2024 Annual Report Draft

Short-term rentals On May 1, 2024, the provincial government introduced the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act to prioritize residential homes, increase housing supply, and provide stronger enforcement tools for local governments and establish the province’s role in regulating short-term rentals. Provincial regulations include a principal residence requirement — meaning short-term rentals in the province are restricted to homes where the host resides for the majority of the year — plus one accessory dwelling unit on the same property. Local governments may impose stricter regulations than those set by the province but cannot implement less restrictive requirements. To ensure that all short-term rental hosts, platforms and strata hotel platforms comply with provincial and local legislation, the province has established a Provincial Short-Term Rental Registry, taking effect on May 1, 2025. Operators must hold licences with both the City and Province. The province will ensure compliance with provincial legislation and can fine non-compliant operators. In 2024, Council provided direction to amend zoning, business licensing and municipal ticketing bylaws in order to permit short-term rentals in Courtenay with additional restrictions. The bylaw amendments to permit short-term rentals will occur in 2025. Small-scale, multi-unit housing Provincial legislation required local governments to permit small-scale, multi-unit housing (SSMUH) options across all single-residential and duplex properties by June 30, 2024. To comply with this legislation, the City adopted a new SSMUH zone on June 12, which applies to nearly 5,700 properties and replaces 16 existing residential zones. The new zone will support infill housing supply, and aligns with the objectives of the Official Community Plan to intensify growth in town centres and urban residential areas and encourage housing in the downtown. The SSMUH zone allows for minimum lot sizes of 300 m² and permits single residential, duplex or townhouse dwellings as principal uses. Secondary uses include secondary suites, accessory dwelling units, accessory buildings and structures, and home occupations. The City will continue to monitor the zone and consider future amendments that are responsive to Courtenay’s evolving needs. In late 2024, the City initiated a process to amend form and character Development Permit Area (DPA) guidelines for the new zone and other infill developments. This process aims to align the City’s development approval framework with legislative requirements while supporting new housing that contributes positively to existing neighbourhoods.

Supportive housing and emergency shelter In 2024, BC Housing purchased a site at 925 Braidwood Road for permanent shelter, supportive housing and affordable housing, providing much-needed housing for the community. Additionally, $150,000 was used to fund capital improvements at Connect Centre, including storage, washrooms and fencing to support the facility until the permanent shelter at Braidwood is ready for occupancy. As part of the Downtown Vitalization Local Area Plan process, the future use of the Connect lands will be revisited. The City was approved by the CVRD to lead the development and implementation of a regional Winter Shelter Strategy to identify the partners, actions and resources required to support individuals experiencing homelessness during cold and wet winter months. This work initially resulted in the opening of an Extreme Weather Response (EWR) shelter at a City-owned property at 971 Cumberland Road for the 2024/2025 season. While the property was not purchased for shelter purposes, the City made the property available in order to meet the urgent need for winter shelter in the Comox Valley. The EWR was funded by BC Housing, with additional contributions from the CVRD and Town of Comox, and was operated by Lookout Housing and Health Society. Work will continue to develop the Winter Shelter Strategy and implement its recommendations in time for the 2025/2026 winter season. Housing Needs Report The City collaborated with the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) and member municipalities to update the community-specific Housing Needs Reports. The updated Report provides a detailed overview of the City’s housing needs and concludes that: • 2,472 housing units will be required by 2026, and 8,350 units will be needed by 2041. This will require approximately 418 new units per year until 2041. • A significant portion of the demand is for affordable, below-market or deeply affordable units. • An average of 134 affordable units per year (672 total units) will be required over the next five years. • The City of Courtenay serves as the non-market housing centre of the region, with 847 of the region’s 1,147 non-market housing units, programs or recipients – representing nearly three-quarters of the Comox Valley’s non-market housing.

Affordable housing

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City of Courtenay | 2024 Annual Report