Meeting #:

R9/2025

Date:

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Time:

4:00 P.m. - 10:00 P.m.

Location:

CVRD Civic Room, 770 Harmston Ave, Courtenay

Council Present:

• W. Cole-Hamilton (electronic)
• D. Frisch
• D. Hillian (Acting Mayor)
• E. Jolicoeur (electronic)
• M. McCollum
• W. Morin

Regrets:

• B. Wells (Mayor)

Staff Present:

• G. Garbutt, City Manager (CAO)
• C. Davidson, Director of Infrastructure & Environmental Engineering
• A. Langenmaier, Director of Financial Services
• K. Macdonald, Fire Chief
• K. O'Connell, Director of Corporate Services
• S. Saunders, Director of Recreation, Culture & Community Services
• K. Shaw, Director of Operational Services
• J. Chan, Manager of Business Administration
• N. Gothard, Manager of Community and Sustainability Planning
• A. Proton, Manager of Legislative Services
• J. Schile, Manager of Development Planning
• L. Bourgeois, Deputy Corporate Officer

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

Acting Mayor Hillian called the meeting to order at 4:02 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.

On behalf of Council, Councillor Morin expressed condolences on the passing of Mike Trask, a valued community member. In 1988, Mike and his daughter discovered the first Elasmosaurus fossil west of the Rockies, a key contribution to local heritage. He was honoured as one of Courtenay’s Citizens of the Century. Council extended sympathies to his family and friends.

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 - May 7, 2025

• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By McCollum

  THAT Council adopt the May 7, 2025 Regular Council minutes.

  CARRIED

4.

STAFF REPORTS

4.1

Development Services

4.1.1

Development Variance Permit Application No. 2501: 2-2230 Cliffe Avenue

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council vary Zoning Bylaw No. 2500, 2007 as follows:

  1. Section 8.19.5 (1) Commercial use - from “fifty percent (50%)” to “fifty-two percent (52%)” of
     total area of the lot;
  2. Section 8.19.6 (1) Front Yard - from “7.5 m” minimum front yard building
     setback to “0.5 m”;
  3. Section 8.19.11 (2) Landscaping and Screening - removing the requirement “To separate
     parking, internal roads, services or storage areas from adjacent properties, a landscaped buffer
     area of at least 2.0 m in width and 2.0 m in height shall be provided along the inside of all
     property lines.”; and

  THAT Council approve “Development Variance Permit No. 2501 (2-2230 Cliffe Avenue)”; and
  
  THAT Council direct the Director of Development Services to issue “Development Variance Permit No. 2501 (2-2230 Cliffe Avenue)”.

  CARRIED

4.2

Financial Services

4.2.1

2024 Municipal & Regional District Tax Program (MRDT)  Annual Performance Report

Tanya Massa, Comox Valley Marketing Coordinator at Experience Comox Valley (4VI), provided an update on the 2024 Municipal & Regional District Tax (MRDT) program.

• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By Morin

  THAT Council approve the 2024 MRDT Annual Performance and Financial Reports.

  CARRIED

4.2.2

Fall 2025 Municipal Security Issuing Resolution

• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By McCollum

  THAT Council approve borrowing from the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia, as part of the 2025 Fall Borrowing Session, $2,500,000 as authorized through "Sewer Infrastructure Projects 2023 Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3093, 2023" and that the Comox Valley Regional District be requested to Consent to our borrowing over 20-year term and include the borrowing in a Security Issuing Bylaw; and
  
  THAT Council approve borrowing from the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia, as part of the 2025 Fall Borrowing Session, $2,176,000 as authorized through "Loan Authorization Bylaw 3136, 2024 - Strategic Land Acquisition 2024" and that the Comox Valley Regional District be requested to Consent to our borrowing over a 20-year term and include the borrowing in a Security Issuing Bylaw.

  CARRIED

4.3

Fire Department

4.3.1

2025 UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund Applications

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Morin

  THAT Council approve the submission of a regional application to the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Fund for up to $200,000 under the Emergency Operations Centres Equipment and Training stream, and up to $150,000 under the Emergency Support Services Equipment and Training stream to enhance local capacity in both Emergency Support Services and Emergency Operations Centres; and
  
  THAT the Comox Valley Regional District be designated as the fiscal host, responsible for receiving and managing any resulting grant funding on behalf of the City of Courtenay.

  CARRIED

4.4

Recreation, Culture and Community Services

4.4.1

Extreme Weather Response Shelter – End of Season Report

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Cole-Hamilton

  THAT Council receive the “Extreme Weather Response Shelter – End of Season Report”; and
  
  THAT Council direct staff to send the “Extreme Weather Response Shelter – End of Season Report” to the Town of Comox, Village of Cumberland, Comox Valley Regional District, and K’ómoks First Nation; and
  
  THAT Council direct staff to make a delegation request to the Comox Valley Regional District to make a presentation of the “Extreme Weather Response Shelter – End of Season Report”.

  CARRIED

4.4.2

Woodcote Park Playground Replacement and What We Heard Report

Katya Yushmanova from PWL Partnership Landscape Architects joined the meeting electronically to respond to Council's questions.

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council receive the “Woodcote Park Playground Replacement and What We Heard Report” staff report; and

  THAT Council endorse the Preferred Concept Plan (Attachment 4), with minor changes to be approved by staff as required.

