Meeting #:

R5/2026

Date:

Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 4:00 P.m. - 5:00 P.m.

Location:

CVRD Civic Room, 770 Harmston Ave, Courtenay

Council Present:

• B. Wells (Mayor)
• D. Frisch
• D. Hillian
• E. Jolicoeur
• W. Morin (electronic)

Regrets:

• W. Cole-Hamilton
• M. McCollum

Staff Present:

• G. Garbutt, City Manager (CAO)
• C. Davidson, Director of Infrastructure & Environmental Engineering
• A. Langenmaier, Director of Financial Services
• K. O'Connell, Acting Director of Development Services
• S. Saunders, Director of Recreation, Culture & Community Services
• J. Bays, Community Development Coordinator
• A. Pitcher, Manager of Capital Projects
• A. Proton, Manager of Legislative Services (CO)
• P. Janecek, Legislative Services Coordinator
• R. Matthews, Deputy Corporate Officer

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Wells called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. and respectfully acknowledged that the meeting was conducted on the Unceded territory of the K'ómoks First Nation, the traditional keepers of this land.

2.

INTRODUCTION OF LATE ITEMS

Without any late items or objections, Council proceeded with the agenda as presented.

3.

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

3.1

Regular Council Minutes - February, 25, 2026

• Moved By Hillian
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council adopt the February, 25, 2026 Regular Council minutes.

  CARRIED

4.

DELEGATIONS

4.1

Dementia Inclusive Community campaign - UVIC Faculty of Health and Comox Valley's Dementia Friendly Partners Group

Heather Furneaux, Samantha Pineda Sierra, Dr. Mariko Sakamoto of the University of Victoria and Dementia Action Co-Lab, presented a proposal for the 2026 Comox Valley Knowledge Transfer Campaign titled “Working Together: Creating a Dementia‑Friendly Community in the Comox Valley.” The proposed one‑month awareness campaign would involve a temporary street‑level installation along one block of 5th Street, incorporating benches, flag poles, window decals, posters, and a short video to educate residents and businesses on how to interact supportively with people living with dementia.

The delegation requested Council’s consideration for a temporary, month‑long public awareness installation along 5th Street, including flags on lamp posts and temporary graphics on two benches at the corner of Duncan Avenue and 5th Street, as well as $2,000 in in‑kind assistance from the City of Courtenay to support installation costs.

Without objection, Council agreed to extend the maximum time for appearance of a delegation by three minutes.

5.

STAFF REPORTS

5.1

City Manager (CAO)

5.1.1

Temporary Winter Shelter Hours of Operation Extension

• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By Hillian

  THAT Council direct staff to modify the current Licence to Occupy with Lookout Housing and Health Services to allow 24-hour operations at 971 Cumberland Rd for the purposes of providing Temporary Winter Shelter services.

  CARRIED

5.1.2

2023-2026 Strategic Priorities Update - March 2026

• Moved By Hillian
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council receive the update on progress towards the 2023–2026 Strategic Priorities for the City of Courtenay, update the 2023–2026 Strategic Priorities to reflect the new items and adjusted timelines outlined in Attachment 1, and direct staff to report back on Strategic Priorities in July and September 2026.

  CARRIED

5.2

Development Services

5.2.1

DCCs and ACCs Implementation and Zoning Bylaw Phase 1 Update

• Moved By Hillian
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council defer consideration of the final adoption of the ACC Bylaw and the DCC Bylaws to the April 29, 2026 Council meeting to permit required implementation readiness activities; and,

  THAT, subject 3^rd reading approval of Zoning Bylaw No. 3203 by Council at the March 25^th, 2026 Council meeting, a Special Council Meeting (to be held virtually) be scheduled for March 27^th, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. to consider the final adoption of Zoning Bylaw 3203 (Phase 1).

  CARRIED

5.3

Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering

5.3.1

Ryan Road Sidewalk Project – Project Update

Adam Pitcher, Manager of Capital Projects, presented an update on the Ryan Road Sidewalk Project. The project aims to close a 350‑metre sidewalk gap on the north side of Ryan Road to improve pedestrian safety. Three design options were reviewed, including two with bike lanes and one sidewalk‑only option.

• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By Hillian

  THAT Council direct staff to proceed with the sidewalk only for the Ryan Road Sidewalk Project, complete detailed design and begin construction as soon as possible within 2026.

  CARRIED

5.4

Recreation, Culture and Community Services

5.4.1

Community Services – Annual Grant Impact Report for 2025

• Moved By Jolicoeur
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council receive the “Community Services – Annual Grant Impact Report for 2025” staff report for information, and

  THAT Council direct staff to review City funding contributions to community agencies, evaluate existing agreements, and research best practices to report back to Council with options regarding a community granting policy.

  CARRIED

6.

EXTERNAL REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE

6.1

Peggy Carswell - Evergreen Seniors Lounge Rental Fee - March 29 Event - Honouring the Late Jim Egan

• Moved By Jolicoeur
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT the March 4, 2026 correspondence from Peggy Carswell inviting Council to attend a community discussion on ways to honour the late Jim Egan and requesting a waiver of the Evergreen Seniors Lounge rental fee for the event, be received for information.

  CARRIED

7.

INTERNAL REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE

7.1

2026 Permissive Property Tax Exemptions Follow Up

• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By Jolicoeur

  THAT Council receive the “2026 Permissive Property Tax Exemptions Follow Up” briefing note.

  CARRIED

8.

COUNCIL REPORTS

8.1

Councillor McCollum

No report provided.

8.2

Councillor Cole-Hamilton

No report provided.

8.3

Councillor Frisch

No report provided.

8.4

Councillor Morin

Councillor Morin reported on her attendance at a recent Social Planning meeting where a presentation was received from the Pride Society. She highlighted the organization’s impactful work and noted a shift toward more policy-focused initiatives, supported by successful funding efforts, beyond traditional event planning. Councillor Morin emphasized the importance of continuing to support and amplify the work of these organizations, particularly in light of current provincial issues.

Councillor Morin also raised concerns about increasing instances of racism in the region, particularly towards the Indigenous community. She expressed her support for Indigenous community members and encouraged others to speak out against racism, as well as misinformation and disinformation. She stated that such behaviour has no place in the community.

8.5

Councillor Hillian

No report provided.

8.6

Councillor Jolicoeur

Councillor Jolicoeur reported on his attendance at the recent Comox Valley Food Policy Council municipal subcommittee meeting which is advancing work on community awareness and support for bees. The Council is exploring engagement with local beekeepers and hoping to align with the broader Comox Valley efforts to become "bee-friendly" communities.

8.7

Mayor Wells

Major Wells reviewed his attendance at the following events:

• Noted ongoing discussions about potential murals (e.g., wall near 5th Street bridge), with involvement from the Comox Valley Arts Council; updates to follow as needed.

• Attended first annual Holi celebration hosted by the Indian community; highlighted as a vibrant event celebrating light, love, and community.

• Attended Vancouver Island Wounded Warrior Run event; exceeded $280,000 fundraising goal to support first responders with PTSD and related challenges.

• Participated in Coldest Night of the Year event; over $150,000 raised for Dawn to Dawn and their community work.

• Attended You Are Not Alone (YANA) dinner where over $200,000 was raised to support local families needing medical care outside the Comox Valley.

Mayor Wells highlighted strong community participation and generosity across multiple recent events and thanked the community for its support.

9.

ADJOURNMENT

Mayor Wells terminated the meeting at 6:11 p.m.

 

CERTIFIED CORRECT

Adopted by Council [MONTH] [DAY], 202X