Courtenay Council Meeting Highlights for March 22

March 24, 2023

This update covers highlights from the March 22, 2023 Council meeting. If there’s something from the meeting that you’d like more detail on, the full agenda, video, and minutes (when available) of each meeting are posted on the City of Courtenay website at www.courtenay.ca/councilmeetings 

Council respectfully acknowledged that the lands on which this meeting was conducted are the Unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation.

Councillor Morin acknowledged March 22nd as being World Water Day, a day to reflect on the savredness and importance of clear, safe, water. UN World Water Day 2023 is about accelerating change to solve the water & sanitation crisis. The campaign Be the Change encourages people to take action in their lives with water.

Mayor Wells acknowledged that members of Council, City staff, RCMP, and Medical Health Officer, etc. met with the Downtown Courtenay Businesses Improvement Association to listen to their concerns and thanked all of those who invested their time into the event.

Delegations

Bronwen Beedle, Treasurer, CVGSAR, presented to Council with a request for a land allocation to support the building of a permanent home for Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue future operations:

Staff Reports

Corporate Service report entitled “Public Notice of Late Filing of Campaign Financial Disclosure Statement” was received for information.

  • Parks Control Bylaw Modernization Project – Update 
    Update included a presentation by industry professional, Nav Sidhu, Consultant of Cascadia Partners. Council received the Parks Control Bylaw Modernization Project Update.
  • 2023 Parcel Tax Review
    Council receive the 2023 Parcel Tax Review report for information, as the parcel tax roll is deemed to be authenticated per Section 208 (10) of the Community Charter.

Council Reports

  • Members of Council are given the opportunity to talk about various meetings and events attended.

Council Resolutions

  • Equitable access to Mental Health & Substance Use Services in Comox Valley - Councillor Jolicoeur
    Council resolved that the City of Courtenay advocate to the Premier, Ministers of Health and Mental Health & Addictions to increase funding to Island Health, local non-profits and private providers for the purpose of filling the gap in mental health and substance use services in the Comox Valley; and that the City write to regional local government partners to seek interest in submitting a shared regional letter to the BC Government.
  • Community Clean-Up - Councillor Hillian
    Council resolved that the City organize a Spring clean up, including the following elements:
    • Engagement of local businesses and community agencies and their clients to focus on downtown and to include litter and graffiti;
    • Encouragement and facilitation of neighbourhood clean ups, including the trimming of hedges intruding on City sidewalks; and
    • The remediation of known sites of excess garbage.

Notice of Motion

 This item will appear as a Council Resolution at a future meeting.

In Camera Resolution

Council closed the meeting to the public pursuant to the following subsection of the Community Charter:

90 (1) (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; and

Council closed 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;

(f) law enforcement, if the council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the conduct of an investigation under or enforcement of an enactment;

(g) litigation or potential litigation affecting the municipality;

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

(j) information that is prohibited, or information that if it were presented in a document would be prohibited, from disclosure under section 21 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

The meeting adjourned at 7:57.p.m., the next meeting is Wednesday, April 12, 2023 and will be available on the City of Courtenay’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CityofCourtenayBC/streams