City of Courtenay Official Community Plan - 2026 update

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Goal 6: Food Systems Support and enhance agricultural and aquaculture sectors and increase local food security.

Statement of Coordination

The OCP contains a chapter focusing on Food Systems. This addition has been included to recognize the important land use considerations of a viable local food system. Policies are designed to support more food production, education, and promotion throughout the city and surrounding lands in order to contribute to regional food security and as an economic development opportunity. The K’ómoks Estuary is also acknowledged as an important subsistence and aquaculture resource for the K’ómoks First Nation. Most significantly, however, is the emphasis on delaying Courtenay boundary extensions through the Managing Growth policies. This will reduce pressure on surrounding rural lands for urban development.

Goal Objectives

Policy Citations

Primarily within the Food Systems chapter, the OCP provides policy alignment with RGS Objective 6-A. The OCP has strong policy language around the protection of agricultural lands as well as for opportunities for the expansion of agricultural and agricultural adjacent activities. Policies include: Food Systems Objective 4: Agricultural lands are protected and are compatible with urban uses. Food Systems Objective 5: Food processing, warehousing, and distribution activities are permitted in urban areas of Courtenay Food Systems Policy 15: Continue to support protection of lands within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) for agricultural uses. Applications for exclusion of land from the ALR are not supported. Food Systems Policy 17: Maximize the potential for agricultural land to be used for agriculture by discouraging subdivision into smaller parcels.

Objective 6-A: Protect land for existing and future agriculture and associated activities and allow for the growth and expansion of such activities

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