2023 Courtenay Annual Report

Message from the City Manager

2023 marked the first full year of Council’s four-year term. It was a year of renewal, and a testament to the continued resilience of our organization and our staff following extended operational impacts in previous years during the pandemic. The start of any Council term means a lot of heavy lifting, and it’s an opportunity to review the important role of local government as well as the City’s wide range of services. Our collective focus with Council and staff in the beginning of the year was reviewing and updating the City’s strategic priorities. This comprehensive plan, developed over several months in collaboration with Council and senior staff, is aligned with the four cardinal directions of the City’s Official Community Plan: Reconciliation, climate action, equity and community well-being. One of the recurring themes of the strategic priorities process was the importance of continuing to identify ways to support more affordable housing. The City is advocating at every level of government for greater housing supports in Courtenay and the Comox Valley, and clarifying roles and responsibilities related to current and emerging housing regulations in BC. Within our City we have focused on access to new housing through a combination of updates including permitting secondary suites throughout the community, amending our development approval processes, and updating the building bylaw, all helping to support the development of a significant number of new units of housing. Our organization’s foundation is our City staff and their strength and perseverance have kept us strong. A priority in 2023 was investing in their expertise and well-being. A core group of staff participated in Critical Incident Stress Management Training, establishing an in-house team with the skills necessary to support other employees following a crisis. Staff also participated in training through The Village Workshop Series to explore how residential schools and other colonialist policies and practices have impacted Indigenous peoples, and reflect on how each of us can play a part in the journey of reconciliation. This will also be the focus of our work to develop a Reconciliation Framework, another of Council’s strategic priorities. This project will provide guidance on culturally-appropriate approaches that are also tailored to the specific needs and priorities of K'ómoks First Nation, on whose unceded territory we reside, as well as plan to work with all Indigenous peoples in our community. The City’s efforts toward reconciliation last year also included formalizing economic opportunities for Indigenous businesses. Our updated Procurement Policy includes one of the first Indigenous procurement sections at the local government level in BC.

Thank you for reviewing this annual report. I am very proud of the work our organization accomplished in 2023, and excited about the opportunity to continue to provide essential services to residents, business and visitors to the City. Geoff Garbutt, MCIP RPP City Manager

City of Courtenay | 2023 Annual Report

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