Meeting #:

R10/2025

Date:

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Time:

3:00 P.m. - 4:00 P.m.

Location:

CVRD Civic Room, 770 Harmston Ave, Courtenay

Council Present:

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

Staff Present:

• G. Garbutt, City Manager (CAO)
• C. Davidson, Director of Infrastructure & Environmental Engineering
• A. Langenmaier, Director of Financial Services
• S. Saunders, Director of Recreation, Culture & Community Services
• S. Hainsworth, Manager of Procurement, Risk & Real Estate
• A. Pitcher, Manager of Engineering Capital Projects
• A. Proton, Manager of Legislative Services
• J. Schile, Manager of Development Planning
• L. Bourgeois, Deputy Corporate Officer
• G. Talbot, Engineering Technologist

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Wells called the meeting to order at 3:00 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.

• Moved By Hillian
  Seconded By McCollum

      
  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:

  (a) personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the municipality or another position appointed by the municipality;

  (c) labour relations or other employee relations;

  (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; and

  (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.

  CARRIED

  Mayor Wells resumed the regular council meeting at 4:06 p.m.

  
  

2.

INTRODUCTION OF LATE ITEMS

• Moved By Hillian
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT the agenda be amended by removing item 5.2.1 - Airpark Association Lease Renewal.

  CARRIED

3.

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

3.1

Regular Council Minutes - May 21, 2025

• Moved By McCollum
  Seconded By Cole-Hamilton

  THAT Council adopt the May 21, 2025 Regular Council minutes.

  CARRIED

4.

PRESENTATIONS

4.1

BC Housing - Updates on 925 Braidwood and the Lodge (1885 Cliffe Ave)

Tara Schmidt (Acting Director, Regional Development – Vancouver Island) and Jennifer Fox (Regional Director, Vancouver Island Region, Operations) from BC Housing provided an update on the 925 Braidwood Road project. It was noted that the occupancy date for the project is delayed until 2027.

• Moved By Hillian
  Seconded By Jolicoeur

  THAT Council send an urgent request to the Minister of Housing to meet and discuss options for expediting the BC Housing project located at 925 Braidwood Road.

  CARRIED

5.

STAFF REPORTS

5.1

Development Services

5.1.1

Antenna System Proposal for 1000 Piercy Avenue

Brian Gregg, President of SitePath Consulting, responded to Council’s questions regarding the proposal.

• Moved By Hillian
  Seconded By McCollum

  THAT Council direct staff to proceed with processing a Development Variance Permit application to permit a 46.0-meter-tall monopole antenna system and equipment building compound on a portion of 1000 Piercy Avenue, legally described as Lot A District Lot 127 Section 69 Comox District Plan VIP 85657 Except Plan EPP81814.
  
  THAT Council direct staff to negotiate a Licence of Occupation between the City of Courtenay and Telus Communications Inc. for the purposes of permitting the location of a cell tower on a portion of 1000 Piercy Avenue, legally described as Lot A District Lot 127 Section 69 Comox District Plan VIP 85657 Except Plan EPP81814, for up to a maximum of a 25 year-term.

  CARRIED

5.1.2

Release of Option (Tunner Drive)

• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By Jolicoeur

  THAT Council authorize the Director of Development Services to execute the release for the Option to Purchase covenant FB414633 as modified by CB383353 (Tunner Drive).

  CARRIED

5.2

Financial Services

5.2.1

Airpark Association Lease Renewal

Note: This item was removed from the agenda by Council motion. See Item 2.0 – Introduction of Late Items.

5.3

Recreation, Culture and Community Services

5.3.1

BC Healthy Communities PlanH Community Connectedness Grant Application

• Moved By Cole-Hamilton
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council support an application to the BC Healthy Communities PlanH Community Connectedness grant stream in partnership with the Comox Valley Early Years Collaborative for the provision of an Early Years Family Support Fair.

  CARRIED

6.

EXTERNAL REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE

6.1

Office of the Ombudsperson Quarterly Report - April 1 - June 30

• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By Morin

  THAT council receive the "April 1- June 30, 2024 BC Ombudsperson Quarterly Report" from Office of the Ombudsperson for information.

  CARRIED

7.

INTERNAL REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE

7.1

McPhee Meadows – Project Update

• Moved By Hillian
  Seconded By Jolicoeur

  THAT Council receive the McPhee Meadows – Project Update; and

  THAT Council direct staff pursue water access options from McPhee Meadows with the appropriate regulatory bodies.

  CARRIED

  Opposed: Councillor Frisch 

  
  

7.2

Management Reports - June 2025

• Moved By Jolicoeur
  Seconded By Frisch

  THAT Council receive the 2025 management reports from Corporate Services; Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering; Recreation, Culture and Community Services; and the City Manager’s Office for information.

  CARRIED

8.

COUNCIL REPORTS

8.1

Councillor Cole-Hamilton

No report provided.

8.2

Councillor Frisch

No report provided.

8.3

Councillor Hillian

Councillor Hillian advised of two upcoming Notices of Motion:

1. A proposal to advocate to the Province for the implementation of photo radar on Back Road, in response to enforcement concerns raised at a recent Sewage Commission meeting.
2. A proposal for the City to consider establishing a bursary for participants in the Mountie and Fire Camps, following attendance at the Mountie Camp graduation held at Goose Spit.

8.4

Councillor Jolicoeur

Councillor Jolicoeur provided the following updates:

• "Pulse in the Plaza"  is approved to return this year, with Friday evening events scheduled in front of the Comox Valley Art Gallery. The initiative is supported by the City, the DCBIA, and community partners.
• Participated in a tour of Courtenay with Minister Brittny Anderson (Minister of State for Local Government), the Mayor, Councillor Cole-Hamilton, and the City Manager. The tour included discussions on the Braidwood BC Housing project, the Anderton Dike project, downtown revitalization, and recreational facilities at Lewis Park.

8.5

Councillor McCollum

No report provided.

8.6

Councillor Morin

Councillor Morin shared the following:

• Attended the Art Gallery AGM, where the City’s continued support for the arts was acknowledged. The importance of accessible and inclusive programming was emphasized.
• Noted the upcoming Because, Not Despite exhibit, which explores neurodivergence in creative practice.
• Highlighted the success of local theatre production Blackbird by director Robinson Wilson, which will advance to the BC competition in Nanaimo.

8.7

Mayor Wells

Mayor Wells provided the following updates:

• Met with Minister Kelly Greene (Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness) to discuss the Anderton Dike infrastructure and related challenges.
• Thanked Council members for attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) conference and acknowledged Councillor Hillian for serving as Acting Mayor during that time.
• Shared highlights from a recent visit to Taiwan for the World Masters Games, including meetings with municipal leaders from Taipei and New Taipei, as well as representatives from the Canadian Trade Office.

9.

IN CAMERA RESOLUTION

• Moved By Frisch
  Seconded By Hillian

  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:

  (a) personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the municipality or another position appointed by the municipality;

  (c) labour relations or other employee relations;

  (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; and

  (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.

  CARRIED

10.

ADJOURNMENT

Mayor Wells terminated the open portion of the meeting at 6:22 p.m. Following the conclusion of the in camera session at 8:22 p.m., Council proceeded into the restricted in camera portion. The meeting was adjourned by Mayor Wells at 8:43 p.m.

CERTIFIED CORRECT

Adopted by Council June [DAY], 2025