City of Courtenay Annual Report 2021 draft

New downtown public washroom Those seeking relief in downtown Courtenay now have another option available following the installation of a new public washroom in December on the corner of 6th and England. The new “Urbaloo,” manufactured in B.C., is designed to be durable, easy to clean, and resistant to vandalism. Initially open daily from dawn to dusk, in March 2022 Council approved a pilot project increasing hours to 24/7 for the remainder of the year. The Urbaloo’s location was determined following consultation with the Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association (DCBIA), as well as analysis of pedestrian and vehicle traffic, proximity to parking, shopping and amenities, site visibility, distance from other public washrooms, and the availability of city-owned land and adjacent power and utilities. The $181,000 project was funded through the COVID-19 Safe Restart Grant for Local Governments. Cooling Options During Extreme Heat

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"Urbaloo" grand opening, December 2021

Left to right: Heather Ney, Comox Valley Transition Society; Councillor Doug Hillian; Sean Ferguson, Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association (DCBIA); Councillor David Frisch; Councillor Will Cole-Hamilton (with Daisy); Mayor Bob Wells; Councillor Wendy Morin; Tracey Clarke, DCBIA; Sandra Viney, DCBIA.

Extreme Weather Shelter The Connect Warming Centre, operated by Comox Valley Transition Society, opened in the fall of 2020 help individuals experiencing homelessness. The City of Courtenay provides the facility, including heat, electricity and building maintenance. During periods of cold temperatures, the centre becomes an overnight Extreme Weather Shelter with eight beds available. With the initiation of the shelter, the Courtenay Fire Department trained staff in fire safety. A dedicated fire watch position was created to monitor for fire safety at all times. In October 2021 a fire at a BC Housing facility displaced residents and led to an emergency authorization for Connect to be used as temporary overnight accommodation to support the emerging needs of displaced residents.

Summer 2021 was dangerously hot. Record-breaking temperatures were well over 35 degrees on some days, with overnight lows in the mid to upper teens. According to the BC Coroner's Service, there were 595 heat-related deaths in the province between June 18 and August 12, with the vast majority occurring during a particularly dangerous period from June 25 to July 1. 48 of those deaths occurred within the Vancouver Island Health Authority region. Recognizing the risk to life safety and human health, the City opened a temporary cooling centre in partnership with the Comox Valley Transition Society at the air-conditioned Florence Filberg Centre at key periods over the summer. While the cooling centre was open to anyone, they were particularly geared towards residents experiencing homelessness or inadequately sheltered. Courtenay also extended the hours at the Water Park in Lewis Park for the community. Cooling options throughout the Comox Valley were coordinated in collaboration with the Comox Valley Regional District, Town of Comox, and Village of Cumberland. Support for COVID-19 Immunization Clinic When the Comox Valley's primary COVID-19 immunization clinic needed to relocate to an air-conditioned space during the summer heat wave, the City stepped up to help. Courtenay Council waived $46,488 in rental fees at the Florence Filberg Centre for a community COVID-19 immunization site from July to mid-September. Vancouver Island Health Authority agreed to reimburse the City for other direct costs incurred from the use of the space and additional costs for supplies, heating, electricity, cleaning and security.

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City of Courtenay | 2021 Annual Report