Courtenay City Council has mapped out their priorities for the remainder of their Council term.

The updated Strategic Priorities 2021-2022 were adopted at the September 27 Council meeting, and include tangible goals for dozens of new or ongoing projects. The last update to the strategic priorities occurred in 2019, with the annual review and reporting process suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells said the document will help guide the City through its ongoing recovery from COVID-19.

“This update will help our Council and staff stay focused on the projects and initiatives that we’ve identified as our most important goals, and ensure we allocate sufficient resources for them.” said Wells. “This has been a historically challenging time, and our staff have made incredible efforts to maintain the City’s essential operations through COVID-19, all while continuing to make progress on Council’s major goals. This Strategic Priorities update was a great opportunity for us review what we expect to achieve over the coming year.”

The Strategic Priorities 2021-2022 update includes an array of projects and initiatives spanning every city department, including ongoing Indigenous relations and reconciliation, as well as a wide range of topics from air quality to a new ladder truck for the fire department – shaping the work program for the remainder Council’s term and supporting the development of the 2022 Financial Plan and Five-Year Financial Plan.

This includes the development and rehabilitation of the Kus-kus-sum lands, continued advocacy with other levels of government on affordable and supportive housing, as well as various parks, recreation, and active transportation plans and projects.

Various planning documents are under development, nearing completion, or anticipating further implementation, including the Official Community Plan Update, and plans for parks, recreation and culture, water and sewer, organics collection, rainwater management, and asset management will all work in support of the Updated Strategic Priorities.

Chief Administrative Officer Geoff Garbutt said the strategic priorities build on major themes identified at the beginning of Council’s term. “This was a robust review of our organization’s accomplishments since the last strategic planning update,” said Garbutt. “It was remarkable to see how much progress has occurred despite the challenges caused by COVID-19. This update will carry us through the next year and a half, and link long-term planning beyond this Council’s term. We’re all eager and excited to continue working on these initiatives.”

To review the full updated strategic priorities, visit www.courtenay.ca/strategicpriorities