  CARRIED

5.

INTERNAL REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE

5.1

Public Works Week 2025 – School Tours, Open House & Council Invitation

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Morin

  THAT Council receive this briefing note for information and as a formal invitation to attend the Public Works Week Event, hosted by the Operational Service Department at the Operational Services Centre on May 24, 2025, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

  CARRIED

5.2

Support for National Indigenous Peoples Day 2025

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council receive the briefing note titled “Support for National Indigenous Peoples Day 2025” for information.

  CARRIED

6.

BYLAWS

6.1

For First, Second and Third Readings:

6.1.1

Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3184, 2025 – 6th Street Bridge 2025

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Morin

  THAT Council amend Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3184, 2025 – 6th Street Bridge 2025 to authorize borrowing a maximum of $1,745,000 and give first, second, and third readings to “Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3184, 2025 – 6th Street Bridge 2025”; and

  THAT Council proceed to adoption of “Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3184, 2025 – 6th Street Bridge 2025”  through the Approval-free Liability Zone granted by the Municipal Liabilities Regulation, section 7.

• Mayor Wells called a recess at 5:40 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 5:44 p.m.

  Moved By Cole-Hamilton
  Seconded By Morin

  THAT Council amend the motion by changing the amount from $1,745,000 to $1,245,000.

  CARRIED

• Motion as amended: 

  THAT Council amend Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3184, 2025 – 6th Street Bridge 2025 to authorize borrowing a maximum of $1,245,000 and give first, second, and third readings to “Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3184, 2025 – 6th Street Bridge 2025” as amended; and

  THAT Council proceed to adoption of “Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 3184, 2025 – 6th Street Bridge 2025” as amended through the Approval-free Liability Zone granted by the Municipal Liabilities Regulation, section 7.

  CARRIED

  Opposed: Councillor Jolicoeur

  
  
• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council reallocate $1,555,000 from the Growing Communities Fund to the 6th Street Bridge from the following projects:

  • $655,000 from affordable housing,
  • $500,000 from Bill Moore Park Development (2027), and
  • $400,000 from McPhee Meadows Phase 1

  THAT Council reallocate $500,000 from the Canada Community-Building Fund to the 6^th Street Bridge project,

  THAT Council allocate $1,000,000 from prior year surplus to the 6th Street Bridge Project,

  AND THAT Council allocate $500,000 towards Bill Moore Park Development project in 2027 from the Gaming Fund.

  CARRIED

  Opposed: Councillor Jolicoeur

  
  

6.1.2

Loan Authorization Bylaw 3183, 2025 – Strategic Land Acquisition 2025 Amendment

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Morin

  THAT Council rescind third reading of “Loan Authorization Bylaw 3183, 2025 – Strategic Land Acquisition 2025”.

  CARRIED
• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By McCollum

  
  THAT Council amend “Loan Authorization Bylaw 3183, 2025 – Strategic Land Acquisition 2025” by removing the word “bridge” in section 1 and replacing with “strategic land acquisition 2025”; and

  THAT Council give “Loan Authorization Bylaw 3183, 2025 – Strategic Land Acquisition 2025” new third reading as amended.

  CARRIED

6.2

For Adoption:

6.2.1

Zoning – Amendment Bylaw No. 3157 – Medium Density Multi-Residential (RM-1)

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council adopt “Zoning – Amendment Bylaw No. 3157 – Medium Density Multi-Residential (RM-1)”.

  CARRIED

7.

COUNCIL REPORTS

7.1

Councillor Cole-Hamilton

No report provided.

7.2

Councillor Frisch

No report provided.

7.3

Councillor Jolicoeur

No report provided.

7.4

Councillor McCollum

No report provided.

7.5

Councillor Morin

Councillor Morin highlighted a community event on the toxic drug crisis, scheduled for June 3 to 4:

• "Precarious" theatre performance at Stan Hagen Theatre (June 3)
• Business luncheon and public presentation featuring keynote speaker Lisa Lapointe (June 4), with additional panelists including Dr. Charmaine Enns and Leslie McBain. Includes a peer luncheon for those with lived experience

7.6

Acting Mayor Hillian

Acting Mayor Hillian reported on recent events:

• Attended Cumberland’s 137th May Day celebration on Monday May 19, 2025.
• Participated in an RCMP award ceremony recognizing members for outstanding service on May 20, 2024
• Noted that 31 individuals recently graduated from RCMP Bootcamp.

7.7

Mayor Wells

Mayor Wells was absent for the meeting. No report provided. 

8.

IN CAMERA RESOLUTION

• Moved By Morin
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council close the meeting to the public pursuant to the following subsections 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:

  (i) the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose;

  (k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality if they were held in public;

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

  (b) the consideration of information received and held in confidence relating to negotiations between the municipality and a provincial government or the federal government or both, or between a provincial government or the federal government or both and a third party.

  CARRIED

9.

ADJOURNMENT

Acting Mayor Hillian terminated the open portion of the meeting at 6:00 p.m. Following the conclusion of the in camera portion of the meeting, Mayor Wells terminated the meeting at 7:08 p.m.

 

CERTIFIED CORRECT

Adopted by Council [MONTH] [DAY], 2025