements, and recreation infrastructure.
Council received the “Amenity Cost Charge Program and Rates” report, directed staff to return with options for adding “Institutional” and “Industrial” categories to the program, and approved consultation with development stakeholders prior to consideration of the bylaw.
View the amenity cost charges program and rates
Letter of Support for Kus-kus-sum Grant Applications
Council considered a request from Comox Valley Project Watershed Society for City support in applying to the Green Municipal Fund’s “Adaptation in Action” program to help complete the final phase of the Kus-kus-sum restoration project. The partnership between the City of Courtenay, K’ómoks First Nation, and Project Watershed aims to restore the former Field’s Sawmill site to its natural estuarine condition and return the land to K’ómoks First Nation ownership. The project provides significant ecological and cultural benefits, including salmon habitat restoration, flood mitigation, and climate resilience.
The restoration is nearly complete, with about 10 percent of work remaining and a funding shortfall of approximately $450,000 due to new provincial soil regulations.
Council provided support for Project Watershed to apply to the Green Municipal Fund (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) “Implementation Projects: Adaptation in Action,” and, by resolution, supported Project Watershed’s efforts to apply for other grants and fundraising opportunities consistent with the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Courtenay, Project Watershed, and K’ómoks First Nation. There are no financial costs to the City associated with this support.
New Lease Agreement – 685 Cliffe Avenue and 645 Cliffe Avenue
Council considered a report on a new lease agreement with the Comox Valley Transition Society (CVTS) to continue operating the Connect Shelter and Services Hub, which provides essential daily supports and overnight shelter services for people experiencing homelessness. The facility serves more than 100 individuals each day with meals, washroom facilities, health care, and outreach supports, and remains a critical service until the new Braidwood shelter, a purpose-built facility led by BC Housing, opens in 2027.
The new agreement extends the lease for two years and includes a month-to-month option afterward to ensure uninterrupted services CVTS will continue to pay rent with an existing City subsidy, and there are no additional financial impacts to the City beyond those already approved.
Council approved the development and execution of a new lease agreement between the City of Courtenay and the Comox Valley Transition Society for 685 and 645 Cliffe Avenue from November 1, 2025, to October 31, 2027, with a month-to-month holdover clause effective November 1, 2027. The new lease removes the requirement for Community Advisory Committee meetings while maintaining all other terms of the existing agreement and authorizes the Director of Recreation, Culture and Community Services to execute the lease.
View the Lease Agreement – 685 Cliffe Avenue and 645 Cliffe Avenue